Labourer disabled in farm accident
Farmer refuses to compensate, booked
Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 21
A labourer sustained serious injuries due to the alleged negligence of his employer, who reportedly started the tractor-trailer, filled with fodder, on which the former was working. To avoid police action, the farmer concealed the facts about the accident and got him admitted to a private hospital, where doctors struggled for a month to save the labourer’s life. The family of the injured and the farmer have refused to pay the bill and the doctor has now sought the intervention of local branch of the IMA for receiving the payment and the cost of medicines.

According to information received from the police and family members of the injured, Dalwara Singh had fallen from the top of the trailer while working in the fields of Sukhdev Singh of Dhaler Khurad. Sukhdev Singh along with Kuldip Singh, son of the injured, brought him to the local Hind Hospital, where doctors told them that the condition of the injured was serious.

“As Sukhdev Singh had told me that my father got injured while walking in the fields and he would bear all expenses of his treatment, I agreed not to report the matter to the police. We lodged a complaint against Sukhdev Singh after coming to know that my father received the injuries after falling from the top of a tractor-trailer that Sukhdev Singh had moved without telling him,” said Mr Kuldip Singh.

Kuldip Singh further said that his family was unable to make the payment of the doctor that ran in thousands.

Mr Zora Singh Cheema, state president of the Bahujan Samaj Trade Association, accused the farmer of exploiting labourers and claimed that the association would launch a stir against him if he did not make the payment to the doctor and compensate the family whose bread-winner had become disabled due to his negligence.

“In case the doctor is not paid, he/she would insist on money before starting any treatment of any serious patient,” said Mr Cheema.

The police has booked the farmer under Sections 279, 337, 338 and 506 of the IPC and released the accused on bail after arresting him.

High and mighty continue to occupy MC houses
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, May 21
Although there is acute shortage of houses for officials of the Municipal Corporation here and the local body is not able to provide accommodation to all those who are entitled to the same, certain officers of different departments continue to occupy palatial MC houses in violation of the rules governing the house allotment policy.

At least three houses of the civic body — two in Rose Garden and another in Sarabha Nagar, are under ‘irregular’ occupation as the MC finds it difficult to do anything in this regard. Ms Alaknanda Dayal, additional Chief Administrator of PUDA here and Mr Prem Chand, SDM, posted at Raikot, both PCS officers, were living in two MC houses near Rose Garden while Mr Sukhbir Singh Jakhar, an SDO in Ludhiana Improvement Trust, is staying put in another MC house in Sarabha Nagar.

On the other hand, information gathered by Ludhiana Tribune indicated, quite a few MC officers were waiting for a long time to get the residential accommodation they were entitled to.

Requesting anonymity, a senior officer of the MC admitted that some houses were under occupation by such officers who were posted in other government departments but in the same manner one or two senior MC officers were also living in government houses. He, however, refused to comment on the fact that in the process, the rules governing the allotment of these houses, were being flouted.

When contacted Ms Alaknanda Dayal, ACA of PUDA, said the MC house in Rose Garden which she was occupying, was earlier occupied by her predecessor, Ms Rakhi Gupta Bhandari, and on her posting here, she had moved into this house. Ms Dayal added that she had made a formal request to the Deputy Commissioner for allotment of a government house but the district administration, as well as the MC Commissioner had asked her to occupy the house in Rose Garden, vacated by the previous ACA.

Incidentally, PUDA has made provisions for residential accommodation for the ACA here but this particular house is being occupied by another PCS officer who had held the post of the ACA in PUDA long back and was thereafter posted elsewhere. But the PUDA house still remains under his occupation.

Sore over denial of residential houses to them in the city, which they were entitled to, quite a few MC officials are learnt to have decided to take up the matter with the MC top brass here to initiate necessary steps to restore the MC houses under possession of other government officials, back to the civic officials. They further wanted the civic authorities to make provisions for construction of more houses for officers and employees of different categories.

