Jalandhar, May 27
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) have asked the Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC) to provide land to the nearly 125 ‘red category’ or polluting industrial units operating in the densely populated basti areas of the city.

The industrial units that are operating in the bastis located in various areas of the city include pipe fitting units, electroplating units and small units in the business of leather processing.

A comprehensive list of addresses of these units falling under the ‘red category’ has been prepared. “We have asked the PSIEC to give plots to the owners these units so that they can move out of the city.

Now it is up to the PSIEC to take decision in this regard,” said Harbir Singh, the environmental engineer of the PPCB.

These units were set-up on the agricultural land nearly two-three decades ago when the population was less.

With the passage of time and population growth, people started building houses on the high priced land around these units.

Soon after settling in those colonies the residents, fed up with the pollution being emitted from these units, knocked at the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which in turn directed the authorities concerned to formulate a policy in respect to these units.

Since then a number of committees have been formed but these industries could not be shifted.

The owners of these units have pleaded that at the time of setting up these units there was no provision of separate land for the industries and therefore they had to set up their units in these areas.

Jalandhar, May 27
In a significant judgment, the Kapurthala district consumer disputes redressal forum, during its camp court in Jalandhar, quashed the PSEB’s demand of Rs 37,854 as an average bill from a consumer.

The forum also asked the PSEB to refund Rs 5,000 (with 12 per cent interest) to the complainant Anil Bhaskar of Bhaskar Farm, Doordarshan Enclave, Khurla Kingra Wadala Chowk here.

In its six-page judgment, the forum, comprising its president AK Sharma and members Sushma Handoo and Sudha Sharma, also directed the board to pay Rs 2000 to the consumer as compensation on account of deficiency in services, besides Rs 1,000 as cost of litigation, within a period of one month.

In his complaint, filed under section 12 of the consumer protection act 1986, Anil had stated that he had got installed an electric connection at his farm house under domestic tariff.

The complainant said no one stayed in the farm house from October 2004 to March 2005, except for a watchman who had been deputed to look after the house.

“I was shocked to receive a notice from PSEB wherein they had asked me to deposit Rs 37,854 on account of a defective meter,” said Anil, adding that he brought the matter to the notice of board officials, but no action was taken.

He stated that under the rules PSEB has to get the meter checked by a chief electrical inspector in presence of the consumer. This was never done, claimed Anil.

Subsequently, Anil Bhaskar filed a complaint with the cosumer forum praying withdrawal of the impugned demand of Rs 37,854.

In its written statement, PSEB had stated that the reader had found the meter dead and reported the matter to SDO Lambra, who had ordered change of meter.

Amritsar, May 27
More that 3.43 lakh children below the age of 5 years were administered oral vaccine under the National Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme carried out in the district, here today.

Elaborate arrangements were made for the drive by district health authorities. A 5,592- member team including officials, doctors, paramedical staff, employees from other departments and volunteers of various NGOs were involved in the campaign.

While inaugurating the pulse polio campaign at the primary health centre at Chawindi Devi, minister for health and family welfare Laxmi Kanta Chawla, informed that 1,398 booths including 670 in rural areas have been set up to administer the vaccine.

She said 50 transit posts have been set up and 62 mobile teams were moving in and around the city to administer the vaccine to those who were traveling.

Special efforts are also taken to administer the drops to the children in slum areas and labour colonies.

Special teams were also deputed at bus stands and railway stations throughout the state.

She said a team of health workers and volunteers would also make door to door rounds for the next two days.

“Even though the state has achieved a polio free status, the campaign cannot be slowed down because there is a constant threat of polio cases emerging from the migrant population. Last year 4 to 5 cases of polio were detected from various parts of the state. Keeping this in view a special campaign would be launched to vaccinate the children of migrant population so that the state could be made polio free,” said Chawla.

Phagwara, May 27
A three-year-old boy was attacked and bitten by a monkey here on Sunday morning.

The kid, identified as Sanjiv Kumar, was playing with his friends when the animal attacked him near the Damodar Dass temple.

The victim was rushed to a private hospital for medical aid.

Notably, the increasing simian population has become a major headache for the area residents.