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July 7, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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CET mess-up: Controller of Examination changed Ludhiana, July 6 The university also shifted the date of the re-examination to July 16 as the date declared yesterday clashed with the entrance test of Manipal Academy. The decision was taken after a delegation of candidates and parents met the Registrar, asking him to change the date in lieu of the clash. The Professor of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Dr S.S. Chahal, was appointed Controller of Examination in place of Dr M.S. Tiwana. The PAU had cancelled the CET examination in a jiffy here yesterday amidst allegations of irregularities and discrepancies in the test. The decision was being termed as a forced one as a section of the media had approached the authorities for the version and a detailed story was being carried in the newspaper. Sources in the PAU disclosed that the decision to cancel the examination was taken after a quick re-evaluation was done by the university yesterday. Sources further disclosed that re-evaluation established irregularities in the evaluation process as the merit list was thoroughly altered. The Vice-Chancellor Dr K.S. Aulakh, said responsibility could not be fixed on any individual as the irregularities were not intentional. He further said in certain cases of re-evaluation it was found out that evaluation of the answersheets was not proper. He said after the re-evaluation the university sought legal advice and then decided to cancel the examination. The Vice-Chancellor maintained that no individual responsibility could be fixed for the whole episode. During the re-evaluation, the marks scored by the candidates underwent a seachange. The CET would put extra burden on the university exchequer, which would have to shell huge amounts for no individual’s mistake. During the conduct of CET on June 26, the university had deputed 300 persons including 250 invigilators and 50 assistants. They were paid Rs 144 per head, besides the coordinator and assistant coordinator, who were paid higher. The university had also arranged for 175 evaluators, who were paid Rs 144 per head. The university had to spend on providing the refreshment to these people. Funds were also spent on printing and stationery to be provided to students. With the examination being held again, the The test was causing a lot of inconvenience to the candidates as well as their parents, who had to take a day off in order to accompany their children to the venue of the examination. The candidates coming from all over the state for the test would have to make it once again to appear in the test. A number of parents and students who visited the campus today, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said they had lost faith in these entrance tests. A parent who had come from Doraha said the students, after reading in the newspapers today about the cancellation, were shocked. He said PMT was to be conducted tomorrow and the development would affect their performance. He said if this could happen here, it could be repeated in any other university. The faculty members of the university demanded a high-level probe into the matter by some outside agency. They also demanded that the guilty should be brought to book so that such irregularities were not repeated. |
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Complainants turn out to be accused Ludhiana, July 6 The three complainants, Chanderpal (the woman’s husband), Sant Ram Dagri (her second husband) and Jagjit Chawla, all of Ludhiana, were today booked for murder and conspiracy after the completion of an inquiry into the four-month case. The inquiry exonerated the financier, Parmod Goyal, of all charges. He was earlier named as the main accused in the case. One of the accused, Sant Ram Dagri, was arrested from Kila Raipur. He was produced in the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Ms Sukhwinder Kaur, in the city this afternoon. He was remanded in police custody till July 9. The other two accused could not be arrested as Bimla was found missing from Dugri in Ludhiana on February 28. Her husband Chanderpal, a fruit seller, who had just returned from jail after completing the sentence in a murder case, had accused a city-based financier, Parmod Goyal, of kidnapping his wife as he was unable to repay a debt he owed to the financier. Later a city trader Jagjit Singh Chawla claimed that the same financier, with whom he had business rivalry, had threatened him of dire consequences as the financier, using his power, had kidnapped Bimla and married her off to a fruit seller, Sant Ram Dagri. Later it was found that Bimla was murdered on March 17 at Kila Raipur. The needle of suspicion again fell on the financier, but surprisingly, he surrendered before the Dehlon police. He presented evidence in his support. Later the police got hold of Sant Ram Dagri from Kila Raipur and his questioning led to the clues of the involvement of the complaiant in the crime. According to the DSP, though it was not clear who of the three accused actually murdered her, according to the confession of Sant Ram Dagri, there were two motives behind the crime. One was that Bimla was a woman of loose character and had married several times. He said Chanderpal had been lodging complaints with the police and the High Court that his wife Bimla was kidnapped and murdered, whereas he had divorced her earlier this year. He said he married Bimla later. Both of them planned to get rid of the woman, who due to her relations with other persons, was a problem. He said the motive of Jagjit Singh Chawla was his enmity with Parmod Goyal. They planned together to kill Bimla and implicate Parmod Goyal in the case.
