 |
|
| Tuesday, February 19, 2002, Chandigarh, India
|
|
||||
|
Chaotic start to board exams Ludhiana, February 18 The external examiner for Class XII chemistry practicals in the Jawahar Nagar Government Senior Secondary School for Boys did not reach the centre. The school staff panicked and had to find another examiner. They immediately rang up the staff of the nearby Bharat Nagar Government Senior Secondary School, urging them to send a science teacher for conducting the examination. The external examiner for Class X science practicals did not turn up as well and two of the school staff had to conduct the examinations themselves. Teachers said the board had not sent any question-paper this year. It had directed the staff to set question-papers on their own. The school staff was not supplied with any cut-list that gives details of all private candidates at the centre, making it difficult for them to form groups for practicals. They said a number of private students had contacted them here today to know their groups and timings. The Class VIII examination centre seemed overcrowded, with 276 students packed there, against the upper limit of 250 students. Out of them, 198 were private candidates. In the Bharat Nagar Nauhria Mal Jain Senior Secondary School, over 100 Class X students took the science practicals tests here today. The staff of this school as well did not receive any cut-list and examiners said they
When this correspondent reached the school at 11.45 am, all 20 students in the group were seen copying results of experiments from their practical files. The examiners, when asked about what was happening, said they had told the students to keep away their files, but some mischievous ones might have picked these up. They immediately stopped the students and took away their files. At this, students’ pens stopped writing, as if they didn’t know what to write further. Even the Vice-Principal of the school, when asked about the situation, said, “These things are common at board practicals every time.” In the Old Sabzi Maandi Arya Senior Secondary School, the external examiner for Class XII physics examination did not reach the centre, due to which, the test began two hours late. The school Principal, Mr Balraj Verma, said he had to ring up the staff of several schools, urging them to send their teachers for conducting the examination. Finally, a teacher of the SAN Jain Senior Secondary School came there, much to the relief of students. The external examiner for a Class X science examination also did not turn up and science teachers of the school had to conduct it. There was a chaos in the other part of the school where a Class VIII examination was to be conducted. About 42 students had found their names missing from the list of candidates sent by the board. The Principal panicked and contacted the Controller of the Examination, but with no result. Cluster head of the school, however, immediately asked the school authorities to make seating arrangements for the students. Extra question-papers had to be brought from nearby schools, which caused a delay of more than an-hour-and-a-half. At this point, the board officials asked the school authorities to send these 42 students to the Bharat Nagar Government Senior Secondary School. However, as the examination had already begun, the students were allowed to take the test in the same school for today. |
|
Residents resent parking curbs Ludhiana, February 18 These businessmen held a meeting here today and urged the authorities concerned that they be given some time to study the judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Prominent among those who attended the meeting included the district president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Avtar Singh Makkar, and a BJP leader, Mr Chaman Lal Chaitely. The businessman demanded that some alternative parking arrangement should be made. Mr Makkar and Mr Chaitely assured them that they would take up the matter with the local administration, including the municipal corporation. According to Mr Raminder Singh, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, the hearing of a writ petition pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court was being done on a day-to-day basis. The Forest Department had already transferred the land along the Ferozepore road in the name of the civic body and the MC had
deposited due compensation with the Forest Department. However, till the final disposal of the case by the High Court, the MC would not be in a position to take any further steps to regulate parking along the highway, he said. |
|
Pensioners’ plea
