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Murder most foul Ludhiana, April 13 The couple was living away from their four married children, two sons and two daughters. Neighbours complained to the police about foul smell in the house and informed a daughter of the couple.
There was no blood near the woman’s body. It was mutilated and infested with germs.
The police went into the house and broke open a door locked from outside. They found the germ-infested body of the man in a box bed covered with clothes. The bed was nicely done. Investigating officer, Inspector Gurbans Singh Bains, said there were no injury marks on the bodies. He said the couple was living in miserable condition but was never seen fighting with each other. Their strained relationship with children were wellknown. It was also learnt that the man
owned some land near Hardwar and had recently sold it off. However, no money was found from the house. The children rarely
visited them and the kitchen fire was burning only on the meagre income of Rs 1200 rent
of a room. The couple belonged to Lashkar village near Hardwar and had migrated to
Punjab nearly three decades ago. |
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Wheat bags pile up in mandis Pakhowal (Ludhiana), April 13 Farmers at Pakhowal, Sarabha, Gujjarwal, Mullanpur Dakha, Latala, Dehlon and Mandi Ahmedgarh told The Tribune team that their produce was procured in less than 24 hours of bringing their produce in the mandis. In Pakhowal mandi, as many as 20,000 quintals of wheat was procured within a week. Though farmers expressed fears about possible damage to wheat bags. The procured grain was lying in the mandi only. It had not been carried away after April 9. In Sarabha mandi, 20,000 quintals of wheat has been procured till date. Two agencies, including Markfed and Warehouse, were officially procuring wheat in this village. The officials said there was no piling up of produce. In Ahmedgarh grain market, as many as 2,546,909 quintal of wheat was procured by Pungrain, Punsup, Markfed, Punjab Agro and the FCI within 12 days. Mr Darshan Singh Sekhon, a farmer, said his fields had yielded 18 quintals per acre. He said: ‘‘I had came here last evening and am going back today after selling my produce. We all knew that this year there was going to be no problem. Thanks to the ensuing parliamentary elections.’’ he said. Commission agents in this mandi said that nobody was coming to lift the grains for the past many days. |
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PSEB to promptly settle crop damage claims Ludhiana, April 13 Mr Sood, who was here on a tour, while talking to various officers of the board said the field staff in Ludhiana had been instructed to augment the overloaded distribution transformers and to maintain 11 KV and L.T. lines along with transformers before May 31. He said to have a proper feedback from the media, instructions were given for reports on press clippings relating to power supply which was to be replied on the same day along with a detailed report. He further stressed that 11 KV feeders with poor voltage regulations should also be bifurcated. Mr Sood also visited the rural areas of central zone, Ludhiana. He interacted with farmers of Roomi village and surrounding villages like Chahrari, Dholan, Kamalpura and Akhara under suburban circle, Ludhiana, for monitoring the rural supply as well as the urban supply to the villages and to the cities. Farmers were told that the PSEB at present was meeting the power demand of Punjab by self-generation and by purchasing power from the NTPC, Natpha Jakhari and from the Power Trading Corporation. Regular supply to villages was also being given during night hours. This had increased the demand by 14 per cent as compared to the previous year which was being met by purchasing about 300 lakh units per day at a cost of Rs 8.25 crore daily. He said control rooms had been set up for monitoring the supply position in his office as well as at the zonal level, circle level and divisional and subdivisional levels. During the coming paddy season, the demand for power shall further increase to 1,200 to 1,300 LUS per day which would be met from Natpha Jakhari, the NTPC, the Power Trading Corporation and from the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station. He said the farmers would be given eight to 10 hours’ supply during the paddy season and there would not be any shortage of supply. The officers brought to the notice of the member the shortage of PCC poles and ACSR Conductor of 20 mm sq. The member said he would be covering the North Zone and the Border Zone during this week itself and continue to visit the field areas regularly so that complaints of the public are attended to promptly. |
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Paper leak sags examinees’ morale Ludhiana, April 13 Prabjot preparing for the PMT was very annoyed when she came to know that a fresh date would be announced on Monday and examinations would be held within a week. The paper was scheduled to be held on Sunday. He said, “It is sickening to know that some unscrupulous people for their own vested interests put in jeopardy the lives of many students by causing
unnecessary strain to them”. Handwritten question papers of physics and chemistry were seized by the police on Sunday evening in Delhi. Shocked students said, “This is the fourth time in six months that
question papers of a competitive entrance examination have been leaked. We read in the newspapers that CBSE Chairman Ashok Ganguly is very disappointed that the papers have leaked and the CBSE did not have any clue about the source of leak. Then what are the students supposed to
do. What is our fault? Why are we made to suffer time and again.” Dr Gulshan says, “We parents spend a large amount of money on coaching of our wards. We and our children have some aspirations, dreams. Everything is shattered when we find out that papers have been leaked. More shocking is the involvement of
teachers, and students. That bad elements are involved in leaking the papers is still believable but involvement of teachers shatters us. What kind of character building is going on? Whom will the students emulate and find as role models. Some thing ought to be done to stop this dreadful malady of leaking of papers. It is spreading its tentacles very widely much to the horrors of students and parents.” Ritika, who lost weight during the PMT preparation, said that the leaking of paper had just proved to be the proverbial last straw. She had exhausted herself and was hoping that after the paper she would take a breather.” But I cannot take the strain any more. I think I will drop out this year and appear next year as the preparation has led me to the end of my tether, Please God let the authorities be more vigilant and see that never papers leak as this paper-leak business plays havoc with the students’ lives.”
