 |
|
| Wednesday,
September 19, 2001, Chandigarh, India
|
|
||||
|
FOLLOW-UP Ludhiana, September 18 A heavy police presence continued to be in BRS Nagar, especially the ‘J’ block of the colony, for the second consecutive day today. According to reports from several villages and towns of the district, opponents of the Baba Piara Singh sect have deployed armed securitymen at their religious places. Sources called in to say that gurdwara bodies of the Raikot-Pakhowal belt had announced several times over public address systems that there was a threat of attacks on gurdwaras in the region after the incidents in Ludhiana and Morinda. The bodies discussed the idea of deploying volunteer securitymen at these places. The district administration and the police is also keeping a close watch on the developments. The Jagraon police has issued directions to all its patrol parties to keep a strict vigil on religious places. Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police at Jagraon, said this step had been taken following the announcements by the gurdwara bodies. He also said the tension was not alarming at the moment. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sandhu, said the administration and the police were monitoring the situation closely. He also said the situation in BRS Nagar had improved to a great extent and both groups were cooperating with the administration. Representatives of the Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) alleged here today that the Congress was promoting the Baba Piara Singh sect and violence in the state. The federation also said the police had registered false cases against its local leaders after the recent violence. The President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, is also learnt to have intervened in matter to bring peace between the rival groups. Earlier in the day, hundreds of activists of the SSF (Mehta) led by the party chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Grewal, marched up to the DC’s office, raising slogans against the followers of the Baba Piara Singh sect. They alleged that the followers of this sect had burnt some ‘Birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib in Morinda yesterday. Mr Grewal said the sect had violated an Akal Takht directive. Mr Grewal said he had submitted a memorandum to the DC, demanding that the cases registered against some of the SSF office-bearers be withdrawn. The SSF has also demanded an inquiry by a senior police official into the recent case of violence. He said the Bhav Sagar Samunder Granth had been burnt by a mob and no person of the SSF was responsible for it. Meanwhile, followers of the Baba Piara Singh sect said they had asked the district administration and the police to arrest all the accused by tonight and ensure their safety. |
|
Part of commercial complex demolished for
violations Ludhiana, September 18 Mr S.S. Bhatia, Municipal Town Planner(MTP), who led the demolition squad, told Ludhiana Tribune that upper ground floor pillars, which were raised from the area, shown as rear parking in the approved building plan, were pulled down with the help of a bulldozer. A strong posse of police and other officials of the building branch from Zone D, including Ms Kamaljit Kaur, Assistant Town Planner, comprised the MC team. The building owner, who claimed to be well connected, initially made unsuccessful attempts to resist the demolition and was joined by several others, including a BJP councillor, Mr Sunil Mehra and some other political activists but deft handling of the situation by the MC officials saved the day. Since the MC team could not complete the demolition work because some area of ground floor and basement, which also covered the parking area, proved out of reach of the bulldozer, the building owner had agreed to carry out demolition at his own, Mr Bhatia added. |
|
PAU may get 1,250 more
acres Ludhiana, September 18 Sources in the local administration revealed the PAU authorities in their formal request have mentioned that the university wanted to go for agro-forestry and seed research. Since the land is moist and always runs the risk of floods, planting of trees is said to be the best option. Besides, planting trees may also generate good resources for the university. Originally the land belonged to the Central Seed Farm and was subsequently taken over by the state government. The government had earlier decided to set up an industrial focal point at Ladowal. Since the area was flood prone, the industrialists did not evince any interest in shifting over there. Subsequently half of the land was allotted to the PAU for seed production and research. When it was decided that an industrial focal point will be developed there, the industrialists showed their reluctance from day one. First it was the issue of the minimum price per square yard for the land. In fact, the price was slashed at the assurance that the industrialists would set up units there. Despite massive slashing of price the government found no takers. First the government had fixed the price of land at Rs 1,000 per square yard. Later it was brought down to Rs 700 and finally it was set at Rs 550 with a possibility of bringing down it further to Rs 500 per square yard. Despite that no industrialist came forward to purchase the land, leaving hardly any option for the government than to allot it to the PAU. A formal decision of allotment would be conveyed to the PAU very soon as the government had no objection to the PAU proposal. The issue has already been discussed and finalised. However, there was no word about the university’s demand for about Rs 5 crore needed to start the research work. |
|
PAU chargesheets 5 in swimming pool
