Phagwara, October 29
Sweet shop owners and fruit sellers are in an overdrive to get their stocks ready for the festivals season. And in this frenzy they have encroached upon municipal land at various places to display their goods. However, many allege that it is being done in connivance with the municipal committee authorities. A round of the town revealed that several traders have extended their shops right up to middle of the road.

The situation in the trust colonies is no different. Most of the shopkeepers had installed permanent electricity supply and had allotted table numbers in the posh localities of local Hargobind Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Babbar Akali market and customers were seen sitting on the chairs.

Illegal encroachments could be seen on service roads along with national highway where several banks have set up their private parking lots. The sand bazari business flourishes on the service roads. Also seen are illegally operated scooter/motorcycle stands.

The residents are surprised over the inaction of the officials of Nagar Council, Improvement Trust and National Highway authorities.

Many shopkeepers have installed their generator sets and tandoors on the enroached land.

It was learnt that a car dealer paid Rs 10,000 to an employee of the trust to put an exhibition of a car company only for two days but he got a receipt of Rs 2,000 only from the employee who allowed the car dealer to carry on.

When contacted SDM Amarjeet Paul assured of a proper action required in getting these government lands vacated from the clutches of the illegal encroachers.

On the other hand, several sweet shop owners, including milkmen were taking undue advantage of festival season by selling adulterated khoya, paneer, milk and even 
ghee which is used in preparing sweets etc. SDM Amarjeet Paul has instructed the health department officials to monitor and check adulteration and to penalise the culprits who would be booked with firm hands, said SDM.

Shiv Sena Punjab vice-president, Pawan Parbhakar, has urged the administration to launch a high level campaign to check this social evil. 

Phagwara, October 29
The state government has withdrawn its ambitious plan to provide drinking water and sewerage facilities to the entire population in various towns under municipal development funds. When contacted, executive officer, Paramjit Singh, confirmed it and said the scheme was withdrawn some time back.

Despite initiative of the CM Parkash Singh Badal and principal secretary local bodies, only 85 per cent sewerage lines on the main GT road could be cleaned while all blocked sewerage lines in the remaining town, including Industrial Area, Onkar Nagar, Satnampura, Sham Nagar, Shiv Puri, Daddal Mohalla, Palahai Gate and interior parts of the town could not be cleaned till now. Residents here have been suffering from diseases like malaria, gastro-enteritis, jaundice, viral, dengue, for the past several months.

Meanwhile, after getting Rs 34 lakh from PUDA, Phagwara Nagar Council has purchased a Rs 31 lakh jetting machine, which was inaugurated by Punjab technical education minister, Ch Swarana Ram, at a function held before Nagar Council office here today. SDM Amarjit Paul, Nagar Council president, Malkiat Singh Ragbotra and DSP HPS Khakh besides several councillors belonging to different political parties attended the function.

Ch Swarana Ram said the union government has sent Rs 100 crore to promote technical education in the state. He said Rs one crore would be spent in Phagwara for this purpose. Later, the minister also inspected the under construction general bus stand here.

SDM Amarjeet Paul said the new bus stand would be completed within a month, while Mehtan bypass flyover would also be ready for use in next month. SDM said the much awaited Satnampura railway over bridge was being constructed in full swing and it will be complete soon, he added. 

Jalandhar, October 29
Quiz contests marked the second day of the five-day ‘Gadhri Babeyan da Mela’ which began at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall here on Sunday.

The teams of Bharat Mata Society Jalandhar, Government Arts and Sports College and NGO Pehal were declared first, second and third, respectively.

Five teams including those of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Society and St Soldier Girls’ College, Khambran had qualified for the final round.

As many as 22 teams had participated in the preliminary round of the contest. Each team was represented by six members.

The contestants had an almost equal ratio of girls and boys.

The quiz contests had rounds based on topics related to the Gadhar Movement, Babbar Akali Movement, Kirti Movement, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and INA.

The first, second and third prize winners received a cash prize of Rs 1,500, 1,200 and 900, respectively, besides mementos and books.

Contests for debate were held on the opening day.