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Man held on sodomy charge Khanna, April 13 It is learnt that a boy, his brother and some other boys were playing near their house. A man came and lured the boy offering to give him grapes and some money. He took away the boy. The younger brother of the victim told his parents about the incident. His parents and some other residents of the area started searching for the boy. In the meantime, the accused took the boy to the fields of Pavitar Singh, a farmer. He broke the lock of a room situated in the fields and entered the room Pavitar Singh, who was in his fields, saw that the door of his room was not locked. He knocked at the door but it was locked from inside. He broke the door and found the accused and the victim naked. The residents beat up the accused and handed him over to the
police. Meanwhile, the accused, identified as Billu who is a mason, was produced before a local court here today. The court
remanded the accused in judicial custody till April 28. |
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Next time you see an advertisement promising some lucrative bargains, take the ad with a pinch of salt. Recently a reader got excited over his prospects of being able to buy imported furniture at almost 80 per cent discount from a shop on the Pakhowal Road. He was in for a shock then the shop in question was actually offering only 10 to 20 per cent discounts after inflating the prices. The same thing happened when another person when to buy a Onida air conditioner at a very attractive price only to learn that he had missed the fine print in the ad that said under exchange for your old working airconditioners. Some of these people want to know if misleading advertisers can be penalised in any forum. Ad nuisance As if the marketing persons were not aggressive enough, they have now started bothering the mobile subscribers with advertisements that do not even concern most people. “Ab apke jeevan sathi ki talash bas ek call ki duri par”, says an SMS from Spice. Many married couples and those in love have taken offence to the advertisement, saying that the mobile operator has made an attempt to break up their marriages. The worst is that such messages cannot even be blocked. If some company makes mobile phones that can block messages and calls from unknown sources, it is bound to do exceptionally well in sales, especially keeping in mind the aggressiveness of telesales. Appeasing dissidents As the election scene is seen hotting up, there is more panic among political leaders who are still unsure of their footing vis-à-vis the Ludhiana voters. While the Akali Dal started its political campaign almost a month ago, the party president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, held a meeting with leaders of the erstwhile Tohra camp to convince them that they were not being sidelined in the emerging political scenario. The Congress has taken this move as a shot in its arm and is now feeling more confident over its party nominee’s victory. But the Ludhiana voters have resolved to give every candidate sleepless nights by not revealing their minds as of yet. Club politics The prestigious Satluj Club has seen a lot of political activity recently; first it was the club elections and then the attempt by a handful of people who lost power in the election to retain it by hook or by crook. But the process in which a handful of people, some non-members, have tried to browbeat elected members has brought bad repute to the officers’ club that boasts of high traditions. But as the strength of non-officer members has far surpassed that of the officers, there is hardly anything the Deputy Commissioner can do even as he happens to be the president of the club. They make hey as sun shines With the electoral fever running across the country, Ludhiana cannot be an exception. The city happens to be the most vibrant in the state. With a lot of industry being run from here, the city happens to be the important destination for everyone. And in election days it is the most sought after city. For, it is believed that the city tops in contribution to various political parties. Where there are certain big industrial houses, which allocate specific budget for the political parties, there are others also who do not mind paying something to the election fund of different candidates. And there are many other people, who not only pay to the candidates but also organise grand functions to make public their contributions. However, such lucky candidates are very few as there are umpteen others who come seeking financial aid for their election. There is a feeling among the industrialists and traders that some candidates join the fray only to make their claims for funds sound credible. No wonder that there are several candidates claiming to represent various political parties who have virtually no presence in Ludhiana. But that hardly matters to these aspirants as they want to make hey while the election sun shines. Cut fruits are irresistible
Healing touch Last week the world famous yoga master Swami Ramdev was in the city conducting the week-long yoga therapy camp. Rough estimates put the number of people attending the camp at over 10,000. Interestingly, most of them, who included top who’s who of the city attended the camp with religious regularity. It was interesting to note thousands rushing in their vehicles to reach the venue of the camp while the Swami taught various pranayams (breathing practices) and postures. One important thing that attracted almost everyone was the simplicity of postures and the convenience and comfort with which people could perform these. For a week the city had gone mad about yoga. There was a commercial angle to it as well. That is important to Ludhiana. People claimed having lost two to three kgs of weight after attending the camp regularly. This was done for just Rs 500 against the thousands which are taken for packages by various upmarket health and fitness clinics. All in one This could be a good example of unity in diversity but only if it had been organised well. Recently, a school invited Sentinel for a function that marked Mahavir Jayanti, Good Friday, Ram Navmi, Baisakhi and Ambedkar Day, all on one day. The school authorities probably wanted its students to understand the significance of all the festivals and decided to celebrate them all in one go to save time and effort. The school invited a president of a gurdwara committee as its chief guest. The programme included items that signified all the festivals that were celebrated on the occasion. — Sentinel