to government Ludhiana, February 18 The association, in a press note issued here today, maintained that the Punjab Government had recently announced old-age allowance of 5 and 10 per cent of basic pension to its pensioners and family pensioners on attaining the age of 70 and 80 (now 65 and 75), respectively, with effect from January 1, 2001. But according to the prevailing practice, the age of the spouse of the pensioner was not entered in the pension payment order (PPO). As a result, the old hapless family pensioners on attaining the requisite age would have to waste a lot of money and time to travel long distances from far-off villages to the offices of the medical officers and civil surgeons to get the required certificates of age and then submit the same to the treasury officers for getting this allowance. The chairman of the association pointed out that they had been pressing the government to issue instructions to the heads of all departments to enter the date of birth/age of the spouse in the PPO itself when the papers are submitted for pension. As regards those employees, who had already retired, they may be asked/allowed to furnish documents/medical proof of age of the spouse to the satisfaction of the pension-granting authority, who should then request the Accountant-General, Punjab, to make necessary entry of age of the spouse in both copies of pension payment order. However, despite repeated reminders, the government does not appear to have taken any steps to remove this grievance of senior citizens who are Punjab Government family pensioners. The association has urged the government to issue necessary directions to all departments to save family pensioners from harassment. |
|
Doctors ‘mislead’ parents of polio-infected child Ludhiana, February 18 Dinesh, while talking to this correspondent, said the child had been paralysed forever and was on ventilation machine at present. He said, “Mukesh is my only child. I am running a small sweet shop at Shimlapuri. I have sold my house and jewellery of my wife. Other relatives have also financially supported us. But now we know that all our efforts will go in vain as the doctors have told us that the child is suffering from polio and no treatment can cure him”. The parents of Mukesh said they were shocked when they learnt that their son was suffering from polio. “We have maintained the immunization card of our child. He has been given all the dosages from the Shimlapuri dispensary”, Mr Dinesh Kumar said. One of the attending doctors on condition of anonymity disclosed that the chances of
occurrence of such kind of cases were just .1 per cent. The doctor said, “A cold chain has to be maintained and if the dose will not be strong enough, it will not protect the child from the infection”. |
|
League takes up widow pension issue Ludhiana, February 18 Quoting some cases, the league has stated that widow of a disabled Major Jarnail Singh, Ms Amarjit Kaur, has been knocking at the doors of various defence authorities since the death of her husband on August 14, 1998, but the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension), Allahabad, has not yet sanctioned her special family pension to which she has been entitled by the Ministry of Defence vide letter no. 1267/IC-22296/spl. FP/Org. 3(b)/983/D (Pen-C) dated March 27, 2000. But the office of Principal Controller of Defence (Pension), Allahabad, has been delaying the sanction of her pension on some or the other pretext. This is not a solitary instance where widows are being harassed by the concerned offices. Many Defence Pension Disbursing Officers have been wilfully delaying issuance of L.T.A. certificate (document essential for claiming family pension) to widows resulting into a long delay in sanction of family pension and harassment to widows. For instance, D.P.D.O., Patiala, has been delaying the issue of the above certificate to Ms Sangita Rani, widow of Lieut Surinder Singh of Patiala, in spite of the fact that the Punjab Regiment records, Ramgarh Cantt. vide letter no. JC-33175/lib./NER dt. Dec. 10, 2001, has categorically directed D.P.D.O., Patiala, to issue the certificate to her. But, D.P.D.O. has paid no heed to the said letter. |
|
6-day interaction course for cops Phillaur, February 18 The Director of the academy, Mr D.R. Bhatti, who presided over the function, highlighted the need for making police officials aware about ethnic issues with a view to improving overall police effectiveness. |
