J A L A N D H A R

Desperate Measure
Hours ahead of poll, devp works gather steam
Jalandhar, August 6
Even as the MC elections are just two days away, the pace of various development works in the wards where sitting councillors have been re-contesting has suddenly picked up.While the projects were sanctioned long time back, they are now being carried out on the war footing probably to leave a fresh, nice impression on the voters’ mind.

Gang of snatchers busted; two held
Tarn Taran, August 6
With the arrest of two persons, a team of city police claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers active in the area. A motorcycle, bearing registration number PB-46E 3747, and some gold rings have been recovered from the accused, identified as Pargat  Singh alias Pagga of Aladinpur and Gurmej Singh alias Bittu of Chutala village.

Badal-rain pact gives commuters a tough time

Jalandhar, August 6 Hit by heavy rains and rallies of the Chief Minister for the forthcoming civic body elections, the traffic at several places in the city came to a grinding halt today.

Roads leading to BMC Chowk were the worst hit. Photo by S.S. Chopra

College teachers strike work Phagwara, August 6 The call of statewide stir by Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) evoked a massive response at Kapurthala, where teachers of Guru Nanak College Phagwara, SBDSM Khalsa College Domeli, GNNBC Narur Panshta, Sultanpur Lodhi, Nadala and Begowal colleges observed a complete strike after the first two periods on Monday.     Staff of PCMSD College of Women protest in Jalandhar on Monday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Five arrested with 11 stolen bikes, car

Kapurthala, August 6 With the arrest of five persons Kapurthala police claims to have busted an inter-district armed gang of vehicle lifters. Stating this at a news conference here on Monday, SSP Rakesh Agarwal, said 11 stolen motorcycles, one Maruti car, a 12 bore gun, a few cartridges and a sharp-edged weapon had also been recovered from their possession. Arrested members of the gang in police custody along with the stolen vehicles. A Tribune photograph

‘Wind up projects in time’
Phagwara, August 6
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has instructed administrative officials to identify Nazool and government lands which are lying vacant or illegally occupied in the state. Badal held a meeting with some officials before leaving for Jalandhar for MC poll campaign.

CM fails to keep date with ailing minister
Phagwara, August 6
Despite repeated claims of a strong alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and Bhartiya Janta Party by their leaders, all is not well as witnessed in Phagwara during the more than an hour stay of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today. Though the technical education minister, Swarana Ram, has been ailing and is admitted to the Gandhi Hospital for the past few days but CM could not even visit his ministerial colleague.

Seminar on climatic changes
Nawanshahr, August 6
A tehsil-level science seminar titled ‘Global Climatic Changes and Its Impact’ was organised by the State Institute of Science Education, Chandigarh in collaboration with the district education department at Baba Gola Government Girls Senior Secondary School at Banga on Monday.

Accident victims cremated
Nawanshahr, August 6
Sukhwinder and Ravinder, who were crushed by a speeding truck along with another hawker at Nawanshahr yesterday, were cremated at Sloh village on Monday. 

Desperate Measure
Hours ahead of poll, devp works gather steam
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 6
Even as the MC elections are just two days away, the pace of various development works in the wards where sitting councillors have been re-contesting has suddenly picked up.

While the projects were sanctioned long time back, they are now being carried out on the war footing probably to leave a fresh, nice impression on the voters’ mind. Not just that, the works are being accomplished overnight at some places so that the ex-councillors are able to gain maximum advantage.

A portion of the Garha road in front of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) falling in ward 33 was re-carpeted on Sunday evening. The construction work continued despite light rain showers till late night. Sitting Congress councillor H.S. Bawa is facing a stiff battle from district BJP president Shiv Dyal Chugh in the ward.

Similarly, laying-in of sewage work is on at the Indra Park colony near Cheema Chowk in ward 57. While the work has been on since the past two months, the project seems to have gained momentum in the past few days. Trolleys-loaded with sewage pipes have been brought just recently and placed in several parts of the under-developed ward, including near Mithapur Chowk.