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Steel makers peg vote for NDA on prices Ludhiana, April 13 According to Mr Varinder Kapoor, general secretary of the UCPMA, the industries, particularly the light engineering industry with iron and steel as its basic raw material, were facing the worst-ever crisis. Lakhs of employees were fearing imminent unemployment if the prices continued to rise. Mr Kapoor lamented that the Union Government and the ministers concerned had paid no heed to the plight of the steel industry and the major producers of steel were permitted to go scot-free with their arbitrary and discriminatory pricing and marketing policies. The indifference and inaction on the part of the government had further emboldened steel producers and after a brief spell of marginal fall in the prices, the rates of steel material were again shooting up. Mr Kapoor apprehended that with the prices of raw material witnessing fluctuations all through the day, it was not only the producers but an organised network of speculators, who were to be blamed for the situation. In the wake of the Lok Sabha elections, connivance of certain top-ranking political functionaries of the ruling alliance with the steel producers could also be one of the factors behind the price rise. “In fact, there is no genuine ground for the increase in the prices of steel. It is just due to an artificial scarcity created by a cartel of large steel producers and promotion of unwanted export of steel that has led to a massive hike in the prices of steel. To be candid, some people in government offices and other corridors of power help the steel producers in the manipulation of steel prices.” Meanwhile, the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry has alleged that going by a persistent rise in steel prices, it appears that the government has mortgaged the interests of the steel user industry to the major producers. In a press note, the president of the chamber, Mr P.D. Sharma, lamented that steel plants were being provided undesirable assistance by the government, which included massive lending by financial institutions against all established norms. In a brazen violation of the guidelines, financial assistance had been extended by banks and other institutions to certain steel and furnace units whose directors were willful defaulters in a list released by the Reserve Bank of India. Mr Sharma said in the first week of November 2003, a high-powered committee, headed by Mr S. Narayan, economic advisor to the Prime Minister, had categorically warned the steel producers to bring down the prices of iron and steel material by the first week of December 2003, failing which the import duty on steel would be reduced from 25 to 10 per cent, effective from January 2004. However, after the elections were announced to Lok Sabha and five state Assemblies, the steel producers effected yet another hike in the prices in the first week of December. The Union Steel Secretary, Mr V.K. Duggal, who had initiated some steps against the major steel producers, was shifted from his post, which he occupied for a few months only. The government, he observed, did reduce the custom duty on various items during the first week of January 2004 but in the case of steel, it was kept at the level of 20 per cent whereas the duty on coke, used by steel furnace units, was given a special reduction of 15 per cent. |
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Politicians ignoring us: industrialists Ludhiana, April 13 The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CIC) president, Mr Inderjit Singh Pradhan, pointed out that none of the candidates, including those belonging to the mainstream political parties, were raising issues faced by the industry. He pointed out that continuous labour unrest and rising steel prices were two serious and urgent concerns which needed to be addressed on a priority basis. Mr Pradhan regretted that nobody appeared to be bothered about these issues. Instead the political parties and its leaders were harping on populist themes to get maximum votes. However, he warned, the industry could not be taken for granted as it could act as an opinion maker. He said it was the backbone of the economy and if the industry suffered, the entire economy would collapse. Mr P.D. Sharma, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also shared the same views, maintaining that there appeared to be a lack of concern among the political parties about the industry. He said the political parties could not afford to ignore the industry which acted as a lead opinion maker. He suggested that the political parties and the candidates take the industry into confidence and address their grievances on a priority basis. Mr Sunil Datt, a hosiery manufacturer, said the industry did not expect much from the politicians who mainly banked upon populist measures. He pointed out that there were many problems related to sales tax, income tax, central excise and rising prices of raw material, but nobody was interested in these issues. It was only agriculture that got preference, Mr Datt regretted, adding that this could prove too costly for political parties and candidates. Mr Datt suggested that all industrial organisations from steel, bicycle and hosiery industries should hold a meeting and form a common platform to press for their demands. Unless the industry did not act as a combined force, nobody would take it seriously, he observed.