BJP expulsions stir hornet’s nest Ludhiana, February 18 Yesterday the BJP state president, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, expelled six party leaders, including Mr Sunil Mehra for their alleged anti-party activity during the elections and for causing damage from within. Mr Mehra, when contacted today, expressed ignorance and said that he had learnt about his expulsion from newspapers only. He said he had not been served any notice in advance. However, he strongly denied that he had resorted to any anti-party activity during or before elections. He claimed that he had worked tirelessly during the elections in Ludhiana East, where Mr Satpal Gosain was contesting, in Ludhiana West, where the alliance candidate Mr Avtar Singh Makkar is in race and also in his own ward, which falls in Ludhiana North, from where Mr Mehra had claimed the party nomination. He said, “Everybody is witness to whatever I did for the party”. However, he refused to make any comments on the expulsion and said that he would reply only before the appropriate authority once the charges were framed against him. But he regretted that he was not given any chance to explain his position before the party took this decision. He reiterated his commitment towards the party and maintained, “I will continue to remain a swayamsevak”. It is not for the first time that the BJP has expelled its leaders. About three years ago the party had expelled several leaders, including Mr Pran Bhatia and Mr Kishen Gupta and others, after they had formed the “BJP Bachao Manch” within the party, primarily for breaking the monopoly of some “rootless leaders”. Later the decision was revoked and all leaders were re-inducted into the party. The expulsion of Mr Mehra is likely to antagonise the local RSS leadership against the BJP, as the RSS had strongly supported Mr Mehra’s candidature. Sources in the RSS revealed that the sangh was not going to take the decision lying down. They maintained that Mr Mehra was being made a scapegoat for the failures of the party leadership. A senior RSS functionary said that the decision (to expel Mr Mehra) seems to have been prompted by the apprehensions with the party leaders that it was going to cut a sorry figure after the results. “They just want to blame a particular person and save themselves from the wrath of the party high command”, the RSS leader observed. He asked, “Was Mr Mehra so powerful to cause so much damage to the party? And if so, why was he denied party ticket?. |
|
Opinion against opinion poll Ludhiana, February 18 An agricultural scientist, Dr S.S. Mahal, says that there should no practice to predict election results on the basis such surveys. “Whatever research methodology is adopted for this purpose, the predictions to not accurately match the results. This is perhaps a media practice to provide readers and viewers with more content.” Dr Mahal, who lives here, says, “Opinion poll has proved wrong in the cases of the AIADMK chief, Ms Jayalalitha, and the Trinamool Congress chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee. If these surveys do not reflect the right public mandate, the media should not devote any space or time to these.” Another person who lives in the city, Dr Daljeet Pooni, says: “These surveys are conducted by professionals and educate voters about the exact position of parties. Even in the West, people eagerly wait for the results of these surveys. A proper research methodology is followed in these exercises.” He says, “There may be some incidents when these surveys have proved wrong. It is possible that the researcher might have erred in adopting a methodology or some other aspect. These surveys do not influence voters as they know whom to vote in or out.” A professional, Mr Deepak, says, “In India, where the literacy rate is low, it cannot be said that these surveys do not influence the illiterate. In the West, where every vote matters, these surveys can be approved, but, in India, voting is not always based on reason.” A businessman, Mr Gulshan Arora, says: “These surveys are not absolutely correct and bound to influence voters. The media conducts these surveys for getting a spicy content, overlooking that these might jeopardise the chances of some deserving candidates.” An advocate, Mr Rajeev Duggal, says: “There should not be any such analysis by the media. The final election results should be only determinant of public opinion. There should be no exit poll if elections in the other states are still to be held.” |
|
MP alleges misuse of his letterhead Ludhiana, February 18 Mr Libra pointed out that the accused had made a complaint against the victim to Ms Usha R. Sharma, additional electoral officer, Punjab, and had demanded his transfer for participating in the election campaign of the Akali candidate, despite being a government employee. Mr Sukhwinder Singh is also the district and state president of the Punjab Health Department Subordinate Officers Clerical Association. Mr Libra said someone had used his name to malign a person who had brought to the notice of public a medicine scandal by the Health Department in Ludhiana and a scandal in issuing fake licences for opium. He urged the Principal Secretary to order an investigation into the issue. Mr Libra also demanded that the transfer of Mr Sukhwinder Singh, should be cancelled as it had been ordered on the basis of a false complaint. The copies of the letter have also been sent to the Director, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.K. Sandhu, for necessary action. |
