Ludhiana, October 6
The municipal corporation that has failed to stop the construction of 20 shops at Transport Nagar seems to have surrendered before the political lobby as it has failed to file a reply in the case for the third time.

According to information, the law branch of the civic body has not submitted any reply in the case during the three hearings on June 15, August 28 and September 30.

The next date of hearing is now October 27. Sources in the town planning wing revealed that all documents pertaining to the construction were submitted to lawyers around 20 days ago before the hearing. “A report regarding it has also been sent to the MTP,” sources said, adding that they were extending full cooperation.

These constructions had come during the tenure of Municipal Commissioner GS Ghuman who had also drawn flak for it from local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia at a function in Ludhiana.

Even the Mayor and Ghuman were divided over the issue and had formed separate inquiry committees in the case. While Ghuman had asked zonal commissioner BK Gupta to submit a report, Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura formed a four-member panel headed by SAD councillor HS Dang. However, the committee has not submitted a report till date.

A committee member, on the condition of anonymity, said: “The committee is just passing the buck and does not want to do anything. Everybody knows how the construction came up and the media along with ATP Kamaljeet Kaur had stated it in writing and photographs proved that politicians were trying to favour the site owner.” When in four months they couldn’t do anything, what would they do now, he remarked.

Ludhiana, October 6
Verka continues to court controversy over the date mentioned on its milk packets. People have been complaining about either getting old packs or packets bearing advanced dates as a result they do not know which milk brand to trust.

Residents said it was better to buy milk from milkmen as at least it would guarantee freshness. “I bought some packets of Verka milk on October 4, and the date of filling mentioned on the packets was October 3. But the milk curdled on boiling. I went to the agency owner with the complaint, and he claimed that the authorities at the Verka plant do not bother about such complaints nor do they compensate for the loss to consumers in such cases,” an Urban Estate resident, Satwant Singh Kalkat, said.

“I also checked the other pouches of milk lying in the tray and was astonished to note that the date of packing on some pouches was October 5,” he said, adding that the authorities explained that they kept the pouches with the date of manufacturing printed in advance and in case of shortage of pouches for the day, they used the pouches meant for next day. “Is this explanation enough? This is cheating. Who knows when the packet was actually packaged?” he remarked.

Rashmita Prakash, another resident, said: “I have been noticing anomalies in the dates on Verka milk packets since a long time. At times, we get packets with advanced dates printed on them and some times we get packs which are a few days old. The authorities keep varying in their stand about the dates. I have stopped buying Verka milk,” she said.

Ajmer Singh Bhagpur, chairman of the local Verka plant, said there was confusion among consumers about the dates mentioned on the milk packs. He said the date printed on the milk packs was the expiry date and the consumers should not confuse it with the packaging date.

Asked about the cases in which consumers had been getting packs with past dates, he said such packs had expired and should not be sold by the vendor. “It is not the company’s fault. The agent/vendor should check it. All such cases should be reported to me and I will look into them,” he said.

Ludhiana, October 6
A Sarabha Nagar-based industrial family today refused to shift their NRI relative, who tested positive for swine flu last evening, to the isolation ward at the Civil Hospital.

The 50-year-old NRI woman, who had come to attend a wedding in the city, was one of the “contacts”of an NRI boy who tested positive for swine flu and is undergoing treatment at the PGI in Chandigarh.

Despite repeated attempts, the rapid response team (RRT), the district epidemiologist and the district health officer could not convince the family members to move the woman to the hospital.

The project coordinator of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Dr Deepak Bhatia, stated that if they encountered further resistance from residents, the state government would be forced to invoke the Epidemiological Act, 1897. The official also criticised the family and the infected woman for their stubbornness.

“The NRI woman would have been compulsorily shifted to the isolation ward if she had not become asymptomatic. Once the patient is asymptomatic there is no threat of further spread of infection,” he added.

Exasperated over the entire episode, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Maninderjeet Singh, said he had to mobilise a team of health officials for just one patient which was a sheer wastage of time and efforts.

“Moreover, such matters concern public health at large and any lapse can create serious problems and subject a large number of people to health hazards,” he said.

The Civil Surgeon also said the family had given a written undertaking, wherein it agreed to own the responsibility for the act if anything went wrong with the NRI woman or in case of further spread of the disease.

A close friend of the family termed the situation as “chaotic” and apprehended that more “contacts” could surface in the coming days.

