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| Wednesday,
August 8, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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No check on dirty drafts Ludhiana, August 7 Mr Vikram Bhatia (not his real name), an industrialist of the Focal Point here, said this unaccounted money in the form of bearer bank drafts had been in circulation for many years now and the situation was alarming. These drafts are openly traded and accepted by most business houses for all kinds of unaccounted transactions. A senior bank official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “In Ludhiana alone, transactions worth crores of rupees are carried out every month through these bearer bank drafts. There is no official record of such transactions, so, traders do not have to pay taxes and levies. All this is done with the cooperation of bank officials here to whom these drafts are ultimately presented for payment.” The free circulation and acceptance of these bank drafts has made the unaccounted transactions risk-free. These drafts allow businessmen the freedom to carry unaccounted wealth worth lakhs of rupees safely in their pockets where no policeman will look. These non-account payee bank drafts are a tax evader’s dream come true. Sources in the business and banking sectors say that, since industrialists are forever searching for ways of maximising their profits, conducting business through these drafts frees them of the burden of handling huge cash, maintaining accounts and paying taxes and levies. Mr Ritesh Girdhar (not his real name), a cloth manufacturer of the local Industrial Area, said, “The practice has now become so widespread that it no longer raises any eyebrows in business and banking circles. At least a part of every trader’s business is conducted through these drafts.” This parallel currency market is run by many agents who are based in all big cities. Sources in the market say that if anyone prefers not to bring money transactions on record, he or she has to make the deal either in cash or through bearer bank drafts. When contacted, several businessmen admitted that this practice helped them evade taxes. A city businessman, who did not wish to be identified, said, “If a person has to make give Rs 1 lakh to someone, he will route the money through the bearer draft channel to save the transaction from being brought on record. The draft passes through several hands until the person needs cash or the validity of the draft (normally six months from the date of issue) is to expire.” If a person who has these bank drafts needs cash, he need not open an account in the bank or even visit the payee bank to get the draft encashed. There exists an organised network of commission agents for this purpose. “The current rate of commission for getting a draft encashed is 0.5 per cent and, for an outstation draft, it is 2 per cent,” said another industrialist who deals with these agents. A senior official of a nationalised bank said banks were unable to stop this practice. “We cannot prevent it. Any person carrying a non-account payee draft with an endorsement that he is known to the bank can get the draft encashed,” he said. The official said, “Though the Reserve Bank of India has instructed all banks not to make the bearer bank drafts, the practice continues. These ‘benami’ accounts are closed after about three months of opening, whereas, transactions upto Rs 1 crore are made in an account on an average ever month. Even some police officials and members of the CIA staff are involved in this scam.” He said the local branch of the State Bank of India received 2,000 such drafts everyday, but refused to say more on this issue. |
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Local
bodies oppose closure of PAU gate Ludhiana, August 7 A local organisation has taken up the matter with the Governor of Punjab and the Chancellor of PAU, Lieut. Gen. J.F.R. Jacob, and asked him to intervene to mitigate the grievances of the residents. Mr A.K. Bhandari, general secretary, Public Cause, a local forum, has written to the Governor stating that with the construction of a wall closing the gate, many schoolchildren residing in the area and studying in the campus school are facing a number of problems as they have to take a longer route to reach the school. He said that as many as 300 students residing in Maharishi Balmiki Nagar, Haibowal Khurd, Haibowal Kalan and Kitchlu Nagar studying in Senior Secondary Model School, PAU, were affected by the move of the university to close the gate as they had to reach school from gate number 4 which was located on a busy road. The representation further said that even after repeated requests by masses and several organisations the authorities did not order to re-open the gate. The various requests as claimed by the forum were made by schoolchildren, their parents, PAUTA president and the District Magistrate. But these requests fell on the deaf ears of the authorities, the forum said. Mr Bhandari has also written to the Governor that the wall which has been constructed at the gate was within the limit of the Municipal Corporation and not of the campus. He has also written that the gate was opened in 1978 for the first time when Kitchlu Nagar came into being after the request by the then Vice Chancellor, Dr Randhawa, as he wanted a colony in the vicinity of the campus for the convenience of the employees. He said that even during the days of terrorism no untoward incident took place there. He said that this area was a part and parcel of the university campus as it was carved out after the request of Dr Randhawa. He accused Dr K.S. Aulakh, the present Vice-Chancellor of PAU, for having personal grudges against the retired officers of PAU who were residing in Kitchlu Nagar and were using the gate to visit various places on campus. |
