Sahnewal mini olympics conclude
Lovleen Bains

A kabaddi match in progress during the mini olympics at Sahnewal. — Tribune photograph

Rural sports tournament
Our Correspondent

Samrala, February 5
A four-day sports tournament concluded today at Kotala village, 10 km from here. The tournament was held under the management of Mr Sukhjit Singh Benipal, Charanjit Singh Canada, Jagdish Singh, Harjit Singh and coach Amarjit Singh.

Many teams of various villages of the district took part in this tournament.

In football and kabaddi teams of Maji Sahib Kota village won the first prize, the team of Kotala village got the second prize in football matches. The team of Hambowal village gave a wonderful performance.

In kabaddi team of 32 kg class, the Sanipur team won the first prize, the Khatran team got the second prize. In 37 kg class Sihora team won the first prize and the Kotala team got the second prize.

In this tournament Alankar Toni Academy Kubbe, Malwa College Bondli, the Dashmesh Sports Club Kalakh and the Dashmesh Sports Club, Rara Sahib, held the show matches.

Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, MP gave away prizes to winners’ team and Mr Rajwinder Samrala, a drama artiste and TV actor conducted the stage.

Professor forced to go on leave
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The ongoing controversy in the Govt College for Boys concerning the head of evening shift took a new turn, when Prof Ashwani Syal alleged that he was forced to go on a long leave as he had been humiliated by the college authorities and students.

In a letter to the Principal Secretary, Department of Education, the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP, Mr Ashwani Syal said he was forced to go on long leave by students, workers and authorities of the college. He says: “My only fault is that I pointed about the non-observance of conduct rules by employees and violation of the directions of the Supreme Court as an employee was smoking and another peon was found drunk on duty. He further alleged that his briefcase was stolen in connivance with certain students and the authorities. When I reported about the misconduct of the students it was again overlooked by the authorities,” he claimed.

Prof Sayal apprehends a threat to his life from anti-social elements in the college. So he had been forced to take leave till he received a reply to his legal notice, he alleged.

SI booked for fraud
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 5
A Sub-Inspector of Police currently posted at Phillaur sub-division has been found guilty in an inquiry conduct by the Jagraon police of duping a farmer, of Bhanaur village here of Rs 8.5 lakh on the pretext of sending his son abroad.

The cop, Sukhwinder Singh, hailing from Sadarpura village has been booked for cheating and fraud at the Mullanpur Police station on the orders of the Jagraon SSP, Mr Mukhwinder Singh Chhina.

The case is probably the first of its kind in which a cop has defrauded villager. Hundreds of such persons are usually exploited by travel agents. The cop has not only succeeded in swindling lakhs of rupees of the alleged victim but also managed to keep the victim’s faith in him for about two years despite his failures to send his son abroad.

The gullible farmer and his son were even made to pack up their luggage at least three times, say goodbye to the relatives, only to be taken around New Delhi and Mumbai for a few weeks and then sent home. The cop gave them cheques of the money taken but they too bounced.

Police sources said the accused cop had absconded after the registration of the case but all efforts were being made to nab him.

According to an FIR, the alleged victim was Balbir Singh, a resident of Bhanaur village, in the district. He envisaged a dream of better future for his son, Harbhajan Singh, in Canada and came in contact with the accused Sub-Inspector. The cop promised to send his son abroad with in 90 days on payment of a few lakhs of rupees.

The deal was made about two years ago. The son is still waiting to go abroad. The total amount paid to the cop had gone up to Rs 8.5 lakh, as the accused kept on demanding money on one pretext or the other.

The complainant states that when the period of 90 days elapsed and nothing was done he confronted the cop. The cop feeling sorry for the delay took them to New Delhi early last year to fulfill their dream. The father and the son remained there for 20 days only to return to the village as the cop told them that the person required to complete the papers had gone abroad due to some emergency.

Both of them were again taken to New Delhi in June, 2002. After taking them here and there, he took them to Mumbai but the result was same. They had to return to the village again.

The family was convinced by that time that they have been taken for a ride. When they confronted the cop, he gave them signed cheques of the money he had taken from them. The joy of getting the money back was short-lived. The cheques bounced and the family was back to square one.

The agitated family gave the cop a notice to return the money within a certain period after which they would lodge a case against him. The cop through some middlemen gave new cheques to calm their anger. The cheques, however, again bounced.

The family then lodged a complaint on which an inquiry was ordered. The cop was found guilty and orders for registration of a case were passed by Mr Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, SSP, Jagraon.

