 |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Improvement Trust in the eye of a storm
Ludhiana, June 30 The allegations came to the fore after a meeting of the trustees and chairman of the trust some days ago in which the agenda items, including raising of the flat prices and waiving off of construction charges, were passed despite the fact that a trustee, Ms Malkiat Kaur, had raised objection to the same. While the issue threatens to snowball into a controversy, the trust authorities are citing “political vendetta” as the reason behind the allegations. They claimed that they had passed the items after strictly following the rules and taking permission from the state government. Ms Malkiat Kaur had alleged that the trust had hiked the prices of MIG flats on 256 acre scheme in Rishi Nagar from Rs 7.65 lakh to Rs 8.87 lakh and it was a burden on the buyers who had agreed to buy the flats on the earlier prices. She claimed that while the LIT had waived off the non-construction charges on some residents for not taking up construction activity, thereby causing a loss to the exchequer, it was making innocent residents pay more in case of flats. She claimed that earlier the trust had decided to construct cemented flats with chip flooring, it had of late decided to provide flats with gritwash and marble flooring. “The poor residents will have to shell out Rs 1.22 lakh more on every flat. How can they raise the prices like this? There has to be some rule as it is a government authority and not a shop, where a shopkeeper can jack up prices as and when he desires,” she asserted. Quoting some instances, Ms Malkiat Kaur said the LIT was bound to suffer losses worth lakhs by remitting the fine of some residents for non-construction. She claimed that if some trust officials were responsible for the delay in construction, why no action was taken against them. In a letter to Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Local Bodies Minister, she has demanded action against the LIT officials. Meanwhile, officials have refused all charges levelled by the trustee. Mr D.C. Garg, Executive Officer, LIT, said as per original agreement, the flats were to be handed over to residents at the price of Rs 7.65 lakh. But as there was an enhancement in the scheme On the issue of non-construction charges, Mr Garg said the waiver was given to those residents who could not construct the houses because possession of plots in construction was not given to them. If files of these persons were misplaced in the trust office, how could they construct houses on these plots? he asked. He, however, said the trust would fix responsibility against the officials responsible for the misplacement of the files.
|
|
Monsoon hits Punjab
Ludhiana, June 30 The onset of monsoon over Kerala coast, which normally occurs around June 1 was delayed slightly (June 5) this year. After that it has further advanced over southern parts of the country. This year progress of monsoon was very fast and it covered almost Central and Eastern parts by June 17 and nearly entire country except Rajasthan by June 29. IMD’s operational long- range forecast for the current year South-West monsoon season (June-September) reveals that the rainfall for the country as a whole is likely to be 98 per cent of the long period average (LPA) with model error of +-5 per cent. The probablistic model suggests a very high (75 per cent ) probability for the 2005 South West monsoon season rainfall over the country as a whole to be near normal and above. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in next 24 hours for Kandi area while light to moderate rainfall for the rest of Punjab. The PAU has advised the farmers to save irrigation water by not applying irrigation in case sufficient rainfall occurs, whereever the rainfall is less, irrigation may be given. However, the care should be taken that field does not develop cracks.
|
|
Icy relief for this bear
Ludhiana, June 30 He tries to cool himself by splashing water on his body from the small puddle of water provided in a corner of his concrete cave. But he succeeds only in wetting his arms. When prodded out of his concrete cave in the afternoon by his keeper, he does not like the hot and humid weather outside either and makes a feeble attempt to return to his concrete cave which is relatively cooler. Unable to do so, he restlessly prowls around the space, occasionally looking at the fast -moving vehicular traffic on the GT Road, running parallel to the zoo forest. The vast circular open space, surrounded by a cobbled water channel, does not seem to amuse him either as there is little vegetation. A cobbled water pond has been carved in the middle of this open space which was empty on Wednesday. Kala’s keeper said the pond was emptied for some repairs. It would be filled as soon as the cement plaster fixed in the pond dried up. Kanta, a female bear, who is expected to mate with Kala, is not even getting ice blocks to cool herself. When asked why the Himalayan bears have not been provided with air-conditioners or desert coolers, Mr. Raj Kumar Joshi, in charge of the zoo, says that they had not done so fearing electrocution of the animals. He thinks that ( melting) ice blocks are enough. At the same time, he blames a fund crunch. It may be mentioned here that in other zoos across the country, Himalayan and white Polar bears are kept in air-conditioned comfort.
