The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Schemes’ implementation
Admn not cooperating, alleges Hoshiarpur MP
Hoshiarpur, November 28
Criticising the local administration in her constituency for its non-cooperative attitude towards implementing Centre-sponsored schemes, Hoshiarpur MP Santosh Chaudhary said the first installment of her MPLAD fund scheme of Rs one crore had been received on September 22, 2009.

MC staff continue strike
Phagwara, November 28
The work in the Phagwara Municipal Council suffered for the third consecutive day owing to the strike by MC employees. The strike call was given by the Municipal Mulazam Action Committee in support of their long-pending demands.

Punjab overall champion in National School Games

Jalandhar, November 28
Punjab became the overall champion by winning maximum gold medals in the 55th National School Games, which concluded at Burlton Park here on Saturday.
A Punjab team poses with their trophy with Technical Education Minister Swarna Ram and Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu at the concluding ceremony of the 55 National School Games in Jalandhar on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

6 held with 11.5 kg opium
Jalandhar, November 28
In the ongoing drive against drug trafficking, the Counter Intelligence (CI), Jalandhar Zone, seized 11.5 kg of opium from six inter-state drug smugglers, including two women, today.

Three killed, 4 hurt in mishap
Pathankot, November 28
Three persons, including two women were killed and four others sustained serious injuries, in a road accident which took place this evening on Pathankot-Dalhousie road near Chhatwal village, 10 km from here.

4 more held in firing incident
Phillaur, November 28
The police has succeeded to nab four gang members, including their kingpin Manish Kali, who were involved in firing and injuring two members in Phillaur judicial complex on November 20.