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50 structures, jhuggies demolished Ludhiana, July 6 The MC demolition squad, headed by Municipal Town Planner S.S. Bhatia, and comprising other officials of the C zone, labour and a strong police party, descended on the site in the morning and issued directions to the occupants to remove their belongings immediately. As there was some resistance from the occupants, the MC labour and bulldozer went into action. Once the jhuggi dwellers and others realised that the MC team meant business, there was a scurry for removing household articles, which were stacked along the road and later transported elsewhere. The MTP, Mr Bhatia, told Ludhiana Tribune that of the structures cleared from the encroached portion of the road, around 15 were pucca rooms while others were jhuggies. Some of the illegal occupants had in fact acquired the structures on rent, they disclosed, while they were not sure about the identity of the persons, who regularly collected rent from the occupants. Some of those who were dispossessed from the encroached government land complained that they were not given enough time to remove their belongings by the MC officials, but this was more out of frustration and anger, claimed the officials present at the spot. Meanwhile, residents of Kila Mohalla today held a demonstration at the MC headquarters to protest against, what they described as ‘selective demolition’ by Tehbazari wing of the civic body. The MC staff had removed a kiosk in Shiv Puri locality on Thursday while other temporary encroachments in the area were left undisturbed. According to the demonstrators, the kiosk was set up by an unemployed person Madan Lal, who was suffering from some chronic illness. Residents of the locality alleged that the MC had taken the action at the instance of certain influential political leader. The activists of the Bharatiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj also joined the protest. |
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Sangma to visit Punjab on July 21 Ludhiana, July 6 This was stated by Mr Swarn Singh, president of the state unit of the NCP, while addressing a press conference here today. Other party functionaries, state vice-president Pawan Sharma; president of Women Wing Surinder Kaur Kang; convener of Kisan Cell Dr Balwant Singh and its president Surinder Pal Singh and vice-president of Youth Wing Shiv Soni were also present on the occasion. Mr Swarn Singh announced the nomination of Mr Charanjot Chanchal as Public Relations Officer of the party, Mr Ashish Nanchahal as general secretary of Youth Wing, Ms Asha Jyoti as senior vice-president and Ms Paramjit Kaur as general-secretary of Women Wing. He made it explicitly clear that Ms Surinder Kaur Kang was the president of Women Wing of the NCP and produced an appointment letter issued by Mr Tariq Anwar to this effect. The NCP state chief also nominated some more office-bearers of the district unit of the party, which included Vaid Bharat Bhushan and Thakur Puneet Singh, general secretaries, Mr Raj Kumar, president, Labour Cell, Ms Manjit Kaur, president and Ms Harcharan Kaur, vice-president, Women Wing. The district president of the NCP, Mr Rashpal Singh, was conspicuous with his absence while Mr Ramesh Nanchahal, senior vice-president and Mr Manjit Singh Layal, among others attended the meeting. |
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Plot owner not being allowed construction Ludhiana, July 6 For the past 13 years Gurdeep Singh, the owner of a 1,600 square yard plot in the Shyam Nagar area behind the bus stand, has been fighting legal battles to start construction of a commercial complex as he is not being allowed to do so by the local residents. Despite his having won all the legal battles right from the local courts up to the Supreme Court, the residents of the Street Number 7 in the Shyam Nagar area have not been allowing him to start the construction work. On March 8, when he again started the construction the residents staged a dharna and prevented him from doing so. This was done inspite of the presence of a huge police contingent. Instead of preventing people from obstructing their work, the police stood as mute spectators. Addressing a press conference here today Mr Gurdeep Singh Ahluwalia and his father Mr Hardev Singh Ahluwalia said they had purchased the land in the rearside of Bus Stand about 50 years ago. While they had sold some of the land to the government, on the remaining part they wanted to construct a commercial complex. However, the residents of Shyam Nagar, Street Number 7, have not been allowing them to do so. About two years ago, when they tried to start the construction, the residents got a stay from the court. The litigation continued for a long time and the matter was ultimately settled by the Supreme Court which gave its decision in favour of Mr Gurdeep Singh. Mr Ahluwalia disclosed that whenever they tried to start the work there, the residents of the area