Gurdaspur, December 1
The district administration is turning a blind eye to scores of overloaded and unregistered tractor-trailers and tippers that ply illegally on the 15-km-long Dinanagar-Nimokhadd stretch causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters, including schoolchildren.

Quarrying, both legal and illegal, takes place on a massive scale near Nimokhadd village on the banks of the Beas and these overloaded vehicles have ensured that the road has been rendered totally unfit for travelling in light vehicles and two wheelers. Sources said this road was normally used by tippers and tractor-trailers for transporting crusher, gravel and wet sand from the quarrying site to far away places like Gurdaspur, Dhariwal and Batala.

Rules state that tractor-trailers cannot be used for any other purpose except for those relating to agriculture. Moreover, they are not allowed to load over 16 tonnes of agriculture produce. However, in a flagrant violation of norms, these overloaded tractor-trailers continue to ply loaded with construction material instead of agriculture produce with the district transport authorities doing a little to assuage feelings of commuters.

Likewise, a tipper is allowed to carry 9 tonnes, but a majority of tippers were found to be loaded with over 15 tonnes of construction material.

Tractor-trailers laden with nearly 30 tonnes of wet sand and gravel often turn turtle posing a grave risk to schoolchildren as most of these vehicles ply at the same time at which children have to go to schools.

A tractor-trailer owner said: “We have to transport wet sand and other related material to nearby cities in the morning itself. We normally bribe transport officials but on many occasions, many of our ilk are caught and fined. However, we are back in business once we have paid the fine.”

A majority of these tractor-trailers run without valid registration numbers as it helps in making escape if they are hounded by transport officials. District Transport Officer JS Grewal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts even as his staff defended him by saying “he must be busy as he also holds the charge of SDM (Dera Baba Nanak), General Assistant (GA) to the Deputy Commissioner and the Assistant Commissioner (grievances).” Sources in the quarrying business said tractor-trailers were the only lifeline of their trade.

DTO officials said every month, they managed to impound about 20-odd tractor-trailers, which was a far cry from hundreds of such vehicles doing business.

Gurdaspur DC Pirthi Chand said he had convened a meeting on December 9 where the issue pertaining to the unlawful plying of tractor-trailers and tippers for mining purposes will be taken up.

Mohali, December 1
There is a good news for over three lakh unsuccessful applicants in the Aerocity project. The State Bank of India (SBI) will start refunding the money in the next few days, of the total staggering Rs 9,400 crore that was collected by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) as earnest money from the applicants.

A senior official of the state said the amount of refund against the financed applications would be decided from the day money was transferred into accounts of respective financial institution. For different category of plots the amount may vary as money had been transferred on different dates, varying from November 19 till November 29.

Refunding the financed money (which constitutes a major part of a staggering Rs 9,400 crore collected by GMADA as earnest money from 3.20 lakh applicants) before 180 days from the date of closing of the Aerocity scheme would require the banks to refund a portion of interest charged on the financed earnest money to the unsuccessful applicants.

“It amounts to adopting unfair trade practice. It is monopolistic and restrictive trade practices being adopted by the financial institutions. The part of interest should be refunded from the day the money is electronically transferred into the accounts of the banks,” said Ajay Jagga, a consumer right activist.

Enquiries with the nodal branch of the SBI reveal that the process of closing the accounts before it starts the process of refund. Others banks are expected to follow the suit. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a SBI official said, “Since refunding the portion of interest varied from 30-40 days, it needs to be calculated and processed, which is a time-consuming exercise.” 

Chandigarh, December 1
Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s bid to emerge as the Congress face of the Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab has invited the ire of leaders of these regions who today termed him as a self-styled leader and condemned him for trying to divide the party by sending a separate list of supporters to the high command for appointment to party posts in the Pradesh Congress.

Congress leaders, while urging Bajwa to desist from projecting himself as the seniormost leader from both regions, claimed it was Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh’s prerogative to appoint his new team in consultation with the party high command.

Bajwa has a formidable line-up against him with most of the senior party leaders of the Majha region coming out openly in support of Amarinder Singh. Both former minister Ashwani Sekhri and former legislator Sukhjinder Randhawa came out with separate statements projecting themselves as leaders of the Amarinder group in the region. Both statements included the names of Rana Gurjeet Singh, legislator Sukh Sarkaria, former legislators Darbari Lal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Surinder Singh Kathunangal, Jugal Kishore, Harjinder Singh Thekedar, Harpartap Ajnala and Raman Behl besides Harminder Gill.

