Ludhiana, December 18
With one more resident succumbing to swine flu at Deepak Hospital in Ludhiana, the death toll has reached 10. Five of the 10 deceased were from Ludhiana while the others were from other districts of Punjab and were undergoing treatment here.

Sarabjit of Haibowal, who died last evening at Deepak Hospital, was admitted on December 14. She was put on therapeutic treatment by the district health authorities.

Civil Surgeon Maninderjit Singh said 78 swab samples had been sent from the city, out of which 32 tested positive for influenza H1N1. “As many as 15 cases were from Ludhiana district,” he stated, adding that private hospitals had increased their bed strength and ventilators in order to accommodate maximum patients.

The health department today distributed 10,000 pamphlets and pasted posters pertaining to swine flu at crowded places, including railway station, bus stand and gurdwaras.

Ludhiana, December 18
Disregarding the Supreme Court’s directives on encroachments on public land by religious institutions, a ‘rath yatra’ (procession) has been permitted by the civic body to be held in the city tomorrow, resulting in mushrooming of numerous makeshift structures that are illegal.

As a part of the preparations, temporary encroachments like gates by erecting poles on streets are coming up unhindered. Besides, the municipal corporation has failed to take any action against the defacement of public property by the procession’s organizers who have hung flags and banners at various places in the city.

Apart from this, to light up roundabouts in Aarti Chowk the organizers have also brought in generators kept in open at a public place next to an electricity transformer that could lead to a mishap any time.

That's not all - city streets constructed with public funds amounting to crores of rupees are also being put at risk. A case in point is a newly constructed street in Ghumar Mandi, which was relaid only a month back, is being used for erecting poles. Holes have been dug in the street to erect poles and tents for “welcome gates.”

Experts said erecting poles by drilling holes is one of the reasons why the city’s streets often come apart. "These holes become source of seepage of water, that weakens the binding material of the premix and when vehicles move over such a stretch, the top layer of road wears off," said experts, adding “no one has right to erect tents on roads unless they obtain permission from the municipal commissioner”.

Under section 246 of the Punjab Municipal Act only the municipal commissioner can give permission for activities like installing poles on streets. However, it cannot be done at the cost of public property and defaulters can be prosecuted too.

Sources close to the MC said the group organizing the ‘rath yatra’ had only sought permission for installing 25 hoardings, which was given, and is being charged Rs 1,500 for it. However, they confessed the hoardings across the city about the event were more than the prescribed number.

When municipal commissioner AK Sinha was asked about the matter, he said, "The committee organizing the event had come to me and I had referred the case to additional commissioner KP Brar."

Ludhiana, December 18
What can the civic body do when MC officials responsible for removing encroachments themselves become encroachers?

Something of the sought happened on Ring Road here today during the inauguration of a shop (near the bus stand) that belongs to the son of a zonal commissioner.

According to information, neither the zonal commissioner nor his son had sought permission from the MC to erect tents on the road. These had blocked almost half of the road, causing inconvenience to commuters.

The tents were pitched last night and the tehbazari wing of the civic body did not even bother to bring it to the notice of seniors officials.

Sources in the MC confirmed that no permission had been sought. When Municipal Commissioner AK Sinha was asked about it, he expressed ignorance about the issue and said he would look into the matter.

Social activist SS Channa said: “There is nothing new in it. People do it all the time, but at least MC officials should try to follow the rules so that they can implement laws. The MC must recommend some action so that it sets an example for other employees.”

Ludhiana, December 18
Even as the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken cognizance of the menace of jhuggis and other encroachments in several colonies developed by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), officials have so far failed to evolve an effective mechanism for clearing encroachments.

Inquiries by The Tribune revealed that at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar alone there were nearly 500 jhuggis and 5 acre in prime location, including parks and vacant plots of 40 sq yards each, were occupied by jhuggi dwellers. As per estimates, they were sitting over the land with a market value of more than Rs 50 crore. The situation is no better in other colonies as well.

In the wake of the notice issued by the PSHRC, the LIT officials have been trying to clear the encroachments without any positive outcome so far. They say that removing jhuggis and rehabilitation of dwellers is not an easy task. “No assistance is provided to us from the police department most of the times, and then efforts made towards clearing jhuggis are often thwarted by politicians,” they stated.

