Ludhiana, July 16
With city residents already battling waterborne diseases in the wake of heavy monsoon showers, rampant adulteration of food items is leading to further health hazards. Laboratory tests of over 25 samples of various eatables including cooked items as well as the raw ingredients, conducted during the past two months, have failed.

Even many reputed grocery retail chain stores, hotels and companies manufacturing ice cream have been found selling substandard food products. Samples of the roasted almond and vanilla flavoured ice cream made by a well-known firm, Cremica, taken by the health & family welfare department, have tested positive in its laboratories. The fat content in the two ice-cream flavours was 6.8 and 8.3 per cent against the essential fat content of 10 per cent.

District health officer Dr DS Kochar said lab tests of samples of sweet tamarind taken from Easy Day, a food and grocery retail store owned by Bharti Retail, as well as ‘dals’ (lentils) and rice samples from the Reliance Fresh store in Kidwai Nagar had also failed. "The tamarind packs had improper labeling while the rice and 'dal' samples were insect infested," he said.

Health officials have also filed a case under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act against Taksonz hotel, located near the city’s train station, as the sample of loose ketchup procured from the hotel's restaurant was found to be adulterated.

Artificial ripening of fruits is another practice that is playing havoc with the health of residents as fruit suppliers use calcium carbide to hasten the process. Laboratory tests of samples of papaya taken from Chamandeep Fruit Co and bananas from Pradeep Kumar failed as they had been ripened with calcium carbide.

The chemical is easily available in the markets as the law-enforcing authorities have failed to check its sale. The chemical releases acetylene gas that results in “overnight” ripening of fruits.

Meanwhile, Ajay Bector, managing director of Cremica, when contacted said the firm would appeal against the report submitted by the health department. "We have our own dairy farms and everything is reviewed by us, so there is no chance of adulteration. We’ll contest this report and send samples to the best authorised laboratories in the country," he added.

Tarunjit Singh, director of Taksonz hotel, asserted: "We’re using the sauce manufactured by Napro Co, which is being used by a large number of food joints in the city. We’ve written to the firm about the failed samples as the manufacturer is accountable for the quality of the product. We’ve also prepared a reply in the case filed by health officials. We are only the buyers of this product”. 

Ludhiana, July 16
With six new cases of gastroenteritis reported at USPC Jain Hospital and SPS Apollo Hospital, the total number has gone up to 40 in the city. The ‘gastro wards' in all hospitals, both small as well as the bigger ones, are full of mild or acute diarrhoea and gastro patients. However, the incessant efforts by health department teams have managed to prevent major outbreaks of these waterborne diseases in vulnerable localities.

The migrant workers living in ‘vehras’ (shanties) in the slums located at Sherpur Chowk, Ambedkar Colony, Basti Jodhewal, Giaspura, Dugri-Dhandra Road and other areas are the worst affected.

The unhygienic conditions and the contaminated water supply from illegal connections in the ‘vehras’ have given rise to severe stomach infections that, when left untreated, can result in severe gastroenteritis.

The monthly meetings convened by the city’s deputy commissioner, which are attended by health, water and sanitation officials of the municipal corporation and the public welfare department, have failed to bear any positive results. Illiterate people are paying the price of the lack of coordination among officials of different departments.

Said Puran Aulakh, a senior citizen residing on the Chandigarh Road, "Our complaints against leaking sewage pipelines continue to go unattended. As a result the sewage water seeps into the main supply pipelines, making people ill”.

DC Rahul Tewari stated: "Health department teams are visiting the affected areas and are doing the needful. However the problem mainly lies with the illegal water connections in unauthorised colonies, against which GLADA is taking stringent action”.

Ludhiana, July 16
Shamsher Singh alias Chotu, who earned notoriety as being the youngest drug trafficker arrested by the local police for possessing 5 kilos of heroin, worth nearly Rs 25 crore in the international market, entered the world of crime when he was in school.

A resident of Jamalpur Awana village, Shamsher, 19, is said to have so far peddled 25 kilos of heroin estimated to be valued at over Rs 125 crore. He told the police he always wanted to live a “high life” and that proved to be his undoing. He dropped out of school and got into drug smuggling.

