Ludhiana, December 8
The migrant labourers of Dhandari and the surrounding areas have welcomed the move of the police for shifting Varunjit Singh, in charge of the Dhandari police post, to the police lines for laxity in duty.

The migrants lodged a violent protest against the police for allegedly backing the snatchers. While, Singh has been sent to the police lines, a departmental inquiry has been marked against Pardeep Sandhu, SHO, Focal Point, following the incident that took place in Dhandari, in which the irate mob vandalised the police station and torched 23 vehicles.

Confirming the development, SSP Dr SS Gill said the Dhandari police post in charge was shifted as he failed to assess the situation. If he would have taken prompt action and informed the senior police officials about the situation the incident could have been averted, said Gill and further added that a department inquiry had been marked against the SHO of Focal Point.

"It was important for the police to take action against those who handled the situation casually. There was growing unrest among the migrants as following the protest, their houses were burnt and vandalised by the locals, who were allegedly backed by the police," Mohd. Ansari, a resident of Durga, said.

On Thursday evening, the mob led by few migrant leaders pelted stones on the Dhandari police station and torched vehicle on National Highway 1, after the cops refused register their complaint of snatching.

The migrants were alleging that the cops were hand in glove with the snatchers and deliberately not registering the complaint.

The migrant protest continued for the second day on Friday, as the mob of 5,000 labourers lay siege to Dhandari railway track. The police resorted to firing in order to disperse the crowed. The incident resulted in a curfew, over 100 migrants sustained injuries and around 40 were arrested for arson. Sushil Kumar, who was recuperating from an injury sustained during a police lathi charge, said had the cops taken timely action, this situation would have never arisen.

Ludhiana, December 8
After five days of hectic activity, the cops finally heaved a sigh of relief today. Majority of them were seen rushing to the doctors with complaints of chest congestion and restlessness, while others preferred to sleep at home.A sizable number of cops, who sustained injuries in two separate protests led by migrant labourers and Sikh radicals, were seen rushing to the doctors.

"All these days we were discharging our duty. It is not easy to face a mob that is out to kill. We are in the force and we have to abide by the rules. Our primary job is to disperse the rioter and not to kill them. And that is why while controlling irate mob we sustain injuries," said an SHO who sustained an eye injury, when a migrant pelted stone at him.

The police also suffered hunger pangs, as they could not eat food for a whole day in process to tackle repeated incidents of arson, first by migrants and later by the supporter of the Panthaic organisations.

While, the top police officials preferred to have home-cooked food, the junior cops who are yet to return home were scene hogging street food from the roadside food vendors.

While having a bite at a roadside food joint, a cop said, "For the past four days we could not eat anything properly. And some times the food was not available."

Majority of the police were waiting for the orders to return home. Two cops from Phillaur, who were on duty on the railway track near Dhandari said they were waiting for the orders to return home and had even packed their bags. They said they would catch the first bus after they would be relieved from duty.

Ludhiana, December 8
A fast-track court headed by Additional Sessions Judge AS Narula has convicted Narinder Singh of Chaklal village, Nawanshahar and Balwinder Singh of Pandora village, Rahon, falling under Nawan Shahar on the charges of possessing fake currency notes worth Rs 3 lakh.

The court ordered them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four years each. The duo was also directed to pay a fine of Rs 5,000. Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges levelled against the accused beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt. Terming it to be a serious economic offence, the court dismissed their plea of leniency.

An FIR was lodged against the accused persons at Division No: 6 Police Station on March 7, 2002 under section 489-A and 489-C of the IPC on the basis of a secret information received by the police.

According to prosecution, ASI Harbans Singh had received a secret information that the duo were engaged in preparing and selling fake currency notes to the denomination of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. They used to operate in busy markets.

They also got a tip off of the presence of the accused in the Janakpuri area. But when they raided they could not trace the accused persons. Later, they nabbed the accused near Samrala chowk. On search, the police recovered fake currency notes of the denomination of Rs 1,000 numbering 194 from the pockets of accused Narinder Singh. Whereas, the police recovered 106 fake currency notes of the denomination of Rs 1,000 from another accused.

However, the accused persons had claimed false implication in the case. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court found them guilty and sentenced them accordingly.