|
MCPI decries flow of liquor during poll Ludhiana, February 18 Mr Kuldip Singh, secretary, Punjab state committee of the MCPI, said in a statement that much to the disappointment of citizens and many political parties, even the Election Commission and its observers had failed to take notice of these malpractices. “Money and muscle power became the hallmark of these elections,” he observed. He said the ruling class parties were also responsible for openly violating the election code of conduct by spending huge amounts. The MCPI functionary remarked that the party was of the considered opinion that electoral reforms were urgently required so that the election process could be cleansed of money, muscle power and other vices to make elections a level playground for all contestants and political parties. |
|
YC condemns Badal’s criticism of media Ludhiana, February 18 Mr Sarabjit Singh, a senior leader of the district Youth Congress, alleged that the Mr Badal was issuing statements against the press in frustration. He should understand that it was the sacred duty of the media to raise these issues which were in public interest. Further the pre-poll surveys had only published the feelings of the public and anger against the misdeeds of the government. He said if Mr Badal claimed to be honest politician, he should declare his assets. The CM was rather shielding the property amassed by his family and ministerial colleagues. The Youth Congress warned the CM that the Congress, after coming to power, would hold an inquiry into his property and bring to the notice of public. Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, president, district Congress Committee, Ludhiana (U), also expressed his gratitude the party workers for working in the election campaign. He announced that to the party would not forgive those who had worked against the interests of the party in the elections. |
|
Lok Jan Shakti Party general secretary expelled Ludhiana, February 18 According to Mr Kartar Singh Patna, secretary-general of the party, the disciplinary action against the party functionary was taken on the basis of a report by two member fact-finding committee which had concluded that though not directly involved in the theft of vehicles, Mr Neeta had sold some stolen cars about eight months back. Making the party stand clear, Mr Patna said the Lok Jan Shakti Party leadership was completely satisfied over the police investigation in the case which till now had been impartial. |
|
Police claims to solve murder mystery Ludhiana, February 18 The arrested men are Bare Lal and Shri Ram, who were employed in the village. Bare Lal is said to have “confessed” to the crime. According to his “confession”, he had been living in the neighbourhood of Ibrahim, the father of the boy. Sultan Ali, while playing with his 6-year-old daughter, had done something obscene to her. Since he wanted to have revenge on the boy for that, he hatched a plan with the help of his accomplice Shri Ram and waylaid the boy at around 7 pm while he was on his way back home. After strangulating the boy, they threw the body in a field. The men, however, denied any attempt to sexually assault the boy. The boy was employed as a helper at a tea shop and used to return home by 8 p.m. But on the fateful night, his father waited for the boy till 11
p.m. before presuming that the boy might have accompanied the tea shop-owner to his house in view of the rain that night. |
|
Man alleges manhandling by cop Ludhiana, February 18 The complainant said that he was riding his two-wheeler without a helmet when this police officer stopped him and misbehaved with him. The complainant had given an affidavit regarding his manhandling. He said that he would complaint to the authorities concerned for necessary action. |
||
|
Clubs organise functions
Ludhiana, February 18 The Gayatri Club also organised antakshri for its club members. Five participating teams were Ishq, Mohabattein, Aashiqui, Dillagi and Albela. Over 15 participants participated in the contest. Two teams were deleted after the two rounds. The winning team was Ishq with three participants-Rashita, Santosh Aneja (Deputy Mayor, Ludhiana) and Aman. The compere was the president of the club, Ms Rashmi Virmani.