The leaders claimed that everyone must abide by the decisions taken by Amarinder Singh and said the submission of separate lists would only promote groupism. Sukhjinder Randhawa, while terming the Gurdaspur MP’s statement an anti-party, said the MP and others should have participated in welcome programmes organised by party workers following Amarinder Singh’s appointment as state Congress chief.

Ashwani Sekhri claimed the Gurdaspur MP was only interested in his family as he had got his wife and brother nominated as Pradesh Congress delegates and was also trying to get his brother Fatehjang Bajwa appointed the Gurdaspur district Congress president.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders from the Doaba belt, including Choudhary Jagjit Singh, Tejinder Bittu and Surinder Mahey, urged Partap Bajwa to confine his political activities to the Majha belt and not try to project himself as a leader of the Doaba region also. They claimed Bajwa was sulking because he had been overlooked for appointment as Pradesh Congress chief. The leaders also claimed shooting off separate lists of supporters to the party high command was strengthening the impression that Bajwa was working at the behest of political opponents of the Congress rather than personal motives.

In yet another statement from Ferozepur, Guruharsahai legislator Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi claimed both Bajwa and former MP Jagmeet Brar had failed to attend the installation ceremony of Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh despite being invited to the same. Sodhi also questioned the Gurdaspur MP’s rationale in supporting former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s entry into the Congress. Sodhi claimed Manpreet Badal was part of the set-up which had committed atrocities against Congress workers.

(With inputs from Amarjit Thind from Jalandhar and Chander Prakash from Ferozepur)

Jalandhar, December 1
The SAD workers’ rally for all the nine Assembly segments, organised here this afternoon, proved to be a damp squib with more activity witnessed among the contenders for the party ticket from the Jalandhar Cantonment seat on the stage than in the audience.

So much so that SAD chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal sat through the welcome addresses with a deep frown on his brow and kept on looking at the thin attendance and writing something on a slip pad. Similarly, he had to sternly ask the leaders jostling for photo calls from the media on stage to back off.

The audience, too, remained passive throughout and did not express much enthusiasm for the rhetoric from the stage but for a small number of supporters who raised slogans in favour of the Badal Jr at the fag end of the function.

Interestingly, leaders on the stage, too, were more intent on retaining their precarious perches on the sofas and chairs or smirking at the discomfiture of the organisers than contributing to make the event a smooth affair. There are many claimants for this seat after the sitting MLA Jagbir Brar sided with former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal.

Later, interacting with mediapersons, Sukhbir reiterated that his cousin Manpreet was misleading the people on the debt issue. The debt was just Rs 3,500 crore and not Rs 71,000 crore as claimed by the latter.

He also demanded a multi-agency probe into corporate loans worth thousands of crores written off during the UPA rule to benefit a few chosen corporate houses.

Demanding an upward revision of the debt- swap scheme from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, Sukhbir said he had met the RBI Governor and requested the latter to raise the limit so that farmers having their agriculture loan from arhtiyas could benefit from the step.

Commenting on the exceptional revenue growth of Punjab, he said the state had plugged the loopholes and rationalised to achieve the highest ever 33 per cent growth to rise to the first position in the country in this context.

The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that all awards announced by them for CWG, Asian and other games’ winners would be awarded to the players at the closing ceremony of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Games in February.

Much before the function ended, the ‘paid’ participants could be seen quarrelling with the organisers demanding their money. Many claimed that they had been brought here from nearby areas in lieu of cash and other allurements.

Those present on the occasion included Ajit Singh Kohar, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Harish Rai Dhanda, Avinash Chander, Sarbjit Singh Makkar, Rajwinder Kaur, Maheshinder Singh Garewal, Baljit Singh Neelamahal, GS Channi, Paramjit Singh Raipur and Pawan Teenu. 

Amritsar, December 1
Following over a month-long exercise, the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) has finally shortlisted three entries for the construction of the Golden Temple Entrance Plaza, a grand entry to the holiest Sikh shrine in the world.

Talking to The Tribune, Prof Sarbjot Behl and Karamjit Singh Chahal, Head of Architecture Department, GNDU, which conducted the competition, said out of a total of 21 entries received from India and abroad, three were shortlisted by the jury after a two-day brainstorming session in Amritsar on November 22-23. The shortlisted firms are: Design Associates Inc, Noida; Design Cell, Gurgaon; and LND Studio, New Delhi. These three firms will now proceed to take part in the second stage of the competition. According to Prof Behl, all three firms had emphasised on spaciousness, good use of landscaping, and judicious distribution and articulation of functions in the underground area beneath the plaza. “Their scheme is also complimentary to the layout and the character of the Golden Temple Complex,” he averred.