Phillaur airport project takeoff delayed
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 21
The much talked about airport in Phillaur, near Ludhiana, may not take off in the near future as the union ministry of civil aviation has not finalised the project as yet. It is reportedly studying the proposals of various agencies which have come forward with the proposal of constructing it. However, this should not mean that the project has been abandoned.

It is learnt that the Zee TV Chairman Subhash Chandra had shown an interest in developing the airport here.

But the government has not yet accorded its consent to the project. Mr Chandra is learnt to have held a meeting with some senior officials of the state government in this regard.

Sources disclosed that the state government was told that the Union Civil Aviation Ministry wanted to improve and extend the facilities at the Amritsar International Airport before taking up another venture.

It was in the same context that the Amritsar airport was being given a facelift. This is attributed more to the personal interest of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, towards the holy city. Moreover, there have been complaints of poor amenities at Amritsar airport, which although being an international one lacks several facilities.

The state government is also learnt to have agreed to the Civil Aviation Ministry’s suggestion not to make Ludhiana airport an urgent issue as it could wait for some time, although the ministry has assured that the airport would be developed in the near future.

The delay in the launching of the project has upset the calculations of many people. The land prices around Philaur, where the airport was to come up, had shot up. With the airport project getting delayed for an unspecified period of time, interest around the area is also diminishing.

The area will develop once the airport project starts as the state government has been holding that it would be one of the best airports of international standing in the country.

One killed, one hurt in altercation
Our Correspondent

Amloh, May 21
Happy (18), son of Hansa Singh, a resident of Khanna Road, Amloh, was allegedly murdered with sharp-edged weapons around 9.30 p.m. on Friday, while Bilbar, alias Lallah (17), son of Paras Ram, was seriously wounded when he tried to intervene in an altercation. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital, Amloh, from where he was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

On the statement of Balbir, alias Lallah, the police registered an FIR under Sections 307 and 302 of the IPC against Laxman Singh, son of Malkit Singh, who managed to escape. Relatives of Happy alleged that there was some altercation between them a few days ago, but last night Laxman Singh murdered Happy with a sword (Kirch).

Bid to break open bank locks
Our Correspondent

Khanna, May 21
Unidentified miscreants tried to break open locks of a bank at Khanna on Friday night. They could not succeed in their attempt, thanks to the security alarm system of the bank. The miscreants had, meanwhile, managed to break open one lock of the main gate of the bank.

According to Karam Jit Singh, Assistant Manager of the Khanna branch of the Central Bank of India at about 2.30 a.m. some miscreants entered the bank by jumping the small boundary wall of the bank. They managed to break open the lock of the main gate but when they tried to open the next door, the alarm, installed on the door, went off. Listening the alarm, some residents, sleeping in the street near the bank, woke up and informed a safai karamchari of the bank living near the bank. The safai Karamchari, Sanjay, informed the Assistant Manager of the bank, Karmjit Singh. Mr S.K. Gupta, manager of the bank, said that no loss had been reported.

A team of fingerprint experts was pressed into service. A has been registered.

Residents asked not to use water pumps
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 21
In the wake of increased demand of water due to soaring heat, the Municipal Corporation has fervently asked the city residents not to use ‘tullu’ pumps or booster motors to draw water directly from water supply lines as this was unlawful. If the water pressure was low and the residents felt the need to use motors to fill up overhead tanks, they should collect water in ground level tanks and then raise it to upper storeys and overhead tanks.

While undertaking a thorough review of the water supply situation in the city, MC Commissioner S.K. Sharma observed that the corporation was supplying 350 million litre of water every day to the city population through a network of 375 tubewells and submersible pumps.

The staff of O and M wing of the civic body, entrusted with the task of water supply, told the civic chief that water supply was satisfactory in all four zones of the city and all possible measures were being taken to ensure the supply of potable water. They further said that spare motors were available with the staff of each zone so that the repair time for faulty tubewells could be cut down to the minimum.

Mr Sharma said that the corporation had set up a complaint cell for water and sewerage problems, which would function round the clock. Residents could lodge their complaints to this cell at phone No. 2745560.