Dhawan opposes amnesty to Bhullar
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 5
Former general secretary of the District Congress Committee Jiwan Mohan Dhawan yesterday came down heavily on political parties and organisations demanding commutation of death sentence to Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, convicted in a bomb blast case. Mr Dhawan said ‘‘these people were trying to sabotage the peace of state.’’

In a statement here yesterday, he said death sentence to Bhullar had continued from Session Court to the apex court. ‘‘And nobody has the right to comment and to intervene in the verdict of the highest court of the land. Even Davinder Pal has also confessed being involved in bomb attack on Indian Youth Congress office in New Delhi in which many people had lost their lives.

He said some persons were trying to get political mileage out of this. ‘‘ Those who are advocating amnesty for the terrorist are hurting the sentiments of the families of victims of terrorists. Today, it is Davinder Pal tomorrow it will be persons convicted in the attack on Indian Parliament case. The government should not yield to such unjustified demands, because in this way no terrorist will get desired punishment’’, he said.

Mr Dhawan said peace in Punjab was the result of strong policies of the Congress government and sacrifices made by people of the state. Nobody should be allowed to disturb the peace and brotherhood in the country. He also urged Congress leadership to oppose emerging communal forces.

CPM condemns hike in bus fare
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has condemned the bus fare hike in the state, describing it as a big burden on the poor people. It has termed it as an anti-people step aimed at benefiting the private bus operators and facilitating privatisation.

Mr Kuldip Singh, state secretary of Punjab State Committee of the CPM, yesterday said the party had already opposed the privatisation of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). Although, the state government and the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, had denied any such move, trifurcation of the board into generation, transmission and maintenance implied indirect privatisation, which would prove fatal to the consumers and the PSEB itself, he said.

“The CPM feels that the so-called economic package announced by the Punjab Chief Minister is nothing but a mere ‘eye-wash’. Despite tall claims by the government’s spokesperson, the Chief Minister has failed to accept any of the major demands like free power to tubewells, MSP on wheat and other crops, arrears of bonus on paddy, recharging of water level, ensuring adequate sugarcane prices to the farmers and taking action against defaulting sugar mills in the state.” While supporting the agitating farmers, the party called upon the government to immediately accept all major demands of the farmers.

Condolence meetings in memory of Kalpana Chawla
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
Kalpana Chawla’s sudden demise has shocked the Ludhianvies. People from all walks of life are holding condolence meetings to pay homage to Chawla. The Traders and Property Owners Association held a meeting this morning at Feroze Gandhi Market and offered condolences of the association to family members K alpana Chawla. Mr S.S. Ghuman, president of association, presided over the meeting. The members paying tributes to Kalpana said that she was a shining example of grit and determination for youth and old alike. She was a beacon of light and a source of inspiration for parents to encourage girls to let them display their full potential in all walks of life.

The association has requested the administration to name the Government College for Women as Kalpana Chawla Government College for Women. They also said that the Punjab Government should take up the case with the Centre to name Punjab Engineering College as Kalpana Chawla Engineering College. They further said that at least 100 scholarships should be constituted annually for higher studies to USA. The government should issue a stamp in her memory. The association said that her life and achievements should form part of modern history in class IX and X across the country for year 2004, and finally, the Nehru Sidhant Kendar should name its auditorium as Kalpana Chawla auditorium and create a space for complete details about her life and achievements in their library so that youth can be inspired.

A condolence meeting was held in Master Tara Singh Memorial College for Women and a two-minute silence was observed in her memory as a mark of respect. Ms Jaswinder Kaur spoke briefly on her life. The principal and staff attended the condolence meeting.

The members of the Students Council of Mai Bhago College for Women paid a tearful homage to the astronaut Kalpana Chawla. The students spoke on the topics “Kalpana (Imagination) never dies, she is immortal,” ‘and “Would someone bring my daughter back?”

A meeting of the Punjab state Branch of the Indian Homoeopathic Organisation was held here recently to mourn the sad demise of Kalpana Chawla, the Indian based US astronaut, who died in the Columbia space shuttle disaster on February 1.

Dr Chanchal Singh, general secretary of the organisation, in a press statement today said that the real tribute to the departed soul would be to boost women empowerment and curbing female foeticide. It was also decided to dedicate a free medical camp in her memory.

