Amritsar, September 25
Modern technology has affected age-old libraries in this part of the border district as people who are not computer savvy can’t use the latest technology to read or gain knowledge.

However, the Khalsa College for Women has converted its normal library into an e-library to train students to use the latest technology to learn about new books introduced by Indian or foreign authors. The e-library has attracted many students since the college is providing this service without charging any extra amount.

The strength of the students in the library has been increasing day by day after the college incorporated its own software to keep its students abreast with the latest in the e-world.

In this system, the college staff put in all the data in computers and the students can search all the books with just one click without wasting their time and energy.

Secondly, they can take a hard copy as well as a soft copy of the matter and also save the matter till the end of the session.

Geet, lecturer of computers in the college, said they had also downloaded many books from the Internet which are helping the students in many ways. According to Geet, the concept of e-library is a pretty old one. According to the system, students are just provided with a database of books by foreign and Indian authors to read because it is not possible for the students to use the Internet directly to read books as the college cannot provide it to all students at a time.

Secondly, the Internet could be misused by students and even the new students failed in searching new books on the Internet as they are not well versed with browsing methods. So the college downloaded the books from the net and provided soft copies to students. This is also a cheapest method to read and save matter either on a CD or pen drive.

Principal Sukhbir Kaur Mahal said the technology was improving every day and it was not possible for the students to use the Internet outside the college in view of the high cost of Internet surfing in net cafes. So they decided to supply the soft copies of the books by converting the normal library into e-library.

Amritsar, September 25
Employees of the district agriculture office, miffed at the non-cooperation from the police, the district administration and politicians, have decided to go on strike from September 29, thereby putting the quality control campaign and farmers’ training camps in limbo. Agriculture officer Dr Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who headed the six-member Agriculture Department team, said morale of the employees was down after Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu and SSP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh expressed their helplessness to proceed against the accused.

He said the official team, accompanied by executive magisterate’s appointee a naib-tehsildar and three unarmed policemen, opened two out of five sealed stores belonging to Varinder Sareen and his two sons Subash Sareen and Amit Sareen on September 23. He claimed that both stores on the Fatehgarh Churian road and the Ajnala road were unauthorised. “However, to the utter surprise of the raiding party they found that the entire material had already been removed by making a hole in the rear wall,” claimed Sharma. He said it was a blatant violation of the government norms and it was the duty of the police to keep watch on the sealed godowns. He said upon this they had submitted a complaint regarding the violations to the police in writing but no case had been registered.

They urged the state government to take legal action against Varinder Sareen and his two sons who had stored adulterated or fake pesticides manure, seeds and had misbehaved with the quality control team. Agriculture Development Officers Association president Kuldeep Singh Mattewal said staff of the local office would not go to work if the offenders were not brought to book within the ultimatum period.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Paramjit Singh Sandhu said employees were feeling demoralised as their state-level officials heading about 20-member quality control team were maltreated with impunity. He rued that the law enforcement agency did not help the Agriculture Department wholeheartedly despite the fact that the latter was a government department working to ensure supply of good quality medicines, pesticides, manure and seeds to farmers.

He demanded that sections 382 and 452 of the IPC must be included in the FIR registered against the proprietor of Ajnala Kheti Store, Varinder Sareen, alias Kale Shah, and his two sons Subash Sareen and Amit Sareen and several other persons for assaulting farm officials.

It may be mentioned that a quality control team of the Agriculture Department headed by its Joint Director Gurdev Singh Gill had raided several agriculture shops in Ajnala subdivision on September 4. Sandhu said expired and unauthentic pesticides, manure, seeds and medicines were found at Ajnala Kheti Store. However, when the officials asked for papers of the material, the proprietress called up the MLA of the area and influential farmers in their support and locked the raiding party for some hours. Meanwhile, Amit Sareen maintained that his family possessed the authorisation and licence valid up to December this year to run the store.

Amritsar, September 25
The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) today nabbed two Indo-Pak smugglers in the Gurdaspur area and seized 5 kg of heroin worth Rs 25 crore in the international market from them.

However, one of the accused, Balvir Singh, a resident of Chak Pandori, falling under Amritsar (Rural) district, was hit by a bus while he was trying to flee from the spot on his motorcycle.

