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| Friday,
July 13, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Help Vigilance Bureau against cops and face the
music Ludhiana, July 12 Ashwani Kumar, a scrap dealer, who had helped the local Vigilance Bureau about three weeks ago in arresting a Head Constable who used to extort money from scrap dealers, is living a life under perpetual fear. According to him ever since he made that complaint, he had been receiving threats to his life and had not been able to run his shop due to the fear of the alleged tainted police officials. He even accused district police officials of shielding the police officials who were harassing him. Interestingly, the accused police official, Balwinder Singh, former SHO, Basti Jodhewal, who is already involved in a controversy regarding a gas agency extortion case. However, the district police today claimed that Balwinder Singh was not involved in the gas agency case and explained that he was not present in the city at the time of the agency case. Another interesting point was the police also maintained that Balwinder Singh was again not present in the city when the Head Constable had struck the extortion deal in the Ashwani Kumar’s case. The Vigilance Bureau had, on June 25, arrested a Head Constable Jaspal Singh on the charges of extorting money from scrap dealers. In a detailed Press release issued by the bureau, it claimed that the Head Constable, operating through certain police informers, first used to sell stolen scooters to scrap dealers but later raided their premises and demanded money from them in lieu of not taking any action against them. Later quoting Vigilance sources, press reports appearing in a section of the media had claimed that the Balwinder Singh, with whom the Head Constable was employed, was aware of his activities and yet had not taken any action against him thus hinting at his involvement. However, senior police officials at that time had categorically denied his involvement. The allegation leveled by the complainant against the SHO today brought the case into focus once again. According to the complainant, the accused Head Constable Jaspal Singh had confessed in front of the DSP Vigilance and his neighbouring shopkeepers that he was sent on this mission by the SHO Balwinder Singh. He said later the SHO sent him a message through some persons that he had a number of other SHO friends and would implicate him in some case and he should withdraw the case and stop raking up his name in the alleged extortion racket. He even alleged that four persons came to his house in a car last week and threatened his family also while he was away
somewhere. He said his wife complained to the DIG who deputed a DSP to look into the case and arrange for his security. After making rounds of the offices of several police officers and the district administration, the complainant appeared at a sangat darshan programme of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and demanded an inquiry into the case so that the tainted police officials may be brought to the book. The DC, Mr S K Sandhu, has referred the complainant to SSP Kuldip Singh to look into the case. SSP Kuldip Singh, when contacted, said that the police had already transferred the accused SHO Balwinder Singh in the case. He said he would still look into the complaint. |
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MC demolishes houses, structures in Haibowal
area Ludhiana, July 12 The demolition squad, led by Ms Kamaljit Kaur, Assistant Town Planner, cleared the encroachments in Pavittar Nagar, Gopal Nagar, Ranjit Park and Hakeekat Nagar localities around Budha Nullah. The demolition team was assisted by a strong contingent of the police but there was not much resistance to the MC action. Some of the area residents complained that in its zeal to remove encroachments, the MC team had demolished some houses, which were constructed with the approval of the MC. The owners had sanctioned building plans and title deeds of the land in their favour. However, MC officials denied the charges and maintained that unlawfully raised structures and houses were located in the way of the rain water drains in these localities, causing obstruction in the free flow of water towards the Budha nullah and leading to inundation of quite a few low-lying localities in these
colonies. |
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Suspended MC official pulls strings, reinstated in five
days Ludhiana, July 12 A Junior Engineer in the engineering branch of the MC here, Mr Jodh Parshad, was suspended on June 29, with the approval of the Department of Local Government after allegations of preparing inflated estimates of some civil works in ward no 61 in the city were prima facie established against him, in an inquiry conducted by Assistant Commissioner B.K. Gupta, followed by another detailed probe by Superintending Engineer (B&R) Lachman Das. However, just five days later (on July 5), which included two holidays on account of Saturday and Sunday, the Director, Local Government, Punjab, Mr J.B. Goel issued orders reinstating the official. Reliable sources in the MC told Ludhiana Tribune that a senior MC official, posted in the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, had acted as a go-between to get the suspension of the JE revoked within no time. What had prompted the Directorate of Local Government to over-rule its own decision (of suspending the JE) even before a charge sheet had been issued, is anybody’s guess. On the surface, the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of a low-rung MC official appears insignificant, but as far as MC governance and enforcement is concerned, it could have far-reaching consequences. First of all, it would dampen the enthusiasm of few honest and upright officials in the civic body, who mean business and would now have to think several times before taking disciplinary