Amritsar, August 5
The downpour this morning gave city residents the much-needed respite from the oppressive weather. However, the heavy rainfall inundated the city’s low-lying areas and exposed the poor drainage system. Knee-deep water was seen on many roads. A choked sewerage in many low-lying areas threw normal life out of gear. A large number of schools in the city were forced to close due to low attendance.

Residents of certain areas saw a horrifying time as the gushing water entered houses for the first time during the past few monsoons. However, no damage to public property in any part of the city was reported. The traffic on the busy roads was also affected, with a number of vehicles being stranded due to water entering the engines. The rain redeemed uninterrupted power supply to the city, providing relief from the unscheduled power cuts. — OC

Amritsar, August 5
The burgeoning commercial activity concentrated in a few areas like Mall Road, Lawrence Road, Madan Mohan Malvia Road, Albert Road and now Court Road is no doubt adding to the woes of the area residents.

This was admitted by municipal corporation commissioner D.P.S Kharbanda while talking to The Tribune.

He said a master plan was a must for the holy city so that civic amenities could reach every nook and corner.

Besides, the hectic commercial activity was a serious concern for both town planners and administrators, he confessed.

Kharbanda said before chalking out the master plan, a public opinion was important so that needs and aspirations of the Amritsar residents could be addressed.

“Everyone wishes to live in clean and green environment and why should one be kept away from it just to give space to a concrete structure for profits,” he added. The expression of municipal commissioner shows that the authorities too were concerned with the increasing commercial activity.

After the declaration of residential areas as commercial ones, a number of householders sought an approval through land use change.

Interestingly, the building construction in these areas had been completely disdained to the original plan and the residents had objected to them.

But the state government ruled over the objection and allowed builders to carry on with their activities.

Similarly, some residents and welfare associations had objected to the public notices released by the government seeking objections but the government overruled all these complaints too.

According to some sources, more roads would be soon declared commercial further adding to the discomfort of the residents.

A leading urban planner and architect said the government should take public into confidence before devising an urban module so that environment and green spaces were not disturbed.

He said commercial potential areas with less congestion should be identified and experts should be involved before making a master plan.

Amritsar, August 5
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has initiated a major makeover plan for the holy city, today took stock of the ongoing construction and repair work of the roads.

The entire rebuilding work has been given to a private company Rohan and Rajdeep Tollways Ltd. The Rs 165-crore grant, provided by the state government, has been handed over to the municipal corporation which is looking after the revamping of the infrastructure.

Expressing his satisfaction over the works being under taken by the construction company Sidhu said that he would ensure that proper monitoring and supervision is done by the quality managers of the company as well as by the engineers of the Municipal Corporation.

“Total accountability and transparency would be ensured,” he added. Sidhu urged the public to play a proactive role in the project which would give the city a new look. He said the corporation also plans to build a modern solid waste management plan which would manage the entire garbage of the city.

Amritsar, August 5
The allegation of rape made against a sub-inspector by a woman was proved to be false. It was found that the woman had made the allegation to save herself from being booked in a case of beating up of a adolescent girl a few days ago.

Stating this to mediapersons here today, SAD MLA Dalbir Singh Verka said he had personally conducted the enquiry into the case keeping in view the public interest. He said after consulting the two parties he found that Kuldeep Kaur had lodged a case against Kiran, an adolescent girl for a stealing mobile phone.

Verka said SI Santokh Singh, in charge, Fatehgarh Churian bypass police station, after proper investigations had found that Kuldeep Kaur had lodged a false complaint.

He said Kuldeep, accompanied by her husband Angrez Singh and his friend Rajesh Kumar had gone to the house of Kiran and beaten her up. Later the victim’s family filed a case against them at the police station.

The MLA said in order to save herself from being booked in the case Kuldeep Kaur made the allegation of rape against police officer Santokh Singh and used the media to defame the police.

Amritsar, August 5
Information and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia today announced a donation of Rs 5 lakh for the inmates of the All-India Pingalwara Charitable Society. Majithia also promised to give Rs 1 lakh annually from his personal resources and income as gesture to do something for society, needy and poor being looked after by the society.

He was here to attend a cultural programme organised by the trust to commemorate the 16th death anniversary of founder saint Bhagat Puran Singh.