He was admitted to the Civil Hospital there with an injured leg.

Giving details, SSOC SSP P.K. Rai said here today he received information that the accused had received the consignment from the Kalanaur sector and were going to deliver the same after a hearing in the court in a dowry case against Tasbir when the incident took place.

Balvir, when confronted at the naka put up by the SSOC, turned his motorcycle. However, Tasbir, who was riding pillion, fell from the motorcycle and was overpowered by the police, but Balvir escaped.

The SSOC team, which was chasing Balvir, informed the Gurdaspur police, which later revealed that he was hit by a city bus. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital there. He was later referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here. A case under sections 21, 25, 29, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered in this regard.

According to sources, Tasbir was released by a court in two similar cases of drug smuggling, while Balvir Singh, alias Appi, was wanted by the cell in three cases in which he smuggled about 29 kg of heroin. These cases were registered at Chheharta and Rambagh police stations. Apart from these cases, he was also wanted by different agencies on similar charges, sources said, adding that his arrest was being seen as a major jolt to the smuggling network on the border.

Amritsar, September 25
Finally, decks have been cleared for setting up a heritage village at Guru Nanak Dev University with the Punjab government signing an memorandum of understanding with the university under which it would bear the whole expenditure for establishing the prestigious project that has been hanging fire for the past more than six years.

Under the project, the university would provide 11 acres with access from the Amritsar-Wagah bypass for tourists coming to witness the Beating the Retreat ceremony.

Vice-Chancellor A.S. Brar inked the MoU on behalf of the university, while Principal Secretary (Tourism) Geetika Kalha signed the memorandum on behalf of the state government. Tourism Director D.P. Reddy and Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu were also present.

Registrar Raghbir Singh said all the expenditure on the development works pertaining to the project would be met by the government that included search and collection of cultural materials and artifacts to be displayed at the heritage village.

He said after the completion of the project, the state government would hand over the project to the university. Thereafter, the university would manage the project and would be responsible for its maintenance, repair, expansion and promotion, he said.

He said the heritage village would be opened to the general public and tourists for educational and recreational purposes, except for the research centre.

The Registrar said a coordination committee would be constituted with the Vice-Chancellor as chairman to run the village. The other members of the committee would include the Dean, Academic Affairs, Registrar, Director/Professor in charge (Public Relations), Professor in charge/coordinator (heritage village) of the university, the Secretary, Tourism, the Secretary, Higher Education, the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, and the president/chairman of the recognised association/body representing tour operators in Amritsar. However, the Punjab government could appoint consultant.

The memorandum would be for a period of three years and would be automatically renewed for successive periods of three years. 

Amritsar, September 25
Several shopkeepers yesterday charged SAD MLA Manjinder Singh Kang with threatening them and forcibly closing their business establishments situated just adjoining the residence in the Basant Avenue area here.

Addressing the media, shopkeepers urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to provide justice to them. They had also met Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu, who asked the SSP to investigate the matter. The SSP had marked an enquiry to the SP (Headquarters) in this regard. Refuting the allegations, Kang, however, said the commercial shops were being run in the residential area against norms. He said he had nothing to do with the shopkeepers claiming that several residents of the area had also complained against the shopkeepers who had been running liquor vends in these shops.

Meanwhile, Davinder Singh, one of the shopkeepers, said that they had been running their shops for the past six years. However, the MLA, who had been constructing his house for the past about three months, was bent upon grabbing their property worth crores.

He said the court had already granted a stay while the Punjab State Human Rights Commission had also intervened and a compromise was reached in which Kang gave in writing not to harass them. He alleged that he was misusing his gunmen to threaten the shopkeepers.

Another shopkeeper, Narinder Pal, said as their liquor vends had been closed down about six months back, they wanted to open their new business in these shops. However, he added, they were being harassed by the MLA and his gunmen not to open the shops.

Amritsar, September 25
The scientific advisory committee of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Amritsar, held a meeting here on Thursday. Director, Extension Education, Dr. M.S Gill presided over the function.