She also informed that a close friend of the groom was tested positive for swine flu after he resumed work at Gurgaon earlier this week.

Ludhiana, October 6
The much-awaited new industrial policy finally got cleared by the state Cabinet today.

Coming after two-and-a-half-year of the formation of Akali-BJP government, the industrial policy had failed to impress the business community in the city. Industrialists felt if the state government had concentrated "in spirit", the industry in state could grow at much faster pace. But the industrial policy approved by the Cabinet had not "much" in it to bring smiles on the faces of industrialists.

Chairman of the Northern Region of Engineering Export Promotion Council S.C.Ralhan said the present policy had concentrated on IT/agro-based industry, which was a good step. Still, the state government had not given much importance on the growth of export in Punjab. The freight proposal had outrightly been rejected by the Cabinet.

"Even the Central Government is providing several incentives to exporters to give a boost to the trade but the state government is not bothered to promote exports. Secondly, it has not mentioned about the power situation, which has virtually hit the industry in Punjab", said Ralhan.

Avtar Singh, general secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking (CICU), said the industry had been waiting for long for this policy, which had bought nothing but disappointment. "It is unfortunate that the industrial policy, approved by Cabinet, failed to lift the spirit of the industry, already reeling under the recessionary phase. Nothing has been done for the welfare of the industry by the ruling government", said Avtar Singh.

Vinod Thapar, president, Knitwear Club, here said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were the main employment providers in the state but the industrial policy by the SAD/BJP had not watched their interests. The industrial policy had caused a setback to the sector. "This sector generated huge revenue to the state exchequer. The government should give second thought for the upliftment of MSMEs in the state", said Thapar. 

Jagraon, October 6
The National Consumer Awareness Group (NCAG), Jagraon, organised its 6th blood donation camp at Red Cross Hospital here on Sunday.

Baba Arvinder Singh of Nanaksar Keleran inaugurated the camp in which Kamaljit Singh Malla and Gurinder Singh Sidhu were the guests of honour.

Parminder Singh Dhaliwal, group president, said 81 units were donated by volunteers during the camp.

Raghubir Singh Toor (44), president of the Jagraon Bar Association, donated blood for the 65th time.

He encouraged donors to donate blood regularly. Majority of the donors were first-timers.

A team led by Dr Kuldeep Singh of Red Cross Society, Ludhiana, supervised the camp.

The group has been promoting donation of blood as well as eyes.

Ludhiana, October 6
City SSP SS Gill suspended two cops for dereliction of duty. The suspended police officials have been identified as ASI Rajwant Singh, in charge of the Atam park police post, and sub-inspector Harbhajan Singh, additional SHO of the Sarabha Nagar police station.

It is learnt that following the directions from the government, a red alert was sounded in the city in the wake of Diwali festival.

The police heads of respective police stations were directed to install check posts at various parts of the city.

As per information, when SSP Gill went to check the security scenario, he found ASI Rajwant Singh and sub-inspector Harbhajan Singh absent.

The officials said dereliction from duty had led to the immediate effect. Confirming the development, the SSP said both the officials were suspended after they were found absent from the police checkpoint last evening.

Ludhiana, October 6
The Punjab State Mulazam Dal has served an ultimatum to the Punjab government to accept and implement pending demands of government employees within one month failing which it will be left with no other choice than to launch an agitation to seek justice.

A meeting of the state working committee of the mulazam dal held here yesterday with Inderjit Sharma observed that the state government was delaying their genuine demands which led to discontentment among the employees of various government departments.

Listing the demands put forth by them, Sharma asked the government to regularise over 12,000 work charge and daily paid employees who should also be granted revised pay scales as recommended by the 5th pay commission from January, 2006.

Among other demands of the employees were scrapping the policy of privatisation, filling of all vacant posts, removal of ban on recruitment on compassionate grounds, scrap the practice of recovery of damage from drivers in cases of road accidents, regularisation of 54 senior employees in PUDA on the pattern of junior engineers and adjustment of teachers employed on a contract basis by zila parishads in the education department along with grant of regular pay scales to them.

Besides office-bearers of the state level body, representatives of unions from the Punjab Roadways, the irrigation department, Kandi canal and Dholbaha dam, PWD (B&R), Thein Dam, Shah Canal, PUDA and many other departments attended the meeting.