scam Ludhiana, September 18 The five, including Mr Harnek Singh, Executive Engineer, PAU, a former Executive Engineer and three Junior Engineers, have been issued charge sheets and have been asked to reply within 15 days that why the action should not be taken against them for the alleged irregularities in the swimming pool case. Sources in the PAU said that after these five charge sheets, more charge sheets were on cards. Sources said that some higher officials might also figure in the case. Sources said that the charge sheets to certain Estate Officers were also being contemplated by the authorities. This is for the second time in the past two months that the PAU authorities had issued charge sheets to its employees for renovation scams. Earlier the authorities had chargesheeted seven employees in the hostel renovation scam. Some of them had been named in the swimming pool scandal as well. The swimming pool scam happened around six months back when the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh, had ordered a high level inquiry after there was a delay in opening of the swimming pool at the onset of the summer. The pool had faced serious structural defects from the very beginning. There were reports on various areas of the swimming pool which required immediate repair. Dr Aulakh, just after taking over as the Vice-Chancellor, had hinted that he would get the matter inquired into and would fix responsibilities. He had also said that he was in no mood to spare the guilty in the case. He had also received complaints from the students and members of the PAU swimming club that a few tiles on the base and sides of the pool were broken and these caused injuries to the swimmers. He had then ordered an immediate inquiry and had assigned Dr V.R. Sharma, Head of Department, Civil Engineering, as the inquiry officer. The Vice-Chancellor had himself examined the pool before ordering an inquiry into the case. The inquiry report, which had been submitted with the VC, said that low standard construction material was used in the swimming pool and this was the reason that it had developed cracks at places. According to his inquiry report he had divided the swimming pool in three parts for further inquiries including the floor, pavilion and pond. In his report he maintained that the material used to construct these three parts was of inferior quality. After the submission of this report the charge sheets were issued to five employees including a retired Executive Engineer of the Estate Office. Sources said that according to the PAU statutes a retired employee could be issued a charge sheet within the three years’ from the date of his retirement. |
|
Bush versus Laden, students want
latest Ludhiana, September 18 For the past one week, students are spending more time than ever before in school libraries to read all major newspapers. ‘India Today’, ‘Outlook’ and ‘The Week’ have
kept the readers away from old favourites of children like ‘Champak’, ‘Junior Science Refresher’ and ‘Computer World’. Students now like to discuss the everyday developments on the American front with their teachers, though this is not a part of their curriculum. Several schoolteachers and school librarians said students were so eager to read news that most of them were rather unmindful of the approaching half-term examinations. Ms Kusham, a history teacher of the local Gupta Model High School, said, “After going through the daily news at home, students have been raising a series of questions in the class recently. They want to who are Taliban, what is jehad, what will Pakistan do, what will be the response of the US and why is Osama bin Laden doing all this. The discussion has become a daily routine and I have to stop them after about ten minutes of it or I will not be able to cover up the syllabus.” Ms Sumeet Ghai, librarian of the KVM School, said that the number of students visiting the library had shot up after attacks on the US. “They ask for all major dailies and current-affair magazines. They sit together before the morning assembly and during lunch break to look at the pictures of devastation, locate the cities on the globe as news originates from there and browse encyclopaedias and books on history and geography to learn about the Taliban, World Wars and Arab countries,” she said. Ms Varinder Kochhar, a teacher of political science in the local Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, said, though students were busy preparing for the examinations that were to begin next week, they were closely following up the news on the attacks on America. “From the everyday interaction with students in class, I can make out that they are well-informed. Many of them told me that they watched the TV news, read newspapers and magazines and browsed the Internet at home everyday for the latest information,” she said. Harnoor Kaur, a Class VIII student of Guru Nanak International Public School, said teachers of history and geography encouraged them to keep updating their information on the developments in this case. Students have become so involved in this that they pen down questions at home and bring them to teachers in class for clarifications and answers. Teachers are also enjoying these daily debates and devote at least five minutes to these each class. |
|
Wrestler prime suspect in kidnapping