The LIT had tried to remove the jhuggis at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar last year when a duty magistrate and cops accompanied the team for the purpose. The drive was, however, put off in the face of stiff resistance by the dwellers and they were given a week’s time to clear the encroachments, but it was never done.

“We had approached the district and police authorities earlier this month also for making available police force so that the jhuggis could be removed, but the authorities had declined, citing the disturbed law and order situation in the city as the reason,” the officials added.

Ludhiana, December 18
The police has announced traffic diversions on various routes in order to make Jagannath rath yatra a hassle-free affair tomorrow.

Addressing a press conference, the SP (traffic), Rupinder Singh, said the yatra would start from Durga Mata Mandir at 1 pm and would proceed towards Fountain Chowk.

The procession would then head towards Ghumar Mandi and would reach Aarti Chowk and would culminate at Mata Rani Mandir at Sarabha Nagar around 10.30 pm.

The traffic would be diverted to alternative routes. Barricades would be removed from the respective locations after the rath yatra moved ahead.

Residents of Civil Lines, Ghumar Mandi, BRS Nagar, Aggar Nagar and Raj Guru Nagar are likely to face traffic jams. Commuters have been advised to park their vehicles at a safe distance from the routes of the procession.

The yatra would reach Fountain Chowk at around 3 pm and would take three to four hours to reach Aarti Chowk.

The police has also beefed up security. As many as 250 cops, along with 120 traffic police personnel and 100 volunteers, have been deputed to provide security to the yatra.

People carrying luggage would be searched and no vehicle would be allowed to be parked on the route of the yatra.

Khamano, December 18
Hira Singh Gabria, tourism minister, Punjab, inaugurated PURE — project for upgradation of road side eateries — a joint venture of the Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) and the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board.

The project has been launched with a view to improve dhabas and quality of food. Gabria said the government had prepared a master plan for the development of tourism and all religious places and those where freedom fighters attained martyrdom, heritage havelis, rivers and canals would be identified. The master plan would be prepared by a foreign company.

The hotel management department of the CGC would provide training regarding the preparation of food, hygiene and hospitality to 10 dhabas identified by the government. Inaugurating the project at a dhaba on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road near here, the minister said the dhabas would be given the logo of PURE.

MLA Jagjiwan Singh Khirnian said with the scheme, several educated youths would get employment.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, chairman of the CGC, Landran and Gharuan, and Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, president of the CGC, Landran, said the mission of PURE was to improve the quality of food served by dhabas and educate people running these eateries on health and hygiene.

Ludhiana, December 18
Officials of the health & family welfare department today seized psychotropic drugs in a raid conducted on three retail chemists in the city. The drug stores - RK Medicos and Bajaj Medicos, both located in Jawahar Nagar Camp, and another in Haibowal were found selling capsules and syrups falling under scheduled ‘H’ drugs without prescription.

Drug inspector Rajesh Suri said the drug stores were purchasing these scheduled ‘H’ drugs from wholesalers and then selling them to youngsters addicted to drugs. “We are forwarding a recommendation to the higher drug authorities for cancellation of licences of these three chemists for violating the Drug & Cosmetics Act,” he added.

Describing the modus operandi of the drug mafia working behind the scene, a health official stated these chemists do not stock scheduled ‘H’ drugs in large quantity as they “basically act as agents of the mafia that supplies drugs to addicted people”.

Meanwhile, the Ludhiana Retail Chemists Association has refused to come out in support of these chemists found guilty of selling psychotropic drugs without prescription.

Association president Aman said, “If the three chemists give an undertaking in writing they will not continue with the practice in future we will request the state drug control authorities to give them one last chance. However, if they do not do so we will expel them from the association and will ask the authorities to take stringent action against them.”

Ludhiana, December 18
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered United India Insurance Company to pay Rs 51,280 as compensation along with interest to an aggrieved consumer, whose motor insurance claim it had refused and who had to bear the cost of getting his damaged vehicle repaired.

Passing the order, an additional bench headed by forum president PD Goel and member Jagjit Kaur Mander held that even if a vehicle owner had two driving licences the insurer could to deny his claim. “Though this may be a violation of the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, it is not a breach of the insurance contract”, they said.