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SAD-BJP
nominee to file papers on April 21 Doraha, April 13
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Poll Round-Up Ludhiana, April 13 Mr Dhillon appealed to the people to compare the period of past five or six years in which the National Democratic Alliance government had been ruling at the Centre with the misrule of the Congress government since 1947 till 1995 when it was voted out of power. In its short span of power-sharing at the Centre, the NDA had been able to ensure a respectable place for India in the world. Now India is seen as a major power centre. He pointed out that in South East Asia, India had become the fastest growing economy. Its quarterly growth rate for the quarter ending March 2004 has a phenomenal 10 per cent, which was the highest after China. He also said that improved Indo-Pak relations was another feather in the cap of the NDA government. It was the Punjabi population which was experiencing the feel-good factor the most, because it was a border state. He said people were waiting for the day when the Hussainiwala border would also be declared open for trade and commerce across the border. According to Mr Dhillon these were the very factors which were responsible in making Congress workers and leaders to join the NDA forces this time. In Kutbewal village, Balbir Singh Pappu son of Mr Jit Singh who has been the right hand man of Mr Joginderpal Pandey, left the Congress and declared full support to Mr Dhillon. Similarly in Balloke village, Dilbagh Singh Grewal and Pal Singh Grewal declared that support to Mr Dhillon. In Kutbewal village, Mr Darshan Singh, who fought last Vidhan Sabha election on the National Congress Party (NCP) ticket, also joined the Akali Dal. Mr Satwinder Singh, nambardar Bagge Khurd village, has said that everyone in the area is leaving the Congress. They said the Congress had dug its own grave by imposing an outsider in Ludhiana. Mr Darshan Singh Shivalik, while addressing election rallies in these villages, declared that this was the last time the people would be hearing about the Congress candidate. After these elections, Congress would be dumped into the dustbin of history. Others who accompanied Mr Dhillon included, Manpreet Mani, Jagjit Singh Dhandra, Parminder Singh Kang and former Sarpanch Baljit Singh. Meanwhile, as the Congress candidate, Mr Manish Tiwari, claimed to have received support from different quarters and the BJP decided to hold mandal-level election meetings in support of the SAD-BJP nominee, Mr Dhillon, another candidate in the fray and president of the Lok Bhalai Party, former Union Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, has asked the electorate to judge the performance of the Congress and the SAD in the past before exercising their right to vote. Speaking at an election meeting in the Ludhiana Rural Assembly segment, the City Mayor, Mr Nahar Singh Gill, claimed that the party would score a victory in the Lok Sabha elections with a massive margin. He said party workers had fanned out in the entire constituency to mobilise the people in favour of the Congress candidate, Mr Tiwari, and the electorate had given an enthusiastic response to his election campaign. The Lok Janshakti Party, headed by former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will contest the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Samata Party and Mr Harbhajan Singh Lakha will be the joint nominee of the two parties from the Phillaur seat. According to the LJP Secretary-General, Mr Kartar Singh Patna, the party had decided to field Mr Nirmal Singh Rajeana from Faridkot, Dr Anoop Singh from Ferozepore, Mr Harmesh Azad from Hoshiarpur and Mr Bhim Sain Kashyap from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) today announced their support to the Congress in the Ludhiana parliamentary constituency. The two parties maintained that the rank and file of the CPI and the CPM would try to ensure that the Congress candidate, Mr Tiwari, won from here. Addressing a press conference here today at the house of a senior Congress leader and a former MP, Mr Mohinder Singh Kalyan, the district secretary of the CPI, Mr Kartar Singh, and that of the CPM, Mr Sukhminder Singh Sekhon, declared that the two parties were in favour of secular forces and the Congress was the only force which could provide a secular alternative. Amloh: “I am trying to cover all 1,209 villages during my election campaign and convey the party’s message of providing employment to youth and controlling corruption”, said Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Congress candidate for the Ropar Parliamentary (reserved) constituency. Mr Dullo was talking to mediapersons after addressing a meeting of party workers at Bhadal Thuha village, near here, yesterday. In reply to a question, he said SAD candidates would not benefit from a sympathy wave due to the death of SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. It could have had some influence if Mata Joginder Kaur, the wife of the late leader, was in the fray, he added. The BSP was also a team of disgruntled Congressmen, he said, adding that its base had eroded during the past 10 years. Mr Dullo announced election meetings at Chamkaur Sahib, Sirhind, Dhuri, Amloh and Nabha on April 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, respectively. He said he would file his nomination papers on April 21 at Ropar. Mr Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, MLA, Amloh, called the SAD propaganda, pertaining to the withdrawal of old-age pensions as false. He claimed the delay was due to the checking of pensions, which had been sanctioned to those Akali workers who were not fulfilling the requisite conditions. Among others, Mr Pakhar Singh Salana, chairman, zila parishad, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mr Tilak Raj Sharma, sarpanch, Bhadal Thuha, and Mr Joginder Singh, Naraingarh, member, block samiti, also addressed the meeting. |
