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Rowdies rule the roads on Holi Ludhiana, March 6 The incident took place around midday when one Vivek Chhabra, a son of a Congress councillor of the city, Mr K.L Chhabra, along with more than 10 friends threw eggs at two women standing in the balcony of a house in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar. When the mother-daughter duo, Ms Jasbir Kaur and Ms Maninder Kaur, objected, the boys threw more eggs, this time hitting an old man, Mr Amar Singh Bindra, and his son, Mr Vijay Bir Singh. On seeing the sentiments of the "amritdhari" Sikh being hurt, the family tried to persuade the boys to behave, but to no avail. The boys repeated the act for the third time, when locality residents chased the boys and apprehended two, Sahil and Anil Chatley. The two, along with a Mahindra Scorpio belonging to the group, were taken to the police station. According to Mr Vijay Bir Singh, the two disclosed that they were friends of the city councillors' son, who was part of the group. Repeated complaints by the Bindra family failed to persuade the police to register a case. It is alleged that the police, on the intervention of Mr Chhabra, was compelling the family to accept a compromise. No case had been registered till late evening. Meanwhile, the city wore a deserted, albeit colourful, look today as high-spirited youths roamed the city streets shouting "Holi hai! Holi hai!" Since all markets were closed for the day with the exception of a few shops, the city roads were the domain of youngsters armed to the teeth with Holi weaponry, sparing no passerby. A group of over-enthusiastic revellers was seen pestering car drivers for money in front of Calibre Plaza in Bhadaur House. A helmet-less teenager sustained injuries in Maharaj Nagar after falling from a scooter. Even train passengers were not spared. Youngsters stationed on both sides of the Dhuri and Ferozepore railway lines threw colour missiles at rail passengers. It was a day of roaring business for liquor shops, making the rowdiness of the day worse. A roadside seller of bhang near Ghanta Ghar also did brisk business as did those selling the same intoxicant at Focal Point and other migrant-dominated areas. Meanwhile, the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle celebrated Hola Mohalla today at four different venues in the city with traditional fervour. The venues were Baba Isher Singh Public School in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School and Gurdwara Shri Sukhmani Sahib in Urban Estate, Phase-II, Dugri, and Government Middle School at Beela village. A Hola Mohalla procession was taken out from Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar in the morning, led by the Panj Piaras. The march terminated at Baba Isher Singh Public School.
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Kids come together for Holi fun Ludhiana, March 6 Organisers of the party, Shikha Lamba and Shivani Arora, said Holi allowed the kids to do “masti” without restrictions. Gujjias were distributed among the children. |
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Sudhar Khalsa College director booked Ludhiana, March 6 Mr Manjit Singh Khatra, former Principal of Guru Hargobind Singh Khalsa College and at present its honorary director, has been booked on the directions of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Commission Chairperson Tanzyn Wangyal had on February 19 issued the directions to the police. The police, however, did not implement the orders, at which the complainant approached the commission again. According to the FIR, the complainant, Mr Balwant Singh, a junior assistant, has alleged that the accused called him names and denied him promotion. He has also alleged that the accused was harassing him one pretext or the other. The controversy has been on in the college
for long while now, with opposing groups formed. The complainant, not getting justice from the police, had approached the commission, which ordered an inquiry into the episode. The police, subsequently, gave Mr Khatra a clean chit. Mr Balwant Singh
again approached the commission and complained that the police had conducted a
one-sided inquiry. The commission, after conducting its own inquiry, found several
discrepancies in the one conducted by the police. Coming down heavily on the police, Mr Wangyal said in his order for the registration of a case
that the police had not fulfilled it s primary duty and the inquiry violated norms laid down by the SC-ST Act. The commission found that the inquiry officer had not taken all the evidence and witnesses into account. Meanwhile, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Mission Welfare Society president Gurdev Singh has demanded the arrest
of Mr Khatra as a case has been registered against him.