Ludhiana, December 8
erhaps in a first for the Ludhiana municipal corporation, zonal commissioner MS Jaggi of the B-zone held a meeting with municipal councillors to address the latter's grievances.

Talking about the idea, Jaggi said, "Issues like sewerage being blocked in a locality or garbage not being lifted are often raised by elected representatives in the MC house meet despite the fact that these matters could be sorted out at a lower level." He added that out of the 20 wards falling in his zone, he had convened a meeting for 14 councillors today.

The meeting, which was held in the presence of zonal officials of all branches, witnessed participation of seven councillors.

Talking to The Tribune, Jaggi said, "I have directed the officials to maintain a complaint register, where the councillors' problems are jotted down and periodical reviews could be made." He was of the opinion that it would also help to bridge the gap between officials and politicians that could help in solving public problems. He added that the remaining six councillors had been called tomorrow.

SAD councillor Pal Singh Grewal, who attended the meeting, said, "It was a dream come true today. I have raised this point in the MC house several times that ward grievances should be solved at the zonal level." The important time of the municipal house should be used to discuss about Ludhiana as a whole, rather than talking about individual wards.

Appreciating the work, he added that he told about problems like roads, sewerage, etc that was to be undertaken in his ward and he was quite convinced with the initiative.

Even the officials working in the B-zone felt elated after the review meeting. An official pleading anonymity, said, "Unparliamentary language is often used by municipal councillors against us in the House that sends a bad message to public and leaves us humiliated too. Discussing and finding solutions in four walls of room is something that would give better results from our side too." 

Ludhiana, December 8
The Supreme Court has on several occasions reproved state governments for failing to submit a list of encroachments by various religious institutions on government land and specifying the steps being taken to remove these structures. However, various Punjab government agencies including the municipal corporation, Ludhiana Improvement Trust and Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority have chosen to look the other way for years despite scores of such cases.

According to the list submitted by GLADA officials to the district administration, as many as 39 religious bodies have encroached upon over 8 acres of prime land in posh residential colonies including Dugri, Sectors 32 and 39 on the Chandigarh Road and Ferozepur Road, as well as the industrial belt of Dhandari Kalan. Even by conservative estimates, the lands illegally occupied are worth more than Rs 100 crore.

There are seven encroachments on 10,400 square yards of land in phases I and II of Dugri, some 14,600 square yards of land is under encroachment in Dhandari Kalan, 770 square yards in Sector 39, around 10,550 square yards in Sector 32 and 32A on the Chandigarh Road and another 26,00 square yards on the Ferozepur Road.

The list of those illegally occupying prime government land for decades almost reads like a who's who of religious institutions. These include Hindu temples, Sikh gurudwaras and Muslim shrines. The occupants had not only encroached upon land that was meant to be used for various purposes like green belts, housing, community centres, commercial areas and schools, but in some places even public streets and road berms were under their possession.

From the way it looks, GLADA officials did not take these encroachments seriously as, on the action taken against them, they have maintained that notices were issued to most of the unlawful occupants way back in April 2005, and that too on a particular date (April 11, 2005). Thereafter, no follow-up action appears to have been taken.

An official said, "Dealing with religious institutions is a sensitive issue. We don’t want any trouble and be accused of hurting religious sentiments. Let the state government come out with a clear-cut policy in this regard which will obviously be binding on us."

Doraha, December 8
Lifting of the curfew might have been welcomed by businessmen, industrialists, shopkeepers and commuters alike, but certainly not by kids who, ignorant of the loss of life and property it might have caused, wished it should have continued for a few more days, thus giving them some more time to frolic around.

Mood swings were witnessed among the school-going kids as soon as the news about the reopening of the educational institutions was flashed on TV channels yesterday evening. Since the holidays were the most unexpected ones, the children had literally kept aside the books and engaged themselves in festivities.

The school and college students, who are preparing for their terminal examinations to be held this month, wished the curfew to continue till their exam or “what if this disturbance would have taken place during the exam days itself, thus giving us a few more days to prepare,” added a school student.

While all schools of the area were opened, two private schools decided to keep their institutions closed as a precautionary measure. The children were seen returning and the parents grumbling over the attitude of the school authorities when examinations are nearing.

