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| Tuesday,
July 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Pyrrhic victory for Sarpanch Ludhiana, June 30 The complainant, Mr Rabinder Singh, said he along with Gurpal Singh, were going in a car whereas Harjinder Singh was riding a motor cycle, a little ahead of them. When they neared the house of Bagga Singh, the accused stopped Harjinder Singh and started assaulting him with sharp-edged weapon. Surjit Singh gave a gandasa blow on the head of Harjinder Singh, following which he fell down. Sensing the gravity of the incident, the complainant fired a shot from his pistol following which the attackers fled under the cover of darkness. The profusely bleeding Harjinder was rushed to DMC Hospital at Ludhiana, where he was declared dead on arrival. The accused are said to have been friends of losing candidate Kammikar Singh and avenged the defeat of their friend. A case has been registered at Humbran under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC. Meanwhile, even as Congress-backed candidates romped home with more than 60 per cent of the mandate in the panchayat elections, the opposition parties — especially the Akalis — heaved a sigh of relief following the smooth passage of the poll in the state. The results were accepted by the losing side with a studied silence since the peaceful elections have knocked out much of the wind from their sails. On other hand, the reality of the results began to sink in across the countryside with sporadic scuffles and tensions in many villages in Ludhiana. The results were declared by the District Additional District Electoral Officer amid allegations and counter-allegations that the ruling party candidates in certain crucial belts were declared elected under duress. With an estimated 60 per cent of the seats being cornered by the Congress-backed candidates, the mood was upbeat in the Congress camp with extended bouts of merry-making in the countryside, which in many cases, spilled out on the streets late last night and led to tension between the gainers and the losers. Pitched battles broke out in villages in many blocks across the district. In post-poll violence at Sounti village in Amloh, five persons were reported to have been injured during a pitched fight over the outcome of the poll. According to Mr Karamjit Singh Bhagrana, senior vice-president, Punjab State Karamchari Dal, three persons were admitted to the local Civil Hospital while two were admitted at the Civil Hospital in Mandi Gobindgarh. Jagmel Singh, a polling agent of Piara Singh, a candidate for the post of Sarpanch, was arrested while casting a vote allegedly by impersonating another person at booth no. 78 at Bhanaur. The police registered a case under Sections 171-D and 171/F at PS Dakha. The Sidhwan Bet police has registered a case against Balkar Singh of Patti Multani, Tihara, during the panchayat election for tearing some ballot papers. A case under Section 124 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, and Sections 353, 186, 188 of the IPC. According to information, polling at booth no. 5 in Patti Multani passed off peacefully, but during the recounting of votes for Sarpanch, six votes were declared invalid out of the total 257. Meanwhile, Balkar Singh, one of the candidates, allegedly picked some ballot papers and tore them with his teeth. He then fled after scaling a wall of the polling centre. As many as 57 votes were found to be torn. In Saharan Majra and Rausiana villages, the opposition candidates alleged that the results were forcibly declared by the returning officers after pressure from senior Congress leaders of the area. The result of the Ghulu Majra was withheld pending some clarifications, according to Mr Amarjit Singh Shahi, SDM-cum-Sub-Divisional Electoral Officer, Amloh. The lone village where no one cast a vote was Bagga Kalan in Ludhiana-II block. Similarly, there was no candidate for the post of Sarpanch in Hadiwal village in the same block. |
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City Centre project suspended Ludhiana, June 30 Mr Ashok Singh Garcha, chairman of the LIT, while addressing the mediapersons today said the project could have cost anything between Rs 150 to Rs 250 crore and the trust was unfit to execute such a big project for the time being. In a signed statement, Mr Garcha said the LIT staff was widely and publically believed to be corrupt and their work capacity was abysmal. So it was unwise at this juncture to initiate a big project like this. He added that some former chairpersons of the trust had personally conveyed to him about the rampant corruption. Mr Garcha also said the corruption prevalent in the trust had its roots in Chandigarh and he wanted to rout corruption before taking such projects in hand. He stated that he had written a letter to Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Minister of Local Bodies, asking him to facilitate a policy of reform, replacement and punishment of the existing staff and help him serve the public better. Mr Garcha further said the work on the project would be revived as soon as the scenario is transformed in the trust. Just a fortnight ago, the former Administrator of the LIT, Ms Rakhi Gupta Bhandari, had announced that the trust was all set to clear the City Centre project on 475 acres of land at the cost of Rs 200 crore. Giving details about the design of the centre, Ms Bhandari had said the design would include a modern shopping complex, a multiplex, a super market and office space, a trade centre, food plaza, city museum, recreation centre, IT centre, health centre, banks, a revolving restaurant and a site for hotel and a shop-cum-office complex. |
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Mother, son commit
suicide Sahnewal, June 30 According to the statement of Dyal Singh of Lopon village, her daughter, Gurpreet Kaur had been married to Tarlochan Singh of
Barwala, five years ago. She had a three-year-old son, Hardeep Singh, Dyal Singh said that Gurpreet’s husband, Tarlochan Singh, was a drunkard. He being a habitual drinker, started selling her property and drank all the more. Gurpreet Kaur used to stop him from his wrong habit of drinking but he would not only insult her but also beat her up. For the past one-and-a half month, Gurpeet Kaur had gone to her parents house at Lopon along with her son. When she was called back by her in-laws due to elections, she returned on June 27 and also brought their son along. As against the same routine story was repeated in the house, she decided to end her life once and for all. In the afternoon when her husband, Tarlochan Singh, and father-in-law, Jang Singh, had gone out for poll, she consumed something poisonous and died on the spot. It is suspected that she might have given poison to her son.