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College of Agriculture students resume agitation Ludhiana, August 7 They were demanding that the posts of teacher of agriculture in schools should be advertised soon. The students had started the agitation two months ago but had called it off after assurances by the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, to advertise the posts by June 30. Resuming the protest against the unfulfilled promises, the students once again boycotted the classes and held a dharna in front of their college, disrupting the normal functioning of the college. The various departments of the COA wore a deserted look today. Harcharan Singh, a spokesman of the Punjab Agricultural Students Association (PASA), said that the students would continue their struggle in order to get their demands accepted. He said that the students would seal all the gates of the university tomorrow and disrupt the traffic passing through the university. He said that the students would also block the traffic on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore road tomorrow. The students of agriculture had started agitating in favour of their demand to get the vacant posts of teacher of agriculture filled in schools on May 2. They had even started a fast at that time. But after assurances from the minister that the posts would be advertised along with the BEd teachers, they had called off the strike. |
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PAU ex-press manager alleges
of being implicated Ludhiana, August 7 In his reply to the university over the chargesheet and reacting to a report in The Tribune regarding the loss, the former press manager, Mr Kamal Mohan Chopra, had termed the allegations as baseless and unwarranted. Mr Chopra said it was wrong that the current press manager was charge-sheeted because of alleged negligence on his part. He said he was being implicated in the case while the current present manager was being
chargesheeted for changing statements. The case pertains to the alleged loss of around Rs 3 lakh to the university over the contribution of medical expenses of employees of the university press to the ESI Corporation. The PAU had charge-sheeted Mr Chopra for his alleged negligence for not taking the exemption from the ESI for the medical expenses. Challenging the decision of the university to take action against him, Mr Chopra wrote back to the university stating that as per the statutes regarding pension and provident funds (pension scheme) and Rule number 11.3, no action could be taken against him because he was never found guilty of any grave misconduct after his retirement. Moreover, he wrote: “University has already filed a petition under section 75 of the ESI declaring this recovery to be illegal and without jurisdiction in the employees insurance court, Ludhiana. When the recovery is illegal, how can anybody be held responsible in this regard? The university is contradicting its own statements by doing so.” He maintains that as per the rules and regulations of the ESI, principal employer is responsible for making the contributions or obtaining the exemptions from the provision of act from the government. “Thus”, he says, “it is incorrect (as mentioned in the list of charges and statement of allegations) that being the officer in charge of the PAU press it was only my responsibility to get the exemption from the provisions of the ESI.” He said the dealing hand in his office had gone many times to the ESI, Chandigarh, to seek exemption and he had also submitted the report which was in record, of the PAU. He said granting the exemption was up to the authorities of the state government. |
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Industry blames PSEB
for pollution Ludhiana, August 7 Mr V.P. Chopra, president, Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations, said,‘‘It is the responsibility of the state electricity board to provide adequate and uninterrupted electricity supply to the consumers. However, the consumers are forced to switch on diesel generating sets due to frequent power cuts causing ear piercing noise and emission of foul gases which are a great health hazard.” He said in spite of the steep hike in power tariff and unjustified rise in the monthly minimum charges, fuel surcharge, excise duty and octroi levied by the PSEB, it had failed miserably to maintain regular power supply to the consumers, causing a huge loss of industrial production in Punjab with an additional bonus of pollution to the people of Punjab. On the other hand, the PSEB was always deep in financial crisis and even was not in a position to pay in time for the coal supplies to Coal India Ltd. and freight charges to the Railways. He conjectured that all that mess was due to the free power supply to the agriculture sector, besides mismanagement and inefficiency of the board. The Chairman of the board, Mr S.S. Sohal, had once declared that the board had about 30,000 surplus work force, which would be offered VRS. But no action had been so far to downsize the labour force. The industry leader said the Punjab Government was adamant not to discontinue free power supply to the agriculture sector nor the board was in a position to improve its working with the result that the people of Punjab were being subjected to unjustified and uncalled for misery and economic loss. Although the industry and the consumers at large had expressed their protests time and again by rallies, fasts and bandhs, still there was no body to listen to their justified grievances. In such circumstances, privatisation seems to be the only solution to this acute problem, he added. |