The life, in a way, returned to normal today. When the shops opened today after a gap of three days a lot of hustle and bustle was witnessed in the markets of Doraha and Sahnewal. The fruit and the vegetable vendors, too, were seen doing brisk business.

The employees who commute to their work place from Doraha to Ludhiana early in the morning were, however, in a fix as the curfew was relaxed from 8 am till 5 pm .One such employee said, “My office remains open from 9 am to 5 pm. Today, I will have to start early to avoid inconvenience”. 

Ludhiana, December 8
A valedictory function of model training course on “Establishment of Agro-Processing Centres in Rural Catchments for Processing and Value Addition Activities” concluded yesterday at Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), PAU.

The training course was sponsored by directorate of extension, department of agriculture, Government of India, to impart training to agriculture development officers from various parts of the country. The programme began on November 30.

During the programme training was imparted on processing and value addition for soyabean, processing and value additional technology for chillies, processing and value addition technology for oilseeds, applications of plastics in agriculture, extrusion technology for ready-to-eat products, processing technologies for groundnut, minimal processing and MAP of vegetables, concept of agro-processing centre, processing and value addition technologies for meat and poultry, storage of fruits and vegetables and project profile preparation and marketing of agriculture produce.

On the concluding day, participants were asked to give feedback about design and fulfilment of objectives of the programme. Most of the participants appreciated practical training imparted to them in soyabean processing.

Dr SK Nanda, project coordinator, said they would keep in mind all suggestions given by participants for further improvement of programme. He also distributed certificates to participants on successful completion of their course.

Dr Deepak Raj Rai, head, Transfer of Technology Division, CIPHET, and senior scientist Dr Sangeeta Chopra were also present on the occasion. State agricultural officers assured that they would disseminate information to masses gained from the training programme.

Ludhiana, December 8
“Indian know-how in the field of food processing can help Afghanistan in reviving its economy,” said Mahboob Abawi, community development and gender officer of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (United Nations), during his visit to the Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (PAU Campus).

A 13-members delegation, who are agriculture experts from Afghanistan, has come to India to seek information on food processing technologies available here and their potential in Afghanistan. The Food and Agriculture Organisation, German Technical Organisation, and Ministry of Agriculture of Afghanistan sponsor their visit to India.

"For the last three decades, agriculture in Afghanistan is badly hit by conflicts and wars. The economy of the country has been under crises," said, Abawi, adding that now with the help of international organisations they were attempting to revive the industry and agriculture and food processing held paramount importance.

She said, "Afghanistan produces a lot of fruits and vegetables and food processing technologies from India can be very useful.

We want to get technologies for domestic-level production as still it will take a long time to establish bigger industrial units."

CIPHET had developed many technologies for food processing, Dr SK Nanda, Project Coordinator (PHT), said. "Even in India more than Rs 50,000 crore of fruits and vegetables go waste every year due to less processing facilities available," he said, adding that if same money was invested in establishing units of food processing, it could generate lot of employment.

"Just Rs 10 lakh of investment in food processing provides employment up to 14 persons, which is nowhere in other industries," he said, adding would provide all necessary assistance to their Afghan counterparts.

Doraha, December 8
Even as it was made public at majority of places by the administration that the pulse polio drive had been put off, but people here faced inconvenience as the administration had made no such efforts to intimate the public regarding the postponement of the drive.

Ignorant about the postponement of the pulse polio drive people were seen making a beeline to the civil dispensary or to the sub centres with a hope that volunteers would finally turn up to administer drops to their children. When no body came, they returned disheartened.

The mother of a four-year-old son, who had brought the child at the civil dispensary to get the polio drops administered, rued that she had been waiting in the chill for about an hour “till I came to know from a passer by that the campaign had been postponed as a precautionary measure. My grudge is that if the administration had an idea that the drive had been put off, why was the public not intimated before hand? Moreover, the latter took no pain in removing even the banners and the posters and that too from the venue, thus adding to the confusion. Moreover, had the administration been considerate, it would have at least deployed somebody at the specific booths to provide the necessary information”, the woman added.