prevented them from doing so. He also produced the documents, including these of the ownership, the court decisions and also the map approved by the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, for the construction of the commercial complex. Mr Ahluwalia decided against starting the work as he did not want to get into a confrontation. He said, he could only rely on the administration. He had presented himself before the Deputy Commissioner at the “sangat darshan”, where the DC had assured him of all help. But so far he has not been allowed to start construction work. The revenue records, according the map produced by Mr Ahluwalia, also show that the street is closed on the side of the Bus Stand. Since the plot owned by Mr Ahluwalia was lying vacant for quite some time, the residents used it as a thoroughfare and they want to continue with this. He has also approached the Punjab Human Rights Commission, which sought the report from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana on the issue. The SSP is believed to have submitted the report. The PHRC has reportedly asked the Home Department also to file a report on the issue before August 16. |
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40 schools for child labourers shortly Ludhiana, July 6 About 2000 child labourers will be provided with informal education and vocational training in trades for which they have an inclination. The department is opening these schools under the National Child Labour Project of the Ministry of Labour. These special schools are part of the National Child Labour Policy of the Centre to rehabilitate child labourers. Explaining the project, Mr H.R. Badru, project director and Assistant Labour Commissioner, said, “The buildings for about 30 schools, besides about 1500 children, have been identified. The rest will be listed in the next few days. We have received a grant for more than Rs 22 lakh under this Rs 3-crore project. The schools are expected to start in the next few days.” The schools will be run by the Child Labour Rehabilitation Committee, set up under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 9 crore to open 120 special schools to rehabilitate child labourers in Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana districts. The Rs 300-crore project has been launched in 100 districts of the country. The schools in Jalandhar district have started functioning, but the project has been delayed in Ludhiana and Amritsar districts. Mr Badru said they had received the first instalment of the grant about three months back. As they wanted to ensure proper selection of the buildings at minimum rent and in the areas where the child labourers were concentrated, the process had been a lit bit delayed, but it would pick up now, he added. He revealed that since only Rs 1000 per month had been sanctioned for the building rent under the project, they had tried to find mainly government schools, religious places and community centres for these schools. The community leaders of the areas concerned were involved in selecting the buildings and the identification of child labourers. The department has identified EWS Colony on Chandigarh road, Rishi Nagar, Prem Nagar, New Vishavakarma Colony in Focal Point Area, Bihari Colony, Harkishan Colony, Shiv Colony, Dr Ambedkar Colony in Industrial Area (A), XYZ Block, Haibowal Khurd, Model Town Extension, Kila Mohalla Colony, Oswal Colony, Sherpur, G.T. Road, Khanna, Samrala and Bihari Colony, Machhiwara. Most of these are slum areas where child labourers reside. The other areas will be selected shortly. The working students will be taught for about two hours after school timings. There will be mainly taught writing and reading skills, besides personal hygiene and other aspects concerning them. There is provision for three teachers in each school comprising 50 students each, but initially two teachers will be appointed on contract basis at a salary of Rs 1500 per month. The third teacher for vocational training will be appointed later. Mr Badru said, “The children will be given Rs 100 per month as stipend. Free books, writing material, eatables and other things worth Rs 125 per month will be given in kind.” These schools will be handed over to NGOs working in these areas. The department is under the process of finalising the NGOs by scrutinising their work and dedication. |
Sullage which has nowhere to go Fatehgarh Sahib, July 6 The residents, in a press note issued here today, said since 1997 they had been making correspondence with the MC officials regarding their difficulty and highhandedness of an influential person, but to no avail. They added that they had also written to various ministers and even to the Chief Minister. The SDM and the EO had visited the spot many times and the Deputy Commissioner had assured them that their problem would be solved shortly. They said the Deputy Commissioner had sent the District Grievances Officer on the spot and he directed the EO to get the blockade lifted, but the EO did not obey orders. They said it was difficult for them to enter their houses and the sewage had converted the street into a pond. The residents demanded that the blockade should be removed and the disposal of drain water should be ensured.  |