As many as 36 participants from different departments, including heads, deputy directors and representatives of Agriculture Department, Horticulture Department, Dairy Department, NFL, IFFCO Lead Bank Coop Society, Markfed, Progressive farmers, Progressive Farm Ladies, District Rural Development Agency and ADC office participated in the meeting. Deputy Director Training, B.S Dhillon presented the annual progress report and action Plan of KVK. Suggestion of all participants was invited to bring changes in training plan. — TNS

Amritsar, September 25
Dismayed over the attitude of the Municipal Corporation over lifting of garbage dump near Arya Samaj Senior Secondary School in Khuh Bumbe Wala area, its residents along with people of its adjoining areas had written to World Health Organisation besides President of the country informing their plight and health hazard posed by the dumper.

It would not be inappropriate to mention here that while the solid waste in the interior of the walled city, is managed by the corporation itself the remaining city is covered by the private company hired by it to lift garbage and managing solid waste.

Anil Khanna, general secretary of Lala Lajpat Rai Park, said the whole solid waste of surrounding areas including Katra Sher Singh, telephone exchange, Katra Moti Ram Tikoni Park, Lohgarh Gate and up to Guru Bazaar is collected near school from where it was send to final destination. This posed a grave threat to health of the children studying in the school besides residents of the area.

Another resident said the people had taken up the issue with the Commissioner a number of times but nothing had been done so far. He urged the authorities to make necessary arrangements to lift and send solid waste directly to final destination or solid waste management plant so that the people would not have to face hell like situation from the unbearable stink.

They were critical of idea of Commissioner Municipal Corporation regarding constructing high walls in the park just opposite to the school and dump the garbage there adding that it would not change the situation by converting park maintained by residents into “waste collection centre”.

The representation has also been signed by the councillor of the area, mohalla sudhar presidents of various adjoining areas, different school managements and their principals falling in the area.

The area has four schools and three historic gurdwaras in its vicinity, Gurdwara Bhai Salo, Gurdwara Guru Ka Mehal and Gurdwara Lohgarh, besides 20 temples.

When contacted, MC Commissioner D.P.S. Kharbanda said he had visited the spot after receiving the complaint, but there was division among the people sorting out the problem. He said many people agreed to cover the dumper from four sides and by constructing roof. He said the problem was taken up at every level even Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla was also involved but due to division among the people, the matter could not be sorted out. However, he added everything possible would be done.

Amritsar, September 25
She is candid enough to show her cupboard storing plenty of certificates she obtained in various national and international karate events. But she did not know that the sport in which she had excelled all these years finds no place in the accredited list of gradation of the Sports Departments and all her certificates would ultimately end up in a sheer piece of paper.

Meet 11-year-old Shivani. Whenever she participated in any karate event, be it on national or international level, she never returned home empty-handed. But she would be pained to know about the ground realities, which are much bitter.

The Director, Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh, while agreeing that gradation for karate is not there in Punjab, said, “The karate event at present is not in the list of sports gradation. But it is not the only sport, many other events are also not part of the gradation list.”

Nevertheless, her accolades, apparently, have also failed to catch the fancy of the management of GSGS Tung Memorial Public School, she is presently studying in. Despite excelling in the sports, she has hardly ever been recognised by the school management.

Her coach Sukhdev Singh, while endorsing the fact, elaborated it further, “The school management seldom takes initiative to promote her. I have even suggested her parents to get her school changed and I am trying my best to extend her ‘due’ gesture because I fear if she could be able to participate in the upcoming national trials scheduled for next month in Hyderabad, as the school needs to chip in funds for different disciplines in time,” he said.

Her father Swaran Singh, a class IV employee with the Punjab State Electricity Board, who left no stone unturned to meet the requirements of her valuable daughter’s talent, said, “I am paying beyond my reach for my child’s interest in this sport. If she can make her life out of this sport, I will consider myself to be the luckiest person on earth,” he said.

Yet, very well knowing about her humble background, Shivani would always make it a point to never let her parents’ hope die and had always made her presence felt in every single event of karate, she had participated in.

The favourite of them all was her Nepal trip where she represented India twice in the 30-35 kg group event and won many accolades during the All India Shito-Ryu Karate Championship and Lumbin Lions Indo-Nepal Karate Championship held in Kathmandu this year. Despite being first among all the representative of other countries, she was also adjudged to be the best player of the tournament.

