NEIGHBOURHOOD

Teacher alleges harassment
Tribune News Service

Kalka, March 31
Thousands of workers and executives of the Pinjore unit of public sector Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) Ltd have sought the intervention of the central government to ensure the survival of the plant. The unit, located midway between Chandigarh and Kalka, is undergoing a severe financial crisis these days.

Sources close to the company said due to what they called the apathetic attitude of senior HMT officials, the unit was on the verge of closing down unless it was provided a special financial package. They added before 2000 the unit used to be a profitable concern and had surplus funds to even pay the salaries of employees of other HMT units in the country.

The sources further said there was a dire need for expeditious clearance of a revival package for the HMT tractor division, which manufactures a wide range of tractors. This division not only provided employment to thousands of people in the area but also generated the spirit of entrepreneurship. Many small-scale units sprouted in Panchkula, Chandigarh and Mohali to manufacture components and provide services to the Pinjore unit.

The revival plan, besides other things, includes developing technological capabilities for achieving statutory Bharat TREM-IV emission norms, expected to come into force in 2011. Due to its failure to implement payscales announced in 1997, HMT has been hit by a depletion of skilled manpower.

“The central government had revised the salary of its employees twice in 1996 and in 2006, while the revised payscales for employees of HMT’s Pinjore unit have yet to be implemented on the excuse that the unit was incurring losses”, the sources added.

INLD leader Vijay Bansal, who is also president of the Shivalik Vikas Manch, told The Tribune: “During the last couple of months delegations of the HMT Karmik Sangh and the HMT Officer’s Association have met and submitted memorandums to central ministers Selja Kumari and Pawan Kumar Bansal as well as heavy industry minister Santosh Mohan Dev on various demands. Selja also wrote to Dev and even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the various demands of HMT, Pinjore employees.”

Patiala, March 31
The Patiala Improvement Trust (PIT) has unanimously passed the budget estimates for the fiscal year 2011-12. As per information, income target of Rs 75.52 crore has been fixed in the budget for the next fiscal year. Presiding over the special budget meeting held at the Trust office here yesterday, PIT chairman Inder Mohan Singh Bajaj tabled the budget before the trustees. As per the proposed budget, the expenditure on Establishment Branch has been earmarked as Rs 3.40 crore.

“From the estimated income of Rs 75.52 crore, the total capital expenditure on development has been pegged Rs 21.23 crore. Funds to the tune of Rs 36.29 crore have been earmarked for the salaries and other expenditure. Overall the budget is very good as the trust is expected to make profit of Rs 18 crore for the fiscal year 2011-12,” said Bajaj, while speaking to The Tribune.

He further stated that funds amounting to Rs 9.50 crore would be pumped in the Self-Finance Scheme for the construction of flats in the city.

The major source of revenue for the trust would be sale of property. As per the budget estimates, the trust would get Rs 28.50 crore by selling off its property lying vacant in various areas of the city. “The trust would get Rs 20.44 crore in the form of instalments of the properties sold during the previous year. Besides, it would also receive an amount of Rs 14 crore, which is pending as loan towards the Patiala Municipal Corporation,” informed Bajaj.

Arun Gupta, Chhaju Ram, S.S.Sethi, Seema Sharma and Amar Chand, all trustees, were present in the budget meeting.

Dera Bassi, March 31
Congress workers of Haryana, who had come to attend a rally of the party at Chandigarh today, blocked the traffic on the national highway at Dappar toll plaza. Due this traffic blockage hundreds of commuters were put to inconvenience for one hour.

As per reports, Congress workers were agitated when they were asked to pay tax at the toll plaza by the employees of the GMR company.

Vaibhav Sharma, an official of the GMR, said Congress workers of Kurukshetra, who had come in cars and vans, did not pay toll despite being asked by the employees concerned. Party workers blocked the traffic on the national highway for about one hour.

Bassi Pathana, March 31
The health department team, led by SMO Dr Ranjit Singh and food inspector Puneet Sharma, took samples of eatable items in the town on Tuesday. The team succeeded in taking six samples of essential commodities like sauce, ghee, turmeric, salt and tea. As the news regarding the sampling spread in the town most of the shopkeepers pulled down their shutters and fled away.

Dr Ranjit Singh said anti-adulteration drive was launched in the district and the sampling was a part of that. He said these samples would be sent for analysis and action would be initiated accordingly.

Leading NGOs of the town alleged that the sampling process was just an eyewash. They said the samples were taken as per the wishes of respective union presidents, who grease the palm of the health officials on monthly basis.

They said the samples of neither milk nor milk products were taken despite the fact there were so many dairies and milkmen supplying adulterated milk to the residents. NGOs demanded surprise checking by the higher authorities.

Chandigarh, March 31
The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to spell out the reason why a formal case was not registered in the UT teachers recruitment scam.