action against erring subordinates. Further, it would send signals to non-performing employees and those in the habit of cutting corners that they could get away with anything by pulling the right strings. BJP councillor from ward no 61 had lodged a complaint, supported by documentary evidence, that three streets near Jain Sthanak in Sunder Nagar locality, which were already laid, were included in an estimate for the work, related to re-surfacing of streets at a cost of Rs 7,20,850. Although the supervising Executive Engineer had maintained during the inquiry that no payments were made on account of the pavement of the said streets, the inquiry officer (SE) pointed out that the estimate was inflated and the possibility of making excess payment to the contractor, had the irregularity not been exposed by the councillor, could not be ruled out. In another work of laying PCC flooring in streets of the Sunder Nagar area, the original site plan of the civil work was found missing from the file. But on the basis of documents provided by the complainant, it was proved that in one of the streets, shown in the estimate, PCC flooring was already laid. Work of PCC flooring was carried out in another
street, not included in the estimate and yet another street, which was already laid, was shown as unbuilt in the estimate. The BJP councillor had further charged in her complaint that when the irregularities were pointed out by her to the respective contractors, she was curtly told that the contractors were not to work under the directions of the councillors and would rather take orders from the MC officials. Some of the councillors, whom Ludhiana Tribune talked to, were of the firm opinion that the nexus between MC officials and the contractors ruled the roost in the civic body and more often than not, the elected representatives, who were answerable to the people in their respective wards, were sidelined. A few termed the hasty reinstatement of the suspended official, a most unfortunate action, which would not only cause embarrassment to the senior officials but further embolden corrupt MC employees. |
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Gastro death toll in city
rises to 7 Ludhiana, July 12 A hospital spokesperson said that Guddo Devi, (46) died in the hospital two days ago after prolonged illness. Another victim was a patient from Jalandhar, who was admitted to the hospital a few days ago. With these, the death toll in the city has increased to seven. Meanwhile, six new patients of gastroenteritis were admitted today in serious condition in various city hospitals. According to the Health Department officials, the patients have been admitted in the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Pahwa Hospital and Bhagwan Ram Charitable Hospital. With today’s admissions, the number of gastroenteritis patients has risen to 452. There were also reports of eight fresh cholera cases from city hospitals. The number of cholera patients in the district has increased to 59. The department has identified over 35 “disease prone” areas in the city. An official of the Health Department said,” Almost every area of the city is affected”. The areas include Haibowal Kalan, Industrial Area, KundanPuri, Sherpur Colony, Sunder Nagar, Deep Nagar, Salem Tabri, Basti Jodhewal and Vishkarma Colony. The Health Department claimed that it had already deputed doctors in these areas for providing information to the residents about various preventive measures. “The residents are being given medicines and chlorine tablets for purifying drinking water”, said the official. The authorities at various city hospitals said there was no respite from the ailment as more and more patients were pouring in daily. |
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SPECIAL STORY Ludhiana, July 12 The inquiries made by The Tribune revealed startling facts. The kidney transplant has become a lucrative trade due to the mushrooming of middlemen and the “donors”. The middlemen often target the migrant labourers, who are presented as relatives of the recipients. The price of a kidney ranges between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 depending upon the awareness (about its value) among the person who is donating it and also the paying capacity of the recipient. And, ironically the donor gets Rs 25,000 only. It is a long chain between the donor and the recipient. The middlemen do not interact directly with the recipients. There are at least two or three links which can lead to a middleman who can arrange a kidney. The links are usually earlier donors, who act as the agents of the middlemen. The middlemen operate mostly from their mobile phones and come online only if the call is from a known contact. Most of the easy prey for middlemen are migrant labourers from remote villages of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal. While a recipient pays anything between Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000 depending on the situation and the bargain, the actual donor gets only a meagre amount of around Rs 25,000. This was disclosed by a middleman, with whom this reporter talked on his mobile phone through a source. The entire deal is carried out with expertise and the middleman never comes forward himself. The procedure is so foolproof that the donor himself knocks at the door and takes the entire amount for which the deal is struck and gets only a paltry share. Despite persistent pleadings the middleman refused to reveal the address of any donor. He said, “why are you bothered about the donor?”. However, he willingly furnishes the addresses of many recipients. This, he said, he was doing for my satisfaction to see if the transplant was successful or not. The middlemen restrict their role only to arranging the donor. “I do not know any doctor who would perform the transplant”, he clarified. Moreover, he spells out clearly; “It is for you to establish that the donor is your relative”. It could, however, not be confirmed whether the middlemen operate in a network or at the individual level. The source, who is a doctor himself, while quoting the middleman, revealed that increasing awareness among the people about the fact that a person remains “absolutely normal” after donating a kidney and his