“I could not ask for more. I kept the honour of my country by being on the top slot. Everyone appreciated me,” she expressed.

The other event where she clinched first prize was the All-India Ken Eii Mabain Shito-Ryu Karate Championship, Dehradun, this year.

Amritsar, September 25
The spiralling prices of essential commodities in the ongoing festive season may make the festivity taste little bitter this season while it continues to upset the budget of housewives.

Even as the government tightened the noose around the hoarders and confiscated about 1.5 lakh quintal sugar, pulses and other eatable commodities from different parts of the state, yet their prices are to come down to percolate benefits to the masses.

Unable to keep the prices of essential commodities affordable on the part of government has eroded the faith of common man. They are forced to contemplate that the government must evolve a system to check hoarding and excess profiteering by vendors and traders. An employee with a private concern, Satpal Singh, said, “It gave impression that the government has no mechanism to check rise in prices by small traders who keep increasing prices at their will. Small-time traders and vendors do not roll back prices even after fall in wholesale prices.”

Inflation continues to burn holes in pockets of common man as desi ghee costs somewhere between Rs 250 to Rs 300 per litre, refined Rs 60 to Rs 70 per litre while soaring prices of sugar, jaggery and pulses are well-known. Notably, all these eatables are used in the preparation of traditional sweets.

Undoubtedly, spiralling prices of essential goods this festive season would make celebrations rather expensive this year.

Consumers will feel the pinch as prices of apple, banana, sugar, jaggery and pulses are going through the roof. Earlier, inadequate stock of sugar, erratic and weak monsoon were blamed for short supply of sugar, while ignoring the hands of hoarders altogether.

A wholesaler said serious attempts were being made to put the entire blame on wholesale traders, which was not a true story. He held the “sugar lobby” responsible for market manipulation. He said it must not be forgotten that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar controled around 30 sugar mills.

Amritsar, September 25
Farmers and tillers must bury crop residue and stubble in the fields instead of burning them, which is inimical to the soil and also to environment, said Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu.

He flagged off a rally on September 23 for creating awareness regarding negative fallouts of burning farm waste in fields in order to save environment and steps to increase fertility of soil.

He said the farmers by burning crop residue were ensuring their own loss and would gain tremendously if they bury the waste. It would ensure hike in fertility of the soil.

He said under 144 CrPc burning of stubble and remains of crops were strictly prohibited and added that police, revenue departments beside agriculture had been given firm guidelines to strictly implement the law. He said offenders would be treated strictly.

He said in order to enhance awareness of farmers and tillers equal stress was being given to create awareness among farmers against burning of crop residue.

He said annually approximately 545 tonnes of crop remains get produced. He said, however, burning of this residue create environment hazards for people. Besides, it also destroys some helpful bacteria in the soil. Nitrogen, carbon and other essential elements helpful for the production of crops also got destroyed in the process.

Chief Agriculture Officer Paramjit Singh Sandhu said crop residue was an important component of soil health and the burning of straw ultimately cost the producer. There were numerous benefits from leaving standing stubble in the field, including trapping snow, minimising water and soil erosion, and returning valuable nutrients to the soil, he said.

Sandhu opined that crop residue could be an effective tool in preventing soil erosion. Sraws and stubble allowed water to infiltrate the soil rather than simply running off, carrying valuable topsoil with it.

Leaving them in the field also returned nutrients valuable to crops growth back to the soil. These nutrients include carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium. When straw was burned, about 90 per cent of these nutrients were lost. As a result, the soil required supplemented amount of fertiliser to be productive increasig the cost of farm inputs for farmers.

Amritsar, September 25
Activists of the Bhagat Singh Youth Front along with students of local SJM High School, Tarn Taran Road, today paid tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh at a special function organised to mark his 102nd birth anniversary falling on September 27.

Teachers and students paid floral tributes, besides playing nataks and singing patriotic songs. Gurmeet Singh Bablu, chairman of the front, said the young generation was falling prey to drugs and there was need of follow in the footsteps of Bhagat Singh to put the country on the right path of overall development.