Jalandhar, November 25
Putting all speculations to rest pertaining to her contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)president Sukhbir Singh Badal, said she would not be contesting elections from any constituency.

She asserted, “If I had to join the field of active politics I could have done that during the last assembly elections. And so far as the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are concerned, party seniors are there to decide. My primary concern is to work against the rampant social evils in the society, particularly female foeticide and environment conservation.”

Harsimrat was here to attend a programme, “Saplings of Life,” on the occasion of international day for the elimination of violence against women at KMV College.

On being asked about her active role in planning ad campaign for the forthcoming elections, she quipped with a smile, “With the elections round the corner, naturally we are gearing up for an aggressive ad campaign, which will continue in the coming days.”

Discouraging the rampant practice of lavish marriages in the state, she said, “Indeed this is a major problem in the society. I will make an appeal to acting Akal Takth jathedar Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar to release a hukumnama for the Sikh community in this regard. There is an urgent need to curb such social problems in the society.”

Talking about her project, “Nanhi Chaan,” under which she has been distributing saplings to women, she said, “Issues like female foeticide, dowry, drug addiction and environment conservation are deep-rooted problems of the society. The change in the mindset of the people will come into force only when people will unite against these evils.”

Harsimrat added that she is here to create awareness among people through her social work. It may be noted that Harsimrat started her project “Nanhi Chaan” on August 28 this year. A move against the prevailing social evils, she has visited many places in the state in the past couple of months.

Chandigarh, November 25
India and Pakistan are moving towards making meaningful border trade between the two countries a reality. The political leadership, as well as representatives from the farm and small-scale industry sector, are coming together for the first time to find ways and means to remove the bottlenecks coming in the way of a better economic relationship.

The international conclave, being held by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) from November 27 to 29, is in continuation of the institute’s Two Punjab Centres (TWO) project, aimed at creating linkages through practical initiatives at the ground-level in both the countries.

The seriousness on the part of both countries to find a solution to the “bottlenecks”, including opening the Wagah-Attari road link to all permissible items of trade, can be seen from the fact that Pakistan minister for foreign affairs, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Quereshi, will interact with representatives of agriculture and industry on November 27. External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the inaugural address on the same day.

CRRID executive vice-chairman Dr Rashpal Malhotra, while talking to The Tribune on the issue, said the sessions at the conference would focus on farm activity, trade extension and identifying joint investment possibilities. “Pakistan has also taken an initiative in the horticulture sector from which we can learn,” he said, adding the Indian farm machinery, as well as hand tool and other allied sectors, wanted open access to Pakistan markets across the Wagah border.

There is enthusiasm among Indian participants with the Northern Regional Exporters Forum already stating it would like to raise the issue of putting hand tools on the unrestricted list. Its honorary secretary P.C. Sondhi said the forum would also urge for allowing auto rubber and industrial belts to be exported to Pakistan, as well as import of raw materials used to sports goods industry from Pakistan. Besides this forum, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as agriculturists, will present their demands. These include a demand to work towards opening the Hussainiwala border at Ferozepur for trade also, Congress general secretary Parminder Singh said.

“There is lot of seriousness in the initiative,” said the CRIID executive vice-chairman, while explaining the change in the geo-politics of the region. He said the joint statement of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in New York in September this year had already laid the framework for improved economic relations between the two countries.

Jalandhar, November 25
The market slowdown failed to show up during an auction of shop-cum-flats (SCFs) carried out by the Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) here today.

During its first-ever auction, the JDA managed to sell 11 of the 12 SCFs of Urban Estate, Phase-I, at double the reserve price and fetch an amount of Rs 7.32 crore. Each SCF measures 110 sq yard area and these are located right in front of the cantonment area on the gurdwara road in the colony.

Even as the reserve price of the SCFs was fixed at Rs 30,000 per sq yard, the highest bid for the same went up to Rs 64,500 per sq yard. The lowest was 58,500 per sq yard. Estate officer, PUDA, Harbir Singh said the auction of the 12th SCF was withdrawn on the spot because he felt that it could fetch more lucrative amount the next time.

The JDA also failed to sell its built-up primary school building site in Urban Estate, Phase-I. This was a third attempt to sell the building that was constructed way back in 1995 on a 1.46 acre land. This despite the fact that the reserve price was kept at Rs 5,73,45,000 as during the last auction and was not raised as per the market rates. JDA chief administrator Parveen Kumar said he tried hard but could not succeed in the attempt. — TNS

Hoshiarpur, November 25
Providing relief to Navdeep Kumar of Tulsi Nagar, Hoshiarpur, the District Consumer Forum (DCF), headed by president P.D. Goel, ordered the ICICI Lombard General Insurance, GT Road, Jalandhar, to make a payment of Rs 81,099 to the former with an interest at the rate of 9 per cent from the date of filing the complaint till payment within one month. The DCF further burdened the insurance company of Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses.

Navdeep Kumar filed a complaint before the DCF, alleging that the ICICI Lombard General Insurance wrongly repudiated the claim of his Toyota Innova car (PB-07R-5802) which met with an accident on January 17, 2007, on the ground that the vehicle was being used for commercial purposes in violation of the terms and conditions of the insurance policy.

The authorities of the ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company pleaded that the private car package policy conditions specifically contain a clause regarding limitation as to use which says, “The policy covers use of the vehicle for any purpose other than (a) hire or reward etc.”, whereas, in the present case the vehicle was being operated as a taxi i.e. for hire or reward, and the vehicle in question had covered 51,000 km within a period of four and a half months, which indicated that the vehicle was being used for commercial purposes in violation of the terms and conditions of the policy.

The DCF held that the insurance company had produced on record the affidavit of Virender K. Goel, claim investigator, wherein it has been stated that the complainant is running a taxi stand in the name of Sharma Taxi Stand.

The insurance company has also produced on record the statements of Navdeep Kumar and Raman Kumar, but it has not produced their affidavits that they had engaged the said vehicle on January 18, 2007, as taxi. The affidavit of Virender K. Goel is not sufficient to conclude that the vehicle in question was being run by the complainant as a taxi. The mere fact that the complainant is running a taxi stand is not sufficient to prove that the said vehicle was being plied as a taxi. Likewise, the fact that the said vehicle had covered 51,000 km in four and a half months is also not sufficient to hold that it was being used and plied as taxi. This being so, it is held that the insurance company has failed to prove that the vehicle was being used as a taxi. 

Jalandhar, November 25
The General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings against Lt-Gen S.K. Sahni (retired) in the alleged irregularities for supply of frozen meat to the troops engaged in the counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir will begin at Vajra Corps headquarters here on November 26.

A former Director-General of the Army Supply Corps (ASC), the proceedings against him are being held nearly three years after his retirement.

Incidentally, Gen Sahni will be the senior-most army official to face the court martial in the country. His GCM will be presided over by an officer of his rank. He was a Major General at the time when the purchases were made. Sources in the corps revealed that evidences had already been recorded during a Court of Inquiry (CoI) constituted against him in 2005. The inquiry is said to have indicted him along with six other officers, including a Major General and two Brigadiers.

Nawanshahr, November 25
Punjab BSP chief Avtar Singh Karimpuri and Rajya Sabha MP today accused the Congress-led UPA government and SAD-BJP combine of having failed miserably on all fronts. “The grass roots need to be made aware how these two regimes have been unable to reduce poverty, illiteracy and unemployment,” said Karimpuri, while addressing a district-level ‘Sankalp Rally’ here on Tuesday.