Amritsar, April 21
The road relaying work and setting up of tubewells in various areas of the Amritsar South constituency is going on at fast pace even though the code of conduct has come into effect from April 16 in wake of the assembly bypoll, scheduled for May 22.

Notably, the state government had earlier announced to give city a makeover to boost the religious tourism. For the purpose Rs 100 crore had been sanctioned to the municipal corporation few months ago. Even billboards displaying “Chakk-de-Amritsar” had been put up in various parts of the city, thanking the state government for the largesse. However, sources claim not even a single penny has been spent on the development work after the release of the money.

The corporation officials, it seems, have suddenly woken up from their slumber and started the patchwork and relaying of the roads on a war-footing in various parts of the constituency, including Arjun Nagar road, leading to Sultanwind area, and Bharat Nagar.

Harjinder Singh Thekedar, a Congress ticket aspirant, while talking to The Tribune said he has submitted a complaint to the Punjab Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal in this regard. He said the ruling combine was trying to lure the voters by initiating various project works which defy the code of conduct.

The date of the bypoll has been announced as May 22. The seat fell vacant after the demise of SAD MLA Raminder Singh Bularia. All India Shiromani Akali Dal has already announced Satnam Singh Kanda as their candidate. However, the SAD and the Congress are yet to make formal announcements of their candidates

It was uniquely visionary planning of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that gave the holy city of Amritsar its architectural splendor and people-friendly infrastructure. But today, all has changed. The unplanned growth of the city coupled with the haphazard road network has robbed the city of its beauty.

MC commissioner DPS Kharbanda said the ongoning work is being done by the sewerage board authorities. “The work has been going on for the past one-and-a-half months. The people in the area were facing acute scarcity of water and the demand for a tubewell was a long pending one. It has nothing to do with the elections,” he added.

One of the backward constituencies in the district, which also houses the grain market, lacks basic amenities. The major roads, including the one leading to Tarn Taran and Chabal are particularly in a bad shape.

Hoshiarpur, April 21
Three people died while four were injured in two accidents which took place on the Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh highway at Saila Khurd here on Sunday night. The drivers of two vehicles (an Alto and a Gypsy) failed to notice a mound of sand and bricks on the road which caused them to lose control over their vehicles.

According to police sources, Narinder Kumar of Saila Khurd, who had started construction work of his new shops in the town, had allegedly piled up the sand and bricks on the highway, covering more than half of it, and a water tanker had also been haphazardly parked there.

Due to darkness in the night, the driver of the Alto, Mohan Lal of Khanpur (Ferozepur), who failed to notice the sand piled on the road, drove the car over the heap of sand due to which he lost control over the steering and after hitting seven-month pregnant Kulwinder Kaur (23), her younger sister Monica and aunt Harpal Kaur, rammed into the main wall of the house.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Gypsy also failed to notice the piled sand and drove his vehicle over it due to which his jeep over turned. The residents of the area pulled out the driver from the car.

Kulwinder Kaur and the driver of the Alto, died on the spot, and the former's aunt, Harpal Kaur, succumbed to her injuries at the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar.

While Monica and the driver of the Gypsy, Yogesh Kumar of Hoshiarpur, were admitted to Civil Hospital, Garhshankar.

The Garhshankar police has registered a case under sections 283, 304A, 337 and 427 of the IPC against Narinder Kumar.

Hoshiarpur, April 21
Minister for medical education and research, parliamentary affairs, labour and forest Tikshan Sud today gave licences to 23 wood-related industrial units here.

Punjab Chief conservator Harbhajan Singh was also present.

Sud said earlier the Supreme Ccourt had closed sawmill industrial units and had constituted a centre-powered committee to issue licences to the owners.

After getting cleared its case from the committee, the Punjab forests department had got the sanction to restart these sawmills with the right procedure. In Hoshiarpur division, sanction to 113 units had been given and out of them eight licences had been released earlier. Licences to 23 had been released today.

With the decision of the state government, wood traders, farmers and people would be benefited.

Owners of those units who had already obtained permission should deposit their licence fees at the earliest to get the licence, said Tiksan Sud.

Hoshiarpur, April 21
President of the Citizen Welfare Council (CWC), Hoshiarpur, and a senior citizen Om Parkash Saini received threats to his life and property from some milkmen of local Islamabad area for raising his voice against the recent hike in the rates of milk and its by-products by dairy owners and halwais (sweet makers) of the city through print media.

In a representation to SSP, Hoshiarpur, here today, Saini stated that he, along with his friend, was strolling in the local Green View Park on Sunday evening when about eight milkmen of the Islamabad area came there and threatened to kill him and to destroy his house if he got any news item against increase in the prices of milk published in future.

Saini, along with other office bearers of the Citizen Welfare Council including principal DL Anand (Retd.), met the SSP and demanded suitable action against the culprits. He has also sent the copy of his complaint to the deputy commissioner.

The SSP has instructed the SHO city police station to look into the matter, claimed Saini.

Meanwhile, the District and Food Supply Controller (DFSC), Hoshiarpur, today called a meeting of the dairy owners and halwais to roll back the recent increase made in the rates of milk and its by-products. — OC