Selling toy parrots in sweltering heat
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, May 21
Raju carries a bunch of toy parrots and trudges the streets of the city in this sweltering heat. He sells a parrot for Rs 7 and walks about 15 km a day for two meals. He says: “People haggle a lot even for a rupee. I have to carry the loads of parrots on my shoulders and then walk under the bristling sun. Yet people have no sympathy and they bargain with me to reduce the price by 50 paisa.”

“After doing Class X, I started looking for a job, but fail to find one. My frustration was mounting. Finally I met a person resting under the shade of a tree where I, too, was resting. I saw toy parrots that he was carrying and asked him the details of his “parrot business.” I also decided to do the same.”

He told Ludhiana Tribune: “I felt very weird on the first day shouting “Tote le lo , tote le lo” all by myself in the streets. But when the passers-by stopped to buy them, it was a nice feeling.”

After a few days, I became used to my new business. I had become more adventurous as the days go by and try out different routes every day. I earn about Rs 70 to Rs 80 every day and give some part of my earnings to my parents and the rest I keep for my personal needs.

I am not very happy with what I am doing , but I am learning a lot interacting with people everyday. I dream of setting up a toy stall in some small town so that I don’t have to roam in the streets. But I am sure of one thing. One should not have more than two children at any cost. It does not matter whether they are both girls.

MP gives cheques to panchayats
Our Correspondent

Doraha, May 21
Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, MP, on Thursday distributed cheques worth Rs 10 lakh among 20 villages falling under Payal tehsil.

The cheque worth 1.50 lakh was given to the Barmalipur panchayat; Rs 52,500 to Buani village; Rs 37,500 each to Landa, Shahpur, Rajgarh, Chapran, Koddon, Giddari, Daburjee, Mangwal, Ghudani, Madnipur, Jallah, Kishanpura and Bair Kalan villages; and Rs 75,000 to Maksoodra and Sekhan villages. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dhillon said the system of releasing grants would be regularised.

Gurbani recitation contest held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 21
Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle will organise a turban tying competition on its premises tomorrow.

Mr Charan Kamal Singh, chief secretary of the organisation, said in a press note issued here today that the circle and Gurdwara Singh Sabha , Model Gram, organised a Gurbani reciting competition on “Prakash utsav” of Guru Amardas ji today. As many as 200 students from 30 schools participated in the competition. They were categorised in two groups. The first group comprised students up to 15 years of age and the age of the students in the second group was from 15 to 25 years. The winners would be awarded on tomorrow.

Mr Hardarshan Singh, Mr Trilochan Singh, Mr Pritam Singh, Dr Devinder Kaur and Ms Amrit Kaur were the judges. Guru ka langar was also served on the occasion.

CRIME

Man charged with raping daughter
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, May 21
A father proved to be a devil for her daughter when he sexually assaulted her and later fled.

According to information, the victim (18) has a younger sister of 10 years and a brother of 15-years of age. Their father, Sada Rang, is alleged to be a bad character and does no work. Sada Rang turned his wife Chhinder Kaur out of house about eight year ago. Thereafter, all of them have been living Alamgir village except for the victim, who resides with her father and grandmother. She had passed her middle exam two years ago.

The victim was engaged with Gulzar Mohammad of Ranseehn and marriage was to be solemnised in June this year. Sada Rang brought her on the pretext of buying some medicine. He later took her daughter on the Akhara Road and proceeded towards Konke Kalan. On the way during late hours he allegedly raped her. He also threatened to kill her with a dagger. Later the victim told her relations about the crime and matter was reported to the police. A case was registered under Sections 363, 506, 376, IPC. No arrest has been made so far.

House burgled

Some persons have allegedly stolen gold ornaments weighing 150 gm and Rs 75,000, after breaking open the locks of the house of Amandip Singh, alias, Amna, of Dhat Dakha village. A case has been registered under Sections 457, 380, IPC. No arrest has been made so far.