Chahal said these firms had submitted the basic concept about the project in the first stage, while they will come out with their detailed design in the second stage of the competition. The last date for submission in the second stage is January 3, which will be followed by an evaluation process on January 10. The final result will be out on January 17. The entries adjudged first, second and third will be rewarded with prizes of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively.

The entrance plaza will come up over an area measuring 9,410 sq mtr, which will include the space in front of the SGPC’s Information Office and the green belt in front of the main gate. The space underneath the plaza will have a VIP lounge, public lounge, and a multi-purpose hall, which will serve as an auditorium and include a press gallery as well. An interpretation centre will also be built for the visitors. Apart from it, the buildings surrounding the plaza will also be lent a visually appealing look.

The jury comprised SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, Principal Secretary (Tourism) Geetika Kallah, GNDU Vice-Chancellor AS Brar, Amritsar DC KS Pannu, world- renowned architect Moshe Safdei, noted landscape architects Colin Franklin and Ravinder Bhan, and famous urban designer KT Ravindran. Bhan had also prepared the design of the 'galliara' around the Golden Temple earlier. 

Amritsar, December 1
In a bid to check unregulated growth of hotels, lodges and guest houses, a majority of which came up without any legal permission, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (AMC) is planning to finally issue notices for sealing these commercial establishments.

The illegal construction of these hotels over the past few years has also been taking a toll on the skyline around the majestic Golden Temple. Influential people having political connections have raised a majority of these commercial structures, violating building bylaws, fire safety, pollution and parking norms and the Sarais Act, 1867.

The AMC had issued notices of violations of building bylaws to about 28 such commercial buildings sometime back. Many of these hotels have illegally raised the height of the buildings to over 50 feet as against the norms of 38.5 feet in the walled city.

Not caring two hoots for the safety of tourists, these hotels do not have any parking space, arrangements for coping with accidents like a fire beak out. The rescue efforts will be extremely slow and tardy as these hotels are located in congested and arterial lanes, said Surjit Singh, a resident of Baba Sahib Chowk.

Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu said the Sarai Act was archaic and its penalties did not evoke any fear among the violators. He said during the past five years, less then 20 licences were issued under the Act as its provisions have become irrelevant.

Notably, after the introduction of the Police Commissionerate system, the Serai Act fell under the purview of the police.

AMC Commissioner DPS Kharbanda said they had been issuing notices to the hotels violating bylaws, but they never responded. When asked how they were allowed to be constructed in the first place, he said the Civic Department would soon issue final notices for sealing these premises.

Municipal Town Planner (MTP) Shakti Bhatia said it was difficult to demolish these structures on a mass level. He accepted that a majority of these hotels had not taken prior approval for construction. According to the norms, the building plan for any commercial building above 500 sq yards has to be approved by the MTP. For construction on a commercial area less than 500 sq yards, approval has to be sought from the corporation.

Assistant Divisional Fire officer (ADFO) Tarlochan Singh said no hotel proprietor from the walled city ever sought a no- objection certificate (NOC) from his department.

Jalandhar, December 1
While Air India today announced a new schedule for its flights to and from Amritsar, the Punjab Government has agreed to review VAT on air turbine fuel (ATF).

Air India said the new schedule, which would be applicable from December 10 and continue till January 31,2011, had been announced keeping in the view the onset of foggy weather.

From December 10, flight number IX192 from Dubai will arrive at Amritsar airport at 1330 hours and depart from Dubai for Amritsar at 1425 hours every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Abu Dhabi-Muscat flight will reach Amritsar at 1330 hours and depart for Abu Dhabi at 1430 hours every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Air India’s hub and spoke flights, which provide connectivity in Delhi for international flights, have also been rescheduled from Amritsar for the winter season. The daily Delhi-Amritsar flight will arrive in Amritsar at 1120 hours and depart at 1220 hours for Delhi. Another daily Delhi-Amritsar flight will arrive in Amritsar at 1350 hours and leave for Delhi at 1450 hours. The daily afternoon flight on the Delhi-Amritsar circuit will reach Amritsar at 1520 hours and depart at 1620 hours for Delhi.