“It was obligatory on the part of the insurance company to make payment for the losses suffered by the consumer on account of an accident, as per the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. Because, the policy was a contract between two parties and they were governed by it”, observed the forum.

The forum passed the order following a complaint filed by RDH Auto, GT Road, Dhandari Kalan, Ludhiana. The complainant had submitted he was having a Maruti Wagon car duly insured with the Cheema Chowk branch of United India Insurance. He stated his car met with an accident in Samalkha, near Panipat, in March 2006. He said he got the vehicle repaired at Swani Motors, Ludhiana and paid Rs 51,280 to the latter. However, he said he was not paid the claim with the plea that his driver was having two driving licences.

United India Insurance pleaded that it was a violation of the terms and conditions of the insurance policy as well as a breach of the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. However, the consumer forum disagreed with the insurance company’s contentions with the observation that the firm could not prove there was any breach of the condition of the police.

Ludhiana, December 18
Strange are the ways of life. The elder son of a man who died in the December 5 police firing on Sikh radicals protesting against the visit of Ashutosh, has joined the police force as a constable.

Darshan Singh, an auto rickshaw driver who was shot dead near Samrala Chowk was the family’s only breadwinner.

The incident drew a lot of flak against the ruling SAD- BJP government, which later announced a job in the police for the deceased’s son, Gurpreet, and Rs 5 lakh for his family members.

A relative of Darshan said the latter struggled to give his children a good education and suitable jobs.

“However, what he was not able to do in his entire life, his death had made it possible”, he added.

Such is the irony of fate that the son of the man who was called a martyr after being allegedly shot by the cops is now serving in the same battalion of the police whose members opened fire.

Gurpreet attended the ‘bhog’ ceremony for his father at Lohara village, near here, which presented an interesting contrast.

While Sikh radicals were calling the police as “enemies” and holding it responsible for “violating human rights”, he took a break from his police duties to attend the ceremony.

“I want to serve the state and will make an effort to eradicate anti-social elements from society”, said Gurpreet, who barely looked 18 and appeared enthusiastic about his new job.

However, his mother and sister remained silent when asked how they had agreed to join the police force.

Till a few days ago, members of Darshan’s family were seen cursing the police for its “atrocities”, but now, they were enthusiastically praising the force.

On the other hand, the Sikh radicals who bitterly attacked the police firing in which Darshan died were caught in a cleft stick.

Ludhiana, December 18
Minister for jails, tourism and cultural affairs, printing and stationery, Punjab, Hira Singh Gabria met with industrialists to discuss labour problems here.

CICU president and Small Industry Development Board chairman Inderjit Singh Pardhan expressed his gratitude to the minister for addressing their grievances.

CICU general secretary Avtar Singh requested to extend the date of submission of C and H forms for 2008-09 to March 31, 2010.

He also requested to withdraw the mandatory provision of submission of C and H forms with every quarterly VAT refund return and allow status quo under the earlier provisions, so as to provide respite to the industrial in these hard times.

He further appealed for introduction of daily flag march in labour intensive colonies, where there was sizable population of migrant workers.

CICU joint secretary Upkar Singh Ahuja said industrial workers were feeling insecure after a clash between migrants and the police a few days ago.

Peace had now returned to the industrial hub as migrants had resumed their work, especially in industrial unit.

Migrant workers were also advised not to get scared or listen to rumours. The industrialists sought adequate protection to the factory workers for smooth running of industrial units.

Gabria announced that keeping in view the main demand of industrialists and traders, the Chief Minister had agreed to extend the date of submission of C and H forms for the 2008-09 to March 31, 2010 without any penalty.

He instructed Focal Point SHO Sandeep Vadera to be more responsive and sensitive to the problems of migrant workers.

He advised intensify of patrolling, particularly during night, and displaying of relevant telephone numbers of police officials at every chowk in the Focal Point area to instill confidence amongst migrant workers.

He also advised industrialists to apprise workers of realities of prevailing situation so that migrants did not come under the influence of those who wanted to exploit the situation for their vested interest.

Ludhiana, December 18
MGM Public School organised its annual function here today with great zeal and fervour. Education minister of Punjab Dr Upinderjit Kaur was the chief guest and additional deputy commissioner of Ludhiana Kuldeep Singh presided over the function.

An English and a Hindi play, giddha, bhangra and various cultural presentations by students mesmerised the audience.

