NEIGHBOURHOOD

Equipment factory gutted
Our Correspondent

A fire tender tries to control a blaze at a chemical factory in Ambala Cantonmenton Friday. A Tribune photograph

Zirakpur, April 18
Punjab cooperation minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh has decided to review the progress of various projects sanctioned by the state and Centre governments on a weekly basis so that their speedy implementation could be made possible.

Presiding over a meeting of officers of sewage and water supply, power and other departments of the area and former MCs, he said earlier he used to review implementation of projects at his office but now he would do the same in the field and on the spot so that views of people of the area concerned could be ascertained for speedy implementation of the projects.

Directing the officers of water supply to commission four tubewells in the area by May 31, he said for giving water in the coming summer season to residents of the city, steps should be taken to speed up the work on these tubewells. He directed the SDM to hold a meeting with bankers and pension officials concerned to check discrepancies in preparation of lists of beneficiaries and disbursal of pension.

Many residents of the area complained about the depilated condition of roads and refusal of management of various schools to ply their buses for picking up children. Responding to the problem, the minister directed to complete the main roads particularly of Baltana at the earliest.

Fatehgarh Sahib, April 18
The district police has busted a gang of cheats involved in forging documents to get bails for accused in various cases from the judicial courts.

According to SSP Dr Kaustubh Sharma, the gang was busted by SP (detective) Shamsher Singh Boparai and his team. The SSP said the gang, whose members included a woman, used to forge documents to bail out accused in any given case. Later, the accused used to go underground and become proclaimed offenders.

The police chief said the Mullenpur police had received vital information about the gang from one of the local patwaris. Acting on the tip-off, the police raided a number of places and arrested kingpin of the gang Jagtar Singh. The other two members of the gang have been identified as Narinder Singh and Sheela Devi, who are yet to be arrested. The SSP said efforts to detain the other two culprits had been stepped up.

The SSP said the gang was active in this area for quite sometime and had forged documents for a number of criminals. He said the police was further investigating the matter to ascertain whether the gang had been helping criminals in other parts of the state also.

Meanwhile, a case under Sections 420, 467 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the three accused at the Fatehgarh Sahib police station. 

Patiala, April 18
The department of journalism and mass communication of Punjabi University has decided to start job-oriented courses from the next academic session.

Giving this information, head of the department Dr Gurmeet Maan said the new courses to be started included a one-year postgraduate diploma in audio-visual production (PGDA-UP), master of philosophy and PG diploma in Punjabi journalism.

Vice-chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh has already given his consent to start these courses and directed the MPhil course committee and board of studies to prepare syllabi and ordinances for these courses. Punjabi University will be the first university in the region to start these courses.

Earlier, it had earned the distinction of being the first university in the region to start PhD.

In addition to this, the Academic Committee of the Department (ACD) had also taken a decision to drastically revise its existing syllabi with a view to lay more focus on the applied and practical components in various courses run by it, through regular and correspondence streams.

The new subjects to be introduced from the next session include marketing management, business journalism and media management, spiritual communication and new media technology. The department is also considering the proposal of the Urdu department to start a short-term course in Urdu journalism.

Considering the ever-increasing demand of skilled media candidates in various media organisations, the ACD has also recommended to start a bachelor of media studies (BMS) course in colleges affiliated to the university.

Patiala, April 18
The historic Sheranwala Gate, overlooking the Mall Road, is waiting to be inaugurated even though the imposing structure has been ready for almost three months now.

Sheranwala Gate awaits inauguration even after three months of completion in Patiala. A Tribune photograph

It was during former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s regime that the decision to have a new gate built near the head office of State Bank of Patiala was taken. The project ran into trouble even before it took off as the SBoP management moved court against it. It contended that the grandeur of the bank head office building would be lost in case a huge structure was built next to it.

However, the court rejected the bank’s contention and the project got a green signal. Work on the gate was assigned to PWD which completed the project in a record period at the cost of Rs 46 lakh.

It is proposed that scriptures of Hindus, Sikhs, Mulims and Christians would be kept in the four rooms on the first floor of the gate where priests deputed by the Dharamarth Board would be responsible for taking care of the holy books. However, for reasons unknown, the entry to the first floor has been locked ever since the completion of the gate.

Municipal commissioner M.P. Arora today confirmed that the civic body had already taken over the structure following a resolution passed in the house of the corporation. He added that he was not sure when the historical structure would be formally inaugurated. Even as the Sheranwala Gate awaits a formal inauguration, it has been thrown open to traffic. Traffic flow has been normal despite apprehensions in the minds of old timers who thought that the new building will prove to be a traffic bottleneck.