Harbans Kaur (name changed), mother of a one-year-old child, said: “Although I had some inclination earlier about the postponement but when I was informed by a neighbour that the banner hanging in front of the dispensary is indicating the date of administration to be December 6, I thought that the drive may have been rescheduled. Since it was the question of my child’s immunity, I took no chances and reached the venue only to be informed that the banner had not been removed at all. The administration had taken no pains to get even the banner removed and that too from the main venue much to the inconvenience of the general public”.

Dr Walia, SMO, Payal, said they themselves got the intimation late after which they got the announcements made on the loudspeakers in gurdwaras. He also added that they had tried to get the banners removed from the bus stops and other public places. 

Ludhiana, December 8
Even though it is one of the most important departments frequented by score of visitors daily, the Birth and Death Registrar Office of the municipal corporation is not public-friendly. Reason - Absence of infrastructure. After being shifted from its old building near Clock Tower, the department was asked to work from the building of Centre Fire Station, where two rooms were allotted to the employees. But the irony is that while one of the rooms has no doors or almirahs, the second one is too small for visitors to meet officials.

Moreover, the registrar is sitting in a room that has no doors, no telephone, no fan and no railing on stairs raising question on the functioning of the department. This department that has been storing the records of birth and the death since 1870 is not only irks employees but even visitors.

"Due to the absence of almirahs and less space records have been divided. We have kept important record in old building near Clock Tower and whenever we require it, prefer to go there and get documents," said an official working in the department.

The employees rued that there was no benches etc to make public sit and address their problems. "Sometimes we receive senior citizens, handicaps from far off places and we offer our own seats for them to sit. After all we are all humans.

If you see an elderly waiting or sitting on the floor, what would you do," the employees said, adding that the since the department does not give much revenue to the civic body, so neither municipal councillors nor bureaucrats ever thought about it.

Even the public feels the same that most of the Municipal Corporation offices are not public friendly. Santo Rani (70), who had come to get her granddaughter's certificate corrected, said: “I have reached here after changing three autos, but when I reached here, there was no place to sit.

Tired of journey, I sat on the ground." The illiterate woman, however, felt a little special when birth and death registrar Sudarshan Sharma offered her tea and made her work done while she was sitting on a seat.

Similarly, another visitor Rakesh Gupta said: "In fact almost every municipal corporation office is not at all public friendly. The way registrar offices have transformed themselves for public, even these offices should try something like this.” 

Ludhiana, December 8
Punjab Agriculture University employees’ protest against the non-implementation of revised scales entered the 13th day today. The protestors held a chain dharna and a protest rally.

A group of five employees - Dr JS Kang, Dr Prabhjodh Singh, executive members, PAUTA, Yadwinder Singh, Lal Bahadur Yadav, PAU Employees’ Union and Nand Kishore, executive member, PAU Class IV Workers’ Union - sat on a chain dharna. The chain dharna and rally will continue till the implementation of revised pay scales. The agitation will be further intensified from Thursday, informed HS Mundi, president, PAU Employees' Union.

The rally was jointly addressed by Mundi, Dr. K.N. Sharma, president, Dr Harmeet Singh Kingra, vice-president, PAUTA, Dr KS Sangha, secretary, PAUTA, Avinash Kumar Sharma, general secretary, Lakhwinder Singh Sandhu, Charnjit Singh Sekhon, senior vice-president, Jasbir Singh, secretary, Ashwani Nauryial, Mandeep Pal Singh and Avtar Singh Guram.

The speakers requested the MLAs to raise the issue of the critical financial position of Punjab Agricultural University in the forthcoming session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

The joint forum of the PAU employees also demanded a central status for the university, if the state was unable to give the required grant for research and salaries of the employees. All the activities, including research, teaching and extension, remained suspended. The protest and rally will continue tomorrow from 9 to 11 am.

Ludhiana, December 8
The Karkahan Mazdoor Union has decided to defer their move to stage dharna for the time being. This decision was taken after an emergency meeting of the union workers here recently.

Convener of the union Rajvinder said today that the incidents of violence had already deteriorated law and order in the city. Union had decided not to hold protest in favour of labourers for the time being.

The union members said the violence could have been avoided if the police would have taken the action on time.

The migrants, on the other hand, should have maintained peace and harmony. Next course of action will soon be decided, he added. 