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Chapters in book scam missing Ludhiana, August 7 However, the department has not got down to the root of the scandal as most of the shopkeepers who have been quizzed in this regard say that the books inadvertently made it to the shelves in their shops. The authorities of the schools of Pakhowal village told the inquiry team that the books could not have been supplied by them because they were yet to receive the supplies. The inquiry report has been sent to the State Welfare Department for further action. The department is also waiting for the report of an inquiry by the SDM of Raikot into this scandal. The department will recommend any legal action against the shopkeepers only after it receives this report. The Director State Welfare Department had asked the SDM to take up the probe after reports of the scandal in these columns past week. Sources said the inquiry team had confiscated at least three textbooks that had been sold to school students. The books had been handed over to the inquiry team by students only. The students also told the inquiry team that they had bought the books from Avtar Book Depot in the Pakhowal village. However, when the team raided the shop, it found no such book. The shopkeeper told the team that he had bought the books from a shop at Mandi Ahmedgarh. When the team raided this shop, it failed to find any such book, once again. The team was told that the books were supplied to the shop in bulk by Ludhiana-based shops. The shopkeepers say that these books inadvertently get mixed with the regular stock. |
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Labour unions stage dharnas Ludhiana, August 7 The dharna was held as part of the state-wide agitation to raise the issues and problems of the agriculture and rural workers. The rural labour unions staged dharnas, protest marches and rallies at all the district headquarters today. Addressing the workers, Mr Gulzar Goria, general secretary, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, said,‘‘ The Punjab Government is following a dilly-dally approach regarding the problems of the rural labour. It had not taken any concrete step to solve the problems of unemployment or poverty in the rural areas. Moreover, the labourers are not provided with foodgrains at lower rates despite promises by the government.’’ The four labour unions, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab and Pendu Mazdoor Union (Mishal), who had jointly organised the dharna, sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Punjab. Among other things, the speakers demanded free electricity, water supply and abolition of security for new connections, a separate social welfare fund for rural labour, at least 50 kg wheat at the rate of Rs 2 per kg and 15 kg rice at a rate of Rs 3 per kg supply to the rural labourers every month, Rs 2.5 lakh compensation to the families of workers in case of his death, 5-marla plots to the landless labourers and to fix at least Rs 125 as minimum wages. Mr Sohan Singh Bassi, vice-president, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, pointed out that the state government had failed to provide 100 units of free electricity supply to the labourers so far. The education facilities in the rural areas were also inadequate and out of the reach of the labourers. The speakers urged the government to enhance the old-age pension to Rs 1,000 per month and to release funds under special component scheme. The government should try to improve the conditions of the families of the rural labour, who were forced to live a second-class citizens’ life despite their significant contribution to the state economy. The unions warned the government to accept the genuine demands of the workers otherwise they would be forced to intensify their struggle and thousands of rural labourers would march to Chandigarh to gherao the state assembly in October and force the government to accept their demands. |
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Government school libraries without Ludhiana, August 7 Most of the schools have a library in the form of a locked almirah kept inside a dark room which is rarely opened. There is no place to sit and read the books nor are the books issued to the students. Such libraries are not getting any newspapers, magazines or journals and no news books have been purchased at least in the past five to six years. Posts of librarians and library attendants are lying vacant in these schools for the past few years. As a result, students of such schools are a deprived lot as they do not get any reading material to enhance their knowledge. Since the teachers are not getting any reference books, their knowledge too remains stagnant. They are not able to impart the reading habits among the students who do not go through even the major news items of the day. At Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Jawahar