LETTERS
Campaign on bylaw violations a must

THIS has reference to the news, “15 MC officials charge-sheeted”, which appeared in Ludhiana Tribune dated January 25, 2003. It is hearty and courageous news that the state government has taken a serious note of the blatant violations of building bylaws in commercial buildings in Ludhiana city. It is apparent that inaction for a long time has encouraged numerous other influential persons to violate building bylaws. It is painful to notice that the violations have been done in connivance with Municipal Corporation (MC) officials. In addition to the action against guilty officials, the authorities must take appropriate action on unauthorised constructions raised by offenders, promptly, to prove the credibility of the present government. They should also increase the composition fine to at least 10 to 20 times the existing rate, in compoundable violations, as well as impose appropriate punishment, say imprisonment to the violators. At the same time, there is need to start an educative awareness campaign on the bylaw violations in commercial buildings.

Dr Gurkirpal Singh

Immune to residents’ problems

The authorities of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana have become so immune to the problems of citizens that they neither see nor hear anything being said or written against offences committed against hapless citizens. This has a reference to the news item in Ludhiana Tribune of January 26, 2003, ‘Urban estate residents cry for amenities’. I raised such a cry on behalf of the residents of Dugri Urban Estate on November 14, 2002, in the form of a letter with the heading ‘A picture of neglect’. But till date no action seems to have been taken by the authorities concerned Dugri Urban Estate has very rightly become an example of extreme neglect and apathy at the hands of the district authorities.

As very rightly brought out in the news as quoted by Mr K.S. Kreer, the roads in some of the smaller lanes are non-existent and have disappeared from the face of the earth. The main roads have developed potholes of unmanageable sizes that not only driving has become nightmarish but also prone to accidents, sometime fatal.

The side berms and footpaths of roads have been encroached upon by residents themselves or by vendors, rehriwalas and kiosks making these roads dangerous to drive at. Some of the parks have become places for dumping of domestic wastes and others are in a state of neglect and look like jungles for want of maintenance funds by the park committee.

MAJOR S.S. KHOSLA

MC showing discrimination

This is reference to news item, “Probe into purchase of street lamps” in Ludhiana Tribune of January 30, 2003. By reading this news, city residents should be aware of the activities of local Municipal Council, how they are being treated step-motherly. On the one hand, people of some localities are crying for basic amenities and on the other hand, others are being provided facilities more than the required. Further, city roads also wore a deserted look, having a lot of potholes, giving the proof of inefficiency of the council. Specially, the road leading from railway station to the main bus stand is in a pathetic state. There is no check on the misuse of water supply in the city. Councillors are trying to appease a section of the residents with the intention to get votes.

RAVI CHANDER GARG

Murder of the girl child

The authorities seem to have got alarmed at the declining male-female birth ratio in this part of Northern India where surviving male boys outnumber girls, since survival of the girl child in the womb itself is being made impossible-courtesy so called mushrooming scan centers in the cities and towns which determine sex of the child to the convenience of the perpetrators of such murders, so foul and heinous . As the birth of a girl child in the family continues to be a stigma on the woman, it is nothing short of an open insult to motherhood, denial of right of to survive and live. The sufferer is the woman physically, mentally and emotionally as well.

B.B. GOYAL

Cable tariff: justification, protest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The Federation Of Punjab Cable Operators has justified the recent hike in cable tariff. Mr A.S.Dhabha, the president of the federation, claimed that all pay-channels had increased their charges.

Even the Union Government had launched DD-Sports as a pay-channel, he said, adding that DD-Sports was charging high rates from the advertisers as well as the cable subscribers.

He maintained that the cable operators were not in a position to raise the issue against the government or force it to control or reduce the charges of pay-channels.

Mr Dhabha pointed out that regarding the subscription charges, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had made it clear through their letter that “It is a contractual business between the pay-channels, cable operators and subscribers. The government will not interfere in the matter of price charged by operators and pay-channels.”

He advised the subscribers to launch a campaign for the provision of free channels or approach the Chief Minister for introducing the Conditional Assess System (CAS) in the state, through which they would have to pay for only those channels which they wanted to watch.

Meanwhile, members of the New Young Club organised a meeting to protest against the hike in cable tariff. The chairman of the club, Mr Om Parkash Malhotra, alleged that there was no uniformity in the cable rent and subscribers of different localities were being charged differently.

Bank honours performers
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 5
The Oriental Bank of Commerce organised a function to felicitate the best performers in the region at Punjabi Bhawan last evening. Mr V.K. Kashyap, Deputy General Manager, gave away awards to the urban, semi-urban and rural branches of the region for 2001-02. The best branch award in the urban category was awarded to the Overseas Branch, G.T. Road. The award for semi-urban and rural branches was awarded to Machhiwara and Sahnewal branches, respectively. Momentoes were also given to staff members of these branches under the Oriental Bank Employees incentive scheme.