Ludhiana, December 8
The migrants who played the role of a mediator and tried to effect a compromise between them and the cops are feeling helpless as following the police lathicharge, migrants whose houses were burnt by the locals are now gunning for them. Worried over the state of affairs these migrants are now demanding security from the police.

They are considering themselves as outcastes as neither the locals were accepting them nor by the migrants. The Friday’s incident has created a divide between them and the migrants as well as the locals, who were living in harmony since decades, said Sunil Kumar.

The migrants are terming these people as touts of cops. Though it is a fact that due to these negotiators the police had time to gather strength, following which the police along with the locals attacked migrants and successfully dispersed them from the railway track on which they were staging dharna. “The migrants now think that we were involved with the locals and police when their quarters were set afire.

Now they are holding us responsible for the loss. Even the police has left the area. Now we are concerned that they might target us on the behest of some local leaders,” said Liaquat Ali, a migrant, who tried to affect a compromise.

Abdul Shakur was also concerned about his security. He said he was trying to pacify the protestors, but due to the clash and the aftermath of the police lathicharge there is sense of growing hatred among migrants against us.

They are taking us as enemies now. We don’t know what we should do,” he added. “We did what was required at that time.

They all were taken over by the tide and acted like a mob. They did not know what they were doing,” said Liaqat Ali. He said though they helped the police, the police should now come to their rescue and provide them a security. Otherwise we are now strangers among our own people. 

Ludhiana, December 8
With classrooms being made into bedrooms for the troops of the reserved battalions, which are camping on the school campuses, students of various schools were forced to study in the open today.

Huddled together in small groups, students of various classes could be seen sitting on the school grounds, learning their lessons, while personnel of the security forces were busy playing cricket on the campus, waiting for their duty to start even as many of their colleagues were already out on duty in various city parts.

When a Ludhiana Tribune team visited Shaheed Sukhdev Memorial School, one of the schools where troops are staying, the students could be seen ruing the fact that they were made to sit in the open and attend classes with students of other classes also studying nearby.

"We are unable to concentrate on our lessons as there is so much noise. If our classrooms had to be given to the troops to stay, we should have been given an off today," said a student of Class VII, voicing the feelings of her schoolmates.

When contacted, District Education Officer (secondary) Bachhitar Singh said, "The situation is same in all schools where the troops are camping. I am aware that the students are facing a lot of problem due to this but I cannot do much about it."

He added, "The orders for providing school campuses for the troops of the reserved battalions to stay had been passed by the Ludhiana DC on December 3. We just implemented his orders. I do not know till when will the troops stay." Meanwhile, SP (traffic) Rupinder Singh said, "I have no knowledge about the matter. The SSP had made all the arrangements for the stay of troops of the reserved battalions."

It is pertinent to mention here that the troops of the reserved battalions had been called in, in the wake of violence breaking out in the city four days back. 

Ludhiana, December 8
While expressing its concern over the recent violent incidents in the city, the Marxist Communist Party of India (MCPI) has squarely blamed the police administration for the law and order situation going out of hand.

In a joint statement here today, party general secretary Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri and state secretary Kuldeep Singh said the police had deliberately failed to address the genuine complaints and grievances of migrant workers, who they said were being “openly robbed and harassed by hoodlums and anti-social elements”.

"It’s a well known fact that the police don’t listen to the complaints of poor people and, more often than not, fail to dispense justice to the aggrieved persons. Over the years this attitude has caused a sense of great insecurity among the migrant population in Punjab, which has virtually become the backbone of the state’s industry and agriculture," they stated.

In a word of caution, the MCPI leaders said “if timely and effective measures were not taken to restore confidence and a sense of security among the migrants, the situation could cause irreparable and immeasurable losses to the state’s economy that is already in the doldrums. It’s high time for the SAD-BJP government to act firmly, restore a sense of security and dispel any fears or apprehensions among the migrant workers in Punjab."

Lyallpuri and Kuldeep came down heavily upon the Punjab government for what they called its “gross mishandling” of the situation that was created by the confrontation between a ‘dera’ and Sikh radical bodies, thereby creating communal and regional disharmony.

“It was most unfortunate that certain political vested interests were making attempts to gain political mileage out of what was otherwise a nonissue. There are some forces behind the incident who are trying to take the situation in Punjab back to the dark days of militancy and fundamentalism," they alleged.