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CMCH alleges harassment by corporation Ludhiana, April 13 In a communication sent to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, Dr John Pramod, Deputy Director, General Administration, CMCH, said that the recent notifications from the corporation which failed to acknowledge the existence of CMCH will physically destroy this reputed institution and will be a great setback in the history of this state. The letter said that the authorities of CMCH had been meeting corporation officials to expedite the approvals for upgradation plans and proposed constructions which were as per the building bylaws of the state. The authorities alleged that there had been deliberate delay and ‘well planned harassment’ by the corporation authorities specially to find faults which were non-existent and for which the hospital authorities had to give affidavits and clarifications several times in the past two years. The corporation declared some of the hospital structures as illegal constructions as these did not exist in their plans, which had not been updated after 1954. The CMCH claimed that although the institution had all the approved plans of the buildings, the corporation authorities failed to recognise any of these plans and recently asked the institution to pay a composition fee of Rs 10 lakh which had also been submitted by CMCH under protest. “If the present government and the Municipal Corporation continue to have negative attitude against the CMCH, the institution will never able to provide the present facilities that it is providing”, said the letter. Dr John Pramod, while talking to mediapersons here today, said that it was on record that CMCH was in possession and was the legal owner of property marked under Khasra number 123. The members of the administration further added that the entrance to the hospital reception showed that the building was inaugurated by Rajkumari Amrit Kaur on March 24, 1954 (two months prior to the date of the abstract drawing). The hospital authorities had got approved drawings of various buildings, which the office of the assistant town planner, through their head draftsman, fails to acknowledge. |
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No challans till elections Ludhiana, April 13 The traffic office of the city police witnessed an unusual activity today evening when police officials from all nook and corner of the district came with unused or half used challan books to deposit them here following an order from the top police officials to stop challaning till the completion of the elections in the state. While the residents would rejoice at the orders, it would be interesting how the Election Commission would view these. The orders were issued in the afternoon to all police stations and police posts over the wireless. A police official confirmed on the condition of anonymity that he had deposited the challan-book immediately thereafter. He said they have been directed not to issue challans till May 15. Sources said this was sort of an election sop for the residents. The orders have been issued by senior police officials allegedly on the direction of the political masters.
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Son injures father Khanna, April 13
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There is a tendency in the media and the administration to go wild on any issue. And there is no dearth of such issues. The latest being that of the cut fruits sold in the open. Recently, the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner ordered a “ban” on the sale of cut fruits in the city. And despite this “ban” the cut fruits continue to be sold in added quantity. There are hundreds of cut fruit vendors in the city and it may not be practicable to ensure the ban in letter and spirit. Various reasons are cited for banning the sale of cut fruits. The main reason argued is that these might spread some diseases. Thousands and thousands of people continue to enjoy the cut fruit, be it the melon, musk melon, cucumber, fruit mix or anything else. And there is no epidemic so far as the cut fruit is apprehended to cause. Under these circumstances it becomes difficult to conclude whether such bans are justified or not. One thing they lead to is more reasons for some corrupt officials to extract more from these poor vendors, who serve people and at the same time also make a living.
