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| Thursday, September 19, 2002,
Chandigarh, India
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Teacher charged with beating
up student collapses Ludhiana , September 18 The scene took a serious turn when the accused teacher, Ashok Kumar, who is said to have apologised in full public view for the incident, collapsed allegedly due to hypertension. He was admitted in a city hospital and was reportedly unconscious till the evening. Sources said the controversy assumed an ugly form as the parents and supporters of the victim student were demanding resignation of the teacher, while the teachers’ union said the apology was enough. There was also a dispute between the two parties on whether the teacher had actually beaten the student or not. Though the incident took place three days ago, it came to light today only following the ugly scenes at the school besides the submission of a complaint by the alleged victim in division no. 8 police station. Police sources said they were investigating the case. The victim student, Dheraj Verma, had appended a medical examination report with the police complaint claiming the injuries he had allegedly suffered due to the beating. The role of the school management in the controversy was also under scrutiny. It was being alleged that some members of the management had an axe to grind against the teacher as he allegedly played an anti-management role in the recent student-management confrontation over the issue of bad infrastructure for education in the school. It seems that the actual cause of the problem or who was at fault and where would be cleared only after the completion of the police inquiry. Both the sides had their own versions about the sequence of events. According to the alleged victim Dheraj Verma and his father Sanjay Verma, a property dealer, the boy was studying in the school since nursery, had a good academic record and had never been reprimanded for ill-behaviour. They said on September 16, at about 8:30 a.m., the student was talking to some of his friends in the school auditorium, when the teacher allegedly came there and started beating up the student. They said the teacher was not the class teacher of the student and beat him up without any rhyme or reason. However, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, a teachers’ union leader had a different story to narrate. He said on that day, the teacher was teaching mathematics to some students in the school auditorium. It was a free period and the teacher was utilising the time to help needy students. He claimed that the alleged victim student was making lot of noise with his friends and did not listen to the warnings of the teacher. Finally, the teacher went up to him and told him to get out. The student allegedly refused to budge. The teacher then allegedly slapped him and the student also allegedly manhandled him. Mr Sharma said today the student and his parents came to the school and created a scene demanding immediate resignation of the teacher. He said the teacher was not at fault but still apologised to maintain peace in the school. However, the other party remained adamant on their demand. Mr Sanjay Verma, however, claimed to mediapersons that they were demanding the teacher’s resignation as his son was beaten very badly. He had a swollen eye besides injuries on other parts of the body. Both the parties were ably supported by union leaders and politicians. These contributed well to the ugly scenes in the school today. |
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Prime land in Model Town in the eye of storm Ludhiana, September 18 The issue of allotment of surplus land, lying on the main Dugri Road, which has since developed into a busy commercial area, was initiated by a group of residents of the locality, who owned plots nos. 417-D, 419-D, 421-D, 423-D and 424-D way back in 1996 on the ground that the stretch of land adjoined their respective residential plots. Responding to their representation, the Department of Local Government, Punjab, had accorded its sanction on 15-2-1996 for allotment of 1264 square yards land out of total area of 1599 square yards to the applicants. However, the then Chairman of the LIT and subsequently those who followed, refused to implement the government directive for allotment of land on reserve price with the plea that the stretch of land was located on the Main Dugri Road, which is 100 feet wide, and with independent access available, the land had great potential value for commercial use. The LIT, vide its resolution no. 83 had resolved on September 23, 1996, not to go ahead with the allotment of land to the interested plot owners as desired by the government and to maintain the stretch as a green belt. Another proposal for setting up a two-wheeler petrol pump on the said site was also taken up but somehow this could not materialise. The state government (read Department of Local Bodies) followed its directions of February 1996, with yet another letter on December 4, 2000, asking the LIT to allot the land to the applicants on one and a half time of reserve price and further to take an undertaking from the allottees that they would not raise any construction on the additional land, allotted to them except for construction of boundary wall. Once again refusing to buckle under the pressure persistently mounted by the residents and the government, the then LIT Chairman, Mr Madan Mohan Vyas, who had vehemently opposed the allotment of surplus land to residents, had set up a subcommittee, headed by the Divisional Town Planner, Mr Harnek Singh in May 2001, to suggest the proper use of the land in question. The committee, comprising two trust engineers — Mr A.K. Kansal and Mr J.S. Pandher, had observed that the land was rendered surplus