Patiala, April 18
Due to laxity on part of the local municipal corporation, people are openly encroaching upon the land earmarked under the much-hyped town planning scheme initiated by the town planner. Plots have been taken over by certain individuals and being used for purposes other than as envisaged by the town planner.

All these alleged encroachments would have been swept under the carpet had the Punjab and Haryana High Court not come into the picture and asked the municipal corporation to come out with facts. On its part, the MC will place on record, its report on April 28.

Certain colonies like Desi Mehmandari Colony (power house area), Rajpura Colony and Vikas Colony are the worst affected and people have even taken over parks and set up their own constructions, allegedly with the backing of certain political figures.
In Desi Mehmandari Colony, a person has set up a godown on a vacant plot while a marriage palace has constructed a boundary wall in Rajpura Colony for growing vegetables. In Vikas Colony, some persons are allegedly farming on a piece of land meant for Pingalwara. In the same colony, another person has set up a seven-feet-high boundary wall which has been rented out to a reputed company.

According to sources, under TP scheme No 20, a particular road had been envisaged but the same was nowhere to be seen now after the encroachments came up. Under TP scheme No 623, two roads had to be built in a park.

Kharar, April 18
Agencies procuring wheat from grain markets are not paying farmers in time. Not only the farmers are suffering at the hands of the agencies, even the bought stock is not being lifted from the market.

At the Kharar grain market, Punsup, an agency, has not made any payment against its procurement since April 4. The agency's dues have been pending. As per rules, the agencies are supposed to pay commission agents, who then make payments to the farmers.

While Pungrain had last made payments at the Kharar grain market on April 14, Punjab Agro's last payment was done on April 13. All this was done despite tall claims by the government wherein officials were directed to make payments within a day of purchase.

Kharar SDM R.K. Gupta paid a visit to the grain market and talked with Punsup regarding the pending payment. He later told The Tribune that the Punsup officials had assured that they would get Rs 3 crore from the government by tomorrow and would make payments accordingly.

Similarly, Punjab Agro has not lifted 10,000 quintal wheat procured from Kharar grain market. This entire stock of the agency is left to face vagaries of the weather with unseasonal rains playing havoc on the grains. The stock is left in the open. Thin plastic covers spread on it during rains do little to save grains from soaking moisture.

Acute shortage of labour, mainly migrants, has resulted in this problem. Sources said the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had already filled its stock. "As per rules, all purchasing agencies first stock FCI godowns and then their own godowns. The FCI godowns are full by now and it’s taking time for the agencies to store stock in their godowns," added market committee chairman Gurmohan Singh.

Since labourers are required to store the stock and load it into trucks, the agencies are unable to store the entire stock.aAt the Kharar grain market, Punjab Agro is the lead agency in procuring wheat. Till April 16, it had procured 26,884 quintal wheat from the grain market.

Mohali, April 18
It was a day full of activities at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium where the first match of Kings XI Punjab against Chennai Super Kings is going to be played tomorrow at 5 pm.

Bollywood star Preity Zinta supervises the proceedings at the PCA stadium, Mohali, on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

While Players from both teams were seen sweating out at the nets, a large force of workers was busy giving the finishing touches to the venue.

Franchisees Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia, PCA president I.S. Bindra, honorary secretary M.P. Pandove besides police and government officials were seen supervising the proceedings. Preity was seen passing instructions to the workers from time to time.

“Tomorrow is the real test of our efforts, which we have been putting in for the past two months,” said Preity.

Besides cricket, the focus is on the entertainment, which will start at 4 pm and last for 10 minutes in the first part. In the second part, it will start at 4.40 pm and culminate at 4.50 pm.

A stage has been set up at the northern end of the stadium near the sight screen.

“We have engaged as many as 50 ‘dholis’ and bhangra teams, which will perform during the slots. Apart from that, pop singer Daler Mehndi will enthral the audience,” said Preity.

On the food front, stalls selling snacks have been set up in every stand. The rates of the items will be on the higher side and the spectators will have to shell out Rs 15 for a patty, Rs 20 for sandwich and bread omelette, Rs 25 and Rs 30 for hotdog and burger, respectively.

As many as seven matches (April 19, 25, 27, May 3,12, 14 and 23) out of total 59 would be played at the stadium. According to the organisers, the gates of the stadium will be opened for public at 2 pm. 

Mohali, April 18
The Punjab Police has once again offered its services to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) for the “safe” conduct of the Indian Premier league matches without charging for the same. The matches are beginning here from tomorrow. Compare this situation with the one in Kolkata where the city police has charged the IPL whopping Rs 75 lakh for providing security at Eden Gardens.

The SAS Nagar police has deployed 800 of its men around the stadium for its three-tier security ring. Policemen have also been called from the Patiala range for the five matches, the first of which is scheduled for tomorrow.