Ludhiana, October 6
Sanatan Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Civil Lines, organised a story- telling competition for primary wing students today. The event started with an illumination of ceremonial lamp by chief guest, Sonia Khurana.

Participants dressed up according to the themes of their respective tales, in various attires like crow, fox, monkey, sparrow, farmer, king, sculpture, tree, a blind man, etc.

Those who bagged top positions included Palak, Shivani, Vipul, Riya Walia, Khushi, Parijakta, Harman, Riya Goyal, Tammana, Mehak, Karuna and Parasmani.

Mandi Gobindgarh, October 6
Engineering students appeared today for campus recruitment of Panchkula-based Greyb Services at RIMT Engineering Institutes, Mandi Gobindgarh.

RIMT group chairman Dr Hukam Chand Bansal welcomed Deepak Syal, director, Madhu Bala HR manager, and others.

Syal said Greyb aims at providing world-class support and research for professionals across the globe and its primary work areas include prosecution support, litigation support services and intellectual property asset management.

Principal Dr Harsh Sadawarti said 532 students from 10 colleges appeared for the placement drive and 29 have been shortlisted.

Doraha, October 6
MBA students of Doraha Institute of Management and Technology, Doraha, visited Malwa Industries, Macchiwara, under the guidance of their teachers VJ Rai and Amanpreet Singh today.

Vice-president of the unit KS Verma and manager Kamal Sharma welcomed the students and faculty on behalf of Malwa Industries.

Vice-president, (operations), Jagir Singh while interacting with the students claimed that Malwa Industries was equipped with latest technology. “The machinery used for spinning, dyeing, beaming, sizing, weaving and finishing is brought from the US, Switzerland and Belgium. As the company has plans for the denim market, it is getting due support from foreign experts for latest trends and techniques of denim production,” the vice-president added.

Students were exposed to technical aspects of manufacturing of denim and spinning. Manager of the industry informed that the sale-focus has been shifted from domestic to international market, including Europe and the US.

Malwa Industries has recently won a special honour for generating pollution-free production by adhering to eco-friendly norms prescribed by the Pollution Control Board, he said. — OC

Mullanpur Dakha, October 6
The police has booked a woman, and her son, for occupying a house of her brother-in-law. Kuldeep Kaur and her son Iqbal Singh were said to have occupied the house of Satpal Singh, an NRI living in Australia, at Dakha village.

She was occupying the house since 2004 and did not allow Satpal to enter the house whenever he visited India.

Satpal had given the general power of attorney in the name of Kuljit Singh of Shekupura village regarding the maintenance of his property. After the death of her husband Sukhjant Singh, Kuldeep Kaur was not satisfied with the family partition and forcibly occupied the house.

Kuljit Singh complained the matter to SSP, Ludhiana (Rural), Gurpreet Singh Bhullar who entrusted DSP, Dakha, Paramjit Singh Goraya to inquire the matter. The DSP found the allegation to be true and after due DA legal opinion, Bhullar recommended an FIR against the duo.

The police booked both the accused under Sections 448 and 454 of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 6
Four members of two inter-state gangs of drug peddlers, including two cops of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, were nabbed during nakas held at various places in the area last night.

Huge quantity of drugs was seized from their possession.

The police arrested two Rajasthanis during a naka near Kanganwal last night.

According to Gurpreet Singh Sikand, DSP, Malerkotla, a team, led by Harinder Singh and Bhagwant Singh, nabbed Ashok Kumar of Sanghria in Rajasthan and Subhash Kumar of Chakk (Rajasthan) during a naka on the outskirts of Kanganwal village last night. Eight kg of opium was seized from Maruti car occupied by them.

Sikand said the peddlers were arrested following a secret information. “After receiving information about the activities of addicts and drug peddlers in the town, we directed the police to intensify vigil. It was around midnight that the police intercepted the suspect coming from the Barnala side and seized bag containing opium from their car,” he said.

Preliminary investigations revealed the suspects were members of a notorious gang that had been involved in illegal trafficking of drugs and narcotics for many years. The contraband was handed over to consignees at deserted places decided on the telephone. The present consignment was to be delivered to some smugglers at Ludhiana.

The Payal police has arrested two cops of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who had been exploiting their official position for smuggling drugs and narcotics across states of the North India.

One kg of heroin, worth Rs 1 crore, was seized from their possession.