Though, Shamsher refused to divulge details about the man who reportedly enticed him into the world of crime, he confessed to the cops he had began smuggling drugs at the age of 16 when he was studying in class 10 in a government-run school in his village.

He said many youths from his village and surrounding areas were working as drug peddlers, though most of them were dealing in opium and poppy husk.

Son of a factory worker, Gurdeep Singh, Shamsher was reportedly receiving Rs 50,000 for peddling a single consignment of drugs. He told the police he used to take the contraband from the Indo-Pakistani border near Amritsar and hand it over to drug dealers in Chandigarh. He stated the latter used to take the drugs to Delhi, where they were either sold in the local market or were smuggled abroad.

However, the police has so far been unable to find out identity of these drug dealers and how they used to smuggle the contraband abroad. ACP Narinder Singh Ruby said Shamsher's arrest was a “very crucial” development. “We are trying to rope in both the Chandigarh and Delhi police to nab these drug smugglers”.

Shamsher also told the police he used to pose as a school student to evade suspicion, adding the drug smuggler provided him with a car after he had successfully delivered two consignments of contraband heroin to them. The police suspects the car was stolen.

Shamsher told the cops he had no information about his “masters sitting in Chandigarh and Delhi”, adding he used to receive a phone call whenever a consignment of drugs arrived in Amritsar. “I used to hand over the contraband to the dealers in Chandigarh and collect the cash”, he stated.

Sources close to the police said he had travelled twice to Delhi to hand over a drug consignment.

Meanwhile, following his arrest, Shamsher’s parents have reportedly gone into hiding. The police is trying to ascertain whether they were aware about his criminal activities.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, July 16
The health authorities having busted a gang supplying desi ghee packed in containers carrying labels of renowned manufacturers through counters of stores across the state, grocers and owners of department stores have decided to avoid agents and middlemen in procurement of packed food items.

Panicked over the reports of preparation of spurious desi ghee with hazardous chemicals, consumers too have started purchasing the eatable from local dairies and farmers rearing cows and buffaloes.

Investigations revealed that a team of health officials led by Dr Neelam Bajaj had seized at least four quintal spurious desi ghee from a house at Dirba Mandi, near here, recently.

The commodity prepared from inferior quality refined oil by flavouring it with an allegedly hazardous chemical was to be supplied to grocers and owners of department stores across the state.

The authorities also seized 14 tins of refined oil and 1.25 litre chemical used for manufacturing spurious desi ghee.

A large number of empty containers bearing fake labels of renowned desi ghee manufacturers were also seized.

Some grocers had become suspicious about the genuineness of the eatable when Purshotam Kumar and Satish Kumar of Khetla village, supplying various brands of desi ghee, agreed to charge same rate for any brand available in the market.

The price fluctuated around Rs 85 per kg, which was much lower than that of any of brands available in the market.

Having received this information, authorities raided the premises of the establishment being run by the suspects and seized finished product and raw materials used.

The chemical additive used for flavouring the ghee was available in the market for Rs 2,500 per litre. Around 100 ml additive was sufficient to prepare 15 litres of spurious ghee.

Shocked over the reports of supply of spurious desi ghee, Tarsem Garg, a local grocer, said he had directed his staff not buy anything form unknown agents and middlemen.

“Now when we have gained reputation as genuine suppliers of eatables, we can ill-afford to put our goodwill at stake for no fault of ours. We have decided that we will procure eatables either directly from the manufacturing company or authorised distributors,” said Garg.

Apprehending that the flavouring agents contained carcinogenic factors, Dr Bhupinder Singh Bedi said he, like his friends, had made up mind to purchase desi ghee from local dairies or farmers rearing milch cattle.

Jagraon, July 16
In a bid to save himself from an unsavoury situation of unofficial inauguration of the Jagraon railway overbridge either by the Congress or the ruling SAD, the contractor has barricaded its entrance.

Congress as well as SAD-BJP workers are engaged in a tussle to take credit for completing the work on the overbridge.