|
|
|
Pay and get child’s homework done
Ludhiana, June 30 A number of shopkeepers dealing with stationery, books and other school-related things have hired experts, who can make models of various things, collages, paintings, craft work and all other assignments the students have been asked to do during the vacations by their respective schools. With not many students having done it of their own, their parents have now been taking the services of the experts to get this “job
work" done, of course for a price. The “job work” is done by the shopkeepers on the college road, Model Town and books market. The rates of assignment vary depending on the nature of the work, labour put in to make it and things used for making the particular assignment. Students of reputed schools from fourth standard onwards have been asked to make models of science, means of transport, pictures of various animals, birds and plants, etc, and majority of parents get this work done by the experts. The experts charge anything between Rs 50 to Rs 500 and even more depending on the work. The models for higher classes are made on even higher prices. One salesman disclosed that these days they witnessed huge rush as vacations were coming to an end and students were not through with their holidays homework. “On an average we get more than 10 orders in a day. Parents are ready to pay anything for a particular work. All they want is that the assignments should give an impression that students have made them on their own. You can make out how busy the parents are in the city, at times some of the parents leave the schoolbags of kids asking us to do all the holidays homework and they pay us handsomely”, said the salesman. One parent said it was very difficult to make all the things at
home." My son has been asked to make models of ships, airplanes etc but he cannot make it on his own. Even I tried to make it but it gave a very shabby look. As suggested by one of my friends, I went to one of these shops and the whole project was made in a day. Schools provide such a tough work to small kids, which is impossible to be done by the students alone”, said the parent. Meanwhile, one teacher at a local school said they gave assignments to students to enhance their hidden talent. They could come up with new ideas, new patterns and creativity. Without getting bored in vacations, they could do something worthwhile. “But if parents, instead of encouraging their wards, get their work done by other persons, then there is no fun in giving assignments,” said the teacher.
|
|
Exonerated, yet jailed
Jagraon, June 30 Amarjit Singh of Rajoana Khurd had lodged a criminal case against Pritam Singh; Balwinder Singh, alias Binder; Gurpreet Singh; Gurminder Singh, all of Butahari; Najar Singh of Rajoana Kalan and Charan Jit Singh of Pabbian for allegedly assaulting his mother after entering his house. When the complainant and his brother Parminder Singh came to her rescue, they were also attacked by the six, causing injuries to them. The Sudhar police registered a case under Sections 323, 324, 325, 326, 452, 506, 148 and 149, IPC, on April 14, 2004. Following this, Balwinder Singh moved an application to Mr H.S. Brar, the then DSP Raikot, on May 5, 2004 for holding an independent inquiry into the allegations, claiming these to be false. In the inquiry that followed, Mr Brar found Balwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Najar Singh innocent and also found insufficient evidence under Sections 452 and 326 against the other accused. Despite the inquiry, ASI Teja Singh, Inquiry Officer, moved an application before the Magistrate on June 11, 2004 for the issuance of arrest warrants against Pritam Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Balwinder Singh. Consequently, the warrants were issued for June 15. But the three reportedly left the village and the court proceeded under Sections 82 and 83, CrPC, declaring them proclaimed offenders. Despite the fact that the challan was presented in the court of Ms Jitender Walia on September 29, 2004 wherein Balwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Najar Singh were put in column No. 2 and were declared innocent, the police arrested Gurpreet Singh on June 7, 2005 and took him in judicial custody. Similarly, Balwinder Singh was arrested on June 18, 2005 and sent to judicial custody. The release of the two by Ms Jitender Walia has pointed a finger at the working of the Punjab police, which made the two remain in judicial custody despite being absolved from the crime in an investigation.
|
|
Bus overturns, 18 hurt
Jagraon, June 30 According to the information, the bus (PB- 12C- 9254) of Moga Depot which left for Ludhiana from Jagraon, was overturned near Pehlwan da dhaba. Those injured have been identified as Chhinder Kaur, Baljit Kaur, Sukhchain Singh, Ranjit Singh, Gogi Malhotra, Iqbal Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Pushpal Kaur, Jagga, Jagir Kaur and Amarpreet Kaur.