Chandigarh, December 1
Security arrangements in Punjab jails could go to dogs. For, the jail reform committee set up by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has recommended the deployment of sniffer dogs to effectively assist in carrying out searches of barracks, ward staff and jail inmates.

The committee, headed by a retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice Amar Dutt, has asserted: “We should use sniffer dogs to check anyone carrying drugs or narcotic substances, as trained dogs can effectively prevent illicit movement of drugs and narcotic substances into the jails.

“We recommend that sniffer dogs should be made available on the jail premises for checking everyone, specially the jail staff, before they move into the jail. The sniffer dogs can also be used for checking articles kept by the inmates at places where they sleep.

“A regular use of the dogs for ensuring that the periphery inside the boundary wall does not have any unwarranted article thrown in for being picked up by the inmates will discourage the tendency of throwing such articles inside the jail….”

The committee, with retired DGP Izhar Alam and retired IAS officer GPS Sahi as its members, has also recommended a bar on carrying currency inside the jail by the inmates.

In the report placed before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the committee has also recommended the deployment of an independent agency like the paramilitary forces to manage the state jails, as the local jail staff have failed to check drugs and other illegal activities.

The report says 47 per cent of the staff is deployed in the jails of their home district. Approximately 74 per cent are posted in the same jail for more than three years, resulting in the development of association with the inmates. Moreover, 22 inquiries against gazetted officers, 15 against assistant jail superintendents, five against clerical staff, seven against head warder and 34 against warders were being carried out by the state jail department for misconduct.

Jalandhar, December 1
Even after a decade since the introduction of the National AIDS Control Programme in the state, the state health authorities are fighting against HIV without having data regarding the prevalence of the disease among truckers, who are considered as one of the highest risk groups (HSG) for the transmission of the disease.

The absence of such a database means that the authorities do not have any figures that could lead to the formulation of a strategy to rein in the disease and are working on just ad hoc strategies to curb further transmission of HIV by truckers, who are largely responsible of inter-state transmission of the disease across the country.

This despite the fact that the truck drivers and their family members constitute the large share of positive cases reporting to the six Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centres, set up in the state for testing, counselling and treatment of AIDS patients.

“Out of the total 4,000 HIV patients registered with us, over 50 per cent are either truck drivers or their relatives,” said Dr Baldev Singh, medical officer, ART Centre, Jalandhar.

Sources in the ART centres at Patiala, Amritsar and Ludhiana have also said truckers, drivers of combine harvesters and their families constitute 30-50 per cent of the total HIV patient load.

Dr NM Sharma, additional state project director of the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS), said though a limited data in this regard was available with the authorities, however, that was not an authentic database owing to some technical errors in it. Due to errors, we are not in a position to make the data public, he added.

Admitting that the compilation of such data would impart leap in the fight against HIV, he said the state health authorities, with the assistance of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and various national-level unions of truckers and transporters, are going to launch a new phase of screening of truck drivers in the state. “Initially, we will introduce screening in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts, in the next month.

Ludhiana , December 1
World AIDS Day has no meaning for the 15 outreach workers who were ousted from their jobs on March 31.

Alleging discrimination by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS), these workers have accused PSACS of having given AIDS control projects to “bogus organisations” in the state.

Jagjit Singh Mann, founder chairman of the Punjab Networking of Positive People’s Society, an NGO working for HIV/AIDS patients, said: “I am putting up an application with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to order a high-level probe into the utilisation of multi-crore funds by PSACS.”

The 15 outreach workers, who belong to the affected community, had been employed under the programme undertaken by PSACS working under the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) to discourage “prejudice” against the HIV positive patients in terms of employment.

Further pointing towards the insouciance of PSACS, Mann referred to the poor show put in by the state Aids Control Society during the “HIV/AIDS” campaign carried out by the Red Ribbon Express in some districts of the state.

“Majority of organisations, who are running the most prestigious projects for HIV/AIDS control programme in the state, were present for the Red Ribbon Express Show,” alleged Mann.

Mehar Singh, an outreach worker and the president of the Punjab Networking of Positive People’s Society, said it had been nine months since the outreach workers were without jobs, adding that “none of PSACS officials have bothered to know about the condition in which the workers are living after losing their jobs.”

The outreach workers were working at the integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTC) of Ludhiana, Samrala, Khanna, Payal and Jagraon against a monthly remuneration of Rs 2,500 and a conveyance allowance of Rs 500. Dr NM Sharma, additional project director, PSACS, said: “The allegations of bogus organisations getting funds is baseless as the funding is done by the Centre after proper verification.