ability to do the routine physical labour has made the job of finding the donors easy. While three to four years ago, it was very difficult to find a donor, since people feared that it might make the donor handicapped for life, but now it is relatively easier. The middlemen, it is learnt, use the services of the donors to increase their chain as the chain gets extended with each new donor becoming a new agent of the middleman. He then acts as a negotiator on his (the middleman’s) behalf with other willing donors. This makes the middleman’s job easy as the donor (having already donated one of his kidneys) easily manages to convince a prospective donor. However, doctors performing the transplant claim not to entertain any such case where there is even a slight doubt that the kidney is not being donated but has been traded. Dr B.S. Aulakh, one of the leading transplant experts in the region, and a senior faculty member in the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here, asserts that he never entertains any such case where he doubts that the kidney (for the transplant) has been purchased. He pointed out that a clear procedure is laid out which has to be followed before a transplant. According to Transplantation of Human Organs Act in 1994, a five-member committee certifies the credentials of a donor that he does it voluntarily. In Ludhiana the committee is headed by the Civil Surgeon and has as its members the Principal of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, one member from the Christian Medical College and Hospital one senior lawyer and another member from the public. It deserves a mention here that recently a construction company which issued an advertisement for a kidney for one of its labourers received a phenomenal response from the donors and most of them at a price. Sources from among the medical fraternity revealed that the middlemen have evolved a foolproof mechanism where they ensure that the donor is not detected or exposed. “How can the committee members doubt a person (a donor) when he says that he is related to the recipient or does it voluntarily”, a source pointed out. All the donors claim to be the relatives of the recipients because it is always difficult to convince anyone that someone is donating the organ voluntarily, although there may some exceptional cases. About the medical and clinical procedures, Dr Aulakh says a person who gets a transplant can go home after 10 days. The success rate is 90 per cent, while in 5 to 10 per cent there can be rejections by the body. But even these rejections are corrected by medication. Dr Aulakh said a person lives a normal life after the transplant and he can do any physical activity, which he or she may not have been able to due to kidney failure. According to Dr Aulakh, a donor can survive on a single kidney for entire life as a normal person. There is no risk to life. A donor is tested thoroughly to ensure that after donating one of his kidneys, his body remains as normal as ever. Meanwhile, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Rajinder Kaur, when contacted denied awareness about any kidney racket. She said.“Nothing of the kind has come to my notice”. |
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Inquiry indicts 2 PAU employees Ludhiana July 12 According to the report of an inquiry conducted by the Comptroller of PAU, Mr S.K. Bhatia, the two employees ‘‘had spoken to the Press’’ about an news item carried in a newspaper daily. The two employees Mr R.S. Arora, Superintendent, Department of Plant Pathology and Mr S.C. Goyal, Superintendent in Department of Farm Power and Machinery, were issued show-cause notices in February last by the then Vice-Chancellor, Dr G.S. Kalkat. Sources told the Ludhiana Tribune today that Mr Bhatia had submitted his report of the inquiry recently and it was sent to the Vice-Chancellor for further action. Sources further said that Mr Bhatia had maintained that both the employees had spoken to the Press about the university matters. He observed that after considering the news items and the published information it was found that the newspaper had quoted them commenting about the university matters. Mr Bhatia further maintained that because the information was published in quotes it meant that they had spoken to the Press and given the information. Although the report had been submitted by the inquiry officer but no action had been taken as yet by the PAU authorities. Speculations were doing the rounds of the campus a few days ago that both of them would be absolved of the charges as nothing had happened for the past four months. But the report of the inquiry had made the things appear moving once again. The Vice-Chancellor of PAU, Dr K.S. Aulakh, said that he had not received the inquiry report as yet. He said, ‘‘The moment I catch hold of the report I will take an action accordingly.’’ He said that if the inquiry indicted the employees then he would certainly take an action against them and he was not going to spare anybody if one was found guilty. The inquiry against the two employees was ordered in February last. They were issued show-cause notices on February 15 asking them that why the action should not be initiated against them for speaking to the Press. They had to furnish a reply of the notice within one day. It was learnt that the show-cause notice was issued to Mr Arora for speaking against the appointment of a senior official of the university and Mr Goyal was issued notice for giving information about the legal cell of the PAU. Mr Goyal, who was earlier a Superintendent with the Legal Cell of PAU was transferred to Department of Farm Power and Machinery. In their reply both of them had denied speaking to the Press about any information. Mr Arora had said that he had not passed on any information except that he had said something being an office-bearer of an association. After receiving their replies the then Vice-Chancellor, Dr Kalkat, had assigned Mr Bhatia for inquiring into the matter who had submitted his report recently after four months. |
