Jalandhar, November 14
Commuters using rail services were a harried lot as the traffic across Phagwara today remained cut off for the whole day after members of seven farmers’ associations organised a massive jam blocking all trains on the Amritsar, Delhi and Jammu routes.

All important trains, including Shatabdi, could not reach Phagwara railway station and returned after farmers refused to lift their indefinite dharna against the state government for a low MSP offered on paddy. The jam began at 11 am and was on till late night.

The commuters had no option but to get down, reach the highway near bus stand to go by road. The long-distance passengers remained stranded hoping for the opening of tracks.

A heavy rush of passengers awaiting trains was also observed at Jalandhar city and cantonment railway station. Hundreds of tense passengers crowded outside the inquiry to know about the arrival of any train to their destinations. The railway staff informed that some important trains were being diverted via Lohian to bypass Phagwara railway station.

Karan, working with a private firm in Jalandhar, said he was commuting every evening by train to his hometown Amristar. He said he had been waiting at the platform for a train for the past two hours hoping to reach home.

But the farmers refused to budge. Dr Darshan Singh, convener of the People’s Democratic Front, said a meeting with the Chief Minister in the morning had failed. “Our demands have not been conceded to. We have not been offered the MSP proposed by the Agriculture Cost and Price Commission. There has been no reduction in prices of diesel. Hundreds of farmers have been arrested today by the police in an effort to sabotage our attempt to block rail traffic at Khanna and Mansa as per our plans. Farmers, somehow, managed to get together at Phagwara to lodge the protest. Why should we lift the jam here?” he asked.

Satnam Singh Pannu, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee, said hundreds of farmers would camp on railway lines at Phagwara round the night to continue their dharna.

Hardev Singh Sandhu, president of Kirti Kisan Union, said the members were planning to hold similar demonstrations at other railway stations tomorrow. “The farmers are not going to relent until Badal gives a decision in our favour. We won’t succumb to any kind of pressure,” he said.

Amritsar: The police had arrested hundreds of kisan union leaders yesterday while thousands of farmers blocked rail tracks affecting the train services in the border region here today.

The farmers were demanding slashing the rates of fertilisers, diesel and petrol and DAP, besides providing bonus of Rs 250 per quintal on paddy.

The Flying Mail and other trains from the city were cancelled while trains, including Shatabdi Express, Superfast, Jaipur Express and Chattisgarh Express trains, were stopped at Ludhiana railway station due to which the passengers faced harassment.

Jalandhar, November 14
The Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) today organised a special function for the physically challenged children from various schools of the city to mark the Children’s Day.

Students from ASHA School, Jalandhar Cantt, Khosla Deaf School, Pingla Ghar, Red Cross School for Deaf and Dump and PRAYAS Special School for Mentally Disabled children, were seen enjoying the rides at the Go Karting zone in Sapper Park. Refreshments were also distributed among the participants.

President Vajra AWWA Manju Tonk said the function was organised to enthuse postivity among the children,” she added.

A majority of the kids had came to the fun zone for the first time. Among them were the students of Kholsa Deaf School.

Talking to The Tribune, Rajinder Kaur, a teacher of the school, said, “It’s a good initiative by the Army authorities. The society should understand its responsibility towards these children.”

Bal mela

Hundreds of slum children studying in schools run under the National Child Labour Project participated in a bal mela organised to mark Children’s Day at DAV College here today. Various events, including dance, poem recitation, fancy dress, painting and fun races, were organised.

Painting contest

District legal Services authority today organised a painting competition on the occasion of Children’s Day in which students from various government and non-government schools took part. The topics were rights of children, right to education and say no to drugs. Sessions judge-cum-chairman district legal services Gurdev Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. He also gave away prizes to the winners. 

Amritsar, November 14
Even as the country was celebrating Children’s Day today, it had a little meaning for many children working in dhabas, scooter and cycle repair shops even as several organisations.

Even as the union and state governments have made stringent laws about the child labour, but little has been done to restrict the employment of children in various trades. No raids are being conducted in the holy city or on the dhabas situated on the periphery.

Sonu (15), who is working at a cycle repair shop, talking to The Tribune said his parents had come to the city in search of job and were unable to make both ends meet, leave alone the expenditure on their studies. He said the circumstances forced him to work so that he could support his family- two sisters, one brother and parents. He said all his sisters and brother were younger to him.

Another boy Vikram (13), who is working at a dhaba, said he had been working there for the past three years as his father was unable to meet the expenses of the family. He said he wanted to study in a government school but had no time to get education as he had to work from early in the morning till late in the evening.

However, Kahan Singh Pannu, deputy commissioner, said the administration had been conducting raids at eating joints and other business establishments from time to time and it was impossible to curb the multidimensional problem in one go. He said they would soon conduct raids and those found violating the law would be dealt with sternly.

Earlier, addressing children at Art Gallery, Pannu said the main aim of celebrating Children’s Day was to create a sense of love and patriotism for the country among the children who were also future of the nation. He said it was the vision of Jawaharlal Nehru to bring a sense of national belonging in the children so that they aspired to become leaders to make the future of the country bright.

He gave away certificates and prizes to the schoolchildren who participated in a painting competition organised under the aegis of the Great Artists from Punjab in the memory of Prof C.L. Sharma. More than 400 students of government and private schools of the district participated in the competition. The running trophy was awarded to DAV International School.

Pathankot, November 14
The Punjab Technical University (PTU), Jalandhar, will get a regular vice-chancellor (VC) within a fortnight. This was revealed by the Punjab technical minister Ch Swarna Ram while talking to The Tribune here on Friday. At present, Tajinder Kaur, a senior IAS officer, is the officiating VC of the varsity.

The minister denied any information about resignation submitted by some top officials of the university. He also clarified that there was no move of the state government to hand over the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) to private players.

“The government had envisaged a plan to open more IT institutes and polytechnic colleges in the state, particularly in semi-urban and rural belt to facilitate the youth to start their own venture after completing their courses,” revealed Ram.

Earlier, inaugurating a centre under excellence scheme to upgrade the ITIs, the minister said a sum of Rs 5 crore would be spent on the development ITIs in the area to promote vocational courses. Some new courses, including tractor mechanics, refrigeration and tourism, would be introduce in the ITI for boys from the next session.

He said a sum of Rs 91 crore had been earmarked for sprucing up ITIs across the state. As many as 2,500 skilled development centres would be also opened in the state to provide vocational training to the unemployed youth, he added. “With the setting of these centres, more than 15,000 unemployed youth would be benefitted annually,” said Ram, adding that the state government had decided to reserve 10 pc for candidates belonging to the poor upper-caste families in the technical and polytechnical institutions of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab transport minister Master Mohan Lal regretted that the institutions run by private players were flourishing, while the government institutions were lagging behind. 

Pathankot, November 14
The lust to become rich through ill-gotten money has landed demarcation supervisor Hakam Singh of the local divisional forest office in the vigilance bureau net today.

Hakam Singh was caught red-handed by a vigilance bureau team led by DSP Lakhbir Singh, while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000 from Arvind Kumar, a businessman, in lieu of giving him permission to cut a tree.

Sub-inspector Gurmeet Singh of the vigilance bureau team, when contacted, said that Hakam Singh had been demanding Rs 5,000 as bribe money from Arvind Kumar for allowing him to cut trees from his own land. He added that a deal was struck between Hakam Singh and Arvind Kumar when Hakam Singh agreed to take Rs 4,000 as bribe.He said the matter was brought to the notice of the vigilance bureau office, Amritsar, and subsequently a trap was laid. — OC