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Come summer, pollution generators are on Ludhiana, March 6 With the onset of summers, a season of sweat and power cuts, residents resort to switching on their thick smoke-yielding generators caring little about the environmental hazards caused by these. While the poisonous smoke-emanating machines function without any check, the officials concerned are yet to wake up to the dangerous situation arisen in the city, which incidentally tops the list of most-polluted cities in India. Being an industrial town, the city has already witnessed the ever increasing pollution levels crossing the alarming concentrations but there seems to be no hope as the industry as well as the public transport system is emanating poisonous gases. The diesel-run generators add to the concentration of pollutants. The condition worsens as soon as summers come. As there is a rise in temperature and power cuts, the residents switch on their generator sets run on diesel. The pollution caused by diesel generators has compounded the degrading environment condition in the city. While the generators emanate thick smoke it becomes near impossible to breathe in the air near them. Whenever there is a power cut, one can witness black clouds of smoke. All this goes on unabated as Punjab Pollution Control Board employees do nothing about it. Some residents demand that there should be a policy decision by the state government that no diesel-run generators would be allowed. ‘‘If there can be gas-run geysers why can’t there be gas-run generators. The idea is that the pollution should be checked. But is there anybody who is serious?’’ asks a resident. ‘‘You visit any area in the city, be it domestic or market, the menace of pollution caused by these generators is there. Rough estimates say that every household has a generator. The residents have installed them on their roofs with long exhaust pipes discharging poisonous gases up in the air thinking it won't pollute their immediate surroundings and realising little that the environment in general has become polluted,’’ he said. According to official figures on pollution, the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the city is between 500 to 600 microgram while the permissible limit is only 200 microgram. These are the startling revelations of the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The data about the presence of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are also not less alarming. Both the pollutants are about 80 microgram in the city, while other cities in the state do not have more than 10 to 12 micrograms of these pollutants.
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He has donated blood 80 times Ludhiana, March 6 Sudhir has received several certificates from the Red Cross for donating O+ blood since 1985. Happy-go-lucky Sudhir was moved by communal strife that followed operation Bluestar. He and his three friends toured Punjab with messages of ‘peace’ on their bicycles. In 1985, his fellow students at Arya College decided to organise a camp for blood donation. He was told that his blood group was acceptable to all positive blood groups. |
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Sewer project makes life miserable Samrala, March 5 The town had a partial sewerage system laid.
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Poultry farmers suffer losses Ludhiana, March 6 The poultry farmers said there was a temporary boom in the chicken market two days ago but then it came down. The consumption of poultry products had risen by 80 per cent during the last fortnight but it was the glut that was causing the problems. ‘‘There were only 10 per cent buyers a months ago. We have buyers now but what should we do with eggs and broilers that have not sold for the past several days,’’ said Mr Sanjiv Bassi, poultry farmer. He said they had been surveying the market and had found that the retailers were selling three eggs for Rs 5. While they were buying an egg for 70 to 71 paise and pocketing a margin of Re 1.
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Readers write It is unfortunate that people of this region have adopted an indifferent attitude to the scourge of female foeticide which has led to a skewed sex ratio. It is immoral that technology — ultrasound scanning — is being misused by doctors for minting money by perpetuating the tendency among couples to abort the female foetus. Thus, medical specialists who have pledged to save lives themselves connive with culprits to commit murder in the womb. This results in the vicious circle of reserving the mother’s womb for favoring the birth of a male child only. Unfortunately, the momentum for waging a war against the murder of female foetus has not picked up steam as there has not been a concerted campaign against it weather by the state government or various social organisations or NGOs. Stray efforts by some NGOs are not being supported sincerely by the authorities and religious preachers. Society is silently suffering from this menace which has serious ramifications for us in the coming years. I suggest the following corrective measures : (A) Religious preachers of all communities should be urged to include a solemn pledge in the daily prayers (ardas) being held at religious places, thus, getting commitment from people not to kill girls in the womb. The couples themselves promise not to abort the female foetus at the time of marriage ceremony itself in the presence of the entire gathering. This will help build and boost the low morale of would be mothers. Let us admit that it is only the insecure or discriminated womanhood that has perpetuated this malice. (B) Let the state governments involve each everyone, especially, the youth in the war against foeticide by ensuring greater participation in the seminars at the school, college and state level. Let there be essays in the text books countering this scourge and the ramifications for the youth of tomorrow. The government should also subsidise treatment at the time of the birth of the girl child. Private nursing homes, too, should display their philanthropic spirit by subsidising such charges. (C) Social pressure on culprits shall definitely help, but we need to change our minds first. Change is difficult, but change we must for our survival, both on the physical as well as the moral plane as for as eradication of female feticide is concerned. B.B. Goyal, Ludhiana Merger of 50 per cent DA with pay During the last week of January, due to ensuing general election the government had announced some sops for the industry and tax payers, including central government employees. It was announced that w.e.f. April 1, 04, 50 per cent DA would be merged with pay of central government employees but there was no mention about central pensioners. There was a speculations that the pensioners would also benefit and 50 per cent of their DA would also stand merged. The Northern Railway Pensioners Association clarifies that 50 per cent DA cannot be merged with pay unless the pay scales are revised and for revising of pay scales, a pay commission has to be constituted. Therefore, if the government proposes to merge 50 per cent of DA with pay that portion will remain as a separated element, such as dearness pay, and may be reckoned for pension HRA etc. Only the balance DA will continue as such along with additional DA sanctioned. This merger of DA will not give any relief/benefit to pensioners unless the pay scales are revised and parity in pension based on the new scales are given. It was also announced in the media that w.e.f. January 1, 4 percent DA increase would be effective, but it is not understood as to how an increase would be possible as price index increase allows an increase of only 2 per cent. It is being felt that so far no official announcement of increase in dearness relief has been made. K.L. Chitkara,
Ludhiana
PAN card not received I submitted my application form No. 002499459 dated 23.9.2003, complete in all respects for a PAN Card (Income Tax) through UTI, Ludhiana, to the Vice-President, UTI, Inverter Services Limited, Bela Pur, Navi Mumbai - 400614, on 23.9.2003. Vide UTI office Bombay No. PAN/4010095664 Appl. no. 002499459 dated 15.10.2003, I received a letter from UTI office, Bombay, that I have not sent my date of birth (though there was no column for date of birth) through speed post along with photostat copy of my higher secondary exams (having real date of birth) on 7.11.2003. Over 4 months have lapsed, I have not received my PAN card (Income tax) for far though it was said that the PAN card will be sent within one month of application. My PAN no. is AAA TDO 732A. Will the UTI, Bombay and UTI Ludhiana look into this unexpected delay. I have written four reminders to the UTI, Bombay, but not a single letter of mine has been acknowledged. How regrettable !. Bimla Verma,
Fear of TB I draw your attention to a news item appearing in The Tribune regarding the fear of TB epidemic erupting in the area adjacent the Buddha Nullah. It is so full of sewage and industrial waste that its colour is black. It has indeed become an open drain. The underground water near Buddha Nallah is not fit for drinking. Even the vegetables grown along Nullah are being irrigated with his highly contaminated water. Not only this, the vegetables are even washed with this water before being sold in the markets. Sometime back the authorities had decided to construct a road along both sides of nala. Had this been implemented, the localities could have been at least 10 feet away from the Nullah and people would have found difficult to drain sewage and industrial waste into the Nullah. There was a time in the past when its water was so clean that its bed could be seen. At present, it is indeed the stream of sorrow and cries for immediate attention. Anil Sharma,
Ludhiana