|
|
Badal warns against maligning Sikhs’ image
Ludhiana, June 30 Addressing a function at the Sabzi Mandi Gurdwara organised by the Sarb Hind Bir Khalsa Dal to commemorate the birth anniversary of Master Tara Singh and the death anniversary of Maharaj Ranjit Singh here last night, Mr Badal alleged that a phobia was being created in the state. He held the state and central governments responsible for this malicious campaign. The former Chief Minister asserted that terrorism could never be revived in Punjab. He alleged that a fear psychosis was deliberately being created in the state with vested interests and clear motives. He said people of the state had made so many sacrifices to earn peace and this peace would not be allowed to be sabotaged. He said the SAD had always made sacrifices for peace in the state. Mr Badal recalled the unparalleled contribution of the ‘Panth Rattan’ Master Tara Singh towards the welfare of the Sikh community. He asserted that the mission of the Panth Rattan would be carried forward. He also recalled the great achievements of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who had established a great Sikh empire in India.
|
|
Farmers demand restoration of free power
Ludhiana, June 30 The speakers at the convention pointed out that the plight of farmers was the worst in Punjab. They said the policies of the successive governments had led to the fall in the agricultural income of the farmers. This had pushed them to desperation and they had no other way but to take money on interest. Hundreds of farmers had been forced to commit suicide due to this season. Besides the demands for the scrapping of loans of the debt ridden farmers and restoration of free power to the tubewells, they stressed the need for remunerative prices of their produce, reduction of rate of interest on their loans, for clearance of sugarcane arrears, regular power of supply of 13 hours per day to the tubewells for cheap fertiliser, insecticides and other inputs including seeds and agricultural implements. The speakers also criticised the hike in the petroleum prices. They said it would have a direct fallout on the farmers as they had to use the diesel for the generators. They demanded rollback of the prices to provide relief to the farmers. They alleged that the state and the Central governments were not taking the farmers’ interest into consideration. They said as if their own plight was not enough, the state government increased the charges of electricity. They alleged that the power charges in the rural areas had gone up by about 20 per cent on the pretext that the farmers would be provided power regularly. While the charges have been increased, the power situation remains the same.
|
|
|
First IT help centre opens in city
Ludhiana, June 30 Addressing the function, Mr Pall announced that the centre would work in close partnership with other industrial and trade associations, professional bodies and other NGOs. The centre, the first to be set up in Ludhiana commissionerate, would strive to assist the taxpayers in filing their income tax returns, different challans for tax payment and applications for allotment of permanent account number (PAN). The centre would cater to the needs of taxpayers between 10 am to 1 pm on every working day. It would be manned by an Income Tax Officer and an Inspector of the department. The CCIT remarked that that endeavour of the Department of Income Tax was to collect tax from more and more people whose income was taxable and at the same time making assessment of the tax on true income. He said opening of the help centre was part of the chain of such centers, to be opened at commissionerate levels all over the country. The first centre in the industrial hub of the state was like a model project and depending on the results, a similar centre would be set up at Jalandhar as well. In a note of reassurance to the tax payers, Mr Pall said IT officials would render all possible assistance to the assessees. “All the officers of the department are available to redress the grievances and help taxpayers. Any person can contact the PRO, other senior officers including commissioners or even the CCIT on tax related matters, with or without any prior appointment.” Mr Nahar Singh Gill, Mayor, observed that tax enforcement should not be fearful or coercive but should rather be in a friendly environment with mutual trust between the tax payers and the department. Among others present at the function were Mr G.L. Pahwa, president, Mr Varinder Kapoor, secretary of United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association, Mr P.D. Sharma, president, Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr O.P. Munjal, managing director, Hero Cycles, Mr Ashok Juneja, president, Taxation Bar Association, and Mr A.K. Mehrish, commissioner of income tax.