after demarcation of plots in the scheme and was of prime commercial nature for all practical purposes. It had mooted a proposal to develop the piece of prime land into a park and parking complex and further to make provisions for setting up fast food counter, snacks bar and milk bar to make the project self sustaining. Mr Raminder Singh, Administrator of the LIT, when contacted, told Ludhiana Tribune that after taking over, he had gone through the matter in detail and had again written to the state government, impressing upon the commercial value of the land and opposing the proposal to allot the same to the residents, whose residential plots adjoined the surplus land. He said in fact, the LIT had already taken up the work for fencing and development of the said land as green belt but one of the plot holders had moved a local court and a stay was granted, which held up the ongoing work. He was in complete agreement with the contention that the said piece of land held a great potential for commercial development and should be utilised as such rather than throwing away the same even on one and half time of reserve price which was pea nuts as against the prevailing market value of the land. Meanwhile, scores of residents of Model Town Extension (Block D), in a signed representation sent to the Punjab Chief Minister have called for a high-level inquiry into the attempt to allot the prime land to a few residents in utter violation of the relevant rules. They alleged that the proposal had been got through by the beneficiaries in ‘connivance’ with the then government functionaries and the interested residents were trying to pressurise the LIT officials to carry out the government instructions. They further alleged that the plot holders, pressing for allotment of land, would in all probability make commercial use of the land, to be allotted to them, which would disturb the peace and atmosphere of the residential locality. Copies of the representation have also been sent to the Principal Secretary, Local Bodies, Chief Vigilance Officer, Punjab and the Administrator, LIT. |
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More teachers report for poll duty Ludhiana, September 18 Sources in the office of the Election Tehsildar said as many as 50 teachers reported today and the number was expected to go up with more and more teachers pouring in. The Deputy Commissioner had issued notices to 230 local employees who had failed to attend the rehearsal on September 13. Out of these, around 70 teachers reported yesterday for the next rehearsal scheduled for tomorrow and more than 50 gave their consent in writing today. Mr Malwinder Singh Jaggi, Assistant Commissioner (general), said they were hopeful that all teachers would come for the rehearsal scheduled for tomorrow. Stating that the administration has decided to deal with the ‘‘erring’’ teachers strictly, he reiterated that punishment could be anything ranging from suspension to dismissal for disobeying the orders of the District Election Officer. Sources said the administration had communicated to the state government that the required number of employees were ready to go for the poll duty. They said that the required number of employees was already available with the local election office. Mr Jaggi, however, said they required 400 employees only. Meanwhile, teachers under the aegis of the Government Primary Teachers Association, staged a dharna in the Chhattar Singh park today and demanded that they should not be forced to go for the poll duty in Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Piara Singh Dhillon, president of the association, said they had filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the orders of the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer and the case would come up, for its first hearing, tomorrow. |
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DC notices violation of his order Ludhiana, September 18 The security guards, Sushil Kumar of Neelam Boutique and Renu Raj Pandey of G-Glads Florists, have been booked under Section 188 of the IPC for violating the orders of the Deputy Commissioner. He had ordered that no security guard in the city would wear police or military uniforms. The city witnessed a controversy some months ago when media reports exposed how the security guards were wearing police and military uniforms against the rules. The administration had then ordered a ban on the uniforms. Mr Aggarwal set an example yesterday by noticing the violation himself and reporting it to the police. |
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Sarpanch accused of land grabbing Ahmedgarh, September 18 The sadhu has raised an unauthorised structure there in the name of a religions place. According to information available, sarpanch Harnek Singh was getting some land dug for the disposal of waste water when the device used for digging reportedly damaged some material stored in ‘garhas’ belonging to Mr Maghar Singh and his associates. This led to a scuffle in which both the parties accused each other. The Maloud police has registered an FIR under Sections 325, 148 and 149 of the IPC on the complaint of Jarnail Singh. The complainant has named Maghar Singh, Malkiat Singh Manga, Nanha and Kiran Kaur who on their part have complained of being attacked by the goons of the sarpanch. They have also accused the police for illegally detaining them instead of registering a case against the Sarpanch and his men. Though the dispute is yet to be resolved it does reflect on the working of the officials responsible for the implementation of the Act, said some villagers from the Balmiki Mandir area. Villagers said the recent dispute arose when the Sarpanch tried to divert the waste water of the whole village to a piece of common land, which is in the vicinity