Hoshiarpur, December 18
Punjab State Information Commission has asked the district food and supply controller (DFSC), to appear before it on 28th of this month for not supplying information under the Information Act 2005, to a member of the Human Empowerment League of Punjab (HELP).

The assistant food and supply officer, Garhshankar, in his letter to the deputy registrar of the commission instructed the above said officer, either to appear before it personally or send assistant public information officer of the department on the said date failing which the decision in this case would be taken in their absence.

Parwinder Singh Kitna, member HELP, in his complaint dated October 3, stated that he was denied information which he had asked from the assistant food and supply officer, Garhshankar, on August 27, for issuing a ration card to those persons who had migrated from other places to the area from
October 1, 2006 till March 31, 2007.

He also asked for copies of deletion or surrender certificates required for preparing the ration cards. The said officer failed to supply the information on various pretexts even after 30 days. When Parwinder Singh told him about the Information Act 2005, the officer pleaded that he had no time for supplying such information. 

Jalandhar, December 18
The police solved the blind murder of Shivpal, alias Rinku, resident of Basti Sheikh, who had been missing under mysterious circumstances since December 14.

SP (city I) S.K. Kalia said Vinod Kumar, Jitendra and Gian, alias Sonu, had killed him due to some old enmity and dumped the body in a pond in the Basti area.

While Vinod and Jitendra have been arrested, Gian is still absconding.

The SP said Shivpal’s family members had lodged a missing person report at police division number five.

The police today interrogated Vinod and Jitendra on suspicion and they confessed to having committed the crime.

The body was recovered and sent to civil hospital for post-mortem examination.

An FIR under section 302 and 365 of the IPC had been registered and hunt was on to arrest the third accused, he added.  

Jalandhar, December 18
The search for her roots has brought Charlotte Vij from Londonderry in Northern Ireland to Talwan village, near Jalandhar.

All that she remembers of India are two dusty and hot summer months spent in 1967 when the entire Vij clan, parents and seven siblings, travelled by road to this small village after disembarking from a ship at Mumbai.

The tale she tells, is about the indomitable spirit of the Indians, including her father, Tara Chand, who travelled to Ireland in the winter of 1949 to join his uncle, Salig Ram. The latter was among the first Indians to go to Ireland in the 20s, who subsequently sent for their clansmen and families.

A spinster, Charlotte (56) works in the main library in her city, on the banks of the Foyle estuary. She recalls the problems faced by the first families who went there.

“They did not know the language and the severe winters were unbearable. But that did not deter them. My father sold clothes from house to house and was among the first to introduce the concept of selling merchandise on credit among the rural folk,” she added.

“The worst affected were women, including her mother Chand Rani, who kept house but did not have anyone to talk to, since her sister- in- law was Scottish,” she said.

“The culture was alien and the Irish families forbid their children to talk to us saying that we were heathen and would be a bad influence on them. But things changed later on and today they are much aware about our culture and ethos,” she said.

Charlotte said the death of her brother in October this year, triggered the desire to know more of her roots before she died.

“I have visited my village and was pleased to know that my grandfather, Dewan Chand, had set up a school that has now been taken over by the government. After going back I plan to raise some money for the school so that the poor kids could have a bright future,” she revealed.

“It was also a great moment to visit our ancestral house and talk to the village elders who told me a lot about my forefathers. I plan to spend my winters here in the future and learn more about my culture,” she said.

Commenting on the life there, she said it was a totally white catholic society there with very few Indians, but with the shortage of nurses, a large number of people from Kerala and Poland have come to work in the hospitals.

“Thankfully, the internal conflict that plagued my country for many decades has now been resolved," she added. 

Hoshiarpur, December 18
The 11th anniversary of Malta boat tragedy will be commemorated on December 25 before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Company Bagh, in Jalandhar by the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission. 

It may be recalled that 300 youths belonging to various countries, including 170 from India had drowned in the sea between Italy and Malta on December 25, 1996. Comrade Raj Kumar Niddar, spokesman of the mission, stated in a statement here today stated that relatives and friends of the victims of this tragedy would light lamps before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to pay tributes to the victims. Balwant Singh Khera, chairman of the mission, would present a report on the activity of the mission. A strategy would also be chalked out to solve the pending issues, he added.

The Mission would honour Bibi Jatinder Kaur and her husband Col. T.J. Chandok both leading advocates of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, for rendering free service to the kin of victims of the tragedy. — OC 

Chandigarh, December 18
The Black Arrow brigade of the Western Command commemorated its Battle Honour day, signifying victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, by paying homage to martyrs and honouring the war heroes somewhere in the western sector over the past two days.

This year the celebrations were dedicated to 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal, who was decorated with the Param Vir Chakra. Lieutenant Khetrapal’s memorial, located at Samba, was shifted to the Black Arrow War Memorial at Mamun, which is dedicated to all those who laid down their lives in the Battle of Basantar in 1971. A ‘Remembrance Parade’ was held to pay homage to the martyrs at the war memorial.

It was on this day 36 years ago that the brigade fought the daunting armoured action in the Skakaragah Sector, which resulted in a resounding victory. The brigade assault was spearheaded by the Hodson’s Horse, the Poona Horse and 18 Rajputana Rifles along with other arms and services. This was for the first time since Independence that they were bestowed upon by a common battle honour “Basantar”. So fierce was the battle that in just one day, the enemy lost 50 Patton tanks and its brigade was decimated on the banks of the River Basantar.

By the end of the war the Black Arrow Brigade was the most highly decorated formation in the Army, having won 79 gallantry awards. These included one Param Vir Chakra, five Maha Vir Chakra, 12 Vir Charka and 27 Sena Medal.

War widows were also honoured on the occasion. A large number of retired officers, JCOs and other ranks who had participated in the historic battle were present to motivate the present and future generation of soldiers.

A bronze bust of Lieutenant Khetarpal was unveiled at the Basantar War Memorial Complex. A Sainik Sammelan was also organised. 

Nawanshahr, December 18
In next five years Rs 1280.30 crore would be spent for providing potable water and pollution free environment in all the state villages. This was stated by water supply and sanitation department’s principal secretary J L Kundal during an information campaign at Khatkar Kalan village.

The movement has been launched by the public information bureau to aware people about the various welfare and development schemes undertaken by the Centre and the state governments.

He said the government would ensure that there was public participation in these schemes by constituting village-level committees, who would also monitor functioning of the scheme. According to the scheme 10 per cent of the total cost would be contributed by the village panchayats, he added.

Giving details, the principal secretary said under the scheme 70 litres of water per person and 30 litres of water per cattle would be ensured daily. With the availability of potable water, the occurrence rate of diseases among human beings and livestock would also fall down, he further added.

Kundal also honoured Meena Kumari, Balwinder Kaur, Om Parkash, Dharam Pal, sarpanches of villages Rail Mazra, Nawan Pind Taparian, Raju Mazra and Tonsa, respectively. — OC