	City being put on devp track: Kalia Sarbjit Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 28 Hundreds of people turned up to get their ration card, learning licence and old age pension forms filled at a ‘sangat darshan’ camp, held by Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia. All senior officers, including Deputy Commissioner Ajit Singh Pannu, were present at the camp. Kalia said it was third camp held by him in the recent weeks and next would be held soon at some other ward. Kalia said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would soon lay the foundation stone of the flyover project worth Rs 20 crore at BMC Chowk. The other flyover being constructed near the bus stand would be completed soon. Of the Rs 75 crore approved by the state government, works worth Rs 40 crore had been undertaken to repair the roads in various wards, he said. Apart from it, sewer and water projects worth Rs 116 crore were being executed in Rama Mandi and some other areas in the city. Blaming the previous Congress Government for creating a mess in the city, Kalia said that he was trying hard to resolve various problems turn by turn. “The previous Congress government did not spend a penny to improve the infrastructure in the city. Due to which, the city was facing problems,” he said. “We have taken projects worth several crores of rupees to make this city look better”, he added. The process to renovate the Company Bagh had begun. A new Municipal Corporation building had been constructed. There was also a proposal to make a flyover at Rama Mandi Chowk and other at PAP Chowk, he added. This was part of the widening of the national highway project. Keeping in view the traffic bottlenecks near Rama Mandi chowk, he said, decision had been taken to further widen the road stretches there. With the construction of flyovers at BMC Chowk, PAP and Rama Mandi Chowk, the traffic bottlenecks would be removed to a large extent, he added. All these projects would be completed in the next two years, he claimed.
	Scuffle Youth Cong activists accuse ASI of manhandling Ashok Kaura Phagwara, November 28 Tension prevailed in nearby Rawalpindi station after a scuffle between few Youth Congress activists and a truck driver near Khurampur village, when a car of the activists rammed into the truck on Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road on Saturday. According to the reports, some Youth Congress activists, including Block Youth Congress Phagwara Secretary Saurab Joshi, were going to Hoshiarpur to attend a marriage when the car suddenly collided with a truck and the incident created a scuffle between both sides. Meanwhile, someone informed the Rawalpindi police and ASI Tejinder Singh reached on the site. The truck driver alleged that YC activists beat him up while YC activists alleged contrary. It was learnt that the police brought both parties to Rawalpindi Police Station, but the Youth Congress activists alleged indifferent behavior of ASI Tejinder Singh and alleged that Saurab Joshi was beaten up by the police. Hundreds of Congressmen including Block Congress Committee (R) president Inderjit Singh Khalian, District Youth Congress Committee President Jagjit Bittu, Gagandeep Soni and Rajan Sharma BYC Rural and Urban Presidents respectively rushed to the Rawalpindi police station and registered their protest against the highhandedness of ASI. Meanwhile, BYC Secretary Saurab Joshi has been admitted to the local civil hospital. When contacted, Phagwara DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh confirmed the incident, but said the matter was being amicably solved. SSP Kapurthala Ram Singh said DSP Phagwara HPS Khakh has been asked to inquire the episode and submit a report tomorrow. On the other hand, the Congressmen alleged that ASI Tejinder Singh had some personal grudges against them. They were demanding immediate transfer of the police officer, while the allegations were being denied by Rawalpindi SHO Yogesh Kumar who claimed that the matter over with the scuffle among Congressmen and truck driver has been solved, but the tangle was continued till filing of the report.
	Schemes’ implementation Admn not cooperating, alleges Hoshiarpur MP Hoshiarpur, November 28 Criticising the local administration in her constituency for its non-cooperative attitude towards implementing Centre-sponsored schemes, Hoshiarpur MP Santosh Chaudhary said the first installment of her MPLAD fund scheme of Rs one crore had been received on September 22, 2009, but the cheque book for the same was not issued by the local branch of State Bank of India under various pretexts. When she took the case to the manager and said she would transfer her MPLAD fund account to another bank branch of some nationalised bank, they issued a cheque book, said the MP. “At behest of the leaders of the SAD and BJP, the officials concerned dealing with the MPLAD fund scheme were not cooperating in implementing the Central government sponsored schemes. Instead of issuing cheques to the panchayats concerned or other institutions from her MPLAD fund account being announced by her, the cheques were issued in the name of Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) or Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to create hindrances in the work,” she said. She alleged tall claims of the administration regarding implementation of NREGS and Sarv Sikhsha Abhiyan schemes were only in papers. Though job cards of 42 persons of Kanwanwali village in Dasuya sub-division had been prepared under NREGA scheme since long, but they had not been given any job. The minister had also agreed to allow regular halt of Shatabadi express at Phagwara railway station being plied daily between Amritsar and Hardwar. Refuting all the allegations levelled by MP, Deputy Commissioner Megh Raj said that grants from MPLAD fund recommended by the former had been released to Panchayats concerned or other institutions much before 45 days of her recommendations. Regarding issuing of cheques to Panchayats through BDPOs or SDMs, he said that he was following the old procedure for releasing grants. Regarding implementation of NREGA scheme, he said The number of job cards holders had crossed 62,500 now. Jobs to 25,096 cardholders had been provided during this year. — OC
	MC staff continue strike Phagwara, November 28 The work in the Phagwara Municipal Council suffered for the third consecutive day owing to the strike by MC employees. The strike call was given by the Municipal Mulazam Action Committee in support of their long-pending demands. Striking employees, led by Municipal Employees Union General Secretary Surjit Kaur and Safai Karamchari Union President Ram Murti, demonstrated and sat on a day-long dharna outside the council office. The protesters raised slogans in support of their demands, which included regularisation of part time employees, releasing share of VAT with 25 per cent annual increase along with arrears, abolition of contract system, opportunities of promotions and other allowances. They also demanded special allowance and technical grade for the employees engaged in sewerage work and pension scheme for safai karamcharis etc. — OC
	Punjab overall champion in National School Games Jalandhar, November 28 Punjab became the overall champion by winning maximum gold medals in the 55th National School Games, which concluded at Burlton Park here on Saturday. Punjab Technical Education and Social Security Minister Chaudhury Swarna Ram specially attended the prize distribution function, whereas Amritsar MP Navjoj Singh Sidhu presided over the function. Dasuya MLA Amarjit Singh Shahi and Jalandhar Mayor Rakesh Rathod were also present on the occasion. — TNS
	6 held with 11.5 kg opium Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 28 In the ongoing drive against drug trafficking, the Counter Intelligence (CI), Jalandhar Zone, seized 11.5 kg of opium from six inter-state drug smugglers, including two women, today. Acting on a tip-off, CI AIG O.S. Ghuman said, six accused were arrested near Hissowal village near Ludhiana. They were nabbed by a special team from Jalandhar while they were coming to deliver the consignment in the village in two cars (RJ-08C-0219, PB-10-AQ-7500). They have been identified as Darshan Singh of Hissowal, Gurdev Singh of Burj hari Singh village, Raikot, Basanti Lal, Dinesh Powar, Koshiliya Bai and Geeta Bai, all from Jhalawar district of Rajasthan. A case under sections 18, 25, 29, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against them. He said further investigations were on to unearth the nexus of the accused with other mafia from the state and neighbouring states.
	Three killed, 4 hurt in mishap Pathankot, November 28 Three persons, including two women were killed and four others sustained serious injuries, in a road accident which took place this evening on Pathankot-Dalhousie road near Chhatwal village, 10 km from here. According to eyewitnesses a truck loaded with crusher fell on a three wheeler, which was its on way to Jandwal from Pathankot. It is said the truck got turned after the driver of the vehicle lost control over the vehicle and it fell on the tempo which resulted the instant death of two women passengers and driver of the tempo. DSP NK Dogra said the injured have been admitted to the local civil hospital. He said the police was trying to identify the deceased. The condition of the injured persons is said to be critical, he added. — OC