of the Balmiki Mandir. Though this piece had been absorbing waste water of homes in this part of the village but the Sarpanch allegedly wanted to grab the land. Some of the residents showed some documents which indicated that the working of the panchayat had been under criticism ever since its formation. The panchayat members Mr Rajinder Singh, Ms Rupinder Kaur, and Advocate, Dilbagh Singh Gill have from time to time reported many irregularities to the higher officers, including Director and Deputy Director of Rural Development and Panchayat. Besides, accusing the sarpanch of not convening the panchayat meetings at public places, these members also alleged that but for a few times, the Sarpanch never informed them of the meetings, which violates Section 23 of the Punjab Panchayats Raj Act. They further alleged that the Sarpanch by using his influence with the revenue authorities had got the ‘girdawari’ of the land belonging to the actual landowners of the village entered in the name of a self-proclaimed sadhu, who is illegally occupying the land. Even the report issued by the revenue authorities on public demand showed the possession to be illegal. The applicants had alleged that the sadhu had grabbed 3 acres of land with the alleged connivance of the sarpanch. The Khasra-Girdawari records also showed the land in Baba’s possession from the second half of 1998. The Sarpanch, when contacted, denied the charges and said that the panchayat had tried its level best to improve the state of the village but could not give the desired results due to resistance by the opposition group. He claimed that five of the seven panchayat members supported him on the issue of illegal possession of land he said that the issue was sensitive and that he would give a statement only after discussing it with the other members. The sadhu, on the other hand, claimed that the land had been ‘given’ to him by a brick-kiln owner of Malerkotla, whose name he did not know. |
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In Buddha’s footsteps, a shot at peace Ludhiana, September 18 On August 6, a handful of followers of Buddha, great apostle of peace, began this march from Taxila, historic town and the ancient seat of power and learning. It was not a coincidence that the Buddhist monks had started the peace march from Taxila on August 6. On this day, 58 years ago, nuclear bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima in Japan. The monks have a mission — of peace — to retrieve the lost love between two neighbours, who have so much in common — past, pedigree, culture, lineage and tradition — and so little to tell them apart. The monks, as always, prefer to remain anonymous. “It is the message of peace that should come forward,” said one of them. When they began from Taxila, they had mixed feelings, as they felt proud of the ancient and glorious past and ashamed of the suspicion-filled present. The people of India and Pakistan could so easily be brothers and friends. However, there is still hope, as, everywhere along the odyssey, they have received encouraging response from Indians and Pakistanis. “Everyone who met us wanted to join the peace mission,” said another monk. People of both nations wanted peace and the possibility of a nuclear holocaust scared them alike. They hope that sane elements on both sides will not allow this to happen. The missionaries of peace entered India through Wagah on September 12. The 10 monks of the ‘Pakistan-India Prayer March for Peace 2002’ are led by a Japanese monk, Reverend Junsei Terasawa. They carry the sacred ashes of the Buddha, from the part that has been kept in the ancient Buddhist temple, Toshodaiji of Japan, for the past about 1,300 years. The others who have joined the march are from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Chechnya. |
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Message
of tolerance and goodwill Ludhiana, September 18 Talking to Ludhiana Tribune today he said that since the age of 15 , he knew the entire Gita and by 17 he was well versed with Shri Bhagavadgita. Since then he has been giving discourses on the Gita. He said,” My target audience are children . The biggest lacuna of our education system is that it does not lay stress on the spiritual and moral growth of a child. Religion should be based on values, not scriptures, not deities. When I visit North America, many Americans ask how I feel in a foreign land. I say ‘no land is foreign land for me’. ‘The world is one family’. For the last 16 years he has been working with the children to give them ‘good sanskars’ as these are acquired to mould the character. For this reason he holds regular camps for the children called ‘Bal Sanskar Shivars’. In these camps children get the knowledge of traditions and ‘right sanskaras’. Acharya Shri Kishore Vyas ji near Pune has made it his mission to organise camps for the children to give them ‘proper sanskars’. Shri Vyas ji has been giving discourses on Gita for the last few days in Aggar Nagar, Ludhiana, and will continue these discourses till September 21. The huge pandal in Aggar Nagar, part B, has been specially set up to accommodate thousands of his disciples. Banke Bihari Dal got a team from Hardwar to set up the pandal. The Sewa Dal is manging the free community food whereas the Aggarwal Co-Operative House Building is providing security, infrastructure and has offered their Ram Lila ground. Shri Vyas started Gita parivar on May 26, 2000. He said on that day, “Today I see only 500 children. I would like to see 5000 in one year. By the hard work within a year the preparations for Sanskar Mahotsav were on”. Vyas ji felt that the children should be educated as they are the ones to carry society and its traditions forward. The students are taught to appreciate the songs of nature, listen to chirping of birds and value trees. Hence they plant new saplings in the barren lands. Shri Vyas keeps having refresher courses for teachers who have to continually redesign their courses as they are dealing with human resource. His discourses have been greatly appreciated as the milling crowds say it all. Each day he talks on different chapters of Gita and life of Krishna. When asked if such talks bring about a change for better in the listeners, he said, “Undoubtedly some people change for better”. |