Sitting Congress councillor Balraj Thakur is pitted against Paramjit Singh Sethi of the SAD from the ward. Both have been trying their best to woo the candidates. Sethi is being supported by adviser to the Chief Minister Dr D.S. Cheema, who also hails from the ward. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal too addressed a rally in his favour at Mithapur Chowk today.

Sitting councillors have even got printed four-page pamphlets to publicise various works that were undertaken during their tenure. Congress councillor from ward 14 Kuljit Singh Babbi has printed a long list of works colony-wise that he claims had been accomplished by him in the past five years, giving an amount spent on each work.

The total amount spent by him has been put at Rs 4.26 crore. He has also mentioned that the maximum amount of Rs 80.90 lakh has been spent by him in his own colony, Preet Nagar, from where his rival BJP candidate Ashok Gandhi is also contesting.

Bawa too has given complete details of development works in a folder distributed by him in his ward 33. He has claimed that an amount of Rs 3.53 crore was spent by him, including Rs 2.19 crore on roads, Rs 0.98 crore on water supply and sewage and Rs 0.35 crore on the upkeep of parks.

Gang of snatchers busted; two held
Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, August 6
With the arrest of two persons, a team of city police claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers active in the area.

A motorcycle, bearing registration number PB-46E 3747, and some gold rings have been recovered from the accused, identified as Pargat  Singh alias Pagga of Aladinpur and Gurmej Singh alias Bittu of Chutala village.

DSP Ranvir Singh while talking to the newsmen here on Sunday said the accused confessed to have snatched gold ear rings and chains from women at village Kalaha, Karmunwala, Fatehbad, Bugha, Bhikhiwind 
and Sangha. 

Badal-rain pact gives commuters a tough time
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 6
Hit by heavy rains and rallies of the Chief Minister for the forthcoming civic body elections, the traffic at several places in the city came to a grinding halt today.

It started raining since 6:30 in the morning and continued till evening. Though rain brought the temperature down, traffic jams and stagnant water disrupted the routine to a larger extent.

The worst hit was the old GT Road outside bus stand, central jail and near DAV College railway line. It was knee deep water near central jail where school students and commuters had to wade through the standing water.

With the road flooding right till the middle, the commuters had a difficult time near the bus stand.

But rain failed to stop rallies of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The first rally was held at a palace near Mithapur Chowk amidst heavy rain but the venue was full to its capacity. The rallies held at Basti Nau, Chogiti and Rama Mandi also drew average response.

But traffic remained chock-a-block for quite sometime on the routes that were traversed by the CM as one side of the road on which the CM was to pass was blocked for at least 10 to 15 minutes. 

College teachers strike work
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, August 6
The call of statewide stir by Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) evoked a massive response at Kapurthala, where teachers of Guru Nanak College Phagwara, SBDSM Khalsa College Domeli, GNNBC Narur Panshta, Sultanpur Lodhi, Nadala and Begowal colleges observed a complete strike after the first two periods on Monday.

The protesters held dharnas in front of their principals’ offices. “The state government has failed to fulfill its poll promises of restoring 95% grant-in-aid and implementing pension and gratuity schemes,” alleged Prof TS Sangha, Kapurthala district president of PCCTU.

He added that the government had earmarked a measly sum of Rs 60 crore for the non-government aided colleges in its budget while the requirement was that of over Rs 100 crore. 

Five arrested with 11 stolen bikes, car
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, August 6
With the arrest of five persons Kapurthala police claims to have busted an inter-district armed gang of vehicle lifters. Stating this at a news conference here on Monday, SSP Rakesh Agarwal, said 11 stolen motorcycles, one Maruti car, a 12 bore gun, a few cartridges and a sharp-edged weapon had also been recovered from their possession.

The accused have been identified as Jatinder Singh, a resident of Dhandal village in Kapurthala, Raj Kumar, a resident of Surpur village in Jalandhar, Vinay Kumar, a resident of Krishanpura locality in Jalandhar, Palwinder Singh, a resident of Sunder Nagar in Kapurthala and Galu, a resident of Talwandi Chaudhrian village in Sultanpur Lodhi.

