Moga, July 4
District Magistrate (DM) of Moga Satwant Singh Johal has asked the general manager of the District Industries Centre (DIC) to lodge an FIR against two sand mining contractors of the mining sites of villages Jhandeana and Indergarh for alleged violations of Mining Act.

Revealing this to TNS here today, the DM said during a recent visit to these areas, he had found that in gross violation of the Act, the contractors were extracting sand from the sides of highways.

He said that it was observed that these contractors were digging the land several metres deep to extract sand and left it unfilled, which could result in a tragedy anytime.

Johal said as per the rules of the Act, sand/stones within a 50 metre distance from the edge of an existing highway or link road could not be extracted. “In these cases, it has been observed that the contractors were extracting sand just few feet away from the roadsides,” the DM informed.

The district administration would not only register an FIR against the two contractors for violating the rules but would also serve a notice on them to bring that land to its original status within a week. Failing to do so, a survey would be conducted on the spot immediately to assess the money needed to fill that land to original status and the amount would be recovered from the contractors, the DM added.

Meanwhile, the DM also asked the GM of the DIC to stop all unauthorised and illegal mining being carried in the district and ensure the implementation of the Mining Act in letter and spirit.

It may be mentioned that the two contractors had good connections with the higher-ups in the ruling parties. It was learnt that they were trying to exert political pressure on the bureaucracy to prevent the registration of an FIR against them because it could also lead to cancellation of their mining contract.

Abohar, July 4
The Technical Services Union of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) had resolved to organise a sit-in (dharna) at divisional offices on July 10, circle secretary of the union, Balwinder Singh, said today.

Briefing newsmen this evening, he said that in response to the call given by the state struggle committee, meetings would be held at sub-divisional offices of the PSEB to mobilise workers for the July 10 dharna.

The strategy was discussed today during a meeting presided over by Muktsar circle president Hem Raj here. Senior TSU office-bearers including Krishan Ghayal, Sunder Paul and Om Parkash participated in the discussions.

They claimed that CM Parkash Singh Badal had on April 8 assured a deputation of the joint action committee that all TSU workers who had been placed under suspension or terminated in the past for spearheading the agitation against unbundling of the PSEB would be reinstated. He had also agreed to get the Electricity Bill-2003 rejected by the Assembly besides bidding adieu to outsourcing, as the same was a part of the process of unbundling.

But it now appeared that the CM had bluffed the workers to get their agitation postponed in view of the PRI and civic elections, they rued.

Demonstrations were to be held there before taking out the “Chetawani March” (warning rally) through the main roads of each town, the spokesman added.

The workers were also being mobilised to hold black flag demonstrations against the CM and power minister whenever they go, the union added.

Bathinda, July 4
The three-day old truckers’ strike has been called off following an agreement between the transporters and the government after marathon negotiations that lasted for over eight hours.

The truckers have been demanding rollback of hike in toll tax, honouring of service tax agreement of 2004, and availability of non-branded diesel and removal of speed governors on the highways.

“All our issues on service tax have been resolved and the provisions of agreement reached in 2004 will be honoured,” All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) president Charan Singh Lohara told reporters here.

Earlier, the Bathinda Transporters Union on a call given by AIMTC, claimed that the strike on the first day had an overall impact of about 85 per cent in halting the movement of goods carrier within the state. The mass protest on Wednesday had crippled industrial activity in many parts of the country, although transporters maintained supply of essentials like fuel.

“Even our problems relating to speed governors and mechanical tax have also been resolved,” Dinesh Goyal, secretary, Bathinda Transporters Union, said and added that all service tax notices sent to truckers would be withdrawn as per the agreement.

The truckers had stopped service since midnight on July 2 and held a series of meetings with government officials.

Bathinda, July 4
The police was clueless and groping in the dark as the investigations into yesterday’s robbery in Parasram Nagar area made no headway.

The masked men had robbed the bank at gun point during the lunch break yesterday and decamped with cash amounting Rs 20.70 lakh. Senior Superintendent of Police Naunihal Singh expressed the hope that some headway would be made by tomorrow.

Police sources informed that a special investigative team headed by Manminder Singh, SP (H) and Harsh Bansal, ASP, has been constituted to nab the culprits.

Manminder Singh who took charge of the investigation said that the culprits appeared to be professional and had left no clue. He said the fingerprint report was yet to be received and it could be helpful.

He also said the bank staff was under the scanner as the delay on the part of the staff in informing the police about the robbery afforded the culprits enough time to escape from the scene of the crime.

Meanwhile, suspects with a criminal past are being questioned and investigations are moving in the right direction, he claimed. He further said that the police is hopeful of getting some important clue in the next 24 hours.

It may be recalled here that just two days before the bank robbery, five unidentified miscreants had robbed a Tribune staffer at gunpoint of his bike and mobile phone in the heart of the city.

Bathinda, July 4
The Punjab Police constantly finds themselves plagued by allegations, whether it is about bribery, criminal assault on women.

This time, a constable Gurjant Singh of Bhucho police post has come under the scanner for falsely implicating a youth, Rajeev Kumar of village Chak Fateh Singh Wala, in a case relating to the Narcotics Act.