While Congress workers want Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari to inaugurate the overbridge, the SAD-BJP workers are planning its formal inauguration on July 20 by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

To make the matter more interesting, a third front comprising the Town Welfare Society and some NGOs, who had protested umpteen times against delay in completion of the overbridge, want it to be inaugurated by a common man, ideally a labourer who had been part of the construction process.

Caught between the different groups eyeing the inauguration, overbridge contractor VS Chawla has now barricaded the flyover to prevent commuters from using it or political workers from going ahead with its unofficial inauguration.

However, area residents, especially two-wheeler riders, giving scant regard to the goings-on have started using the bridge.

Ludhiana, July 16
The Director General Secondary Education (DGSE) has issued show-cause notices to 43 government school teachers, who were either found absent or arrived late in the schools during a surprise check conducted yesterday.

About 15 teachers in different schools across the district were found absent without any prior information and 28 arrived late.

These teachers have been asked to explain why action should not be initiated against them, said Satpal Sharma, assistant DGSE, while talking to the TNS over the phone from Chandigarh.

“The notices are being dispatched this evening. We will consider the reasons that held the teachers back. If they would be able to cite genuine reasons, then we would not take any action. Those who would not be able to do so would be penalised,” said Sharma.

Sharma added they were preparing a detailed report of schools that lacked infrastructure and were not being maintained well. “Many schools, we came across, did not have proper washrooms for students. Several were not able to provide clean potable water. Some of the schools did not have proper buildings.”

The condition of these schools would be reported to the DGSE in detail and he would make sure that whatever was needed should be done immediately.

However, the teams led by Sharma also found many government schools in a good condition. “All these schools have very clean washrooms. Even we were pleasantly surprised to witness those,” he said.

As many as 15 teams constituted by the DGSE had conducted surprise checks in 119 government-run schools in the district and had found teachers absent and several schools wanting in maintenance. 

Jagraon, July 16
The Jagraon CIA staff police today arrested a notorious smuggler indulging in peddling of opium and poppy husk.

Paramjit Singh Pamma of Dolawala village, near Kot Isse Khan, Moga, is facing 14 cases against him and has been declared a proclaimed offender by several courts.

His two brothers — Pippal Singh and Sarabjit Singh, alias Sabra — are also active in the trade and have been declared proclaimed offenders as well.

Paramjit Singh was arrested from Dhaipai village, near Jodhan, when he was trying to leave the state.

On February 26, Paramjit’s men had got him freed from the police custody at Moga courts complex after he was brought from the Ludhiana jail to appear in the court.

Yesterday, the CIA staff had recovered 500 gm opium and 20 kg poppy husk from an abandoned Scorpio car (PB 10 BV 5645) near Dhurkot village.

SI Harinder Singh of the Jagraon CIA along with a police team was in search of the vehicle following a tip-off.

When the police team approached Mehatab Palace, near Dhurkot village, the occupants of the vehicle — identified as Paramjit Singh, Pippal Singh and Sarabjit Singh, alias Sabra, all brothers, currently residing at Mandi Ahmedgarh — fled the scene, leaving the car behind.

A case under Sections 15, 18, 61 and 85, NDPS Act, was registered against them at the Jodhan police station.

The police has so far seized four mini trucks, two trucks, one truck-trailer and two Scorpio cars from the accused along with 520 bags of poppy husk and a large quantity of opium.

The police had recently seized a consignment of 101 bags of poppy husk worth Rs 80 lakh belonging to the accused.

The gang used to operate in Sangrur, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Moga, Jalandhar, Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot districts and used to peddle drugs after procuring it from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

A police official said they were seeking court’s permission to keep Paramjit Singh handcuffed during transit, as they apprehended that his brothers would try to get him freed.

He said more security had been sought as the gang was known to attack the police to get their men freed.

Ludhiana, July 16
Ever imagined, an alleged prostitute earning more than a business school graduate? If Division No 7 SHO Balwinder Singh is to be believed, a 19-year-old Jalandhar-based girl, who was booked for flesh trade along with her four accomplices, was being paid Rs 30,000 per week and over Rs 1 lakh per month by her employers. The startling revelation came to the light following the unearthing of the alleged flesh trade racket being run from MIG Flats, near the Tibba Road area. The police arrested five persons, including three girls, under the immoral trafficking Act.