The topic of the debate was ‘representation of women in media’.

Banners with messages related to women empowerment were put up across the walls of the auditorium of the hall.

Sangeeta of Apeejay College, Kamaljeet Kaur of Sant Hira Singh College, Kala Sanghian, and Sakshi Saggar of SD College were declared winners of the contest. Consolation prizes went to Kiranveer of HMV College, Kangan Sharma and Shikha of Sikh National College, Banga, Gagandeep Kaur of Apeejay College and Rupinder Kaur of Baba Darbara Singh College Tibba.

Singing competitions will be held tomorrow.

The festival will continue till the wee hours of November 2. 

Hoshiarpur, October 29
The Punjab State Women Commission (PSWC) has asked the state governent to chalk out a comprehensive action plan to ensure strict implementation of women rights in the state.

According to the official sources, the PSWC chairperson has asked the home department principal secretary to initiate measures to reduce menace of illegal women trafficking.

Keeping in mind the problems being faced by women in getting the cases of rape, dowry torture and domestic violence registered, the commission has sought more women cops in police stations.

The commission has also asked the government to construct separate barracks and approach roads for women prisoners in jails. It has also sought separate housing of women undertrials booked for minor offences. There is no need to keep them with those undergoing sentence for heinous crimes, feels the women’s body.

Referring to the Ludhiana Central Jail, the commission has also asked the department to ensure proper upkeep of women barracks in prisons. Besides, deputation of women doctors for health facilities, the demand for vocational training centres and nurseries for children of women prisoners has also been raised. In addition to it, the PSWC has also asked for a separate women ward at the Amritsar mental hospital and trained counsellors for assistance.

The instructions also include investigations of rape cases by woman officers, medical check-up of the rape victim immediately after the crime, provision of special room for investigations and changing room facilities at the investigation centres. 

Nawanshahr, October 29
A case of alleged supply of inferior quality DAP fertiliser by the Agriculture Cooperative Society of nearby Karyam village has surfaced here on Monday. A farmer, Harkiran Singh Khara of Karyam village, while showing the DAP fertiliser bags to mediapersons, said he had purchased as many as 40 bags (20 quintals) of DAP fertiliser from the Agriculture Cooperative Society for using it for potato sowing in 60 acres of land. But when he opened as many as four bags of DAP, he found more than 60 per cent of the fertiliser in shape of hard round bolls instead of crystal form. “The DAP fertiliser found in the bags is discoloured,” he alleged. “However, the date of manufacturing and packing of the fertiliser, printed on the bag, is that of just one month back,” he added.

While terming it a fraud with the farmers, Khara urged the Chief Minister to conduct a high level inquiry into the matter. Otherwise, it would have adverse effect on pro-farmer image of the SAD-BJP government in the state. Darshan Singh, secretary of the Cooperative Agriculture Society, Karyam, said the Cooperative Society got the supply of the said fertiliser from Markfed. Markfed made the supply of DAP fertiliser after receiving advance payment from the Cooperative Society.

Batala, October 29
To impart vocational and industrial training to youth, a C-PITE camp was inaugurated at Industrial Training Institute, Batala, here on Monday. Chief parliamentary secretary Jagdish Raj Sawhney, while inaugurating the camp said, more such camps will be held in the state in the coming days.

A total of 1.30 lakh youth will be given training. The eligible youth will be paid a stipend of Rs 400 per month, besides free lodging boarding. The training course will run for 6 months after which the trained persons will be given certificate on the basis of which they will get employment in the army, paramilitary forces or other organisations as heavy duty operators. Sawhney said the scheme will provide employment to jobless youth and keep them away drugs. Camp commander, Major Pratap Singh Gill and his staff gave the details of the training course.

Phagwara, October 29
Harbhjan Singh of Phuglana village was mercilessly beaten up and robbed of Rs 19,500 by three dhabha employees, identified as Raju, Neeta and Kirpaul. In his complaint the victim alleged that he came to the bus stand on Sunday evening to see off his nephew, when the accused forcibly took away money from him. Meanwhile, a case has been registered.