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YC workers protest against oil price hike Ludhiana, September 18 Addressing the party activists, Mr Arora criticised the economic policies of the Union Government which had virtually crushed the common man. “The people are yet to recover from the earlier increase in the prices of petrol and diesel and the government had inflicted yet another fatal blow by further jacking up the prices.” He said the government had played a cruel joke against the common man by giving effect to increase in prices when the festival season was at hand since prices of all essential items would be affected and the prices would go up. Mr Arora charged the NDA government at the Centre with pursuing anti-people economic polices which had led to widespread resentment and frustration among all sections of people. He asked the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and other senior government functionaries to quit if they were unable to provide a people-friendly governance. The DYC activists warned the government of a mass movement by the party if the policies detrimental to the common man were not revoked immediately. Among those present at the occasion were Mr Inder Kumar, Mr Ajay Kumar, Mr Amarjit, Mr Suresh Kumar, Mr Ashok Kumar and Mr Charanjit Narang. |
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Initiate
work on drain: Kisan union Ludhiana, September 18 A delegation of villagers led by Union chief Hardev Singh Sandhu today met the ADC (D) here today and submitted a memorandum of their demands. They impressed upon the officer to get the needful done at the earliest in view of the losses suffered by the poor and marginal farmers every year. It was brought to her notice that several acres of maize and vegetables had been damaged this season too. The members said the former cop had been misusing his position and approach to forcibly occupy the lands of the villagers. Many had been framed in false cases and in one instance the union had to agitate for a long time to get the case revoked, he added. The ADC assured them that the needful would be done and if need be the case would be forwarded to the jagraon authorities for further action. The activists said that if no action was initiated by September 27 they would be forced to launch an agitation. |
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Hospital
goes without power Ahmedgarh, September 18 According to sources, the hospital, being run by Punjab Health System Corporation, owed around Rs 1.75 lakh to the PSEB. Officials of the board had repeatedly asked the hospital authorities to deposit the bill which they failed to due to lack of funds. Doctors and patients had to use candles, while private diagnostic centers and clinical laboratories had a field day because gadgets and equipment at the hospital were not working without power. The sources revealed that the bill also includes the power consumed by a contractor while constructing the building of the hospital. This amount had to be paid by him. Though the SMO of the hospital, Dr Krishan Pilan, was trying to negotiate with the officials to get the supply restored after making a part-payment, but his efforts were in vain till late evening. |
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READERS WRITE Strange are the ways of the PSEB authorities who always seem to be devising newer methods to harass consumers! Least bothering to verify whether the consumer had received the bill or not, non-payment of bill on time attracts three penalties at a time which is highly unjust and amounts to blackmail. Non-payment of a bill, even when no bill has been received by the consumer, leads to disconnection of power supply. On top of it, the consumer is asked to get the duplicate bill issued from the office at his own, pay the penalty for late payment and cough out re-connection charges. In cases where the bills are not delivered to the consumers, the PSEB should either issue a notice or ensure delivery of unpaid bill before disconnecting power supply. G.S. Midha, New Model Town, Ludhiana Noise pollution by cops No doubt the PCR squad of the Ludhiana police has been able to check crime in the city, yet I will like to request Ludhiana SSP Harpreet Singh Sidhu to pay attention to the noise pollution caused by the squad during night hours. The squad members blow loud siren and hooters while everyone is sleeping. This causes inconvenience to people. Moreover it does not seem to have any effect on criminals other than alerting them to hide comfortably. Rakesh Bansal,
Tree that threatens lives An overgrown eucalyptus tree that stands in a park in Block I of Sarabha Nagar is giving residents sleepless nights. The huge tree may get uprooted anytime due to high velocity winds or heavy rains and result in disruption of power supply as high voltage wires pass by it. In such a situation nearby houses would also get damaged. We have been writing to the MC authorities in this regard, but it always falls on deaf ears. Employees come and prune other trees, but leave this at the mercy of gods. When will our authorities start bothering about public problems? Inderjit Singh,
