Jalandhar, February 11
The Indian missions and consulates across the globe are “dens of corruption”, where officials harass NRIs on frivolous issues, besides demanding huge bribes for clearing travel documents and issuing visas.

This is the general perception of the Punjabi diaspora who have dealt with babudom abroad, says Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who is back from a month-long visit to the USA.

Flanked by NRIs from various countries, he told mediapersons here today tha the officials deliberately withheld the papers of Punjabis and abused them for no apparent reason. In fact the pendency list of visa seekers in the US consulates alone ran into thousands, he pointed out.

Citing an instance, he said the officials demanded bribes ranging from $ 2,000 for lesser offences and the price could cross $ 5,000 in case of those who have sought asylum. Many who could not or did not want to pay up had to wait for months before simple inquiries or formalities were dealt with routinely, he revealed.

“Then there is the blacklist about which there is no information anywhere. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had sought the names of those who figured in the list from the Centre conveniently ignoring such a list of the Punjab Police I sent him sometime back,” he added.

The condition of asylum seekers was the most deplorable since their families, too, were denied travel documents though they were born there and no justifiable cause for preventing them from visiting India, he pointed out.

Khaira and the accompanying NRIs said they had a grouse against the state government that was only providing lip service while nothing had changed on the ground level.

NRIs were a soft target for their relatives who had usurped their lands and homes in connivance with bureaucrats, police and the land mafia, he said.

He said he had spoken to Minister of States for External Affairs Perneet Kaur on the issue and would meet PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh to urge the latter to lead a high-level delegation to meet the Prime Minister soon.

Gurdaspur, February 11
The Gurdaspur police has affected a major revamp in an attempt to improve the law and order situation and simultaneously has also tailored an ambitious plan, involving the District Transport Office, to overcome the traffic chaos that prevails at sensitive areas of the district.

In a key reshuffle, SSP Varinder Pal Singh has ordered the reshuffle of 10 SHOs and chowki in charges in “an attempt to improve the law and order situation.” SHOs Joga Singh and Sukhpal Singh, both of whom were involved in decimating the notorious Vijay Topi gang, have also been transferred.

In an attempt to remove the traffic chaos, particularly near the Jakolari railway crossing on the Gurdaspur-Pathankot Road where kilometre-long queues of vehicles are formed once the railway crossing is closed, the SSP has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. This involves the posting of additional cops near the railway crossing.

Three new traffic in charges have also been appointed who will do duty at Gurdaspur, Pathankot and the busy Madhopur-Jammu road.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the chaotic traffic conditions prevailing in the town, the Gurdaspur police has joined hands with officials of the District Transport Office (DTO). At a function organised jointly by the police and the DTO, 25 prominent citizens of the town were appointed as traffic marshals who will be coordinating with the traffic wing of the police to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

DTO J.S. Grewal said the marshals, educated in traffic rules, would instruct people in obeying traffic rules.

“Numerous complains were being received everyday from beleaguered commuters at the Jakolari crossing. We have now decided to deploy traffic marshals at this point and vehicle owners, who jump the queue, are being issued challans,” said the DTO.

The SSP said the police would also be coming down heavily on underage students who drive two wheelers. “We have been receiving complaints that students studying in Class XII class, who are normally under the age of 18, are driving without licences.”

The traffic turmoil at some places in this town is getting from bad to worse. There is pure bedlam at the Dak Khana chowk at peak hours and people can be seen cursing the cops and seldom stop honking the horns of their vehicles which only adds to the commotion.

Jalandhar, February 11
A cycle rally was organised in the city today in view of rising pollution caused by increasing traffic.

A press note in this regard was issued by Police Commissioner Gaurav Yadav. As many as 200 students from different schools of the city participated in the rally.

Flagged off from the Gymkhana Club by ADGP S.K. Sharma, the rally passed through the Skylark Chowk, Namdev Chowk, PNB Chowk, Jyoti Chowk, Guru Nanak Chowk and ended at the Red Cross Bhawan.

A seminar under the traffic education programme was also held at the Red Cross Bhawan in this regard. The city Mayor, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Saath Committee members, traffic police marshals and other police officers participated in the seminar. The rally was aimed at exhorting city residents to adopt cycle as a mode of transport for a cleaner and healthier environment in the city.

Hoshiarpur, February 11
Sanjiv Dua, BJP councillor from Ward 29, has accused Hoshiarpur MC president Shiv Sud, belonging to his party, of step-motherly treatment in carrying out developmental works in his ward.

Talking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Sanjiv Dua said about two months ago, the MC, after completing the formalities, awarded an order worth Rs 29 lakh to carry out pavement work to the contractors.

Though some contractors dumped the construction material in the ward, they did not start the work at the behest of the MC President, alleged Sanjiv Dua.

He said he had taken up the issue with the Engineering Department of the MC, which also showed its helplessness in the matter.

President of the MC Shiv Sud said work orders for all the development works to be carried out in Ward 29 had been issued to the contractors, who were responsible for the delay. However, he would look into the matter. — OC