Jalandhar, May 27
A year after the Vienna violence took place on May 24, triggering widespread protests in the region, the victims of the tragedy are yet to get any compensation, although the Punjab government had announced a policy to provide compensation.

Recently, when Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was asked about the status of compensation to the victims, he expressed his ignorance about the issue. “I will check it with the department concerned,” he said.

Rajesh Bali, one of the victims, whose Atlo car was set on fire along with 17 other vehicles outside Prithvi Planet here, said, “The state government seems to have turned a blind eye to our problem. Our cars are lying in police custody and we doubt if the government would give us any compensation.”

Another victim said, “Though our burnt cars are a case property, at least the government should take the responsibility of providing us due compensation. A year has passed but nothing, except assurances, has been given to the victims.

“We had gathered for a family function on May 24. And before we could have understood what was happening, our cars were reduced to ashes. It was a horrendous time. And we were left fending for ourselves,” he maintained.

Talking to The Tribune, police officials from the Division No 6 police said, “At present there are 14 cars which stand outside the bus stand police post. Three cars have been released to the owners after court orders, while 14 are still parked at the police post.”

However, when contacted, ACP Harpreet Benipal said he was not aware of the present status as he was not directly dealing with the matter.

On May 24 last year, violence broke out in Jalandhar and the adjoining areas after deputy chief of Dera Sachkhand Ballan Sant Ramanand was attacked at Guru Ravidass Gurdwara, Vienna. Sant Ramanand had succumbed to his injuries on May 25. In this incident, dera chief Sant Niranjan Dass had also received injuries.

Agitated followers of the dera had taken to the roads expressing anger over the attack on their dera leaders. A curfew was clamped in the city for over a week during which public property worth crores was damaged.

Jalandhar, May 27
Though delayed, but truckers have heaved a sigh of relief following the launch of the online national permit (NP) scheme in Punjab. The scheme is the culmination of a long drawn-out struggle by truckers across the country who resorted to a nationwide strike from January 5- 12 last year in support of their demands.

The Centre issued a notification in this context on May 7, which was implemented by a majority of the states within a week.

Sources said Punjab had agreed to implement the scheme at the meeting of the State Transport Commissioners held to seek the approval of all concerned but once the notification was issued the state started dragging its feet. The main reason was the financial implications involved. The file was finally cleared by the Finance Department a couple of days ago.

C.S. Lohara, former chief of the All-India Motor Transport Congress, who also spearheaded the agitation and went to jail, said lakhs of truckers across the nation were very happy at this development. Punjab should have done this earlier, but then better late than never, he quipped.

He said the truckers would now have to pay a lump sum of Rs 15, 000 for the NP, which otherwise was Rs 5,000 per state. The new decision would encourage free movement of goods in the country that was good for all sections of society, especially the traders and manufacturers, he pointed out.

The state also needs to remove the sales tax barriers on the pattern of other states since such check posts caused hindrances in the free movement of traffic. After making the system online, random checks should be conducted to check any pilferage of taxes, he added.

Hoshiarpur, May 27
Resentment prevails among residents of Sarhala Kalan, Khairar, Laksian and Bhanna villages over not getting water for domestic use from the water supply source of the Public Health Department.

A deputation of the villagers, led by Social Democratic Party of India president Jai Gopal Dhiman, met Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Harminder Singh and Superintending Engineer of Public Health Circle Mukhtiar Singh on Tuesday evening and requested them to arrange water supply at the earliest.

Dhiman said water was being supplied to the villages from the Sarhala Khurd water supply scheme. But on account of leakage in pipelines and some technical snags, the supply was made in a limited area.

The villagers were meeting their requirement of water from hand pumps which were also going dry now. Some of the families had got submersible pumps installed in their residences to meet the demand of water.

Dhiman demanded regular supply of water through pipelines from the Sarhala Khurd water supply scheme.

Mukhtiar Singh said piped water supply was being made to private connection holders on a monthly payment of Rs 75 each. None of the residents had taken private connections.

A sum of Rs 250 each was being charged from a Scheduled Caste family and Rs 500 each from general category residents for giving water connections. Anyone can get connection from the pipelines by paying the prescribed fees. There was no provision of making the supply free of cost.

Hoshiarpur, May 27
More than 2,000 farmers from all over the district participated in the district-level Kisan Mela organised by the State Agriculture Department at Chabewal village, 8 km from here, today, to be provided with modern techniques for sowing kharif crops.

After inaugurating the mela, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Singh Thandal said the state government was spending Rs 331 crore on the development of agriculture during the current financial year.

Keeping in view the shortage of farm labour for the ensuing paddy season, the government was providing paddy transplanters on a subsidy of Rs 75,000.

A subsidy of Rs 1 lakh was being given on laser land levellers. The government would ensure eight to 10 hours of regular power supply daily during the sowing of paddy to the farm sector.

Keeping in view the day-to-day decrease in groundwater level, the CPS appealed to the farmers to strictly follow the Water Act and not to sow paddy before June 10.

He assured them of regular supply of pesticides during the season.

Criticising the Union Government for its ineffective lifting and protecting of procured wheat, he said proper storage of wheat and its lifting from mandis should be done for its safety.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Devinder Singh Rehal spoke about vermi-compost, biogas plant scheme and information regarding subsidy to farmers.

Nawanshahr, May 27
A woman identified as Avtar Kaur of Saskaur village, near Nurpur Bedi, was killed and three persons were injured in a collision between three vehicles - a car, a tractor-trailer and a motorcycle - at Raipur Tajowal village on the Nawanshahr-Chandigarh highway here today.

As per the available information, the driver of the car reportedly lost control over the vehicle and collided with a tractor-trailer coming from opposite direction.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle rammed into the tractor-trailer.

The motorcycle riders received serious injuries. Two persons travelling in the car were also injured. The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital, Ropar, where Avtar Kaur succumbed to her injuries.

The Asron police has started investigation into the case.

Pathankot, May 27
Due to the ongoing heat wave, a 40-year-old man died of heat stroke here today.

According to police sources, an unidentified person was found in an unconscious state near Bhagat Singh Chowk on Dhangu Road. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The hospital authorities confirmed that the man had died of a heat stroke.

The temperature in Gurdaspur had been hovering around 44°C for the past some day. Today it was recorded to be 44.2°C in the town. — OC