The minister said he had come to Pingalwara for the first time and realised the tremendous work done by the great saint and environmentalist and present head Dr Inderjit Kaur who was carrying forward the mission with dedication and sincerity.

He lauded the efforts of Bhagat Puran who had launched a crusade single-handedly to protect environment during his hey day as chief of the Pingalwara society. He had taken upon himself to plant trees and save the eco-system.

He said in view of global warming it was imperative to launch a big afforestation drive to save the planet from decay.

Society president Dr Inderjit Kaur honoured the minister with a set of books, a portrait of Bhagat Puran Singh and a siropa. Among those who were present on the occasion were MLA Dalbir Singh Verka and former minister Gobind Singh Longowal. Children of the society presented a cultural programme.

A blood donation camp was organised by the Pingalwara Charitable Society to mark the 16th death anniversary of its founder Bhagat Puran Singh on Monday.

Inaugurating the camp, SSP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh announced that a panel of about 200 policemen had been formed which would always be ready to donate blood in case of emergency and if any patient required blood, he could dial 100. He said the service of humanity was the supreme service and every citizen should contribute to make society disease-free.

Earlier Dr Inderjeet Kaur while throwing light on the life and works of Bhagat Puran Singh and the work being undertaken by the society said the blood collected by the society during various camps was being given to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and Guru Ram Dass Hospital. She said that the society had organised an artificial limbs and physiotherapy camp, besides distributing 20 tricycles among physically challenged children. The society had also provided hearing aids to deaf children who had come here from various parts of this border district.

She said a special check-up camp was organised for the old persons suffering from knee or joint pain. The people were also made aware of the artificial limbs available, besides giving them training in how to use them.

Society honorary secretary Mukhtar Singh, Dr Jagdeepak Singh, Rajbeer Singh, Kuljeet Kaur, Darshan Singh Bawa, Harbhajan Singh Bajwa and Surjit Singh were among those present on the occasion.

Amritsar, August 5
Controversial former general secretary of the Durgiana Tirath Rajinder Bhalla was remanded in three-day judicial custody and was sent to jail after he surrendered in the court of K.K. Jain on Monday.

The police has sought three days’ time to present its case in the court against Bhalla.

According to information, Bhalla, along with former president Surinder Arjun, was allegedly involved in financial bungling during his tenure to head the ancient temples committee a few years ago.

The manager of the committee had filed a criminal case against them under sections 406, 420, 465, 467, 468, 472, 380 and 12 B of the IPC in the D-division police station.

The investigation into the case was carried out by SP-I who had reportedly pointed out that Surinder and Bhalla had, on the directions of the then deputy commissioner, broken the seal of the “toshakhana” of the temple and had allegedly embezzled FDRs and other valuable items worth several crores. Bhalla was also involved in the financial irregularities of “bhog bhandar”.

Meanwhile, there was no trace of Surinder Arjun as, according to his family members, he is out of station and is not available on his cell phone either.

Amritsar, August 5
Manjit Kumar, son of a former police inspector and resident of Gurbax Nagar, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with the licenced revolver of his friend while riding pillion on a motorcycle near Sant Francis School here last evening.

The police has registered a case of suicide.

The family members of Manjit have denied any mental pressure on him and added that he had no enmity or dispute with anyone. Pal Singh, the childhood friend of Manjit, who was driving the motorcycle, said he was shocked when Manjit pulled the trigger of his revolver while going with him.

Narrating the sequence of the event, he said Manjit, a property dealer, came to him for some work.

After that he was going to drop him to his house and the incident took place. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead

Amritsar, August 5
A 15-member delegation of 13 students and two faculty members from the Centre for Sikh and Punjab Studies, University of California, USA, visited Guru Nanak Dev University on Tuesday.

During an interaction with vice-chancellor Dr Jai Rup Singh, the deputation was apprised of the various academic programmes being run by the university. Dr Jai Rup Singh said the university had started four self-financing short-term courses in Punjabi conversation, Punjabi speech and Gurmukhi orthography, Punjabi folklore and culture and literature. All these courses would help NRIs and Punjabis settled abroad to learn Punjabi.

Amritsar, August 5
A three-day tech-fest organised by students of DAV Public School concluded here on Monday. A seminar on multimedia and animation was also held during which local X-plora Design School told participants about 3-D animation, graphics, web designing and film editing.