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| Wednesday,
June 11, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Parking contractors ‘law unto themselves’ Ludhiana, June 10 In the wake of heavy traffic congestion and haphazard parking of vehicles on both sides of the upmarket shopping centre of the Mall Road, the Municipal Corporation had recently painted a yellow line on both sides of the road for systematic parking within the yellow line. Further, one side of the road, marked with encroachments and unauthorised extensions by way of fenced lawns or construction of cemented platforms by the residents, was also cleared to create another 10 to 15 feet of road width for parking purposes. However, a parking contractor, operating on a private piece of land, earlier known as ‘Kabir House’ has virtually undone the good work carried out by the MC, to promote his own business. According to employees of some of the showrooms in the market, the civic body has not let out the parking space on both sides of the road to any contractor so far. But the operator of the private parking lot has put up temporary fencing or created other obstacles at many places within the yellow line in such a manner that vehicles can not be parked there and the motorists were forced to park their vehicles inside the paid parking at an exorbitant parking fee of Rs 10 even for a few minutes. Similarly, quite a few other private parking lots are operating at different places in the city and incredibly, some of them are using the government land to carry out their business of fleecing the public. To name a few a parking contractor at a cinema house in a plush locality in the city is providing parking facility at a site outside the cinema which belongs to the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, another parking lot near Dholewal Chowk, operating on a government land is doing roaring business while the authorities are looking the other way. Not to be left behind, a few educational institutions in the city are charging money from students for parking facility while using a part of public streets or roads for this purpose. Sources in the MC told Ludhiana Tribune that a scheme to provide paid parking facility on the Mall Road and many other commercial centres was being formulated and the auction for the parking lots would take place soon. “Once the contract for parking facility is given by the MC to a contractor, who will have to pay a lumpsum to the civic body, he (the MC contractor) himself will deal with the private operators,” remarked a senior MC official. |
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85 fires
reported in 30 days Ludhiana, June 10 The city was still in a state of shock after the Khud Mohalla fire when five days later, three sleeper coaches of the Frontier Mail were gutted minutes after the train had left Ludhiana for Amritsar. The toll was officially put at 38. A couple and their 10-year-old daughter were charred when their house at Madho Puri was set on fire by a relative to take revenge on May 24. Though no further loss of life was reported, property and goods worth crores were gutted in several fires which broke out in hosiery units and other factories all over the city and wheat fields in nearly villages. However, compared to 55 fires in wheat fields last year, only seven such fires were reported this time. The decline was attributed to the tough stance taken by the district administration on insurance claims by farmers. A lot of hue and cry was raised in the wake of the Khud Mohalla fire and the then Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, had ordered a survey of fire-prone buildings and other locations in the city. Just when the survey team was going ahead with its work, the Deputy Commissioner was transferred. Reliable sources told this correspondent that all survey work came to a standstill soon after the change. Officially, it was declared that the Fire Safety Act, which had not been promulgated so far, would soon be put into force, enabling the municipal corporation to take action against violators of fire safety norms in various highrise buildings. It was mainly because of the non-promulgation of the Act that the district administration and the municipal corporations had decided not to pursue the matter of fire safety in the city. |
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Protesters
seek job for MC employee’s widow Ludhiana, June 10 The protesters were demanding that appointment orders for the widow of beldar Ashok Kumar be obtained on fax from the Directorate of Local Government at Chandigarh and only thereafter the body would be shifted for cremation. Ashok Kumar (35) died of electric shock when sitting inside a bus shelter near Salem Tabri this afternoon. The deceased is survived by his wife and five children. Functionaries of the Sangharsh Samiti of Nagar Nigam, comprising activists of all major political parties, who led the dharna, flayed the government for taking an adamant stand on the issue. They said immediately after taking over the reins, the Congress government in Punjab had removed the ban on recruitment on compassionate grounds in local bodies, but even before the corporation could process long-pending cases, the ban was reimposed. Mr Vijay Danav, chief organiser of the Bhartiya Valmiki Dharam Samaj and activist of the Nagar Nigam Karamachari Dal, said the government had been dilly-dallying over the issue. He maintained that the workers were fighting for a just cause and the government would have to relent to ensure the financial security to the families and dependants of deceased employees. While senior officers of the corporation were involved in the discussion with the union leaders, the protesters stood their ground and refused to take away the body till the appointment orders were issued in the name of an eligible family member of the deceased beldar. |