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Police-autorickshaw union nexus alleged Ludhiana, June 30 In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, they alleged that thousands of three-wheeler drivers operating in the city were paying money to traffic cops in an organised manner to push the local bus operators out of business. The traffic police was sympathetic towards three-wheeler drivers, who were allowed to take or off load passengers at will without any consideration to the obstruction to the flow of traffic whereas the mini buses were challaned indiscriminately and not even permitted to park at designated places in the city. The union functionaries, while elaborating the modus operandi of the three-wheeler unions, maintained that around 85 three-wheeler stands had been set up at different places and a person, claiming proximity to traffic police officials, acted as president of the auto-rickshaw stand. “In order to keep the traffic police in good humour, the so called president of the stand collects Rs 5 to 10 per day and the money raised in this manner is passed on to the police.” They further said finding it a lucrative business, a large number of police personnel owned three-wheelers which were being operated in the city through hired drivers or had been given on rent. The fact that almost 40 per cent three-wheelers operating in the city were owned by the police personnel themselves was a major factor which promoted the traffic cops to be vindictive towards the mini bus operators. The harassed bus operators urged the district authorities to take corrective measures to put an end to the monopoly of the three-wheeler operators and the police to give a fillip to the local transport system.
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PUDA colonies lack basic amenities Ludhiana, June 30 In particular the Sector 32-A colony presents a pathetic look. The main road to the area is a stretch which is pot holed and without the top layer. Both sides of roads and streets are overgrown with weeds. Due to lack of proper drainage facilities, water and slush accumulate on the roads whenever it rains. The residents complain that garbage and waste material are littered all around the houses as nobody does the periodic cleaning. Garbage dumps stink and attract swarms of mosquitoes and flies thereby posing a threat to public health. These places have become happy hunting grounds for stray animals especially dogs and pigs which, while feeding on leftovers, also scatter the garbage in the streets and create nuisance. Upset over the apathy and indifference of the authorities, a resident of the colony said the parks were a picture of neglect with weeds and shrubs stunting the growth of ornamental plants and grass. Only few streetlights are functional. An angry housewife remarked that the PUDA authorities imposed heavy penalty (non-construction fine) for failure to construct house within a stipulated period but the condition of those, who have constructed their houses, was miserable. “If the authorities can not provide even basic amenities to the residents, they have no moral right to charge hefty non-construction fine. Surely, those who have set up homes in PUDA colonies by spending their hard earned money and are paying civic charges, deserve to be treated a little better,” she added.
