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Common man bears brunt as prices of essential items skyrocket
Chandigarh, October 2 The common man is hardly bothered about the growth rate. His main concern is keeping his kitchen running. And when he goes to buy rations, he is obviously shocked to find that the prices of dals (pulses) and wheat flour have gone up from the day when he visited the shop last week or last month. Believe it or not the price of rajmah chitra has jumped by Rs 22 per kg in the past two weeks or so. It was Rs 40-42 per kg only two weeks ago, but is now selling at Rs 62-65 per kg in retail. Even the price of chhota rajmah has gone up from Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg, an increase of Rs 10 per kg, and the price of bada rajmah has gone up by Rs 18 per kg from Rs 37 to Rs 55 per kg. And the price of dal channa has gone up to Rs 44 per kg in the past days. Weeks ago, it was selling at Rs 32 per kg and later jumped to Rs 41-42. The price of white channa has touched Rs 54 per kg from Rs 42 per kg. The price of black channa has also registered a rise of Rs 12 per kg. It is selling at Rs 44 per kg at present and the price of besan (gram flour) is also almost that level. In fact, good quality besan is selling at Rs 54 per kg. The price of masri has gone up to Rs 40 per kg. It had come down to Rs 36 per kg earlier. And the price of washed moong has touched Rs 52 per kg, registering a jump of Rs 6 per kg in the past few days. The price of moth has moved up to Rs 40 per kg from Rs 30 per kg. The prices of pulses have already gone beyond the reach of poor people. Even those belonging to the lower middle class think twice before placing an order for pulses." The sale of pulses has gone done tremendously because of the price factor, " said a shopkeeper. Shopkeepers say that certain industrial houses intending to set up a chain of retail outlets across the country are on a pulse-buying spree to collect stocks for their outlets. They link such buying to the rising prices. Wheat flour (atta) is selling at Rs 13 per kg in this part of the country where wheat is available in plenty. The price of wheat flour has not gone below Rs 10.50 per kg. In April last, when wheat arrived in various markets, the flour price came down to Rs 10-10.50 per kg. However, it started rising in June when reports regarding dwindling wheat stocks and the order to import the commodity started appearing in the media. In the case of pulses, the Union Government made a statement in June-July that it would import these following which the prices of various pulses registered a downward trend. However, a few weeks later, the prices started rising again. The price of sugar has also registered a rise of Rs 100 per quintal. Its price has gone up to Rs 1,985 per quintal from Rs 1,885. In the past few days, the sugar price has moved up by Rs 40 per quintal. Perhaps, the beginning of the festival season can be one of the reasons for this. However, as the cane crushing season is about to begin, the sugar price should come down. The price of desi ghee has risen to Rs 165 per kg from Rs 135 per kg. The price of Verka milk has gone up to Rs 19 per litre. Verka has stopped the supply of paneer, the price of which has moved up to Rs 22 per packet (200 gm).
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Shopping turns sour for residents on Dasehra
Bathinda, October 2 Being the main market of the city, the bazaar witnesses a heavy rush of shoppers during the festive season. Today was no different as the city residents thronged various shops for making purchase on the occasion of Dasehra, but they were taken aback at the site of the market. Half of the road was virtually encroached upon by the proprietor of this shop for organising the inaugural ceremony. Surprisingly, the shop was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rahul Bhandari. The pandal covered the area in front of about 20 shops, thereby leading to frequent traffic snarls and eating into the parking space. The shoppers as well as the shopkeepers whose shops were covered by the pandal were equally irked with the organisers. A shopkeeper requesting anonymity said: “Our sales have surely taken a beating as people are left confused as to whether shops on the other side of the pandal are open or not.” Pointing towards huge utensils being washed right in front of his shop, he said: “Just look at the mess they have created, but being neighbouring shopkeepers we can’t raise our voice against any such activity.” Sudhir Kumar, a local resident, said: “I had a tough time parking my vehicle as there was no space left for parking in front of any shop. The MC authorities should ensure that common people don’t face such problems, especially during the festive season.” Once the function was over the road was left littered with disposable glasses and other such stuff. When contacted, the MC Executive Officer, Mr Kamal Kant, confirmed that the shopowner didn’t take any permission from the MC for putting up the pandal. He claimed that nobody informed them about the erection of pandal earlier and when they came to know about it the function was almost over. On the other hand, the DC said he wasn’t aware that the organisers had not taken the MC’s permission. He said he would soon issue an order making the MC permission mandatory for any such event apart from specifying the width that an organiser could cover for it.