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Thackeray flays
SAD attitude to militants Ludhiana, July 6 Besides the state president of the party, Mr Surinder Dogra, Chairman, Mr Pramod Babla, Mr Pawan Prabhakar, vice-presidents, Mr Ravinder Arora, general secretary and Mr Pawan Sharma, spokesman and press secretary attended the meeting. Mr Udhav Thakre, son of the Shiv Sena chief was also present on the occasion. Mr Thackeray assured the functionaries of the state unit of his party that he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, soon so that those charged with acts of sedition and waging war against the country, could be brought to book. In the wake of the forthcoming Assembly elections, Mr Gupta apprised the party president of the 30 odd Assembly seats, which the party intended to contest. Mr Thackeray told the visitors to submit a list of prospective candidates for approval of the high command and detailed programme for launching an effective poll campaign, in which senior party leaders would also take part. It was also decided to organise a massive political rally in the state to mobilise masses in favour of the party. Mr Thackeray felicitated Mr Surinder Dogra, former president of Hindu Shiv Sena, which was merged with Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) and former BJP organising secretary Jagmohan Kaura for strengthening the party in Punjab. |
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For him cycling is a way of life Ludhiana, July 6 Jagdev Singh, who retired from the government job in 1997 after putting in 36 years of service still carries his Atlas bicycle along. He can count the number of times he has travelled in a bus. “Only when my bicycle broke down and I could not get it repaired there or around, I would opt for a bus”, he recalls, while adding that usually his bicycle never failed him, as he would check everything before its use. Jagdev Singh started his career as a field worker with the Entomology Department in the College of Agriculture, which later became Punjab Agricultural University. Within a few months he was appointed as Agricultural Sub Inspector, in the Department of Agriculture of the Punjab Government and was posted at Phillaur, about a distance of 30 km from his village. Jagdev Singh remembers, “within a few days of my appointment as field worker I purchased an Atlas bicycle for about Rs 125. The money was to be paid back in 12 equal instalments”. Even that amount, he says, was not an ordinary one for an ordinary employee like him. “And mind you, not many people possessed a bicycle during those days”, he points out. He has retained that bicycle ever since. “Only the frame is the original one, otherwise I have changed the rim, the tyres, tubes and other parts all these years”, he informs while saying, “yet that bicycle is one of the best, and it has stood by me always”. He has developed a sentimental attachment with this bicycle and does not allow even his sons to use it. He has worked in Phillaur for about two decades. And not on a single day did he use any other mode of transportation than his own bicycle. He would cover the distance of about 30 kms from Lalton to Phillaur in two hours time. “I would start two hours before the duty time and would always reach on time”, he says, while maintaining that the “bicycle is the most reliable mode of transportation”, as it is eco- friendly easy to use and is also not a liability in case it breaks down. Once he was transferred to Kapurthala. Even there he used to go on his bicycle. On the weekends he would return home in Lalton on the same bicycle. It would take him about six hours of continuous pedalling to reach home. “Whether it was hot and humid atmosphere or the massive rains or even the severe cold, I always ride my bicycle”, he reveals with confidence and pride. He is already 63 and still going strong an his bicycle. He regularly visits Ludhiana covering a return distance of about 30 km daily. “This not only saves my money, but also helps me keep fit”, he says. He has never fallen ill in all his life and he attributes his good health to cycling only. Although a jovial man, who never feels let down, Jagdev Singh is slightly disappointed these days as all his three educated sons are unemployed. He has moved from pillar to post for their job but without any success. |