The education minister gave away prizes to the students for their excellent performance in various fields. A vote of thanks was given by director (academic) Ashok Kumar Setia.

ATHLETIC MEET: The annual athletic meet 2009-10 of Green Land Convent School was organised here today. Rajesh Rudra, chairman-cum-director of Green Land Schools, was the chief guest.

Students from all four houses - Jagriti, Jyoti, Kirti and Shakti - participated in the march past.

The programmes started with cultural items and concluded with the athletic events of pre-primary and primary classes.

HONOURS: Twenty students (11 boys and nine girls) of Gobindgarh Public College, Alour, are going to represent Panjab University (Chandigarh), in the National Youth Camp at Vivekanand Puram, Vivekanand Kendra, Kanyakumari, from December 28 to 31.

Prof Amit Narula, Prof Varinder Kumar, Prof Baljeet Kaur and Prof Sarbjit Kaur will accompany the students.

Prof Narula said the camp would be a confluence of cultures and languages in which more than 160 students from of 14 states of India would participate.

The theme of the camp is “Organise for India”. They will also attend a cultural exchange programme from January 1 to 3 at Madras University, Chennai.

Ludhiana, December 18
In 1996, Sohan Lal Gupta retired as assistant health officer from the municipal corporation. However, even 13 years after his retirement, he is still an asset to the civic body. Reason: His expertise in reading and writing in Urdu.

The birth and death registrar office of the corporation has records from 1870 to 1962 in Urdu and after Gupta’s retirement the department became paralysed, as there was no one in corporation who knew the language.

Whenever the demand for appointing a translator was raised, it was turned down by the successive MC Commissioners, leaving the department in a bind.

When Gupta learned about the problem, he offered his voluntary services. “I had worked at the post of the AHO in the health department of the municipal corporation from 1986 to 1996. I believe work is worship and if my little time can bail someone out of his misery, there is nothing like it,” says Gupta.

“When officials in the department and people express their gratitude, I feel elated and important. There is no better return than a thanks or word of gratitude. When people come for a death certificate, they are already sad over the loss of their loved one. And, if they have to face government apathy, it surely triggers anger,” says Gupta.

Defying his age, he still has a lot of vigour and follows a fixed daily routine. “After completing my prayers and breakfast around 10 am, I leave my house. I go to my son’s shop at Model Town for an hour or so to help him with his work. Around 11.30 pm, I reach the birth and registrar office, near the Central Fire Station, and leave the office around 3 pm, keeping the rest of the day for myself,” quips Gupta.

“I was a sportsman and used to play football. In fact, I have won a number of medals during my college days. That spirit is still there in me and keeps me going,” says Gupta, while preparing a death certificate.

Employees at the birth and death registrar office are all praise for Gupta. “You must have read about corruption, scams and misbehaviour by MC officials, but he is one person the corporation will always be proud of,” say employees.

Ludhiana, December 18
Jashn-e-Sahir, the 37th interanational ‘mushaira’ in memory of Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi, will be organised by the Adeeb International (Sahir Cultural Academy) at Pandey Auditorium, Nehru Sidhant Kendra, on December 19 from 7:30 pm. According to Dr Kewal Dheer, chairman of the academy, Urdu poets from all over India will participate in the event.

Participants include film lyricists Mumtaz Rashid and Rahat Indori from Mumbai, Shahid Meer (Bhopal), Nawaz Deobandi (Deoband), Hasib Soz (Badaun), Kalim Qaiser (Gorakhpur), Khushbir Shad (Lucknow), Popular Meeruti (Meerut), Ashok Sawhney (Delhi), Malikzada Javed (Noida), Azam Shakiri (Etah), Javed Musheeri (Delhi) and Ana Dehlvi (Kanpur), besides local poets Sardar Panchhi and Sagar Sialkoti.

Dr Dheer has said Amjad Islam Amjad, Azhar Javed and Bushra Ejaz from Pakistan and Farhat Parveen and Alyas Bhatti from the US are also expected to take part. Punjab ADGP Chander Shekhar will be the chief guest and Punjab’s chief parliamentary secretary Harish Rai Dhanda will be the guest of honour.