|
|
Key-makers bid to dupe
factory workers Ludhiana, February 18 According to information, when the key-maker opened the briefcase, he saw that there was Rs 25,000 in it and presuming that the workers were thieves, tried to scare them away by threatening police action against. To prove that they were not thieves, the stunned workers quickly telephoned their employers who reached the spot immediately. Mustafa, one of the workers at a readymade garments factory, had been paid Rs 8000 by his employer as he wanted to visit his home on the occasion of Id. Imtiaz, a brother of Mustafa, who is also a factory worker, had also given him some money to be delivered to their parents. In addition to that, other colleagues working at a silk store in Ghumar Mandi had also handed over their savings to Mustafa. But since he lost the key to the briefcase, he went to get a duplicate key made, little realising that the key-maker would try to scare him away and take possession of the money. When both the parties marched to the nearby Kotwali police station in Chaura Bazar, employers of the workers were attacked by the key-maker with the help of certain other shopkeepers outside the gate of the police station. Some of these attackers were reported to be office-bearers of a shopkeepers’ association. However, the shopkeepers revealed that they had been misled by the key-maker yesterday, who told them that an attempt had been made to rob him. Mr Gurdeep Singh Leel, the brother of Mustafa’s employer , alleged that the police remained a mute spectator to the attack on his brother, outside the police station and was trying to hush up the case. The SHO did not behave properly and instead of questioning the key-maker, the police detained one of the workers, alleged Mr Leel.
Corporation employees booked On the basis of a video-recording, the Jodhewal police has booked three employees of the local Municipal Corporation under the Anti-corruption Act on the complaint of Mr Jagmohan Singh, a Canada-based NRI, The employees booked are Lakhbir Singh Jassi, an inspector in the building branch, Amarjit Singh, head draughtsman, and Vikram Singh, another employee. According to information, Mr Jagmohan Singh Garewal wanted to build some shops on Pakhowal Road and consulted Amarjit Singh in this regard who assured him that he would arrange an official sanction for the project and asked him to get the work started immediately. But when the NRI started building the shops, Lakhbir Singh Jassi came to him and demanded Rs 10,000 as bribe and also cheques for Rs 20,000 drawn in favour of the Corporation. But the inspector again came to him and told him that the matter had come to the notice of higher officials and as such he would have to pay Rs 25,000 more as bribe money. At the same time, the inspector also returned the cheque drawn in favour of the Municipal Corporation to Mr Garewal . After that, the shops which were already under construction were demolished on February 6. When Mr. Jagmohan Singh contacted the inspector again, he promised to pay back the bribe of Rs. 10,000 already taken by him. But next day, when a son of the inspector came to return the money, Mr Jagmohan Singh recorded the meeting with the help of a video camera, which has been received by the police as evidence.
Woman commits suicide The Jodhewal police has arrested a middle-aged rickshaw puller, Harbilas, a resident of Meharban village, on the charge of driving his wife Jaswinder Kaur (35) to suicide, who it is alleged, consumed Sulphs tablets on Saturday. According to information, the rickshaw puller was married 16 years ago, but after the birth of two sons, currently aged 12 and 8,the couple started having frequent tiffs because of poverty and certain habits of the husbands which the wife did not approve of. In the meantime, Ms. Udham Kaur, the mother of the deceased woman, started living with her daughter for diffusing the tension, but apparently failed to do so. The victim was rushed to the CMC Hospital by anxious neighbours but she did not survive . In the FIR lodged by her, Ms Udham Kaur has stated that since Harbilas did not mend his ways and went on abusing her daughter all the time, the deceased resorted to the extreme step.
Man pushed by gamblers In a bizarre incident, Mr Ajay Kumar, son of Mr Gian Parkash, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, falling under the division number four police station, suffered a fracture after he was pushed down a ladder by some gamblers in the locality yesterday. Ajay, who has been admitted to the Civil Hospital, noticed some gamblers busy in a ‘game’ on one of the sheds behind his house. When he went up on a ladder and asked them to stop their activity, the gamblers pushed him back and he fell on the ground and broke his leg. The gamblers later fled the scene.
Tipsy intruders beat housewife Ms. Seema, a housewife in her early twenties, in Ghora Colony near Cheema chowk, was beaten by four tipsy intruders when she was alone in the house on Saturday night. The attackers are said to be well-known in the area for their addiction to liquor and unruly behaviour and are generally feared by the residents. The pregnant housewife was also allegedly hit in the stomach by the inebriated
attackers. She has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in a critical condition. The police has registered a case, but no arrest has been made so far.