Nagar, there are a few hundred books which have been stacked in an almirah. The posts of librarian and library attendant which had been sanctioned since August 1991, are still lying vacant. The teachers said the school was already understaffed and were taking extra classes because of which there was no scope of giving additional charge of librarian to any teacher. They said they had written to the District Education Department several times to fill the post, but nothing has been done so far. Nearly 1000 students studying in the school are, thus, deprived of making use of a library. However, there are some government senior secondary schools which have small reading rooms where they are getting newspapers and magazines. At Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, the library is getting three newspapers and eight magazines, most of which pertain to women issues. While the middle section students hardly visit this library, it is often frequented by senior section girls and teachers who wish to read the women magazines. The library is not getting any science or computer magazines for children. The library has nearly 7,000 books, most of them on Punjabi literature and science. For the past four years, the school has received no grant for the purchase of new books and now the school is planning to buy books from the PTA funds. The Principal, librarian and representatives of the staff and students are planning to form a library committee to bring certain changes in the library. As per the plans, the students would be issued library membership cards and new books and children magazines would be issued on demand from the students and teachers. |
Councillor alleges discrimination in Ludhiana, August 7 Mr Puri, who represents localities, adjoining Budha Nullah, said the area was in dire need of development and was lacking basic infrastructure like proper roads and streets, water supply and sewerage. But MC administration was giving a step-motherly treatment to his ward, obviously due to political reasons, he said. “As against an annual allocation of Rs 90 lakh for development works in other undeveloped wards in the city, mere Rs 22 lakh is provided for this purpose to my ward,” he lamented while talking to Ludhiana Tribune. According to the councillor, his ward was not only discriminated against in allocation of funds, but the MC officials often adopted delaying tactics in according sanctions, preparation of estimates and execution of works in his area, at the instance of his political opponents. There have been instances that files relating to works in his ward, had simply disappeared. Irked over slow pace of development works in the area due to non-release of adequate funds by the civic body, several residents had filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking justice and parity with other under developed or undeveloped areas, for the purpose of release of funds by the MC. Mr Puri charged the MC officials with attempts to misguide the court by claiming that all development works in the ward were complete. Taking note of the counter charges, levelled by Mr Puri and other applicants, the court has sought the complete details of work done in all the 70 city wards and the money spent on these works in each ward. |
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Diners
eat up the road every evening Ludhiana, August 7 Every evening, a large number of cars are haphazardly parked here, even at places not meant for parking vehicles. This hardly leaves any space on the road for vehicles and, after dusk, commuters take some other road to home. Though there is no parking zone on the road, the cigarette lovers have made the entire road a free parking zone. They come here in the evening to buy drinks and after they have has some, they don’t have to return home for dinner. Their car becomes a dining hall and the food is served by boys of the nearby restaurant. Do not worry; nobody has to walk up to the cash counter to pay the bill, as the boys approach the diners to collect it. This is a favourite spot of not only college students but also a number of families. The moment a luxury car stops on the road, it becomes a bar for men and a restaurant for their children and wives. These fun lovers often litter the place with garbage after they have had their dinner. ‘Meetha paan’ after the dinner is every visitor’s favourite. It seems that there is no traffic rule on this road. Drivers don’t give a damn about the traffic rules and policemen never regulate the traffic here at this time. A regular visitor, on the condition of anonymity, said, “The fast food joints here are packed to capacity every evening. It is easier for us to have our dinner in the car than in the restaurant. Moreover, cigarettes, ‘paan’ and mineral water are available at the shop outside. We just don’t have to move out of the car.” Some youngsters, who spend most of their evenings here, find the desired ambience here and are least bothered about the traffic problem. For them, this is just another itch the city will have to live with. These youngsters do not move their vehicles from the road for hours together every evening because there is no one to object. Perhaps no one has ever been penalised for wrong parking here. One man’s enjoyment is the other man’s problem, but who will set things right now? |