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Gill seeks package for farmers
Chandigarh, October 2 In a statement, Dr Gill said today that the farmers of Punjab had been contributing wheat and rice to the extent of 70 per cent to the central pool and deserved to be helped by the Union Government. Dr Gill said while the loan amounts from private institutions to farmers had gone up in the past years, loans from cooperative banks had come down. He said the Union Government should increase the disbursement of loans from the organised sector such as commercial and cooperative banks. He said the problem of indebtedness in the farm sector was serious and should be addressed immediately.
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Rights panel tells ADGP to probe woman’s disappearance
Ropar, October 2 The PSHRC took cognisance of the complaint filed by a resident of Anandpur Sahib, Suresh Kumar, that his sister, Prema, was murdered and later her body was dumped in connivance with the police. Giving details at a press conference here, Mr Suresh Kumar alleged that from local villagers, it came to light that his sister’s body was found in canal. But the body had been dumped by the culprits in connivance with the police, he said. We were informed that she had gone missing by her in-laws. He said Prema had disappeared on August 12 from her in-laws’ house. Thereafter, we submitted a complaint to the DSP, Anandpur Sahib, and the higher authorities, but in vain. Now after much effort, the case has been pending before the CIA staff. Due to political interference, the investigation in the case is at a standstill, he alleged. He said there was enough evidence that his sister was killed and later the body was dumped. The persons who took out the body from the canal had also made a statement to the police in this regard. But we feared that following political pressure, the police would not take the case seriously, he further alleged. The next date of hearing of the case fixed before the commission was December 21, he informed.
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Security enhanced in Ropar district
Ropar, October 2 However, the threat of militants has no effect on the festivity mood of the people. Dussehra was celebrated with fervour at Ropar, Anandpur Sahib and Nangal. When contacted, the SSP, Mr Kapil Dev, said the security had been tighten in the district after the threat. No untoward incident was reported from any place.
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Book on scientific view of Gurbani released
Patiala, October 2 Dr Virdi said in the book, Prof Mahajan had proved that what the Sikh gurus said about 500 years ago was getting revealed by science today. Prof Balwinder Pal Singh, Editor, “Sada Virsa, Sada Gauravss”, said Prof Mahajan had written a unique book in which religion and science were brought together in a perfect and flawless manner. Dr Gurcharan Singh, an eminent laureate, who presided over the function, said the book was important because it gave a view of science which was yet to come as per the gurbani.
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Khadi board training centre
Ropar, October 2 The Punjab Government has allotted 4-acre land for the centre, informed the Chairman of the khadi board, Mr Charanjit Singh Walia, here today.
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Play to commemorate Nanda’s birth anniversary
Patiala, October 2 The programme included a powerful Punjabi musical play ‘Sanu Kee’ directed by Pran Sabharwal and Suntia Sabharwal, skits by Shivam Malhotra and M.R. Mashal and songs by Prof Akhilesh Kamal Gill and Anish Sharma. The play condemned the evils of corruption, red tapism and self-centredness. The cast included Amandeep Sharma, Manish Sharma, Anish Sharma, Bharat Kumar, Randeep Singh, Shubhsm Pankaj and Manikaran. The music was by Kamal Gill, make up by Amandeep and the technical supervision, all added colour to the production.
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Land sold on forged documents
Abohar, October 2 According to available information, Kunda Singh, a son of Jaggar Singh, a resident of Bajak village in Bathinda district owned 80 kanals of agriculture land at Azeemgarh village, that is also listed as a ward of the local Municipal Council. Some relatives of another Kunda Singh reportedly got the mutation transferred in their favour in connivance with local officials/employees of the Department of Revenue. They forged the documents in the name of late Kunda Singh, a son of Sarwan Singh and the intqal of the land was executed at serial Nos. 15413 and 15414 in favour of the sons and the daughters, two each, of deceased Kunda Singh, taking advantage of similarity in the names. They later issued a power of attorney in favour of their relative who allegedly sold the land for Rs 16.24 lakh vide registration receipt 5279 on September 19, 2006, here. The revenue patwari and later officials without going through the facts endorsed the transfer of land, it is said. The formality of affixing photographs of the buyers and sellers was also completed. The possession of the land was accordingly passed on to the buyers. Now Kunda Singh, son of Jaggar Singh of Bathinda appeared before the officials here to tell them that he was alive and the family of another Kunda Singh had committed a fraud to siphon off the prime land located near the city bypass. He has filed complaints with the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police seeking action against all involved in the scam. The revenue officials here confirmed they had requested the DC to cancel the sale deed. The complainant reportedly claimed that the sale deed was under-valued also.