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TRIBUNE SPECIAL Ludhiana, June 10 Several shopkeepers in the books’ market have advertised it through hoardings. While some deal in working models, others prepare charts and non-working models. Still others concentrate on handwritten work such as numericals, English compositions, question-answers in social studies as well as Punjabi and Hindi writings. Many models such as those on solar cooker and automatic fire alarm are readily available with them, but these are also prepared on demand. All you need to is to specify the theme and size. The staff in the workshops in the basements of these shops will design suitable models as per your needs. Some shopkeepers may put before you a list of hundreds of models from the project books available with them to help you select the theme of your choice. Charging Rs 400 for a working model, Rs 200 for a non-working model, Rs 50 for a chart, Rs 25 for a painting and Rs 3 per page for a written work, shopkeepers are having a boom time. Scores of students, especially from board classes, can be seen placing their orders. A few Class XI boys say they have been attending two or three coaching classes a day, besides going for sports and other activities. They do not feel like spending time on
repairing projects and one prepared to pay for the work. A bookshop owner says though he has been getting 10 orders for science models per day and there have been a few orders for written assignments. He adds that the business will be in full swing at the end of this month when the schools are about to reopen. He says commonly demanded science models can be prepared in two hours while others are delivered in just a day or two. He has hired two men on part-time basis for this summer break. Mr R.S. Patial, Principal of DAV Public School, says if students and their parents indulge in such activities the purpose of assigning them holiday homework to engage them it the learning process gets defeated. He says it is shocking that parents, who should guide their children in creative pursuits, tell them to go and get readymade projects from the market. |
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PAU ex-Professor booked Ludhiana, June 10 He has been booked under the Act on the complaint of PAU-Comptroller Gopal Dass. According to the FIR registered at Sarabha Nagar police station last night, Dr Balwant Singh misbehaved with him recently and used devogatory language against him. Dr Balwant Singh, denied the allegations and said he was being falsely implicated for daring to call a spade a spade. Dr Balwant Singh had levelled several charges against Dr Aulakh and other PAU officials and teachers. Close on the heels of this development, a complaint has been filed in Nabha police station falling under the Patiala police district regarding some irregularities in sale of paddy in PAU farms at Nabha. Police officials from Patiala had a telephonic conversation with a senior PAU official. The PAU official argued that the allegations had been provide false in a police inquiry and such complaints were being made to just harass the officials. |
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LUDHIANA CALLING THE mobile phones have become a necessity to the extent that when a mobile does not work for some reason, the owner begins to feel as if something is missing. Some readers have pointed out to Sentinel that they are unable to access the Punjab Police control room from their mobiles, especially if they subscribe to the Spice service. It is the number that one wants to call in case of any emergency, but is unable to do so. Dare-devils Punjab Police personnel have another side that people rarely see. One such occasion where the police personnel from the Phillaur Punjab Police academy showed their other side was the 54th Junior National Basketball Championship where a team of policemen presented a dare devil show. The group performed several fetes like gymnastics and dancing on the motor cycle. No caller ID Telecom industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Telephone subscribers are provided with scores of add on facilities everyday. BSNL too has announced a number of free add on facilities to provide better service to its customers. But in Ludhiana, the Bharat Nagar exchange has been unable to provide its subscribers with a basic service like the caller identification, much to the dismay of the subscribers. What is surprising is that the exchange has the latest NEC exchange that supports most function, and the department officials have even visited Japan for training, but are yet unable to programme the exchange. Social
change The Talhan incident has highlighted an important change in our social fabric. It is not only the Dalits of Talhan but also those of almost every other place in the state that are now more empowered with education, awareness and financial status. They now want social equality with others, something higher castes find hard to digest. Though the incident is by any logic condemnable, but sociologists see it as a step towards a classless society. A welcome change Ludhiana has seen a change in the top civil and police administrative setup. The city has a brand new Deputy Commissioner in Mr Anurag Verma and a new Senior Superintendent of Police in Mr Narinder Pal Singh. While there are some who have supported the outgoing incumbents, the number of those who have welcomed the change is far greater. People of the city now only hope that the district administration becomes accessible to the common man. Talented