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Tearful adieu to
Manav Ludhiana, July 12 Manav’s body reached Delhi last night in a KLM flight. It had been treated with chemicals and was kept in a steel coffin. The body was dressed up in white shirt with a necktie. It was a long and painful wait for Manav’s parents, Mr Sunil and Mrs Indu Vermani, as they had to wait for 10 long and agonising days, before the body could reach here. It was delayed due to various legal formalities. As the coffin was taken out of the vehicle, it became difficult for the relatives to console Manav’s mother, who clung to the body and refused to part with it. As she wailed with grief, nobody could resist tears in their eyes. Manav Virmani, who had completed his two year computer course in Florida, was on a holiday in Mississippi, where one of his family friends owned a departmental store. He was shot dead by robbers, while looking after the store in absence of his friend, who had come to India. The robbers had looted cash and goods from the store before shooting him dead. |
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GAS AGENCY CASE Ludhiana, July 12 Sub-Inspector Dilbagh Singh, who was serving as SHO Salem Tabri, and ASI Jarnail Singh, who was working under Balwinder Singh, former SHO Basti Jodhewal, were today suspended on the directions of DIG Suresh Arora. They have been charged with striking a deal with a gas agency-owner for not taking legal action against him for allegedly selling underweight LPG cylinders. The deal of Rs 80,000 was struck on Sunday but the matter was brought to the notice of senior state police officials before the money could change hands. Senior officials immediately directed the local officials concerned to take action. Officials here have directed SP(D) Gurkirpal Singh to conduct an inquiry against the two SHOs and ordered immediate transfer of Balwinder Singh. However, while a senior state police official had disclosed to Ludhiana Tribune that Balwinder Singh had been transferred for his alleged involvement in the
extortion case, the local police, which had remained tight-lipped about the issue yesterday, today claimed that Balwinder Singh had nothing to do with the extortion case. SSP Kuldip Singh said Balwinder Singh had been transferred for passing some loose remarks about a senior police official. He made the remarks in the presence of some local police officers, who complained about him to the senior official concerned. The SSP, however, declined to divulge the name of the senior official. Inquiries, however, revealed that the former SHO had passed some derogatory comments against a senior police official based in Chandigarh. His comment embarrassed some local senior police officials. While Balwinder Singh and ASI Jarnail Singh were not available for comments, Dilbagh Singh said he was not involved in the case. He said he had faith in the police inquiry and hoped that truth would eventually come out. Declining to give further details, he only added that ASI Jarnail Singh had informed him about the illegal activity of the gas agency and that he had raided his premises. He said he was not involved in any kind of deal According to sources, the gas agency incident took place on Sunday. ASI Jarnail Singh received information about the agency. However, as the area fell under the jurisdiction of Dilbagh Singh, he is accused of not taking any action against them and letting them off. Meanwhile, Dilbagh Singh also came to know about it but allegedly kept silent after being assured about his share in the graft amount. Interestingly, the money had not changed hands so far. It was learnt that some third party who came to know about the whole deal went to senior state police officials at Chandigarh who immediately swung into action. |
Amarnath pilgrims ‘a harassed lot’ Ludhiana, July 12 The meeting observed that the J and K government had struck yet another blow on the yatris as well as langar organisations by forcibly closing some bhandaras at Baltal on Tuesday last on the charge of allowing night shelter to the poor pilgrims at the bhandaras. The J and K government also reportedly further warned that whichever bhandara allowed night stay to pilgrims would be closed down. The trust members were of the unanimous view that this action of the government amounted to interference in the religious affairs of the Hindus. The meeting questioned the very legality of this dastardly act of the J and K government. The meeting further observed that there was great resentment among the yatris and all bhandara organisations (NGOs) at Baltal were against the ‘dictatorial, arbitrary and illegal action’ taken by the administration. It said that it was worth mentioning that most of the pilgrims were on a shoestring budget and it was not possible for them to pay for private tented accommodation. Moreover, the very purpose of the NGOs to provide free community kitchen and tented accommodation for night stay to pilgrims stands defeated in the face of the recent administrative orders to shut down langars providing free accommodation as well, the meeting further observed. Providing accommodation to pilgrims was an established practice with the langar organisations. The meeting expressed strong resentment against the government for issuing notices to the langar organisations at Baltal whereby the stay of pilgrims at Bhandaras has been banned. The meeting observed that devotees of Lord Shiva were being discriminated against and treated as foreigners in their own country by the government. The meeting resolved to appeal to the President, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, Governor of J and K, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and the J and K Chief Minister to intervene in the matter at the earliest so that great financial hardships to poor pilgrims and sadhus and a possible confrontation between the administration and bhandara organisations are avoided. |