case? Ahmedgarh, September 18 The police had already identified two suspects involved in the kidnapping. Now a famous wrestler of the area, known quite well to the victim’s family, is being suspected of having masterminded the whole operation for a huge ransom. The wrestler heads an ‘akhara’ at a village in Qila Raipur, where the two identified suspects used to learn wrestling from him. The wrestler had reportedly taken care to plan the kidnapping in such a manner that nobody could suspect him or his family for the kidnapping. To get a cast iron alibi for himself and his family, he was reportedly attending a ‘bhog’ ceremony at Sayan village at the time of kidnapping, while his wife was shopping at a cloth shop owned by the victim Abdesh’s family at that time. It is being suspected that he might have pretended to receive a message from the ‘kidnappers’, and the family might have deputed him to handle the affair on his own. He then might have kept the ransom money with him only, and one of his co-accused might have tipped the police on not getting his share. Acting immediately, the police had got the boy released from the clutches of the kidnappers on September 8. Apprehending his arrest, the ‘akhara’ head then went underground. He was supposed to appear in the Civil courts of Ludhiana on September 17, in connection with an FIR lodged against him at Dehlon police station under the NDPS Act. But he jumped bail, and the police parties had to return empty-handed from there. According to sources, before leaving the area, the ‘akhara’ head had left his shotgun in the house of one of his disciples at a village in Ahmedgarh subtehsil. But the head of the disciple’s family had handed it over to Khanna Police. A pistol allegedly used during the kidnapping was also seized by the police. The police had also raided the ‘akhara’ and houses of wrestlers practising there, but almost all of them were reported to have left the place. |
|
Economic Offences Wing
restructured Ludhiana, September 18 The restructuring has been done under a scheme seen as developing the EO wing as the Centre of Excellence in dealing Economic Offences (white-collar crime ) in the state. The city, often termed as the crime capital of the state, has witnessed many white-collar crimes. According to Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, SSP, Ludhiana, the restructuring has been done for better and micro-level investigation of cases. He said earlier the EO wing was burdened with investigation of all cases of fraud, cheating and irregularities of funds but now only cases involving frauds of crores of rupees or involving some government department or of a very complex nature would be handled by the wing. The SSP said due to the previous policy, the wing was handling even small cases of fraud and cheating. As even small cases were dealt by the wing, the number of cases grew sharply. The staff has been reduced to a strength of 10 employees from the previous 22. The reason for this downsizing was that after reducing the burden of cases, the EO wing would have become over-staffed. Sources said that another reason for the downsizing was inefficient performance of some employees. It has also been alleged that some police personnel in order to avoid harsh duty in the police station had opted for employment with the EO wing. The move has, however, evoked mixed response among the police officials. While some say that it would do good to curb white-collar crime in the city as well as quick-solution of frauds, others were of the view that the plan could boomerang on the police as inexperienced policemen would now handle the economic offences. The development assumes significance in the wake of increase in white-collar crime in the city. According to figures available with Ludhiana Tribune, 166 Economic offences cases were registered in 1998 and 190 in 1999. Last year about 225 cases were registered. According to an estimate, the number of cases registered this year was set to cross this mark. |
|
EACH one of us has a desire. The desire to look forward and move ahead. And in Ludhiana this is a typical trait. They say in Ludhiana, if you possess a bicycle you will aspire for a scooter and when you get a scooter, you dream for a car and so on. Ambitions here are too many. Contentment may look like an alien concept here. No wonder then that cart-pullers tag their carts with number plates of various vehicles, preferably cars, to at least have a feeling that they drive a car and not a cart. Even the cycle rickshaw pullers will describe the cycle rickshaws a garhis (vehicle). (See picture) Traffic blues Traffic on the GT road between the Jagraon bridge and Chand Cinema is getting further affected with the beginning of the elevated road project, which was opposed by the shopkeepers who thought the elevated road would adversely affect their businesses. The company entrusted with the project has already encircled a good part of the road outside the railway station, as a result of which traffic has been further slowed down on the congested road. Shopkeepers of Kamla Nehru Market who opposed the project, however, failed to realise one fact. Had they not extended their shops onto the GT road, leaving little space for pedestrians,there would have been no need for an elevated or an underground road to facilitate the flow of heavy traffic. Anyway, now that the project has started, the residents can safely look forward to spending more time while negotiating the road on account of the hectic construction activity. No parking place Recently the rates of various tests were reduced substantially by a leading diagnostic centre on the Mall road. This has resulted in a heavy rush at that centre, often leading to traffic jams. The patients and their relatives, who visit the centre for tests, have to park their vehicles on the road itself, where the traffic police has put up a signboard of ‘No Parking’. Consequently, they have to pay for challans, besides the usual test fee. This results in unnecessary rounds of courts without any fault of theirs. They say the medical centre has not made any arrangement for the parking of vehicles, which is mandatory under building bylaws. Dance contest In a dance competition of pre-school children ,it was noticed that about 50 little participants were totally stressed out and practically all parents were nervous wrecks. The kids were crying and fretting. Some of