students Summer camps are being held everywhere. The students who are learning from well-known teachers are picking up fast — be it Kathak dance, calligraphy, pottery, tie and dye, theatre or creative writing. The teachers are also surprised at the rapid progress of the students. This only indicates that the whole education system has to be revamped. The courses must include such vocational subjects as mentioned above. These courses not only interest the students hugely but can also assist them in starting an enterprise based on the expertise and knowledge gained in schools and colleges. Ogling... popular hobby The girls’ basketball teams are staying in Government College for Women girls’ hostel. They can be seen in their sports gear .1.e shorts and T. shirts. Sentinel was baffled to see a large number of boys of all ages and sizes lined up opposite the college just ogling at the girls who were entering and leaving the college. They were really staring hard at the girls. But girls were not paying any attention. May be they are so used to being ogled at. But this ogling business is definitely not in good taste and certainly deplorable. Punjabis and tandoori Punjabis always like to eat tandoori chicken, seekhs — both mutton and chicken — tikkas, paneer, naans and rotis... so much that the pizzas have also been cooked in tandoors and are being called ‘tandoori pizzas’. These pizzas are only for Punjab. Seeing Punjabis’ long association with food cooked in tandoor, the hoteliers are predicting that soon some of the Thai, Mexican, Italian and even Chinese dishes will be cooked in tandoor to suit the Punjabi tastebuds. Note without numbers What would you say if you got a new bundle of Rs 100 notes and one of the currency notes did not have any numbers on the lower side? On the other side of note, there were only four digit numbers instead of the usual six. The receiver of the bundle was foxed as he did not know whether it is fake currency or an anomaly Govt Press. Anyway, he heaved a sigh of relief when the bank took the note back. Monsoon at any cost Even as the weather in city is the most unsuited for asthma patients, yet most city residents have welcomed the dusty weather, sans the sun. The dust is bearable but not the heat, say most. With reports of the monsoon having arrived in Kerela, the expectation of the city residents of seeing rain in the near future have increased. Even though rains only submerge the city with slush and sewage water, people just want rain at any cost.
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Punjab will not give a drop of water Ludhiana, June 10 Referring to the issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal, Mr Grewal maintained that the Punjab Government was handling the situation properly. He assured that the government would not allow any injustice to be done to the farmers in the state. “When we do not have any water for us, how can we spare it for others?”, Mr Grewal asked. The kisan cell leaders also demanded the abrogation of the laws which empowered the government to arrest the farmers defaulting in loans. He pointed out, the farmers were passing through a critical phase and they should be provided concessions. Mr Grewal expressed his gratitude to the farmers for cooperating with the government. He also demanded that all block and district units be constituted before June 29, when the panchayat elections were scheduled to be held.
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Stress on saving environment Ludhiana, June 10 Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary of BJGVJ, said the problem of environment had both global and local dimensions. “We must be aware of the fact that it is the developed countries who are responsible for the ecological disturbances in the world leading to green-house effect and global warming”, he said. Nearly 40 per cent of environmental degradation was due to Military related activities, he said. He listed various problems related to air, water and noise pollution. He called upon the people to rise to the occasion, as it was only through people’s participation that further deterioration of environment could be prevented. Dr Mitra discussed about the activities needed to be undertaken in the year 2003-04 to control pollution. Mr Sumedh Singh while appreciating the efforts of the organisation assured all cooperation by the administration. He said the Sutlej action plan would be completed soon. He said he would look into the matter regarding the reviving of paryavaran Vahini so that people’s participation and coordination with the administration could be increased. Major Sher Singh Aulakh said the organisation had been actively working for the promotion of healthy environment through lectures, demonstrations, audiovisual projections, formation of eco clubs in schools, writings and interviews in the media etc. Dr Daljeet Pal Singh, representing PSCST, said the pollution level in the city was among the highest in the country.Dr J.S.Bilga stressed on the need to plant large number of trees. Dr Rajinder Pal Singh Aulakh said the receding water level, excessive use of chemicals in the agriculture and burning of straw was a serious problem in
agriculture. |
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Dreamland