Ludhiana, December 8
The Directorate of Extension Education, PAU, will organise a three-month training course in agriculture for matriculate farmers in the age group of 20-40 years from different districts of Punjab barring the districts of Gurdaspur and Amritsar.

The course starting on January 6, 2010 will continue till April 2, 2010. The participants will be given knowledge and practical know-how in various aspects of agriculture and subsidiary occupations. Desirous farmers can obtain the prescribed application proforma from the Directorate of Extension Education or Kairon Kisan Ghar on PAU campus here.

The last date for applying is December 31, 2009, while the interview will be held at 10 am on January 4, 2010 in Kairon Kisan Ghar.

Khanna, December 8
Seven persons have been booked for attacking a resident of Neelon Khurd village with sharp-edged weapons.

In his complaint lodged with the police, Avtar Singh of Neelon Khurd stated that Harlochan, Ramandeep, Narinder, Jasvir, Iqbal Singh and Manjit Singh, all residents of the same village, and Kuldeep Singh of Utalan village, attacked him on Sunday evening.

The police said the incident took place when the accused allegedly attacked Avtar with some sharp-edged weapons and even damaged his house. His brother Satkar, too, was in the incident.

The accused also allegedly intimidated the complainants. The injured were admitted to the civil hospital.

In another case, feud over drainage in the area led to scuffle in Guru Harkrishan Nagar in Khanna yesterday.

Ludhiana, December 8
More than 500 students participated in the Annual Inter-House Athletics Meet at BCM School, Basant Avenue, Dugri, here today.Chief guest Dr Amarinder Singh Sekhon declared the meet open. Participants were divided into three groups.

Results:

Group A girls:50m race: Harleen 1, Reet 2 and Komal 3; 100m race: Aruchi 1, Harleen 2 and Spna, Rythm 3; spoon race: Kritika 1, Priya 2 and Simran 3; three-legged race: Monik and Gurpreet 1, Ritik and Sonal 2, Simranjot and Avneet 3; sack race: Navneet 1, Harleen 2 and Ridhima 3.

Group B girls: 100m race: Prabhjot 1, Prabhleen 2 and Gurleen 3; 200m race: Mandeep 1, Pooja 2 and Prabhleen 3; 400m race: Pooja 1, Gurdeep 2 and Jasmine 3; spoon race: Dharna 1, Aanchal 2 and Ravina 3; three-legged race: Prabhleen and Mehak 1, Suman and Simran 2, Shikha and Harkirat 3.

Group C girls: 100m race: Akshita 1, Ankita 2 and Simran 3; 200m race: Akshita 1, Sakshi 2 and Ankita 3; 400m race: Yogita 1, Satnam Kaur 2 and Simran 3; sack race: Jaspreet 1, Amritpal 2, Ankita and Jaspal 3; three-legged race: Simran and Yogita 1, Satnam Kaur and Amritpal 2, Shagun and Ankita 3.

Group A boys: 50m race: Kanwarpal 1, Manraj 2 and Tanvir 3; 100m race: Kanwarpal 1, Manraj 2 and Harshjot, Rahul Goyal 3; three-legged race: Sachin and Daman 1, Karan and Sanmeet 2, Bibekpreet and Danish 3; sack race: Karan 1, Naman 2 and Nitin 3; frog race: Eshav 1, Anmol 2 and Akshit 3.

Group B boys: 100m race: Himanshu 1, Diljot 2 and Inderjeet 3; 200m race: Himanshu 1, Maninder 2 and Diljot 3; 400m race: Gautam 1, Diljot 2 and Sukhraj 3; three-legged race: Manav and Raman 1, Inder and Tushar 2, Karikey and Varinder 3; sack race: Gurdeep 1, Kartikey 2 and Rakesh 3.

Group C boys: 100m race: Nitesh 1, Jeewanjot 2 and Navjot 3; 200m race: Navjot Singh 1, Nitesh 2 and Kuldeep 3; 400m race: Jeewanjot 1, Navjot 2 and Kuldeep Singh 3; sack race: Anurag 1, Mohit 2 and Gursimran 3; three-legged race: Bakshish and Shubham 1, Bawan and Navinder 2, Gurbaaj and Pawan 3.