Scooterist killed Twenty-seven-year old Charan Dass Singh, alias Happy, a resident of Janak Puri, was crushed to death by a speeding truck when he was driving his scooter in the Transport Nagar area on Saturday night. According to information, the speeding truck hit the scooterist from behind and ran over him. The victim, whose head was crushed under the wheel of the truck, died on the spot. The police of division number six has registered a case and started investigations.
Injured woman dies Ms Piari, the sixty year-old wife of Mr. Mela Singh, a resident of Mangli Tanda village, falling under the Koom Kalan police station, who was beaten on February 5 last by a resident of the same village, reportedly breathed her last at her village on Saturday. Her body was brought to the local Civil Hospital for a postmortem by the police . After the incident, she had been admitted to the CMC hospital from where she had been discharged on February 9.
Beaten The Salem Tabri police has registered a case under sections 341,323,506 and 34 of the IPC on the complaint of Mr Ram Kripal, a resident of Ashok Nagar, against Jaspreet and Raju, both residents of Chhawni mohalla. The complainant had alleged that the accused intercepted him on the way and beat him and injured him seriously. The accused also threatened the complainant of dire consequences.
Body found Harjit Singh, 37, resident of ward. No. 5 Nabha Road Amloh, was found lying in an unconscious condition at Chehlan village, 2 km from Amloh, from where he was taken to Amloh and then referred to Khanna, where he was declared brought dead. According to the statement, Mr Mehar Singh, father of the deceased, his son Harjit Singh, along with Gurdeep Singh, son of Nirmal Singh, resident of Dharamgarh village, had gone to a marriage party in his Jeep (number 40-A-0067) on Sunday. At night Mehar Singh was informed on the telephone, that his Jeep was standing at Chehlan village. When Mehar Singh along with another of his son reached there he found Harjit lying by the side of the Jeep. The local police has registered a case u/s 174 IPC and the dead body after a postmortem in Civil Hospital, Amloh, on Monday, was handed over to his kin for cremation.
Police action flayed A meeting of activists of Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) chaired by Mr Ranjit Singh Libra, a senior leader of the party held in Amloh criticised the action of the DSP Samana for misbehaving with Mr Jagtar Singh Rajla, MLA of the party. Members of the meeting, the copy of proceeding of which was released to the press here today, demanded strict action against the police officer. |
|
Child killers held Ludhiana, February 18 The arrested men are Bare Lal and Shri Ram, who were employed in the village. Bare Lal is said to have “confessed” to the crime. According to his “confession”, he had been living in the neighbourhood of Ibrahim, the father of the boy. Sultan Ali, while playing with his 6-year-old daughter, had done something obscene to her. Since he wanted to have revenge on the boy for that, he hatched a plan with the help of his accomplice Shri Ram and waylaid the boy at around 7 pm while he was on his way back home. After strangulating the boy, they threw the body in a field. The men, however, denied any attempt to sexually assault the boy. The boy was employed as a helper at a tea shop. |
Telecom companies woo subscribers Ludhiana, February 18 Spice Telecom, for one, has introduced a number of benefits for its consumers, like monthly free air-time, free SMS and free activation of mobiles. To survive in the market, the company has also announced a flat reduction of monthly rental across all tariff plans by Rs 50, as well as reduction in the local security deposit to Rs 1,000. One Spice subscriber was surprised to get a new Sim card through courier, which means that the company is offering an extra connection to its subscriber (with no activation charges). An AirTel dealer in the city said that the company would also shortly announce some more lucrative packages for the subscribers. With so many suitors serenading, who will the consumer lend an ear to? Even Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), after slashing NSD rates by over 60 per cent, is giving the second phone connection for just Rs 840. The Subsequent Telephone Connection Plan includes three schemes. The first scheme, which at present is applicable in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali only, offers the connection for Rs 90 only (it does not include the instrument and wiring charges). The second scheme (without the instrument) will be for Rs 340 (Rs 250 wiring charges and Rs 90 activation charges). The third plan includes the instrument, the wiring and the activation charges for Rs 840. This connection will not include STD/ISD facility (one can use the prepaid IT card). It may be mentioned that earlier, there used to be a long waiting-list for a new telephone connection but competition among companies has benefitted the subscriber. Looks like now the subscriber would no longer be at the mercy of one telecom company. Already widespread resentment prevails among Connect