Woes of pensioners It is not known to many that the Central Government is giving a raw deal to their pensioners as compared to Punjab, which is extending a number of additional monetary benefits to their pensioners not available to central government pensioners. A comparative study is as under : Medical allowance: For outdoor treatment, the Punjab government pensioners get Rs 250 per month as medical allowance whereas, Central Government shells out only Rs 100 p.m. to their pensioners. Old age allowance: Punjab gives a raise to their pensioners at the rate of 5 per cent and 10 per cent of the basic pension on their attaining the age of 65 years and 75 years respectively. But Central Government pensioners are deprived of any such increase. Central government pensioners while in service were subjected to transfer from one corner of the country to another. Besides the paying capacity of Central Government to its pensioners is better than the state government since the Centre wields power of taxation in respect of residuary list of subjects apart from Union and Concurrent Lists under the Constitution of the country. In view of the above it is legitimate for the Central government pensioners to expect pensioners package at least equivalent to the best offered by any state government like Punjab. Unfortunately, the Central Government has not so far acceded to the demands of central government pensioners to improve their pensioners benefits at par with the Punjab Government pensioners. It is high time for the Central Government Pensioners organisations to come forward and vigorously pursue with the political parties to include the aforesaid demands of Central Government pensioners in their election manifesto. R.N. Sehgal,
Ludhiana
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Rotary
Ludhiana North wins photo contest Ludhiana, March 5 He said on March 8, Prof Rajinder Singh, physical education lecturer at GGN Khalsa College, will deliver a lecture to club members on meditative walk. |
Man attempts to set own house on Sudhar, March 6 It all began in the evening when he set a few suitcases and a quilt on fire in his room which he bolted from inside. He had with him his three children and one adopted child of his brother. The police managed to get them all out and douse the fire, but the man sneaked back into the room and locked himself in once more. It was after a marathon 16-hour long persuasion that the ex-serviceman came out of the room. He handed over a knife to Inspector Jasvir Singh Rai, local SHO. He
came out on an assurance by Mr Rajwant Singh, Chief Security Officer of Halwara Air Force Station, that he would get him some job soon. The man had locked himself in the room at 7:30 pm last night and came out at 11:30 a.m. today. He did not sleep at all through the night and neither did he allow those handling the situation to rest, continuously displaying histrionics. He kept sharpening the knife, threatening to kill himself if anyone forced his way into the room. All that police officials and residents of the area could do was watch him through a large window in the room. According to police sources, he was disturbed over certain family and employment problems. He retired from the Army recently and was not able to adjust with the changed circumstances of his life. His family problems concerned mainly misunderstanding with his relatives. The police decided against registering a case because as it is he had many problems. The policemen and relatives of the man and a few residents of the area displayed courage in controlling the fire. All persuasion by the police and relatives had failed. A Tehsildar of the area and even Raikot DSP H.S. Brar reached the place late at night. In the morning , the police thought of roping in defence personnel to persuade the man. This ploy succeeded as he agreed to come on Mr Rajwant Singh’s assurance. Later, family members requested the police and mediapersons to not register a case or publish pictures and the name of the man.
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Two killed in road mishaps Ludhiana, March 6 The complainant had stated that one of his relatives was hit by a bus driven by Hardeep near the Partap chowk on Friday while he was going on his bicycle. His relative died on the spot. Hardeep, however, sped away. No arrest has been made so far. Balvir Singh, a bus driver and a resident of Dhuki Di Patti village near Jandiala, was booked yesterday on the complaint by Mr Surjit Singh, a resident of Kadiana village. The complainant stated that the accused rammed his bus into the autorickshaw being driven by his brother Kashmir Singh near Hotel Amaltas on the GT Road, killing him on the spot yesterday. Held for forgery:
Booked:
25 students booked:
Assault cases:
Onkar Singh, Sohan Singh, Joga Singh and four other unknown persons were yesterday booked for assaulting Mr Rajesh Jain, councillor, who lives in Sunder Nagar. The complainant had alleged that the accused had beaten him up and abused him on Thursday evening. They also allegedly snatched his gold chain before fleeing. Vehicle thief held:
Arrested:
Pistol seized:
Liquor seized:
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Two satta
operators held, cash seized Khanna, March 6 2 vehicle thieves arrested:
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Performance of banks reviewed Ludhiana, March 6 While reviewing the performance of banks in Punjab, Mr Awasthi said for better agriculture production it was necessary to improve post-harvest technology, crop pattern and seeds of HYVs (high yielding varieties). To improve soil health, it was necessary to add organic matter to soil. Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Director, Institutional Finance and Banking, called upon the bankers to make all out efforts to improve the credit deposit ratio in the state, which was stagnating around 43 per cent for a long time. |
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