SSP Agarwal said the gang members have confessed to have stolen 21 motorcycles from different localities of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts.

He said the gang had two master keys which could be used on any kind of motorcycle. They stole motorcycles with these keys and used to sell stolen motorcycles after preparing fake registration papers, he added.

The SSP said the police was also investigating role of the district transport offices of Jalandhar and Kapurthala in preparing the fake registration papers of stolen vehicles. An FIR under Sections 399, 402 of the IPC and 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act has also been 
registered.

‘Wind up projects in time’
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, August 6
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has instructed administrative officials to identify Nazool and government lands which are lying vacant or illegally occupied in the state. Badal held a meeting with some officials before leaving for Jalandhar for MC poll campaign.

He instructed officials to accelerate construction work for the under construction Phagwara bus stand, Mehtan-bypass flyover and the much awaited Satnampura railway over bridge.

Officials informed Badal that the new bus stand will be completed within the next two months, while a proposal to construct a shopping complex on top floor of the bus stand was also under consideration. The under-construction railway over bridge near Satnampura-Phagwara road could be completed by the end of the year, while the Mehtan by pass flyover would be ready by the end of next month, the officials informed Badal. The Chief Minister also instructed his officer on special duty (OSD) Parveen Kumar to hold a detailed meeting with the concerned district officials to complete projects within a time frame and identify the Nazool and government lands. Later, Parveen Kumar held detailed discussions with the concerned officials of Kapurthala.

Badal also met some Akali and BJP leaders on Monday and enquired about vacant old civil hospital building, vet hospital and a large piece of land on the bypass.

The CM was informed that an amount of Rs 2.5 crores was sought from him to lay an alternative sewerage line to cover 16 manholes here which were a major threat to the under-construction ROB at Satnampura.

CM deputed his OSD Parveen Kumar to assess the situation. 

CM fails to keep date with ailing minister
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, August 6
Despite repeated claims of a strong alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal and Bhartiya Janta Party by their leaders, all is not well as witnessed in Phagwara during the more than an hour stay of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today. Though the technical education minister, Swarana Ram, has been ailing and is admitted to the Gandhi Hospital for the past few days but CM could not even visit his ministerial colleague.

The CM spent his entire time at local sugar mills guest house meeting different political leaders and bureaucrats. The police had however, made security arrangements around the hospital in the hope of CM’s visit.

Badal who landed at the nearby Palahai village, due to poll conduct imposed in Jalandhar, drove straight to the sugar mills guest house, took his breakfast and went straight to Jalandhar to campaign in support of the SAD-BJP candidates contesting MC elections. Swarana Ram and his MLA son Mohan Lal kept waiting at Gandhi Hospital. Later, SSP Kapurthala Rakesh aggarwal, visited the hospital and met the ailing minister. He informed him that the CM will visit the hospital on Tuesday morning.

Seminar on climatic changes

Nawanshahr, August 6
A tehsil-level science seminar titled ‘Global Climatic Changes and Its Impact’ was organised by the State Institute of Science Education, Chandigarh in collaboration with the district education department at Baba Gola Government Girls Senior Secondary School at Banga on Monday.

Nearly 40 participants from various schools participated in the seminar. Pallavi Sareen (Shivalik Public school, Nawanshahr) bagged the first position while Batish (Shivalik Public School, Nawanshahr), Baljit Kaur(Government Girls High School, Mehli), Navjot Kaur (Government Senior Secondary School, Madhali), Harish Kumar (Government Senior Secondary School, Rahon), Neha Sharma (Government Senior Secondary School, Mukandpur) and Simranjit Kaur (Government Senior Secondary School, Mandhali) bagged the second position jointly. — OC

Accident victims cremated

Nawanshahr, August 6
Sukhwinder and Ravinder, who were crushed by a speeding truck along with another hawker at Nawanshahr yesterday, were cremated at Sloh village on Monday. The two brothers were studying at Government Senior Secondary School and Doaba Sikh National High School. A two-minute silence was observed during the morning assembly at both the schools. Staff and students also attended the funeral. — OC