Narrating the plight, Rajiv’s mother, Krishna Devi said he was running a grocery shop and managed a PCO. She said his son was the sole breadwinner of the family.

Showing the copy of an affidavit submitted to SSP, Vigilance, Bathinda, Krishna Devi said the constable used to visit his shop and sought bribe. When the boy refused, the constable threatened to implicate him in a false case.

Producing a CD, she further alleged that getting irritated over repeated threats issued by the constable, Rajeev captured his activity through a hidden camera.

On June 26, the constable came to his shop and asked for the bribe. After Rajeev refused, he took him and his friend to the police post at Bhucho and threatened to implicate them in a drug case.

The matter was reported to SSP Bathinda, who passed it on to a DSP level officer. When the DSP confirmed the facts, the Bhucho police stated that Rajeev had admitted to keeping poppy husk at his house. In the presence of panchayat members and others, when police conducted a raid, no such thing could however be found.

As per the allegations, the Nathana police booked him under sections 15, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act and on June 29, sent him to Central Jail, Bathinda. The lady pleaded for justice through the media.

However, refuting the allegations of falsely implicating Rajeev in the case, in-charge Bhucho police post, Gursewak Singh, said, “Rajeev Kumar and his friend were coming on a motorcycle when they were nabbed near Tungwali with 10 kg of poppy husk in their possession.”

When asked about the visuals relating to the constable accepting bribe, he said if found guilty, the cop would face the music.

Mansa, July 4
SHO, Sardoolgarh, Gurdeep Singh was today suspended folowing allegations of irregularities at the time of municipal elections. He was deputed at Sardoolgarh and was suspended on the basis of a report by the DSP. SSP Mansa M.F. Farooqi said that he was sent to the police lines after suspension after the charge of negligence in duty on the day of the municipal council elections in Sardoolgarh.

It is notable that on the election day, the SAD and Congress workers clashed during the polling in some wards of Sardoogarh.

Congress MLA and district president of the Congress, Ajitinder Singh Moffer, had alleged that a Akali worker had fired at him at the polling booths.

Nearly, six Congress MLAs of Mansa and Bathinda districts had met the DGP, Punjab, in connection with the alleged police negligence.

The Congress MLAs had alleged that the police did not take any action against the Akali worker, who fired at the Congress MLA. — OC

Moga, July 4
A conductor working in the Jagraon depot (Ludhiana district) of the Punjab Roadways was accidentally crushed to death under a private mini-bus on the premises of the main bus stand here this afternoon.

As per the details available, Gursewak Singh, a resident of Bode village of this district was standing behind a private mini-bus bearing number PB-29D-9636 when the driver of the bus reversed the vehicle. The conductor was crushed under the rear wheels of the bus. He was immediately rushed to the local civil hospital by the driver of the mini-bus but was declared brought dead by the doctors.

SHO of the City-1 police station, Ram Singh, when contacted, said the accident was not reported to the police. However, the police would soon look into the matter and take appropriate action, he added.

In another accident, a 19-year-old died on the spot when his motorcycle rammed into a car near Baghapurana in the district late last night. The deceased has been identified as Vakil Singh, son of Buta Singh and a resident of Samalsar village.

Abohar, July 4
The roofs of two houses on the same street in Arya Nagar here caved in last night. A woman and her daughter had a miraculous escape in the first, while two persons sustained injuries in the second incident, sources said.

One Shanti Devi resides along with her daughter Rameshwari in a semi-pucca house in street number 2 of the Arya Nagar locality across the railway station. She informed that on Thursday, the roof of her house caved in but they narrowly escaped. The roof had not been repaired after the heavy rainfall. 

In the same locality, the roof of another house caved in at around the same time. One Mohan Lal said that his son was attending to a guest when the roof caved in, causing injuries to both of them besides damaging goods including TV, bed and fans. Both had to be admitted to the civil hospital here.

Ferozepur, July 4
A couple has been booked by the Zira police for the non-payment of a bank loan. The officials of Punjab and Sindh Bank informed that Satnam Singh and his wife Rajinder Kaur took a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh in year 2001 for business purpose. But, the couple did not pay back even a single installment.

The bank authorities vainly approached them for the same. When all measures proved inadequate, a complaint was lodged with the police in September 2007.

After probe, the police found that the couple was at fault and registered a case under the IPC against the duo at the Zira police station. 

Abohar, July 4
The directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court notwithstanding, the peter rehras, also called ‘Gharuka’ or ‘Maruta’ in the local parlance, continue to pose a threat to human lives in this region due to apathy or neglect of the police and transport departments.

One Paul Masih (55) was hit seriously by such an unauthorised four-wheeler today. He was talking to the priest near the DSP office when a ‘Maruta’ ran over him while negotiating a turn. The driver fled from the scene after the mishap leaving behind his illegal vehicle.

The victim was shifted to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital where the emergency ward spokesman confirmed that Paul had fracture in a leg besides head injury.

Expressing concern over the incident, the Consumer Movement, an NGO, flayed the authorities for not impounding such dangerous vehicles even when the HC had taken a serious view of the lapses. — OC