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Rs 5 lakh distributed at sangat darshan Amloh, July 6 He brought the district officials in a bus in order to save petrol. He advised the officers not to use their government vehicles for such programmes and save fuel. He said they could discuss various problems during their bus journey. The bus expenses were funded from the District Red Cross funds. During the “sangat darshan” 45 applications were disposed off on the spot and the rest were given to the officers concerned for their disposal within 15 days. Most of the complaints related to the villages which had completed all the formalities for 24-hour electricity supply while residents of Shahpur village complained that some ‘deras’ and a colony had been discriminated against for the supply of electricity. The Executive Engineer, PSEB, assured to regulate the supply within 10 days. The Executive Officer, Municipal Council Amloh, was asked to look into the entry of drainage water in the playground of Government Senior Secondary School, Amloh. A camp to issue learners’ driving licenses was organised by Mr R.S. Jangu, SDM, Amloh, where 45 learning licenses were issued. In another camp organised by Social Security and Child Welfare Department, old cases were scrutinised and fresh cases were sanctioned on the spot. The officers concerned and doctors were present in the camps to issue necessary certificate on the spot The Deputy Commissioner distributed cheques worth Rs 2.5 lakh under “Shagun scheme” to the beneficiaries, Rs 2 lakh and matching grant of Rs 25,000 for Anganwari centre for Shahpur village, and Rs 25,000 for the Kahanpur village. |
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DC for priority to grievance redressal Fatehgarh Sahib, July 6 Dalit women led by the sarpanch of Khumna village complained about vacating of land from them by declaring it illegal encroachment in spite of proper allotment letters. The Deputy Commissioner directed the SDM of Amloh to hold an inquiry and provide justice to the complainants. He also directed the BDPO and SDM to get the passage to the Dalit colony cleared by removing illegal encroachments at the earliest. The Deputy Commissioner announced that a special plantation campaign was being launched in the district, during which a plantation drive would be carried out on government and panchayat land by the Forest Department with the involvement of voluntary organisations. He said each one should plant at least one sapling during this campaign. The president of the municipal council of Amloh and others complained about the non-availability of any doctor at night time in the hospital. The DC directed the Civil Surgeon to immediately visit the hospital along with the complainants and ensure the presence of a doctor and other staff in the hospital in future. Referring to the demands of villagers, the Deputy Commissioner, announced grants of Rs 1 lakh each for construction of streets, drains and houses. He also announced grants of Rs 25,000 each for anganwaris in Shahpur and Kahanpur villages. People presented 45 complaints in the sangat darshan programme. Out of these 28 were redressed on the spot and the remaining were marked to the officers concerned for redressal within 15 days. |
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PET TALK “But the poor dog, In life the firmest friend, The first to welcome, Foremost to defend.” Think before you buy In choosing a dog there are many points to consider. Do you want a small breed or a large breed? You may want a small dog Whatever may be the reason you will never regret it. Little dogs are incredibly brave and very devoted to their owners. Small dogs are intelligent, easy to train, and less to groom. Medium sized dogs are the most popular. They are easy to handle than the large breeds and look less frightening to the visitors and cost less on feeding and grooming. It does not need much exercise, is good with children and is a faithful protector of family. Large dogs are magnificent, impressive and undoubtedly useful. They are bred for special needs and need more care and exercise than the smaller dogs. These dogs like other dogs need a lot of affection and are loyal and have a strong guarding and protective instincts. They tend to get bored easily and demand more of time to keep them happy. Choosing between a short-haired breed or a long — haired one can be a significant decision. Breeds like Golden Retriever offer the ideal all-purpose dog for a family where dad wants a companion to go on walks, the kids want a dog to romp with, and mum wants a largish protector. The Airedale Terrier, despite its size, does not need a great deal of space, is good with children, but can look sufficiently forbidding to the boldest of intruders. Toy dogs make devoted companions and, despite their small stature, will defend their owners quite heedless of their own safety. They are superb for small apartments but not good with children owing to their fragile bones, which may not withstand the overly playful love. Most breeds like Boxer, St Bernard, Sheep Dogs, Spaniels, Cavaliers adore children, especially if exposed to children from puppy hood, the only trouble being over guarding due to strong protective instincts. Once you finalise the breed you want, the next thing to consider is the calibre. You must make up your mind on whether you want a good