No parks Vehicle parking and parks may have been provided in several upcoming localities of Ludhiana, but the problem is nowhere more pronounced than in the congested areas of the old city. Such spaces were aplenty in the area before the Partition, but these were slowly encroached upon or leased out to private parties or institutions. Roshni Ground is a prime example of the lopsided policies pursued by politicians and bureaucrats to reward their favourites. The entire open space was leased out to the BL Kapoor Memorial Hospital even though the area was in excess of the requirement of the hospital. Even after 45 years, much of the land lies unused and it is ironical that the land is currently being used for agricultural purposes even though there is an acute problem of parking space. The hospital authorities have illegally raised 100 shops on three sides of the hospital, although the land was not allotted to them for any such purpose. The residents were furious and agitated, but, as usual, nothing came out of it. The second available space was Daresi Ground. Dasehra is held here every year. A part of the ground has become a virtual dump yard. Thirdly, the authorities had decided to raise a commercial centre on the acquired land of the Bhadaur House area which could have been developed as a park and a parking, too, could have been constructed here. Nothing of this sort was done and one can see the consequences today. Now the administration has decided to develop another multi-storied parking on the acquired land of the old municipal committee building near Girja Chowk. It is an apt example of the MC’s revenue-earning devices adopted at the cost of the well-being of children and the elderly. Subash Kumar,
Possession of plot I had applied for a 125 sq yrd plot in Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar. The application was made to the Ludhiana Improvement Trust in 1982. Draw was held on September 10, 1999. Plot No 622-G was allotted to me. Despite several requests to the trust, I have not received possession of the plot. I have also sent a letter to the state government authorities, but no action has been taken against the trust for the inordinate delay so far. Joginder Paul |
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‘Hindi
Week’ observed Ludhiana, September 18 Results: Hindi essay — Ms Uma Sood (first), Ms Usha Gambhir (second), Mr Arvind Seth (third) and Mr Raman Kumar Anand, Mr Inder Mohan, Ms Meera
Chakra, Mrs Suman Prabha and Ms Swaran Lata (consolation prizes); Hindi noting and drafting — Ms Kanchan Bala (first), Ms Uma Sood (second), Ms Anita Gera (third) and Ms Shailender Kaur, Ms Chandar Kaur, Ms Suman Prabha and Ms Paramjit Kaur (consolation prizes); and Hindi poem recitation — Ms Usha Gambhir (first), Ms Uma Sood (second), Ms Gurvinder Kaur (third) and Ms
Hemlata, Ms Chandarkanta, Ms Nisha Rani, Ms Sukhpreet Kaur and Ms Meera Chakra (consolation prizes). Speaking at the occasion, the General Manager, Telecom, Mr
G.S. Julka, lauded the efforts of the Hindi section for successfully promoting the language in the department and for putting up an impressive display of the talent of the employees. Hindi Officer P.L. Arora explained to the staff about the various schemes run by the department for encouragement of the employees. He further told about a well stocked Hindi library within the department where books in Hindi by renowned writers were available. Ten employees who were continuously working in Hindi for the last five years, were also honoured at the function.
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Badal to address party men today Ludhiana, September 18 According to Principal Parvinder Singh Khalsa, a spokesperson of the local unit, the party chief would motivate the party members to make the Chhapar rally a success. |
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6 held for illegal confinement Khanna, September 18 Addressing a press conference, SSP Parmjit Singh Sarao said that six persons, including five women were arrested on the charges of confining Arti and her son. He said the matter came to light when Arti’s father Jai Krishan contacted the police after watching the news on the television. He told the police that after verification with some prominent persons of Mohalla Billan Wali Chappri it was found that Faryad, his wife Sunita, his mother-in-law Tejo, his daughters Suman, Pooja and Rajni and son-in-laws had taken his daughter in their custody. After recording the statement of Arti’s father the police had registered a case under Sections 342, 506 and 148 and 149 of the IPC. While talking to mediapersons at the SSP Office Jai Krishan said her daughter who is mentally retarded was married to truck driver Ashok Kumar, for the second time. She has an eighteen-month-old son Deepak besides another son and daughter. She used to come to Ludhiana often and had come just two months back also. The SSP said during preliminary investigations it came into light that an old person had taken Arti from the Ambala railway station to Kurukshetra where he handed over her and her son Deepak to a tea stall owner, Tejo. The SSP claimed that Tejo had forcibly married her with the brother-in-law of her grand daughter, Rajni. At Dadd village near Kurukshetra in Haryana. Another case under Sections 376, 363,366 and 201 of the IPC was registered against the accused. He further said the allegations of alleged police torture of Sunita and her daughters Suman, Rajni and Pooja were baseless. However, Sunita and her daughters while talking to media persons in the premises of the SSP office said the police had tortured them during the interrogation (August 24 to August 28) due to which a still child was born to Suman while Rajni had a miscarriage. The third sister, Pooja, also allegedly had a miscarriage. |
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Lovers
commit suicide Ludhiana, September 18 |
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