Amritsar, November 2
The Special Narcotics Cell (SNC) arrested a head jail warden of the high-security Amritsar Central Jail here today for possessing smack.

Acting on a tip-off, the SNC put up a naka near the Sultanwind canal from where the accused, Jasbir Singh, was nabbed. The accused was possessing 380 grams of smack.

Jasbir, who has been posted in the central jail for the last eight years, was involved in this illegal act for the last one and half years. The accused has been booked under the NDPS Act at Sultanwind police station.

The SNC authorities said the accused used to purchase smack at rate of Rs 300 per gm which was later sold to smugglers lodged in the jail at Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 per gm.

The authorities did not rule out the involvement of jail officials and policemen posted there. He said earlier the accused used to smuggle drugs, but recently he started his own “work” of selling heroin and smack.

Interestingly, this is the third incident of seizure of narcotics from any jail authority in the last one month which has raised many an eyebrow on the functioning of the high-security jail. The narcotics cell has earlier arrested jail pharmacist Pawan Kumar with more than 200 gm of heroin.

Amritsar, November 2
The district administration has decided to set up “rehri” markets on the lines of Chandigarh at five key locations in Amritsar to ease the traffic congestion.

As part of a traffic management plan finalised for the city, movement of heavy vehicles in the vicinity of the Golden Temple would also be restricted from 8 am to 9 pm.

Roundabouts in the city would be removed and industrialists are being approached for offering financial help for setting up of traffic signals instead.

Addressing a press conference, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, accompanied by SSP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and mayor Shawet Malik, said the unique feature of the traffic plan was that leaders of all political parties had been taken into confidence while chalking out the details of the project.

“This would not only ensure quick implementation of the plan but also rule out the possibility of steps like removal of encroachments being given a political colour,” said Sidhu.

The “rehri” markets would be set up at Sau Footi Road (near GT Road), near Gol Bagh, in the Chheharta area (Dana mandi or some other appropriate place), Ajnala road (near Gumtala drain) and Kot Mit Singh canal.

The district administration would also launch a drive against unauthorised auto-rickshaws. All auto-rickshaws would be registered with the municipal corporation and the database would be made available to the traffic police.

Rickshaw and auto-rickshaw stands would be earmarked at the bus stand, railway station, Malka Boot, airport, Chheharta, Maqboolpura, SW Gate, Batala road, GNDU, medical college and Chattiwind Chowk.

The SSP said no “rehris” would be allowed on roadside anywhere in the city and the “tehbajari” system would be abolished by the municipal corporation. Extension of shops and encroachments by shopkeepers would be removed.

He said the movement of slow-moving vehicles like carts, rehris and tongas would not be allowed on the main roads from 9 am to 9 pm.

The identified roads included Hall Bazaar, Town Hall, Golden Temple area to Sikandari Gate, Town Hall to Ghee Mandi, bus stand to Chattiwind Gate through “B” division police station, Mall Road, Court Road, Majitha Road, Queens Road, railway station, GT Road from Maqboolpura to India Gate in Chheharta.

The existing parking lots of the improvement trust and municipal corporation would also be made operational. The improvement trust has developed parking facility close to Nehru Shopping Complex for people coming to Lawrence Road.

Those going to Hall Bazar can also use parking facility in the Fish Market. General public would also be asked to utilise parking lots in malls, banks, schools and colleges and directions would be issued to the municipal town planner, municipal corporation and the traffic police in this regard.

Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, managing director of the society emphasised on the need for immediate adoption of Tamil Nadu model in Punjab and demanded that all correspondence work in courts, banks, post offices etc be done in Punjabi.

Amritsar, November 2
Residents of Shaheed ML Dhingra Housing Complex (GT Road) have found an easy way to know their neighbourhood better.

The colony has the distinction of having its own telephone directory, which not only lists the landline and mobile phone numbers of the house allottees but also highlights their achievements in the “feather in the cap” column.

So when Shivani Sehgal was selected for the Indian Navy last year as logistics officer, her parents didn’t need to go around telling people about her achievement. Similarly, the picture of Sunit Banerjee, another resident of the colony, who is working with Kotak Mahindra, was immediately added to the directory when he was awarded the “Star Performer” award.

The list of honourable residents includes Col Jagir Singh (retd), Rakesh Kumar Popli, PCS (Allied) officer, Punjabi actor and photographer Nirmal Singh and recipient of best actress award of the Punjabi Academy in 1994 Neeta Mohindra.

The directory also gives information about families who have moved out of the housing complex. In his editorial, Sukhvinder Singh Narula said this was the third year of publication of the telephone directory and many local businessmen have shown interest in placing their advertisements in it.

An effort has been made to make the directory broad-based by including lists of important phone numbers of the administration, hospitals, besides railway time-table. However, the focus remains on making a comprehensive telephone guide of the colony. The directory has become very popular among the residents.

Amritsar, November 2
An ultrasonic device was used for the first time in Punjab for the removal of cancerous brain tumour of a patient at the Escorts Heart and Super Specialty Institute here, said neurosurgeon Dr Raj Kamal.

Addressing the media today, he introduced patient Jagmohan Singh, a 22-year-old carpenter from Ludhiana. He said the patient was suffering from unbearable headache, vomiting, imbalance and drowsiness when admitted to hospital in a critical condition. He said after preliminary tests it was found that he was suffering from a malignant brain tumour on the rear of his head.