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Youth Akali Dal calls SGPC govt
mouthpiece Ludhiana, July 12 The AISYAD president, Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, said it was most unfortunate that the SGPC had been reduced to a government mouthpiece, and rather than representing the sentiments of the Sikh masses, the high priests had become spokespersons for the ruling party. Pleading for a closer coordination with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to improve the level of upkeep and maintenance of Sikh shrines in Pakistan, Mr Panjoli suggested that an international coordination committee, with the participation of the SGPC, should be set up, since Sikhs from all over the world, visited the historic shrines in Pakistan every year. He lambasted the ruling SAD (B) for its indifference to the plight of Sikh detainees, who were languishing in various jails in Punjab and elsewhere for years together without any trial. Earlier, addressing a meeting of the party workers in Gurdwara Akalgarh here, Mr Panjoli focussed on the menace of drug abuse among the youth, deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab and virtual annihilation of the farming community as a consequence of the WTO regime and GATT agreements. The meeting, attended by party activists from Ludhiana (Urban), Ludhiana (Rural), Jagraon and Khanna units, reviewed the preparations for the proposed state level Sikh youth convention here on July 15. |
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Man marries without divorcing first
wife Ludhiana, July
12 She said Ajit Kumar married Meenkashi of Rahon Road last year. This was despite the fact that she was still staying with him. Subsequently Ajit Kumar, Meenakshi’s mother and sister-in-law allegedly started harassing her, ultimately forcing her to go to her
parents. Ajit Kumar, who runs a hosiery business, has sought divorce from Neena Sharma. The couple have no issue. Neena alleged that her husband did not want an issue as he had already developed an illicit relationship with
Meenakshi. Interestingly, according to Neena, it was Meenakshi’s parents who had arranged the marriage between Neena and
Ajit. She alleged that despite knowing it that Ajit was not divorced, they married off their daughter to
Ajit. Neena alleged that her husband and mother-in-law were demanding Rs 2 lakh from her in case she wanted to live with
Ajit. “Even Meenakshi is asking to pay Rs 2 lakh in case I want to live with
Ajit” she disclosed, while narrating her tale of woes before the Deputy Commissioner. She claimed that Ajit’s family wanted to grab her parental house. The police said they had registered a case against Ajit Kumar. He had reportedly been detained by the police and was later released on bail. The police said since the case was pending in a court, as Ajit Kumar had filed a case for divorce, it had no further role. |
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Return of impounded
weapon sought Amloh, July 12 In an application signed by Mr Karnail Singh and Mr Bir Singh addressed to the Chief Minister, SSP Fatehgarh Sahib, and Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, in the sangat darshan, they alleged that Mr Sardara Singh, former Assistant Sub Inspector, ASI Amloh, had arrested them under Sections 107/151 cr PC on January 2, 1989, and a 12-bore gun belonging to Mr Karnail Singh along with 10 cartridges was impounded vide FIR no. 37. They stated that in January they were acquitted honourably but the gun was not returned to them. They made representations to the Chief Minister, Punjab,
SSP, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Deputy Commissioner in sangat darshan at Tanda Badha village, near here, about 6 months ago. |
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Check foreign TV channels,
says AISSF Ludhiana, July 12 The call was given after a meeting of the Sandhu group of the federation held at Aggar Nagar today, which was presided over by Mr Bhupinder Singh Bains. Addressing the meeting, Mr Bains said while development in the information technology was welcome, telecast of indecent material by certain foreign channels to attract more viewership and advertisements was not a healthy sign. Moreover, the violence depicted on small screen was responsible in a big way for the rising crime in society, he added. |
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Ex-servicemen to submit memo to Musharraf Samrala, July 12 The members of the action committee were surprised at the attitude of the Indian Government as it has not taken their release on the agenda who were languishing in Pakistan jails. |
‘Fix fees for lab tests’ Ludhiana, July 12 Mr Raj Malhotra, general secretary of the association, in a written complaint to Deputy Commissioner S.K.Sandhu, alleged that medical practitioners and specialists were looting the poor patients in the city by charging double rates for various tests like MRI, scanning, CT scan, ultra-sound and x-ray. The members said that 25 per cent of the city’s total population was of industrial workers and migrated labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal. They alleged that junior doctors referred cases to senior doctors for various tests, who had “set commission” with various labs. The members appealed to Mr Sandhu to issue instructions to all the medical practitioners for charging nominal fees for all these tests. |
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