Purshotam Lal of Jakhwar village under Kathua police station and Shammi Kumar of Sanjhi More village under Rajbagh police station were nabbed by the Payal police during a naka on the outskirts of Karamsar village near here last night.

According to Anil Joshi, DSP, Payal, Khanna SSP S S Mann had received information that some smugglers facilitated by the J and K Police were scheduled to visit the area to hand over a consignment of drugs and narcotics to local peddlers.

After receiving the information, the circle police laid a trap near Karamsar village and nabbed the accused, who had left a private bus at a deserted place.

The police also seized identity cards of the accused and informed SSP Kathua about their arrest. Bag of one of the suspects bore Pakistan Flag on its inner side. 

Ludhiana, October 6
Keen tussles were witnessed in the CBSE North Zone II Chess Championship being held at Green Land Senior Secondary Public School near Jalandhar Bypass here today. Students drawn from various schools from the North India and affiliated with the CBSE, New Delhi, are taking part in this championship.

Results: Girls U-14 (round III)- Green Land School, Ludhiana, bt Guru Nanak Public School, Ludhiana, 3-1; Our Lady Fatima Convent School, Patiala, bt DAV Public School, Rajpura, 3-1; Modern School, Rohtak, bt GRD Academy, Ludhiana, 4-0; Shah Satnam Ji Girls School, Sirsa, lost to Manav Rachna International School, Faridabad, 0-4.

Girls U-19 (Round III)- Green Land Senior Secondary Public School, Ludhiana, bt DPS, Faridabad, 3-1; BCM School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, drew with Alpine International Public School, Ludhiana, 2-2; BCM School, Chandigarh road, Ludhiana, lost to MDN Public School, Rohtak, 3-1; Hindu Vidyapeeth, Sonepat, lost to Seth Hukum Chand School, Jalandhar, 0-4; Sacred Heart School, BRS Nagar, Ludhiana, bt DAV Public School, Rajpura, 4-0; KVM, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, bt Guru Gobind Singh Public School, Ludhiana, 4-0; Heritage Public School drew with Green land Convent School, Chandigarh road, Ludhiana, 2-2.

Boys U-14 (round II)- MGM Public School, Jalandhar, bt Heritage Public School 4-0; Bhavan SL Public School, Amritsar, bt Hindu Vidyapeeth, Sonepat, 3-1; MDN Public School, Rohtak, bt BCM School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, 3-1; Ryan International Public School, Faridabad, bt Bhiwani Public School, Bhiwani, and Seth Hukum Chand School, Jalandhar, bt DAV Public School, Lawrance Road, Amritsar.

Boys U-19 (Round II)- Green Land School, Ludhiana, bt Grammer Public School, Malerkotla, 4-0; DPS Faridabad bt LADM DAV Public School, Mansa, 4-0; Bhiwani Public School, Bhiwani, bt Manav Public School, Amritsar, 4-0; Shiv Jyoti Public School, Jalandhar, bt Bright Scholar School, Sonepat, 4-0; BVM, Kitchlu Nagr, Ludhiana, bt Heritage Public School 4-0; Guru Teg Bahadur School, Dhuri, bt Alpine International Public School, Ludhiana, 4-0; Green Land Day Boarding Public School, Bareta, bt SDMN Senior Secondary School, Neelokheri, 4-0; Guru Harkishan Public School, Bathinda, bt Green Land Convent School, Dugri, Ludhiana, 4-0 and Rao Lal Singh Public School, Kaithal, bt Guru Gobind Singh Public School, Ludhiana, 3-1.

Ludhiana, October 6
Kundan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines Ludhiana, defeated YPS, Mohali, by five wickets to secure a berth in the semifinal of the 9th All-India Bhai Gobind Singh Pasricha Cricket Tournament being held at MGM Public School, Model Town, Jalandhar, today.

Batting first, YPS, Mohali, made 109 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Subeer, Amit and Abhishek who scored 36, 17 and 15 runs, respectively were the main contributors.

For KVM, Abhijit and Akhil Aggarwal grabbed two wickets each after conceding eight and 26 runs while Gagandeep and Abhinav chipped in with one wicket each.

In reply, KVM made 110 runs in 16 overs after losing five wickets.

Abhishek Talwar and Abhinav remained unbeaten on 32 and 14 runs, respectively. Himanshu Chawla contributed 14 runs.

For losers, Kohinoor captured two wickets for 13 runs, while Abhishek scalped one victim for 19 runs.