them climbed the stage, but they refused to budge despite their parents trying to motivate them by doing actions. Parents must have spent a lot of money on their outfits and matching jewellery. The girls had applied henna, got themselves tatooed. Parents had brought handycams to film their darlings’ performances. The atmosphere was tense. The parents were “bribing” their children. The little feet stopped dancing and were asking for soft drinks during their dance performance. Competitions should be avoided for pre-nursery kids as these cause a lot of unnecessary tension and take away pleasure out of the young lives. No impact Recently a newspaper reader entered The Tribune sub-office here and complained that a senior correspondent had failed to remove encroachments from the Focal Point area despite repeatedly publishing a news-item in this regard. He was totally unconvinced with the argument that it was only up to the authorities concerned to remove the encroachments. The newspaper could just
highlight the problems faced by society or facilitate to build up public opinion on a specific issue. He said, “I have been reading The Tribune for the past 50 years. There was a time when even a small news-item in the paper used to create terror among officials in the government. Now no one bothers about the complaints despite printing in so many papers and with colourerd photographs.” Have the reporters lost the power of their pen or something else is wrong? he asked. Internet rush With panic prevailing among people after attacks on the USA, cyber cafes of the city were full, with a number of people eagerly mailing to their relatives and friends abroad enquiring about their safety. Because of the cluster of mails and hectic activity, the net web lines were very busy and the connectivity was slow, adding to the problems of people. Seat belts People here are confused whether they should wear seat belts while commuting by cars in the city. According to sources, the low-rung staff of the traffic police has been instructed by senior officials to ignore the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders, requiring the car drivers and passengers sitting on the front seat to wear the belts on “humanitarian grounds”. Officials feel that there is no need for seat belts while commuting within the city limits as one is not able to drive fast because of traffic congestion.However, car drivers, especially those from other states, can often be seen being harassed by traffic cops at Bharat Nagar Chowk and elsewhere. Threatening them with challans, cops ultimately settle down for money.
— Sentinel |
Endless wait for ‘fard’ Ludhiana, September 18 Nearly a couple of years ago, when Mr Bhajan Singh sought a "farad" for his agricultural land in Dhandra village, he was asked to part with Rs 2000 to get the same. Since the poor man, who could not afford to pay the money, had heard a lot about the weekly sangat darshan programmes of the Deputy Commissioner, he decided to go there with his grouse against the patwari concerned. He attended sangat darshan programmes of successive Deputy Commissioners where his application was marked to the officers concerned for action. Orders were passed in his favour. But things remained as they were. Lower officials seemed annoyed with him for going to the sangat darshan programme. Only orders can be passed from the top. The real work has still to be done by the same officials against whom a complaint is made at the sangat darshan programme. Having failed to obtain the simple copy of “fard” even after orders of the district administration, he also visited the sangat darshan programme held by the Chief Minister in the city on April 22. The Chief Minister also directed the officials concerned to expedite the matter. But his woes were not to end with that. Even after Ludhiana Tribune carried the story of his plight on June 2 he failed to get his grievance redressed. Mr Bhajan Singh said proverb about the might of the patwari on earth and the might of God in Heaven was true even today. |
|
National Solidarity Day
observed Ludhiana, September 18 Among others present at the occasion were Mr Kuldip Singh, SDM (East), Mr Harsuhinder Singh, Assistant Commissioner (General), Ms Anita Darshi, Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Mr Jaspal Mittal, SDM, Jagraon, Mr M.S. Kundlus, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, senior officials of various departments, functionaries of social organisations and several other prominent citizens. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker, speaking at the occasion, said the terrorists did not deserve any mercy and such enemies of humanity have to be dealt with firmly. Terming the terrorist attack as a challenge to the entire civilised world, he said only a determined and united strikes could eliminate the menace of global terrorism from this planet. |
|
‘Govt failed on all fronts’ Ludhiana, September 18 Addressing a workers’ meeting organised by the District Congress Committee in the course of a mass contact programme in Simlapuri (ward No 11) here, former Punjab Minister Malkiat Singh Dakha said that various populist measures taken by the government were destined to weaken the economic position of the state. Taking a dig at the government functionaries, going in for laying foundation stones all over in a big way, he observed that the state had been studded with foundation stone while no practical work was being done. Mr Nahar Singh Gill, member of the PPCC disciplinary, committee said the government had failed on all fronts. “The all sections of society, including farmers, workers, youth, traders and industrialists, are waiting for the assembly elections, which will provide them an opportunity for change of government and bring Congress back to power,” he added. Charging