— a place to make merry Sahnewal, June 10 “I was inspired to construct an amusement park by the disparity between rich and poor children. While the rich could afford such luxuries at Ludhiana, the poor were deprived of it. I have provided to these children a similar atmosphere at their doorstep,” he says. Dreamland is a dream come true not only for the Colonel but also for the children who almost regularly visit the park to sing, dance and make merry. At a nominal fee, people enjoy the sylvan surroundings, the spacious lawns and the exciting rides and dives. “Sheer profit has never been my aim. The people wanted a place where they could have fun and enjoy themselves. I really enjoy the moments when sitting in my office, I see people making merry,” says Colonel Sandhu. A conference-cum-activity hall has been recently constructed, especially for schoolchildren, where competitions, shows and summer camps can be organised. Two rides — a pendulum and a “bouncy” — have been added to the existing ones like Ferris wheel, frog ride, baby train and dreamland express. Aqua Park, the water slide introduced last year, offers great fun to the people. The Colonel is now thinking of adding two rides and colliding cars shortly. “With the active support of Mr Rajiv Chawla and Mr Yash Chabra, the joint directors, there has been no looking back. We are catering to needs of residents of Ludhiana, Ahmedgarh, Malerkotla, Mandi Gobindgarh, Khanna, Sangrur, Machhiwara, Nawanshahr and above all, the residents of Sahnewal and surrounding villages, ” he adds. An NRI found the park very impressive. “Seeing such a park, which is like those in the USA, and that too in a small place like Sahnewal, is simply amazing. I have seen people spending hours together here. Life seems to be an endless game here,” he exclaims. Ashish, a student of a local school, says, “Our school arranges picnic to the place once a month. And now when an activity hall is ready, we wil have more fun participating in various functions and shows.” Ashish stays at Sahnewal and comes regularly to the park during vacations. Two sisters, Sandeep and Jasmine, do not insist on going to Ludhiana anymore. “We have the same fun and amusement here. The rides and the Aqua Park is tremendously enjoyable during summers,” they say. Parents of children now have no problem tackling their young ones on summer evenings. Rohit’s father admits, “My son, being the only child, used to be so aggressive sitting in his room. He had no source of entertainment at all. Regular visits to the park have really opened him a lot. He has made a couple of friends and is no more troublesome.”
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They pose as scribes for personal gain Ludhiana, June 10 Since there is no regulatory mechanism, it is not possible to verify whether the identity cards or press stickers are genuine or not. Several defunct organisations are even charging money to issue press identification cards to people of dubious reputation. It has also been brought to notice of newspaper offices that some businessmen are using vehicles marked “Press” for evasion of sales tax and other taxes. A senior journalist was recently given a visiting card of one such impersonator. Some people use bogus identification cards to exhort money from gullible people. At important press conferences, there are persons who claim they are NRIs writing for the Punjabi print media in the USA or Canada. Since no one can verify their credentials, they are able to pass off as genuine journalists. Much to the annoyance of mediapersons, some persons get Press stickers pasted on their vehicles to gain access to places reserved for the Press. They even flaunt their identification cards when accosted by traffic policemen. Many taxi drivers also use Press stickers to facilitate their passage through different states on a long route. |
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DCC (U) former chief remembered Ludhiana, June 10 The DCC (U) president, Mr Jagmohan Sharma, garlanded the portrait of the veteran party leader, describing him as a determined and committed politician, who worked for the welfare of neglected and weaker sections. Prominent among others present at the function were Senior Deputy Mayor Prem Mittal, Deputy Mayor Sushil Gupta, Mr Balraj Bhasin, Mr Sushil Parashar, Mr Om Parkash Malhotra and Mr Parminder Mehta. At another function held at the SDP College for Women, Congress workers and close associates of Gupta remembered him. Among those who paid floral tributes to the Congress leader were Ms Usha Bhasin, Ms Sushil Gupta, Deputy Mayor S. Verma, Principal of the college Ved Parkash Gupta, Mr H.K. Chugh, Mr Lekh Raj Arora, Mr Mangal Sein Grover, Mr Parminder Mehta and Mr Baldev Raj. His widow Chander Kanta Gupta and his three sons were also present.
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PFC workers resent officer’s arrest Ludhiana, June 10 The association said the loan to a Ludhiana based company, Harshil Wires, was sanctioned by the corporation on June 4, 2001, after completing all formalities and procedures. As per the policies and procedure of the corporation, the promoters are first screened by the screening committee, comprising directors and senior officers, and subsequently a detailed appraisal report covering the profitability or projections prepared by the appraisal officer is placed before the sanctioning committee. Following this, the loan is sanctioned to the
borrower(s) by the competent authority. The association claimed that the Vigilance Bureau was not professionally equipped to investigate such issues. The officer who has been arrested was innocent and not involved in any wrong doing, it added. The corporation conducted an inquiry into this case in April, 2001, after the receipt of a complaint. The loan was subsequently recalled and the unit taken over. The departmental inquiry conducted held the promoter responsible for cheating the corporation and a case had been filed. The corporation had filed an FIR against the promoter, but the Vigilance Bureau, instead of proceeding against the promoter, had started finding fault with the working of the corporation. Mr B.S.