Fatehgarh Sahib, December 1
India should be proud of its low average-age population and if nurtured well, it would turn out to be the largest asset for the country, said Dr Pawan Kapoor, director, Central Scientific Instrumental Organisation (CSIO).

While the average population in Europe and the US has already aged, this opens a great window of opportunity for India, he said.

Dr Kapoor expressed these views while chairing the valedictory session of the International Conference in Wireless Communications at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College on Monday. Kapoor identified convergence of technology and synergy of different branches of engineering as tools for achieving the nation’s vision.

During the valedictory session, Dr Joginder Singh, Dr DS Bashal, Dr TS Kamal, engineer Jagroop Singh, Dr SS Wadhwa and Brig SS Sahni were also present.

Welcoming the experts, college Principal Dr MS Grewal said it was a positive sign for India that the youth had started thinking out of the box and were full of zeal and enthusiasm to achieve the technological goals of the country.

Presenting the vote of thanks, Dr Gurpal Singh said in the present era, a great transformation was going on in the field of Information Technology and Communications Technology.

As many as 35 research papers, across computer science and electronics, were presented in the conference.

Rajpura, December 1
Passengers at the Rajpura Railway Station are at the receiving end as they have to wait in serpentine queues to purchase tickets before boarding their respective trains. Area residents rue that there are many escape routes at the railway station and many passengers, while trying to avoid ticket checkers, have met with accidents.

“Despite waiting for hours in the morning we fail to catch train due to the serpentine queues. There is utter chaos outside the railway ticket counter which should be streamlined immediately,” said Bhushan, an area resident.

He said the escape routes should be plugged with the help of the police so that no passenger, especially the youngsters, should think of avoiding ticket checkers and the railway police.

The railway officials said as many as 1.5 lakh passengers travelled every month from this railway station and 190 trains shuttled between major towns of Punjab, Haryana and New Delhi.

The passengers at the railway station rued that officials did not provide tickets at all the five ticket counters, especially during the morning hours when daily goers and other passengers had to catch their respective trains.

Station Superintendent, DK Singh said they had been trying their best to provide all basic facilities, including quick sale of railway tickets to passengers. “People here are not aware of the process of sale of tickets and run in panic at the last moment. Instead, people must purchase their tickets in advance and should avoid rush hours in the morning,” he said.

Ferozepur, December 1
Kulwant Singh Maggo, a municipal councillor of ward number four, was shot at by three persons in front of his house, located on Telu Mal street in the city, this evening.

Police sources said Maggo, who had suffered two bullet injuries, one in his shoulder and second in the stomach, had been referred to a Ludhiana hospital after he was given first aid at the local Civil Hospital.

The assailants fled from the spot after committing the crime. Demolition of an old building by them was said to be the bone of contention.

Kaustab Sharma, SSP, said a case in this connection would be registered against the accused under Section 307, IPC, and the Arms Act.

A friend of Maggo said that he was still unconscious. — TNS

Patiala, December 1
The Patiala police has busted a gang involved in loot and theft incidents. Besides arresting six members of the gang, the police has also recovered weapons and jewellery worth Rs 3 lakh from the possession of the accused.

Patiala Superintendent of Police (Detective) Gurdeep Singh Pannu said acting on a tip-off, accused involved in a dacoity in Guru Harsahai Nagar of Chaura village in Patiala district on November 8 and 9, have been spotted in the city, CIA staff in charge Inspector Jassa Singh along with other cops set up Nakas in Sanaur Grain Market and Sanaur Road.

“During the checking operation, the accused identified as Soma, Deepak, Sinderpal, Raju, Sewak and Pawan Kumar were nabbed. While Sinderpal is a resident of Ambala Cantt, rest of the five accused are residents of Patiala,” Pannu said. Pannu further said one of the gang members Nazara however managed to flee from the spot. Besides the jewellery, the police has also recovered one country made revolver, two swords, iron rods from the possession of the accused.

“During questioning, the accused confessed that on November 8 and 9, in the disguise of cops and armed with weapons, they forcibly entered into house of Sohan Lal of Chaura village. The accused admitted that they had looted jewellery and cash from Sohan’s house besides thrashing Sohan’s family members,” stated Pannu, while adding that main target of the accused used to be the houses where some wedding ceremonies were scheduled.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the IPC and the Arms Act at Sadar Police Station.