The PCA already owes almost Rs 2 crore to the Punjab Police for the services it has been providing for the past five years during various international and national matches. The issue of who is going to pay for the police security generally gets lost in the hype generated by the PCA members about the importance of the matches being held.

The laxity of the Mohali police in not demanding what is due to them has once again allowed the PCA and IPL to take them for a ride. “We have not asked for any money as providing security to VIPs, who come to the stadium to watch the match, is our duty,” said SAS Nagar SSP R.S. Khatra. He, however, added that this issue should be taken up by his seniors.

The PCA stadium will host all seven matches to be played by Kings XI Punjab owned by Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia. Interestingly, just like the PCA, Eden Gardens is also hosting seven matches and the police there had demanded Rs 2 crore for the security arrangements. However, the final amount was settled at Rs 75 lakh for one-and-a-half month.

Other than 800 policemen, most of the officers of the Mohali police, including SHOs of the various police stations, would be at the stadium. This is bound to inconvenience the public who would be visiting the police stations only to find the SHOs and majority of the staff missing. The SHOs have been made in charge of the various areas in the ground. “With only a meagre crowd expected tomorrow, we would be twiddling our thumbs through the match,” said a policeman.

For residents of the township, the matches extending over a month is not a welcome news. Worst affected would be those who are living around the stadium in Phase IX. “Had we known that we are going to go through so much trouble because of our proximity to the stadium, we would never have bought property here. Every time during the matches, we have to beg the cops to allow us to go to our house,” said Surinder Kaur.

Punjab DGP N.P.S. Aulakh said he would be writing to the home department regarding charging of fee from the IPL for providing security arrangements during the matches. “If the Kolkata Police is being paid for their services, I don’t see why the Punjab Police should not be paid,” he said.

Mohali, April 18
Finally, Punjab seamer Gagandeep Singh got his due.

The talented fast bowler, who had been neglected during the high-profile auction of the IPL players by the franchisees, caught the attention of Kings XI Punjab coach Tom Moody with his bowling talent during the practice matches being held at the PCA stadium for the past two days.

According to one of the organisers, Gagan has been roped in the Mohali team, only the formalities of signing the contract have to be completed.

“Though he would not play in the tomorrow’s match, he will be in the team for the coming ties,” said the organiser.

He claiming seven wickets, including of James Hopes, Brett Lee, Piyush Chawla and Tanmay Srivastava, during the practice matches of the local team.

During today’s practice session, Moody specially called Gagan for bowling practice and supervised him minutely. He was also seen giving tips to the player, who has 243 Ranji wickets in 59 matches in his kitty.

In 2005, Gagan was also selected for the Bangladesh tour but was not given any chance to play.

Talking to The Tribune, Gagandeep said, “I am very happy with the development. If given a chance, I will prove my worth.”

When asked Preity about the player’s selection in the team, she said, “It is the coach’s job. I will be happy to have him (Gagan) in my team, if Tom wants him.” 

Chandigarh, April 18
ZEDA, the equestrian apparel brand of Divyam Knitwear Ltd, today made 10-year-old local budding equestrian Zoravar Singh Thiara its brand ambassador.

Making an announcement at the Chandigarh Press Club, Sector 27, S.K. Jain, chairman of Divyam Knitwear, said their brand ZEDA would provide all equestrian requirements of the horse riding industry.

“Zoravar has been appropriately chosen to represent ZEDA, owing to his remarkable achievements. Zoravar has already bagged the title of the 'Best Child Rider' twice at the Delhi Horse Show. A positive attitude, excellent know how of the sport, the exact practice and training with some of the best horses for Dressage in India, has made Zoravar the ideal choice for our product,” Jain said.

Chandigarh, April 18
An amount of Rs 600 nearly proved to be fatal for 25-year-old Vijay, when 55-year-old Suraj Nath Chaudhary stabbed him in Apni Mandi, Sector 46, here this morning. Vijay was rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, where his condition is said to be critical.

According to information, Suraj Nath, who lends money to vegetable vendors, went to collect Rs 600 that Vijay owed him at around 11:20 am. When Vijay showed his inability to return the money, a heated argument ensued and Suraj stabbed him four times.

Meanwhile police was informed at Vijay was rushed to the hospital, where he is still reported to be unconscious. Relatives of the victim informed that Suraj was in the profession from the last 10 years and had threatened the vegetable vendors a number of times. They alleged that Suraj was involved in a number of such cases in his native village in Bihar. Suraj was handed over to the police by the other vegetable vendors present on the spot. According to Sudarshan Thakur, SHO, police station, Section 34, the accused has been booked under Section 324 and 506 of the IPC. 