According to the police, Vicky Bansal was the kingpin, while a city-based woman was working as pimp.

The police had received a tip-off that a city-based businessman, Sajjan Singh Battra, had been visiting the flats, following which a raid was conducted and the accused were nabbed. In police custody, the girl, who is learnt to be an estranged wife and a mother of a one-year-old child, said her mother had forced her into prostitution. The father of the girl was working in the Army.

“As I was paid highly for the job, my mother promptly agreed to it and started sending me to Ludhiana on a regular basis,” said the girl from Jalandhar.

ACP Bhupinder Singh said several cases have come to light where hefty earnings have enticed young undergraduate girls to opt for flesh trade.

If sources are to be believed, many girls from neighbouring cities are thriving under the patronage of trade racketeers offering a whopping Rs 30,000 per week.

Ludhiana, July 16
The murder case of controversial Anil Sharma, alias Lalla, is nearing its end. The case has been fixed for final arguments tomorrow in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Manjinder Singh.

Bitter rivalry between two gangs had led to the broad daylight murder of Lalla in a crowded bazaar of Haibowal Kalan on February 4, 2004.

Within no time, the assailants had fled the scene. Panic had gripped the market soon after the incident and shopkeepers near the crime scene had closed shutters.

One bullet had pierced his heart, while another had entered his abdomen. Lalla was taken to the DMCH, where doctors declared him brought dead. One of the main accused in the case, Raman Rana, had already been declared a proclaimed offender by the court.

He had given the police the slip during a court hearing. Later, the court had cancelled his bail order and issued arrest warrants.

However, he could not be arrested by the police. He was stated to have left the country.

Both Lalla and Rana were residents of Prem Nagar in Haibowal. They were facing a number of criminal cases against them at different police stations.

Both groups had a long history of clashes. Among their major clashes was the one at the Civil Hospital some years ago and another at the the district courts complex in August, 2003.

The other accused in the case was Nirdosh Dhand, a controversial financier and former youth Congress office-bearer.

He was accused of hatching the conspiracy of murdering Lalla through Rana, Akashdeep, alias Ashu, and Mohan.

A case under Section 302, IPC, was registered on the complaint of Sunil Kumar, brother of Lalla, at the Haibowal police station on February 9, 2004.

The prosecution has examined over 22 witnesses in order to prove their case, while the defence lawyers have examined 11 witnesses.

Lalla’s brother had stated to the police that he had seen the accused commit the murder. He had stated that Rana had called Lalla on the main road. Rana along with his accomplices had then fired shots and killed his brother near a paint shop.

Two other eyewitnesses — Shashi Sharma and Ashok Kumar — were stated to be in the car of Sunil Kumar, who was just four feet away from Lalla’s car.

Lalla was once patronised by a senior BJP leader and had switched loyalties to a senior Congress leader of the city just few months before his murder.

Jassowal (Jagraon), July 16
GP Prajnesh of Chennai and Sharmada Balu of Karnataka lifted the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, at the HTA-AITA Men’s and Women’s Tournament here today.

Prajnesh beat Suraj Beniwal of Haryana 6-0, 6-1, while Sharmada Balu beat Bhuvana Kalva of Andhra Pradesh 6-2, 6-3.

Ajay Yadav and Gurinder Singh took the men’s doubles crown, beating Sagar Manjanna and Rashein Samuel 6-0, 6-1.

Hardeepak Saran, director, Harvest Campus, Gurvarinder Sahota, tournament director, and Sunit Mohan Tyagi distributed the prizes.

Final results: Men’s singles: GP Prajnesh (TN) (WC) b Suraj Beniwal (Har) (Q) 6-0, 6-1.

Women’s singles: Sharmada Balu (Kar) (WC) b Bhuvana (AP) (WC) 6-2, 6-3.

Men’s doubles: Ajay Yadav (Har) & Gurinder Singh (Pb) b Sagar Manjanna (Kar) & Rashein Samuel (Kar) 6-0, 6-1.

Women’s Doubles: Natasha Palha (Goa) & Bhuvana Kalva (AP) b Shweta C Rana (HP) & Sharmada Balu (Kar) 6-2, 6-3.