Dr Kamal explained that with the use of ultrasonic knife the surgery took barely two and half hours in comparison to conventional surgery that takes at least four to five hours, with minimal blood loss and the patient became conscious within an hour of this major surgery without any symptoms of negative effect on any of his motor functions or vital organs.

Describing the special device, he said it was designed and programmed to perform “dual” function and spells a monumental advantage to patients for sensitive surgeries.

He further said a knife shaped like a pen used ultra sensitive sound waves to destroy cancerous tissue while the vital blood capillaries nerves and fibrous tissue were left untouched. Simultaneously the knife sucked the destroyed tissue leaving no residue of the cancer, he added.

The neurosurgeon said the surgery was minimally invasive and caused negligible blood loss that led to faster recovery, high accuracy in pinpointing and removal of cancerous growth, besides fewer traumas to patient.

He said lesser post-surgery pain, besides lesser surgical time and fewer disturbances to brain during surgery, reduced the risk of any organ or motor function being adversely affected which was the main causative factor for hindering physical and emotional recovery from such serious ailments.

Amritsar, November 2
Delhi Public School organised a science exhibition at its Science Park here in which as many as 250 students showcased their innovative models based on about 30 themes.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr Tarminder Singh Bhatia, head of physics department of Khalsa College, Amritsar, along with Sanjay Maheshwari, member of the school management. The tiny tots of class I displayed models in seed germination, suspended egg and toy parachute, while students of class II made mirror writing, seeing sound and balloon power.

Besides, their presentation of shooting colour to natural flowers in unusual flora colours such as blue, black or brown was very appealing.

The themes of energy and resource conservation were the key areas of development for class III students who created a planetarium, besides a workable model of vermiculture.

Students of classes IV and V created rubber egg and displayed models of ideal houses, recycling of paper rhizophus fungus and making of solar cookers. Rainbow in a glass, pinhole camera, world clock, sundial, optical illusions and mirage phenomenon were fascinating.

Maheshwari said the objective of special Science Park was to inculcate the practical knowledge of working of every mechanical scientific process to the students in an innovative, easy and attentive manner that acted as a helpful aid required in the teaching-learning process.

Principal Sangeeta Singh said making these models helped to inculcate the scientific temperament among the students and a sense of enquiry into every process.

Amritsar, November 2
The fourth international Shah Mohammad fair will be organised by the Shah Mohammad Memorial Charitable Trust on November 13 on the common land of three villages of Wadala, Veerum and Bhoma on the grounds of Government Senior Secondary School.

In a press note issued here today, Manjit Singh Bhoma, president of the society, said preparations for making the fair successful had begun on the war-footing and teams of organisers were being constituted.

He said the general public would be reminded of the messages of the great poet at the mela. The event, he said, had also become a way of contributing to the development of the area.

In the year, the road between Majithia to Fatehgarh Churian was got re-carpeted and later the native village of Shah Mohammad was included in the list of 14 hictoric villages.

On November 13, a declamation contest would be organised for school students, where district education officer Davinder Pal Singh Dhillon would be the chief guest. In the post lunch-session, a cultural programme would be organised and famour Punjabi singers Sunita Bhatti and Dalwinder Dayalpuri would perform. Model and anchor Jasmine Bhatti, Jyoti and Avtar Deepak would also feature in the programme.

Minister for information and public relations Bikramjit Singh Majithia, Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu are also expected to participate in the celebrations.

Amritsar, November 2
Amritsar’s lad Amrinder Gill, who had shot to fame with his hit album “Dildarian”, is back with his new album “Ishq”, which is a continuation of his association with music director Sukhshinder Chhinda.

“The video of the title song has been shot in Mumbai by Amarjeet Sawant and we are anticipating good response to the remaining nine songs as well.

Even the funny numbers have a social message in them and there is a song on the ill-effects of alcohol,” he says.

“Romance may be the theme of the album, but no Punjabi album is complete without a couple of dance numbers. Keeping in mind the changing taste of the audience, we have also added one remix number,” he adds.

Dedicating his album to the people of Amritsar, Gill said though he got to spend little time in Amritsar because of his overseas tours and recording schedules, Amritsar is where his heart is.

“I grew up in Amritsar and my family still stays in our house in Ranjit Avenue. I have travelled to different countries but there is truly no place like one’s hometown. Amritsar being a heritage city is all the more special and its unique culture is unmatched,” he says.

“There have been many funny instances during my tours abroad. I remember how one of my fans desperately tried to reach me while I was coming out of the venue after a show. He was stopped by the security and I could not forget his disappointed look. Later, I got a chance to meet him and I invited him to have a one-to-one meeting with me,” he recalls.

“I had released pop albums at regular intervals ever since I started singing in 2000, but it was ‘Dildarian’ which made people on the streets recognise me. The credit goes to composer Chhinda who give a wide-reaching appeal to the album,” he says.

Amritsar. November 2
A road show was organised by "Proline Fitness", an American fitness equipment company at district shopping centre, Ranjit Avenue and opposite Khalsa College.

The highlight of the event was the ARM wrestling. More than 150 persons participated in the event.

The northern sales head of the company, Ranveer, said the event was organised to spread the health message among the youth, especially of the border district.

“We want that youth should stay away from drugs. They should adopt a healthy lifestyle and maintain a strict fitness regime,” he added.