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Poll vows not kept, say pensioners Ludhiana, June 30 Mr Yash Paul Ghai, additional general secretary, Punjab Government Pensioners Association, said more than five years had passed since the report containing 10 major recommendations concerning pensioners was submitted to the state government on February 20, 1998. The then Badal government implemented only two recommendations, the other key recommendations were still pending. Pensioners regretted that there was no point in setting up a Pay Commission if its recommendations were not to be implemented. The pensioners said former MLAs drawing pension in Punjab had been allowed old age allowance at the rate of five per cent, 10 per cent and 15 per cent of their basic pension on attaining the age of 65, 75 and 80 years, respectively. However, the Punjab Government pensioners were given this benefit only at the age of 65 and 75 years. Even the IIIrd Pay Commission had recommended a third stage for them. Yet they had been denied the benefits of the third stage which was unfair and discriminatory. They urged the Punjab Government to extend this benefit to the government pensioners as well at the age of 80. Pensioners further pointed out that though the 4th Punjab Pay Commission recommended tax-free pensions for them, yet, the government had not implemented this recommendation. The pensioners sought house rent and a raise in medical allowance as promised in the manifesto. |
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Pensioners Bhavan panel: names sought Ludhiana, June 30 At a meeting of the representatives of various organisations working for the welfare of ex-serviceman, pensioners of Central and state governments, held at Pensioners Bhavan at Mini Secretariat here, Mr Kaushal was unanimously authorised to constitute the managing committee for the maintenance of recently set up Pensioners Bhavan. According to Mr Kaushal, all organisations having more than 50 members would be represented by maximum two members. Besides, the management would also have members of the Pensioners District Advisory Committee as well as members rendering financial assistance as sympathisers on the committee. The term of the committee would be for one year. The meeting further resolved that the existing adhoc organising committee stood dissolved after the inauguration of the Pensions Bhavan here on June 19 and a regular management committee would take its place under the guidelines discussed and finalised at the meeting. Prominent among those who took part in the deliberations were Major H.S. Neelon, president, All India Ex-Serviceman Action Committee, Mr H.K. Sood, president, Indian Railway Retired Employees Federation, Mr Sardool Singh, chairman, Punjab Police Pensioners Welfare Association, Mr Balbir Singh, president, Railway Pensioners’ Association, Mr G.L. Bajaj, vice- president, Punjab SAS Pensioners Welfare Association, Mr B.D. Narang, Income tax Gazetted Officer’s (retd.) Forum, Col D.S. Grewal, and Mr Amarjit Singh, coordinator, Atam Raksha Sangh. |
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AIATF condemns attack on Army camp Ludhiana, June 30 Addressing the meeting, Mr Sharma said whenever the Indian Government had tried to open dialogue with Pakistan to settle the Kashmir issue, militants stepped up their activities to sabotage the attempts to restore peace in the valley. Calling for firm and determined action against the terrorist outfits, he demanded the shoot-at-sight orders to the para military forces and the Army in J&K. At the same time, the government should ensure safety of life and property of the people of Kashmir, he added. Prominent among those present at the meeting were AIATF general secretary Yogesh Diwan, Mr Subhash Rajasthani, Mr Ram Sarup Banga, Mr Ramesh Thakur, Mr Sanjay Sharma, Mr Rajinder Sharma, Mr Varinder Gandhi, Mr Devinder Batta, Mr Krishan Lal Malhotra, Mr Joginder Dahiya, Mr Gulshan Baba and Mr Lucky Sood. |
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Training
camp of RSS ends Ludhiana, June 30 Regional chief of the RSS for the north, Dinesh Kumar stressed upon the need for reaffirming their commitment towards the nation. He said there was an urgent need for national awakening and the RSS had taken it upon itself to educate the countrymen about the burning issues being faced by the country. He observed that the role of the RSS volunteers was important as they had an unfailing commitment towards the nation. He exhorted them to rise above the petty partisan issues and devote their time towards the nation. He expressed confidence that the RSS volunteers were working well according to their mission. |
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Dharna by dowry victim's relatives Ludhiana, June 30 Neelam (22) was allegedly killed by her in-laws here yesterday. Post mortem confirmed that she was poisoned. The police had registered a case of dowry death against her in-laws and had arrested her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law yesterday. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were said to be absconding. Accompanied by hundreds of residents of Nawanshahr and Jalandhar, the parents of the victim, residents of Noor Mahal, descended on the Civil Hospital this morning. They wanted to take the body outside her in-laws house and wanted to stage dharna there. They were pacified by some senior police officials who convinced them that the law would take its course and the guilty would be punished. Neelam was married to Vinod Kumar of New Chandan Nagar area in March this year. The family of Vinod had demanded dowry at the time of marriage and the Neelam's family had fulfilled it by paying Rs 50,000 to them. Later they demanded a motor cycle which the parents could not give. The trouble started at that time. The in-laws allegedly started harassing Neelam. He said Neelam had spoken to them yesterday morning and she had told him about the harassment. After some time he received a call from her in-laws stating that she was not feeling well. Soon after they received another call stating that she was no more. The agitated family members reached the in-laws' house and staged a protest. The police intervened and a case was registered. Her body was sent for post mortem which revealed that she was poisoned. |
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Johar hails Cong
‘victory’ Ludhiana, June 30 He said the people still remembered how Mr Badal and his family had looted the state and amassed unaccounted wealth, which had been invested out of Punjab in property and other business. He said the former Chief Minister had been exploiting the sentiments of people in the name of justice for Punjab while all along he had been shifting the loot elsewhere. |
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