Mullanpur Dakha, December 18
Two persons were nabbed yesterday and fake currency worth over Rs 30,000 was seized from their possession. They were arrested following a raid conducted at the bus stand area. SHO Prem Singh said they were tipped off that the accused, identified as Gurnam Singh of Jattan Rihana village near Kapurthala, Balram Singh, alias Vicky of Dehlon, Jassi of Janakpuri in Ludhiana, and Dilavar Singh of Balachour village in Nawanshahr would be visiting Mullanpur.

The police managed to arrest Gurnam Singh and Balram Singh along with fake currency worth Rs 30,650. The notes were in the denomination of Rs 100 and Rs 50. The other accused succeeded in giving the police the slip.

Gurnam Singh had also been arrested in 2008 by the Phillaur police for possessing fake currency worth Rs 70,000. He was on bail in that case.

The accused would circulate the fake currency in areas where migrant labourers lived or in the rural/semi-urban areas.

Mullanpur Dakha, December 18
The Humbran police has booked a travel agent for cheating a resident of Aliwal village by luring him to send his son abroad.

Paul Singh of Aliwal village, near here, in his complaint to SSP Rural Harinder Singh Chahal on December 12 had stated that the accused, Mehal Singh, of Dosla village in Kapurthala district had lured him to send his son Jasvir Singh to Italy on permanent immigration.

The deal was struck at Rs 6.5 lakh out of which he paid Rs 50,000 to the accused on November 22, 2004.

The rest of the amount was to be paid after the visa was granted to his son. The accused put his son on a flight to Singapore on April 22 2005 and kept moving him to Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia and other places and back to Thailand.

There they kept his son for a year and extorted Rs 6.1 lakh on various accounts during 2005.

In 2006, they bought his son back to Delhi and snapped all communication with them.

The accused failed to procure a visa for his son, he alleged. The accused refused to either send his son to Italy or refund the amount.

The complaint was lodged with the Jagraon SSP, who ordered a case to be registered against the accused.

The Humbran police yesterday registered a case against the accused under Sections 420 and 406, IPC. No arrest has been made so far.

Mandi Gobindgarh, December 18
Shah Satnamji Boys School, Sirsa, and Sant Ishar Singh Ji Public School, Rara Sahib, lifted the boys and girls’ trophy, respectively, in the CBSE National Volleyball Tournament Under-19 at Gobindgarh Public School grounds here today.

Shah Satnamji Boys School, Sirsa, beat RS Public School, Karnal, in five sets (22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13) to clinch the title.

Pooja Modern Public School, Pipli, finished third pushing SN Vidya Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Trissur, to the fourth position.

In the girls’ final, Sant Ishar Singh Ji Public School Rara Sahib, Ludhiana, beat Shah Satnam Ji Girls School, Sirsa, 25-19, 18-25, 25-17, 25-16 to grab the tile.

The third spot went to SGGS Collegiate Public School, Chandigarh, who beat St Francis De Sales School, New Delhi, 25-19, 26-24, 27-29, 25-15.

Fatehgarh Sahib district police chief Dr Kaustubh Sharma was the chief guest at the prize distribution function.

Gobindgarh Education and Social Welfare Trust chairman Piara Singh Kalsi, secretary NK Khanna, and SMC chairman Swaranjit Singh Bagli, trustees, players and coaches witnessed the competition. The chief guest later gave away prizes to the winners.

Ludhiana, December 18
Top outfits of the country will be seen in action during the 7th edition of the Doraha Gold Cup Hockey Tournament to be organised by Friends Club at Mehta Gurkul Academy, Doraha, near here, from December 23 to 27.

According the club chief organiser Anil Parbhat Mehta, last year’s joint winners Jarkhar Academy and Punjab and Sind Bank Academy along with Punjab National Bank Academy; SAI, Patiala; SAI, Orissa; SAI, Secunderabad; SAI, Bhopal; SAI, Hyderabad; SAI, Kurukshetra; SAI, Sonepat; Chandigarh XI, Sector 42; Ropar Hawks; Spring Dale School, Amritsar; Sangrur Academy; besides Dakha Academy, Bangladesh, will fight it out during the five-day tournament.

IRS commissioner, income tax, Charanjit Singh will inaugurate the tournament on Wednesday at 2 pm.

In the opening match, Jarkhar Academy will take on Sangrur Academy, added Mehta.