|
|
Lotteries bring misery to many
Ludhiana, June 30 To make Rs 100 by spending Rs 11 is a strong bait which many people find
irresistible. One has to pick up a number between 0 to 10.One depends on one’s haunches or reads his daily forecast which tells one’s lucky number. A regular time table is printed. Every 15 minutes the results are out of three series ABC. A person can invest from Rs 11 onwards to any amount one fancies. Crowd can be seen at every lottery centre. The last draw is out at 8.15 pm. One can play 132 times in a day starting from 8.45 am and not missing any series. Generally in a day , habitual players win some and lose a lot. The agency owner makes a lot of money as commission. The Punjab Government makes a lot of money as one can bid from 1 to 10 number. Against your one number , the rest of numbers are of the Punjab Government. Bhushan, who owned a taxi, now drives a taxi on daily basis as he lost a lot of money on buying lottery tickets. His good luck ran for a couple of days and the numbers he selected kept on
winning. He made a tidy fortune . That made him reckless and bold. That was his nemesis. He kept picking wrong numbers.. In desperation to win, he picked money on
interest, He lost some more and finally had to sell his taxi. Not that it has made him learn a lesson. He still hopes to buy a taxi by winning. The city has many lottery outlets. It is not difficult to own a lottery stall. One has to deposit Rs 2 lakhs with the govt, pull the strings and wait for a couple of months . Once you get an agency, money keeps rolling in form of commission. One has to have a shop at a strategic point. The only loser is the common man who wants to chase his dreams as early as possible.
|
|
Lecture on meditation at DMCH
Ludhiana, June 30 Explaining meditation on ‘Om’ and ‘pran’, he said japa of om (pranava japa) had a significant effect on the mind. One could associate om with the breath during the practice of pranayama. “Mentally repeat ‘O’ during inhalation and ‘M’ during exhalation which will increase the efficacy of pranayama.” He stated that Om was the origin or source of three letters — A, U and M. Swami ji further said that ‘bhamri pranayama’ (bee noise) was very useful for hypertension and it also reduced stress and tension. Similarly, ‘sitali’, a respiratory exercise in the sitting posture, cooled down the whole system, had a soothing effect on the eyes and ears while also purifying the blood and satiating thirst and appetite. “In sitali pranayama, the performer sits in any posture with mouth open and lips formed in ‘O’ shape. Tongue is protruded out like a tube and air is drawn into the lungs to the possible extent. After inhalation, tongue is withdrawn, mouth is closed, head is lowered to touch the collar bone and air is exhaled slowly through both the nostrils. Performing this exercise 10 to 15 times everyday yields the desired effect.” Prominent among others present at the function were Mr Prem Kumar Gupta, acting secretary, Mr Satish Sanwalka, treasurer, Mr Prem Nath Gupta, founder member, Mr Balraj Kumar, Mr G.C. Dhawan, both members of the managing committee, and Dr Sanjeev Rawat, yoga consultant at the DMCH.
|
|
Cop assaulted
Jagraon, June 30
|
Textile industry
looking up, feels Oswal
Ludhiana, June 30 This was stated by Chairman, National Textile Committee of the CII, S.P. Oswal, in an interview here today. He said the actual increase in power cost in the state was 11.3 per cent that had jacked up the price of a unit to Rs 4.25, which was more than 9 US cents per KWH. Compared with China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, who are their competitors, their cost was between 5 to 6 cents. Textile power itself accounts for 11 per cent of the total cost and if “we pay 5 per cent to 6 per cent more than our competitors, they save 4 per cent on the gross sales and the net profit in textile is not more than 6 to 8 per cent on sales”. The second issue that the state faced pertained to the cost of transportation of goods to the ports and the raw material imported from other states. “Compared to the mills in the south and mills located near coastal areas in Bangladesh, China and Pakistan, we stand to lose at least 2 per cent on the sales. These two factors of cost lay huge burden on textile industry in the state when they have to compete with other countries.” Mr Oswal pointed out that the states were levying more taxes, including fuel charge, which made the transportation more costlier. Transportation was not a luxury, rather a necessity for the promotion of business. Punjab was located at the farthest end thus suffered more than Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mr Oswal said: “There is a national inequity created against goods coming from Punjab to compete in the international market... and other markets because of the disproportionate taxes on transportation of goods. This will hamper the development of the industry as both these costs will erode the profit margin of the industry.” He emphasised that the Punjab Government must create an atmosphere conducive to quality competition.
|
|
Programme on cosmetics ends
Ludhiana, June
30 Addressing the valedictory function, Mr Mathura
Prasad, Director, Chemicals, SSI, said the cosmetics industry held a
huge growth potential. He said such training programmes, that provided
information on the latest technologies and were computer-based, would
strengthen industry. Mr R.C. Chopra, Director, SISI, emphasised on the
need to promote systematic growth in the cosmetics industry in
Punjab. Mr Om Pal Singh, Assistant Director, chemicals, was also
present.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