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Bank manager contests bribe charges Ludhiana, August 7 Mr Satish Kumar in a signed affidavit had alleged that he had given the bribe to get the loan to set up a flour mill. According to him,‘‘When I complained to the higher authorities about the bribe, my credit limit was stopped and a show-cause notice was issued to return the loan within two days or face arrest. I was sentenced to 40 days under the Land Revenue Act but no action was taken against the manager.’’ Mr Grewal said, “Mr Satish Kumar had presented a false affidavit to save himself. His allegation of bribe was just a concocted story only to save himself from the recovery of outstanding amount, which had been declared as arrears of land revenue by the District Collector, Ludhiana.” Mr Grewal further disclosed that Mr Sharma had filed a civil suit against him in Ludhiana and in the Punjab and Haryana High Court but without mentioning the allegations of bribe. Regarding the non release of full C/C limit, he said it was obligatory for him to arrange 25 per cent of stock from his own sources, that he never did. In this regard Mr Sharma said he had sale tax documents to prove his stocks, but they were never asked for. The bank manager claimed that he had no personal grudge against the defaulter and every action had been ‘‘initiated in the interest of the bank in order to recover the money.’’ |
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DC’s assurance to
riot victims Ludhiana, August 7 Mr Sandhu, accompanied by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Kler, the Additional Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr Ramesh Kumar, and PUDA Estate Officer S.S. Ghuman, toured the CRP Colony, Dugri Urban Estates, and Jamalpur, Sector 40, to assess the demand and availability of the houses. Mr Surjit Singh, president of Danga Peerit Welfare Society, Punjab, demanded that the amount of interest and penalty, imposed on plots allotted by Ludhiana Improvement Trust in Block J of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, be remitted and the title deeds be made out directly in favour of allottees. The residents of the area also asked the district officials to take up the matter of widening of Dugri Canal Bridge in view of the increased flow of traffic, which led to frequent traffic jams in the locality. The functionaries of Danga Peerit Society sounded a note of caution to PUDA officials against any delay in implementation of the government decisions for relief and rehabilitation of the riot hit families. The Deputy Commissioner assured the representatives of the society that the problems of riot victims would be sorted out on priority and the matter of allotment of houses would be speeded up. Prominent among others present at the occasion were Mr Gurdev Singh, chairman, Mr Amarjit Singh Dhawan, general secretary, Mr Surjit Singh Saluja, Secretary, Danga Peerit Welfare Society, Ms Gurdip Kaur, Ms Gurcharan Kaur, Mr Harpal Singh Kohli, Mr Devinder Singh Bittu, Mr Tarlochan Singh, Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Gurcharan Singh, Mr Kartar Singh Patna, Mr Surinder pal Singh Suri, Mr Mohinder Singh Khalsa and Mr Daljit Singh. |
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YC activists
to gherao Parliament Ludhiana, August 7 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, the Punjab Youth Congress President, Mr Devinder Singh Babbu, said about 12,000 workers from Punjab would participate in the gherao programme. He said the demonstration would also focus on the alleged role of the Prime Minister’s son-in-law, Mr Rajan Bhatacharya, and other officials of the Prime Minister’s Office in the UTI scam. The Youth Congress leader demanded a CBI inquiry into the working of the PMO and its undue influence on the working of the government. He alleged that the PMO officials were interferring into the day-to-day functioning of the government and all the authority had been centralised in the PMO. |
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Janmashtami celebrations Ludhiana, August 7 Mr Behal said in a press release here today that jhankis and the Raas Leela would be the main attractions of the celebrations. Residents of Dugri Road, Model Town, Dhandra village and other parts of the city are expected to participate in a large numbers in the midnight celebrations of Lord Krishna’s birthday. |
Ludhiana has a large number of migrant labourers employed in various industrial houses. As they have a hectic schedule during the week, they find it difficult to go for haircut or shave. These labourers have found a unique way to overcome their problem. They assemble at one particular place and call some barbers. While the average cost for a shave and cutting in an ordinary barber’s shop may cost at least Rs 20, the labourers manage it for an amount less than Rs 10. Such scenes can be seen at a number of centralised place, more so in and around the Industrial Area and the focal point. (See picture) Exorbitant golgappas A woman of an organisation had to deposit a substantial amount of office money at a bank. While she was going, she spotted a rehri of golgappas. She could not resist the temptation. She parked her scooter and started enjoying golgappas. Before eating she had placed her bag of money beside her. After she had had her fill, she looked around to pay the man, when to her consternation, she realised that some smart cookie had vanished with her bag. Her frantic enquiries from the seller and other customers about her bag proved futile. Her fondness for golgappas cost her thousands of rupees.