Baidwan, general secretary of the association, said employees of the corporation would march to the office of the Vigilance Bureau in Chandigarh to register this protest. The organising secretary of the association, Mr K.S.
Chatha, said the employees were demanding a fresh inquiry by a competent authority.
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Talhan
incident unfortunate: ex-minister Mandi Gobindgarh, June 10 It had divided the people of the village near Jalandhar on communal basis. Caste riots had not taken place here even during the peak of terrorism in the state. It was for the first time in the history of the state that the government had to impose curfew in a village, said the former minister. |
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Fire averted Ludhiana, June 10 The area has a thick concentration of bushes. The timely intervention of the fire brigade personnel prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining areas. The bushes were adjacent to a tiger safari on Jalandhar Road. Official sources said no major loss had been reported.
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4 hurt in clash over land dispute Khanna, June 10 Gurdial
Singh and his wife, Amar Jit Kaur, alleged that they were beaten up by
Charn Singh and his son, Shupinder Singh, who came to their house with
20 other persons. However, Charn Singh alleged that his son was
beaten up by the couple. He said when he went to Gurdial Singh’s
house, he was also beaten up by them. Charn Singh and Shupinder Singh
were also admitted to the Civil Hospital. |
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Woman missing Ludhiana, June 10 Amritpal said she had last been seen on the Neelon bridge, where she purchased a soft drink. He said she was also wearing jewellery and carrying cash. A case has been registered by the police.
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2 prisoners escape from jail Ludhiana, June 10 Auto-driver duped:
The Salem Tabri police has registered a case under Sections 382, 329, 323 and 34 of the IPC on the statement of Mr Om Parkash, a migrant from UP, now living in Jamalpur against two unknown persons. The complainant had stated that his brother , Mohinder Guru, had picked up two passengers who hired his three-wheeler exclusively on Monday. But on the way, they gave some drug-laced tea to his brother as a result of which he became unconscious and the passengers sped away with the vehicle. Beaten up:
The Sahnewal police on Monday registered a case under Sections 341, 323 and 506 of the IPC on the statement of Ms Man Kaur, a resident of Hadewal village falling under the Halwara police station against Swaran Singh, a resident of Ramgarh village. The woman had alleged that the accused, who was the husband of her daughter, Rani, beat her up and his wife in Ramgarh village on Saturday. No arrest has been made so far. Stolen:
The Haibowal police has registered a case under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC on the statement of Mr Kewal Krishan, a resident of Shastri Nagar, Model Town, against unknown persons who stole hosiery machines after breaking open the lock of his factory at Haibowal Khurd on the intervening night of June 7 and 8. The Focal Point police has registered a case under Sections 457, 380, 511 and 34 of the IPC on the statement of Mr Jagpal Singh, a resident of Gurdev Nagar against an unknown person. The complainant, who is a manager of a steel unit at Dhandari Kalan, had stated that that the unknown accused had tried to steal some goods from the factory premises on Monday. Case registered:
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‘Steel cartel’ holding industry to ransom Ludhiana, June 10 According to sources in the industry the prices of hot rolled (HR) coils were around Rs 13,000 per ton last year while this year, the prices have already crossed Rs 19,000 per ton. HR coils form the basic raw material for most of the industry including, bicycle, bicycle parts, motor parts and other engineering industry. Against this the steel prices at the international market have come down by around $100 per ton. Steel prices in the international market a year ago remained at around $300 per ton, while these have come down to $210. Since the Government of India has imposed a heavy anti-dumping duty on the import of steel, the local industry has to purchase steel from local giants only. Mr P.D. Sharma, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, maintains that the “steel cartel” has held the industry in the country to ransom. These industrial houses have been provided huge benefits by the government as these were running into massive losses till recent past. Only during the past one year these houses have registered huge increase in profits going up to even over 300 per cent. Along with the HR coils, even the mild steel (MS) used commonly has also registered a sharp increase in the prices by around 35 to 40 per cent. The MS round, which is commonly used in Punjab, is manufactured locally. It is mainly manufactured from the scrap and sponge iron, a by product of the iron ore. After TISCO started manufacturing steel from sponge iron compounded with the shortage of iron scrap, the production of MS round also came down. Besides, there has been shortage of scrap in the international market also, which has also contributed to the downfall in the production leading increase in prices. The industry has been maintaining that the steel prices needed to be monitored and regulated properly as some people were trying to retain their monopoly in a liberal economy. If steel prices are not checked, the entire industry will suffer which would also have an adverse impact on the overall economy. |
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