subscribers owing to poor connectivity in their CDMA mobile phones. Many want to give up their phones for Spice or AirTel services but are stuck with expensive CDMA handsets, a reason Connect appears to be exploiting subscribers. |
|
Hotel industry for tourism promotion Ludhiana, February 18 In a memorandum, submitted to Mr V.K. Duggal, Director-General, Tourism, Government of India, who was here in the city on his way to Ranjit Sagar Dam, the association president, Mr N.S. Nanda, urged the government to identify the areas for development of religious tourism in Punjab. The government should make a move to set up a ropeway, jointly with the Himachal Pradesh Government from Anandpur Sahib to Naina Devi to attract more religious tourists. Among other necessary steps to enhance inflow of both domestic and foreign tourists to the state, the government should speed up the work of a bird sanctuary at Hari-ke-Pattan, development of Ranjit Sagar Dam as a tourist spot, creation of multi-activity recreational centres, focus on water sports and other outdoor activities like golf, mountain biking, trekking and bird watching, he added. Mr Nanda regretted that despite the government’s move to declare the hotel and tourism as a full-fledged industry, way back in 1996, the government had failed to provide incentives and other concessions, as laid down in the industrial policy. Non-acceptance of a long-pending and genuine demand for charging industrial tariff for electricity from the hotel industry, was an example of the indifference of the government towards this sector, he added. The memorandum pointed out that several factors like terrorist attack in the USA, war in Afghanistan and uncertain situation on the Indo-Pak border had created a crisis-like situation for the hotel and tourism industry in India, with mass cancellation of bookings from tourists. In order to save the hotel industry from the closure, the government should do well to allow concession in taxes and make arrangements for a liberal financial package for the hotel and tourism industry. Mr Nanda emphasised upon the government to set up a tourist information centre at the international airport in Amritsar and another at Ludhiana, publish an year-book of tourism, launch A/C video coach service from the international airport to all major cities of Punjab, introduce five-year tax holiday for new hotels and restaurants, exempt food and beverages from levy of the sales tax and suitably enhance the subsidy for new hotel projects. The association further demanded that the state tourism policy, hanging fire for last so many years, be finalised soon and further an advisory committee, comprising officials of the Tourism Department and representatives of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab, be set up immediately to actively involve the industry in the decision-making process. According to Mr Nanda, the Director General, Tourism Department, had assured the representatives of the association that the outstanding problems of the industry would be sorted out on a priority basis and that he would also take up the matter at an appropriate level with the state government for promotion of hotel and travel industry in Punjab. |
|
Ludhiana IT seminar: A seminar on IT was organised by Punjab National Bank (Punjab zone) here. The General Manager, PNB, Mr P.N. Khurana, who presided over the seminar, said “This zone with the active support of its head office has embarked upon an ambitious plan of branch automation at key centres besides providing tele banking, ATM and remote access facility at selected centres. He further informed that 88 per cent of total zone business was on computers through 414 computerised branches. The Punjab zone was providing tele-banking services at 10 branches in Punjab. Besides 10 ATMs were functioning at strategic locations in the state. The bank also planned to install 15 more ATMs in the zone by March 2002. Remote access facility was functional at 6 select branches. Mr Khurana informed that 30 major branches at Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana would be connected through centralised banking solutions (CBS) offering “Anywhere Anytime Banking” facility to their customers. OC
|
 |
| 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 | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