the government with attempts to woo back the electorate with money power, the chairman of the Urban Development Cell of the Indian Youth Congress, Mr Pawan Diwan, alleged that rather than providing development grants from government funds, Mr Badal was doling out funds, raised through bank loans at the fag end of his term. He further made a startling revelation that the Punjab state was under a staggering debt of Rs 58,000 crore and that the government had wrecked the state economy through its faulty economic policies. Mr Manjit Singh Malerkotla, Member, PPCC media committee, and Mr Akshay Bhanot, district president, urban development wing, while addressing the meeting, criticised the government for its failure to give effect to poll promise of octroi abolition, even after four and half years. Mr Bhanot focussed on dismal employment scenario and the poor plight of educated youth. Prominent among others present at the meeting were Mr Avtar Singh Kanda, Mr Parveen Sharma, Mr Baljit Malra, Mr Sadhu Ram Singhi, Mr Veerpal Singh, Mr Gurdial Singh Matta, Mr Pawan Puri, Mr Jasvir Singh Jassal, Ms Amarjit Kaur Rani, Ms Sukhwinder Kaur, Mr Kuldip Sharma, Mr Manjit Kataria, Mr Gurmeet Singh, Mr Raj Kumar Talwar, Mr Rajinder Singh, Mr Baljit Singh and Mr Mukhtiar Singh. |
|
Rural labourers seek relief Ludhiana, September 18 Addressing the gathering, Mr Tarsem Jodhan, former MLA and convener, Lok Sangarsh Committee, Punjab, said, “The political parties always make promises at the time of elections, but impose heavy taxes after coming to power. The patience of workers should not be tested as it may lead to anarchy and law and order problem one day.” He asked the government to provide a monthly pension of Rs 500 each to all the eligible old people. Mr Ram Surup Kalsia, district president of the committee, asserted that the government should immediately ensure free electricity connections, house loans, education and medical aid to the poor people, otherwise they would be forced to launch a struggle. Mrs Manjit Kaur, leader of the Janwadi Istri Sabha, raised the question of atrocities against women and demanded 33 per cent reservation for them. The committee later presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner regarding their demands. |
|
PSWC workers seek CBI probe Ludhiana, September 18 Mr Darbara Singh, general secretary, Class IV Employees Union of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation, addressing the workers said: ‘‘The mismanagement of the corporation would result in heavy losses despite the fact that at present we are making profits. The total storage capacity has increased from 35 lakh tonnes to 60 lakh tonnes during the past few years. However, no recruitments have been made, and the workers are overburdened.’’ The speakers demanded the payment of monetary incentives promised by the management worth the salary of 7.5 months for the extra work and regularisation of the services of contractual workers. Mr Darbara Singh demanded that the helper’s scale should be paid to all Class IV employees. He disclosed that dharnas were being held at all district headquarters from September 14 to 20.The agitation would be resumed after the paddy procurement season. |
82.5 kg of poppy husk seized Jagraon, September 18 Acting on a tip-off, the Raikot police arrested Bittoo, alias Gola, a resident of Jagraon, from Sealoani village, and seized 32 kg of poppy husk from him. The Humbra police arrested Chand Singh, alias Channi, of Kulgehna village, and seized 35.5 kg of poppy husk along with an unnumbered scooter. His accomplice, Surjan Singh, of the same village, fled. The local police arrested Amarjit Kaur, alias Motto, of Hathur village, and seized 15 kg of poppy husk from her. Three different cases have been registered at the respective police stations under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. Accused held: Jagtar Singh of Raqba village, accused of firing shots at his brother, Joginder Singh and his wife with .303 rifle, has been arrested by the Dakha police. A case has been registered against him under Section 307 of the IPC. Truck recovered: The Humbran police has arrested Dalwinder Singh of Bhatta Dhua village from Changna bridge, and seized a stolen truck (PB-10-H- 9763) from him. Dalwinder, a proclaimed offender, along with his two accomplices, had stolen the truck from Jagrup Singh at gun point, about eight months ago. A case was registered under Sections 382 and 34 of the IPC, and 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. The police is raiding the possible hide-outs of the other two accused. Two booked: The Dakha police has arrested Mintoo Deol of Bopa Rai village, Sudhar police station, and Pritam Singh of Rasoolpur and registered a case against them under Section 109 of CrPC. Knife seized: The police has arrested Amritpal Singh, alias Sonu, of Agwar Khawaja Baju, and seized a kamanidar knife from his possession. A case has been registered against him under Sections 24, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. |
|
Woman paraded naked; 4 booked Sahnewal, September 18 According to the FIR, the woman alleged that last evening while she was going to the house of Labh Kaur, she was stopped by Lovely, near the house of Kashmir Singh, who used abusive language. He then allegedly dragged her inside Kashmir Singh’s house where Kashmir Singh, his wife Harjinder Kaur and his son Prem Singh, were also present. They allegedly caught her by the neck and removed her shirt. Then they all beat her up. She said Kashmir Singh’s daughter Sandeep Kaur also joined them later. According to the police, the accused were allegedly angry with the victim for her interference in their personal matters. |
|
Mentally deranged girl raped Jagraon, September 18 |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