First Internet TV The industrial city of Ludhiana recently saw the introduction of the Internet television (a television that lets you get onto the Internet directly). Using an advanced open platform internet system, this stylish model has an inbuilt TAP-enabling technology. All you have to do is connect it to your existing phone line and you are online. No messy wiring, no complicated external devices to connect to. An infrared keyboard unit lets you send e-mail, chat and even browse through as many sites as you like. And, it comes with handy Internet-friendly features such as auto e-mail check, easy browser portal, printer compatibility
etc. You can even watch television while on the net. The television is available at a showroom on the Pakhowal road.
Costly calling One should not misuse the things which one finds on the roadside. At least this is the moral of the story of a youth who found a cell phone and misused it. The moment he found the cell phone, he started conversing with his girlfriend. When the owner noted that he had lost his cell phone, he contacted the company officials who instantly traced the number. They also revealed the possible location to the owner and also told him that the cell phone was “on” as somebody was talking from it. The owner traced the youth who had found it. He had reportedly conversed for one full hour before he was caught. It was not only the amount for the time he had talked with his girlfriend but the entire bill up to that time which came to about Rs 4,000. He readily paid the bill lest his relationships be exposed.
Club culture What is actually done in famous and prestigious clubs of the city in the name of social work. These elite clubs are formed by upper strata of society. Women show off their riches during the club’s meetings and functions. They get together and come up in the best of their outfits. In the name of social work they want fame and just want to create a “goody-goody” image amongst their friend circle. Formalities are offered during the functions and a lot of gifts are exchanged. If they are real social workers they should spend this money on the poor. In the long-drawn functions, women who have least responsibilities at home relax here. For attending these functions they spend hours in beauty parlours. It is not bad to have fun but not in the name of social work. Just give it a thought and have a look inside you.
Mushrooming computer centres With the number of computer centres increasing in the city daily there is a question mark about the fate of the students who really want to get good computer education. All these computer centres specialise in making impressive advertisements . These advertisements with big promises catch the attention of needy students. Students who are three or four lessons ahead of their juniors are employed as instructors in these institutes. In the name of packages like DOS, Oracle and Java, instructors teach a few important commands. They don’t care to give detailed knowledge. Compared to the standard of teaching, the course fees is so high that sometimes it is difficult to pay the amount. Those who take admissions in one-year course, find it difficult to complete the course in two years. Before playing with the future of these children, the managers of such institutes should think that they are playing with the fate of the country.
Friendship Day online Greetings, gifts, dance parties and dinners marked the Friendship Day celebrations at Ludhiana on Sunday. But these were only outdoor activities. Several ‘gals’ and ‘guys’ spent almost the whole day in their rooms cut off from the world as they were busy chatting with their friends and sending them e-cards on the Internet. Net was full of activity as the Friendship Day fell on Sunday and the youngsters could spare time for using the Internet. While some netizens made new friends, others were hooked to their old pals, committing life-long friendship. — Sentinel |
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