Chandigarh, April 18
Nidhi, a resident of Ambala, reported to the police that some unknown occupants of a car snatched her gold chain from outside gate number 3 of the Panjab University today. A case has been registered at police station-11.

Chandigarh, April 18
Commercialisation in the film industry has given rise to glamour, money and vulgarity whereas the most essential ingredient, passion in an artiste, is missing these days.

Meeta Vashisht, a renowned film and TV actress, shared these views with The Tribune at a book release function “One Master One Disciple” at Browser here today.

Talking about her television and film experiences, Meeta stated that she has worked in both these industries and her work as an actor always satisfied her on every platform.

She remarked that now the industry was more tilted towards the glamour rather than having true actors who had joined the industry to satisfy their internal passion and work for the promotion of art.

Sharing her experience, Meeta said many young artistes come to her to seek her guidance to become successful actors in the industry and the first question she asks them is whether they can live without food, money and luxurious life.

If the answer is in yes, then they are fit for this profession. The irony of this industry is that it is moving towards its disaster and many people have misgiving that it is a moneymaking profession rather than any other passion, she added.

For Meeta acting is a strange discipline where the artiste unconsciously goes towards a spiritual path that connects actor’s body, mind and spirit with each other and give him or her strengthen to perform best.

While talking about her upcoming projects, Meeta said her two movies were ready to be screened soon - “Aladdin” and “Care Mr Azaogur and Family”.

Talking about her role in “Aladdin”, she said she was playing a part of martial art expert and Amitabh Bachchan is “gin” in the movie.

Talking about the other movie, she said it was a light comedy, which would be liked by the audience very much.

When asked why she was missing from the small screen for a long time, she replied that she was working on a movie project of her own.

She said the movie was more or less about the burning issues, which she feels, should be highlighted for betterment of society.

She said this film was a story of three persons and their life in Mumbai. 

Chandigarh, April 18
Apparently jolted by yesterday’s raids by the district administration on their establishments in the Grain Market, Sector 26, traders today suggested certain measures to control the rising prices.

Although representatives of the Grain Market Association, the Chakki Owners Association and traders’ apex body — Chandigarh Beopar Mandal(CBM) - met here today to ‘deplore the unwarranted action of the administration in raiding the shops’. However, they ended up suggesting certain measures to control price rise.

“A complete ban on the futures trading of essential commodities such as wheat, pulses and edible oils will go a long way in checking price rise. With the traders indulging in futures trading in the adjoining states the traders of a non-producing area like Chandigarh get essential commodities at higher prices, forcing them to sell these commodities at high prices,” said CBM chairman MP Kohli.

Echoing similar sentiments, Charanjiv Singh, CBM president, regretted that the Chandigarh administration was yet to accede to the demand of the traders for exemption of VAT on pulses and grains on the Delhi pattern. Since Chandigarh gets all these products from other states after paying central sales tax(CST), freight and cartage, the goods are purchased at high prices from these states and have to be sold accordingly, said Charanjiv.

B.K. Sood, another trader, said since Chandigarh was a non-producing state it has very little role in fixing the prices.

President of the grain market Bhim Sen claimed that establishments in the grain markets solely depended on importing pulses and grains from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. However, authorities and general public suspect that certain unscrupulous traders are indulging in hoarding of essential commodities, particularly in large godowns outside the grain market. In fact, the latest registration norms under the VAT regime made it mandatory for traders to mention their godowns along with shops in a bid to curb hoarding.

In fact, the raids were largely seen as an upshot of the repeated complaints of hoarding against traders. 

Chandigarh, April 18
Fifty-three small savings agents, including 29 Mahila Pradhan Kshetriya Bachat Yojana agents, were honoured during the Women Savings Day function held at Central State Library, here yesterday.

Naresh Soni won the first prize in the women agents category by yielding a business of Rs 1.06 crore, Kamal Chabbra won the second prize by getting business worth Rs 89.70 lakh and Santana Dass won the third prize by getting Rs 82.53 lakh business. Among other agents, Suresh kumar won the first prize by getting a business of Rs 6.69 crore, followed by R.K. Jindal (Rs 4.93 crore) and Raminder Kaur (Rs 4.25 crore).

Niharika Rai, SDM (East), who was the chief guest on the occasion, highlighted the role of women in the development of the country’s economy. She also lauded the role of small savings agents, where people have contributed more than Rs 3.19 crore till February 2008. Rajiv Sagar, regional director, National Savings Institute, Delhi, highlighted the importance of the day and said 1.3 lakh Mahila Pradhan Kshetriya Bachat Yojana agents were working in the country, out of which 12,500 were operating in Chandigarh.