healthy pet or a pure bred with a certificate of pedigree for show ring. A common mistake among the first time buyers is to imagine that any dog with pedigree is a likely to be a show candidate and may lead to disappointment when it falls below the show standards when entered. If you are looking for sure shot show quality dog, you may well have to dispense with the joys of first six months or more of puppy hood as this is the minimum time required by the animal to show its own potential although you may count on the breeding line and choose promising pups even earlier. No breeder worth his salt will object to a vet examination as a condition of purchase. For a modest fee the dog can be registered in your name with the kennel club. This is essential if you want your dog to be exhibited in shows. Most reliable breeders provide the buyers with diet sheet. They also give information on whether the pup has been wormed, vaccinated and so on. A dog or a bitch? This is an important decision. Undoubtedly the bitch is preferred for competitive obedience work, generally proving more manageable and docile than male. There is also the factor that she is uninterested in sex except during her twice-yearly season, unlike the male, which is always an enthusiastic lover. However, there are people who like the company of male dog just because of its virile approach to life. Buying a pup. Generally it is more sensible to buy a pup from a breeder who specialises in the breed of your choice. You can pick up the pup according to your requirements and advise on its care. Also if you are able to see the sire and dam (mother) you will be able to appreciate what your choice will turn out to be. The cost depends on the popularity or rarity of a breed, on location and also on supply and demand. Don’t go to buy a puppy without taking a puppy harness or a basket lined with a comfortable un-chewable substance. And take care not to let the pup come in contact with other dogs or environment which can expose the pup to diseases before it is vaccinated. Before you buy you must be sure that the rest of the family approves as it is essential for your sake and the dog’s, too. And remember, it is not a dog but a heartbeat on your feet.
Dr Jaspreet Singh |
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Anti-rabies vaccination camp held Ludhiana, July 6 Zoonosis stands for the parasitic diseases like rabies, scabies, intestinal and other worm infestation which are communicated from animals to human beings. It is imperative to prevent these diseases in animals to safeguard the health of human beings. Literature on the dreaded disease was also distributed by PFA activists on the occasion. |
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City to have 5 new
police stations Khanna, July 6 He informed that the Ludhiana sadar police station would be divided into two parts and Vardhman Chowki would be upgraded to a police station. He attributed the increasing crimes in the city to shortage of police personnel. He said while the population had increased, the number of police personnel had decreased by 27 per cent between 1969 and 2001. Mr Arora did not agree that migrant labourers were mainly responsible for rise in the crime rate. The increasing population and unemployment were the major causes of
increasing crime incidents, he claimed. He revealed that under the fund scheme started by the Government of India, if vehicles responsible for causing accidents were not recognised, Rs 25,000 could be claimed in case of death and Rs 12,500 in case of injury. For this, the claimant would have to write to the SSP concerned for getting police report of the accident prepared by the DC office. He added that in future, any police official who prepared annual inspection report of police stations would have to submit a separate report of such cases. Mr Arora said with an aim to increase public cooperation, the staff of police districts under Ludhiana range would arrange meetings with citizens, labour unions, authorities of schools and colleges and various social organisations, and submit a report to the range office. He would personally check these reports, he added. Mr Arora told the mediapersons that he had received orders from the Chief Minister to again hold an inquiry into the murder case of wrestler Jaswinder Singh at Khanna. The inquiry would be completed and the report would be submitted within a week, he said, adding that the accused would be presented in court within the stipulated period. |
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Rains fail to wash
away power woes Ludhiana, July 6 Residents of the city especially those residing in the Civil Lines, Model Gram, Chander Nagar, Indira Colony, Atam Nagar, Model Town, Salem Tabri, Mata Rani Chowk and Sarabha Nagar, are facing erratic power supply and unscheduled power cuts for the past many days despite the electricity board’s claims to the contrary. Residents have complained that they had been facing water shortage also since about 65 per cent of the city population was being provided water through tubewells that are run only at specific time provided the power is available in that area. Mr Hari Singh, alias Green Lion, running a embroidery unit in Shiv Puri, said, “The power cuts in our area has forced us to cut down the labour and