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Proclaimed offender held
Hoshiarpur, October 2 The SSP said Kulwant Singh was wanted in an FIR No 81 of June 4, 1988, registered against him under Sections 302 and 120 B of the IPC and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the TDAP Act at City police station. The SSP said Kulwant Singh and one of his accomplices went to Shiromani Giani College at the local Railway road on June 4, 1988, and assassinated Principal Parduman Singh and fled. He, along with his eight other accomplices, was arrested on July 12, 1988, and the challan of the case was filed on March 16, 1989, in the court. The hearing of the case was going in a special court at Sangrur from where Kulwant Singh jumped bail. The SSP said in another case, the Sadar police, on a tip-off, raided Saido Patti of Bhilowal on June 28, 1988, and arrested Kulwant Singh, Ranbir Singh of Bham, Balbir Singh of Rajani, Shaminder Singh of Marule, Harjap Singh, alias Jappi, of Bhilowal, Kulbir Singh of Chabewal, Raja Singh, alias Raja, of Patti and Hazoora Singh of Bihala while they were hatching a plan to commit dacoity in the district. The police also seized arms and ammunition from them. A case under Sections 399, 212 and 216 of the IPC and Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the TDAP Act was registered in this connection. The challan of the case was produced in the special court at Sangrur on November 25, 1988, and Kulwant Singh jumped bail in this case also. He was declared a PO in 1992 by the court. The SSP said Kulwant Singh revealed that he had gone to Lebanon after jumping bails.
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Youth booked in rape case
Hoshiarpur, October 2 According to police sources, a 14-year-old daughter of Baldev Singh (name changed) of Kaharpur village stated that she had left her studies when she was a student of Class V due to poverty and had been doing housekeeping since then. She alleged that Baljinder Singh, alias Ghaou, a son of Mohinder Pal of the same village, raped her while she had gone to the fields to ease herself about two months back and threatened her with dire consequences if she told about the incident to anyone. On reaching home she narrated the incident to her parents. Under fear, they did not report the matter to anyone. Later, she knew about her becoming pregnant and reported her tale of woe to the police.
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Gang of petrol station robbers busted, 4 held
Bathinda, October 2 The SSP, Mr Varinder Kumar, said the police nabbed these robbers from the city’s outskirts when they were planning to strike a petrol station. However, two of their aides managed to give the police the slip. The police recovered a 12-bore pistol, three live cartridges, a rifle and an iron rod from their possession. Their interrogation revealed that they had perpetrated robberies at 6 petrol stations during the past about five months in Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga and Ferozepore districts.
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Heroin worth Rs 10 crore seized on border
Gurdaspur October 2 When the gunny bag, that was Pakistan made sugar bag, was taken out 12 sealed plastic pouches were recovered from it. Out these 10 pouches contained heroin, while the other two contained foreign watches and Kasuri shoes. The heroin is valued at about Rs 10 crore in the international market. The DIG BSF, Mr V.K. Sharma, when contacted, admitted that a seizure of the narcotics had been made. He said the movement of suspected elements had been noticed in the area since July. As a precaution boat nakas were laid in the area. In the area, in which the seizure has been made, the flow of the river water is from Pakistan to India. Taking advantage of the flow of water the narcotic smugglers were trying to smuggle narcotics into the Indian territory. Amritsar: The Special Narcotics Cell (SNC) on Monday nabbed three persons for possessing heroin worth Rs 4 crore in the international market. The contraband smuggled from Pakistan through the Ferozepore sector was to be taken to Delhi when the accused were arrested from outside the bus stand where the authorities had laid a naka. The accused arrested are Harvinder Singh, a resident of Jammu (now residing in New Delhi), Karnail Singh and Chanan Singh of Kilche village and Kamalewal in Ferozepore district. Mr Makhan Singh, district police chief, SNC, confirmed the incident and said that the culprits were going to New Delhi in a car (DL-1C-3673) to smuggle it to a person there. Interestingly, Karnail Singh had already spent nine years in jail in Pakistan for possessing narcotics. He was also arrested in many cases of fake currency registered at various police stations in the state.
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