production. The industry is facing unscheduled power cuts varying from five to eight hours. Despite announcements about the stoppage of power cuts, the board has failed to provide regular supply.” The residents complained that in most of the cases, the board officials at the complaint centres especially in Atam Nagar, Sarabha Nagar and Jamal Pur did not even bother to attend the phones despite repeated attempts. The employees on the other hand argue about the shortage of staff at the complaint centre as there is a ban on recruitment in the board. The officials however, claimed that they were trying their best to attend the complaints without any delay. The supply of power depends on weather conditions and it was not possible to make announcements in advance. However, the situation is expected to improve with rains and fall in temperature. |
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Amarnath pilgrims return Ludhiana, July 6 While officially the yatra was flagged off on July 3, this team from Ludhiana started on June 30 and the early start enabled them to have ‘darshan’ of Shivlingam’ in its all majesty. The journey from the Srinagar airport to the hotel weakened their resolve a bit as they saw bridges blown off. The buildings stood mute witness to the destruction caused by shelling. But once the journey started towards the base camp, apprehension gave way to exhilaration. The team chose shorter quote as the distance was only 13 km. From Srinagar they reached the base camp at Baltal. They had to stay in tents. Langar by various NGOs from Delhi, Jalandhar and Amritsar was served to the pilgrims. Even mineral water was being provided by these social organisations. From this point, people start yatra either on foot or hire ponies. This team hired ponies at the base camp. Baltal is at a height of 9,000 ft above the sea level Climbing towards the cave, the path was very narrow at some points. On the way at Sangam Ghati, it generally starts raining and it is the most dangerous point of the journey. Since there are no shelters, pilgrims have to keep on walking in the rain. Finally, one reaches the cave and can have a glimpse of Shivlingam of ice. As per a mythological tale, there is a pair of pigeons in the cave. After darshans people start walking towards the base camp. Though accommodation is available in tents just a little below the gufa, but most of the pilgrims prefer to travel down. The team members were happy that they were the first ones from Ludhiana to complete the pilgrimage. While coming down, security forces serve water and tea to the pilgrims. The time taken for return journey was about one and a half hour less than that for ascending. The whole journey was completed in one day. Reaching Srinagar, one was faced with the usual humdrum of a busy city. Normalcy in Srinagar prompted the team to stay in a houseboat. The houseboat that fetched Rs 10,000 per day for its owner in 1980’s was available for Rs 2,000 only. The abject poverty of Kashmiris was appalling and everyone hoped that Musharraf-Vajpayee dialogue would bring some solution to the Kashmir problem. |
Ultimatum to
nab killers Doraha, July 6 Mr Banta Singh, a Congress leader, disclosed that they had urged the authorities to arrest the criminals soon. The police had so far failed to arrest the killers. The president of the nagar council, said, “We met the SSP today, who assured us that the police was making efforts to trace the culprits”. Scooter stolen: |
Institute to provide practical training Ludhiana, July 6 Mr S.K.Bhalla, Principal-cum-Director of the institute, in a press statement today said that the training had been prescribed by the IRDA and it is compulsory to become an agent under Insurance Act, 1938 and IRDA regulations 2000. Mr Bhalla said the institute had ultra-modern infrastructure with experienced and qualified directors as trainers and faculty to impart the training effectively. The required qualification for agents from rural area is tenth standard and for urban agents is +2 standard. Mr Bhalla claimed it is the first and the only institute in Punjab approved by the IRDA to cater to the training needs of aspiring life and non-life agents who want to take insurance as career from all over Punjab, Himachal, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh and Delhi. He said daily commuting was easy in the city as it had well connected rail and road links. “Due to opening up of the insurance sector to private players, the career had become remunerative and lucrative”, he added. The first batch of the training course will be started on July 16, which will be of 18- day duration. |
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