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia made the observation during the resumed hearing of a petition filed in public interest for a CBI probe into the scam.

The CBI has also been asked to explain the result of the investigation, its findings and the action taken if any.

UT’s former Director Public Instructions (S) Samwartak Singh, allegedly involved in the scam, too, was arrayed as respondent in the case. But, the court made it clear that Samwartak had no right to be heard at this stage. The Bench turned down the request of Samwartak Singh’s counsel that demanded report of the amicus curiae. — TNS

Chandigarh, March 31
A 28-year-old housewife allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Palsora today. The police has booked her husband for abetting suicide under Section 306 of the IPC. The incident came to light around 3 pm when Jyoti’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan by her 10-year-old son.

The police was informed and the body was lowered. No suicide note was found from the scene. The victim was taken to the Civil Hospital in Mohali where doctors declared her brought dead.

Palsora police post in charge Karan Singh said Jyoti’s first husband had died some years ago and she had remarried Sunny, a taxi driver, two years ago.

The victim had recently learned about Sunny’s illicit relationship with another woman and had confronted him on the issue several times. The police said Jyoti was suffering from severe depression. On a complaint filed by the victim’s mother, a case of abetting suicide has been registered against Sunny at the police station-39.

In another case, a 20-year-old resident of Bapu Dham Colony committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan here this evening.

The incident came to light at 5 pm when Ritu, a student of Khalsa College, was found hanging by her mother. No suicide note was found from the scene and the police is investigating the reason behind the victim’s step.

Chandigarh, March 31
Two persons were killed while a home guard volunteer was injured in separate road accidents in the city in the past 24 hours.

A 52-year-old man was killed after he fell off a moving bus on the road separating Sectors 9 and 10 this afternoon.

The victim has been identified as Anil Kumar, a resident of Raipur Rani. He was travelling in a Haryana Roadway bus.

The incident occurred when the victim tried to alight from the bus and the driver, Om Prakash, accelerated the vehicle. Anil Kumar was crushed under the rear wheels of the bus.

He was taken to the PGI, where he was declared brought dead by the doctors. The bus driver was arrested and was later released on bail.

A case under Section 304A, Indian Penal Code, has been registered at the police station-3.

Also, an unidentified man was killed in a road accident in the wee hours of today. The victim was spotted in a pool of blood by a passerby near Sindhi Sweets in Sector 8.

The police was informed and the victim was taken to the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, where he was declared brought dead by the doctors.

The police said the victim was in his early 20s.

In another case, a UT home guard volunteer suffered serious injuries after being knocked down by an unidentified car near Kali Badi trafficlights. The victim, Narinder Singh, was on VIP duty near the Sector 31-47 Kali Badi trafficlights when the incident happened yesterday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cavalcade was about to pass from that spot after the India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal match when the mishap took place.

The volunteer was hit by a rashly driven Maruti car when he tried to stop the vehicle as the road was closed for commuters. The driver fled the scene.

Narinder Singh was taken to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and was admitted with fractures in the left hand and leg.

A case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC has been registered at the police station-31 against the unknown driver.

Panchkula, March 31
Thieves took away cash and valuables worth more than Rs 3 lakh after breaking into a house here in Sector 25. The owner of the house, identified as Anil Kumar, along with his family members, was out of station at the time of the incident.

Panchkula, March 31
The Panchkula-Parwanoo national highway no. 22 claimed another life yesterday when a 16-year-old boy was hit by a speeding truck near Mallah Morh in Pinjore.

The deceased was identified as Pawan Kumar, a resident of Nadda Sahib.

ASI Jaswinder Singh said Pawan had gone to Pinjore with his uncle Mahender Singh to take an exam. He said the duo was waiting for an auto-rickshaw at the bus stop near Mallah Morh when a rashly driven truck hit him resulting in a fatal accident. Pawan was rushed to the Sector 6 general hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Driver of the truck fled the spot. The body will be handed over to family after an autopsy.

The Pinjore police has registered a case against the unidentified drive. The police has impounded the truck, while the driver is absconding. 

Zirakpur, March 31
A firing incident was reported at a wedding banquet hall situated on the Zirakpur-Panchkula highway on Thursday. A man who was reportedly under the influence of liquor fired two shots in the air while celebrating the victory of the Indian team over archrival Pakistan at the World Cup cricket semifinal match held on Wednesday night in Mohali. Those present at the hall ran for cover after hearing the gunshots.

The incident occurred at the Sekhon Marriage Palace where the match was being telecast on a large screen.

According to the Zirakpur police station house officer, the suspect, who has been identified as Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Sector 25, Panchkula, was booked under section 336 of the Indian Penal Code for firing shots in the air with a licensed gun.

The officer investigating the case said he was patrolling along with a police team near the banquet hall when he was informed about the firing incident. The police searched the hall and arrested the suspect, seizing his licensed gun, the officer said, adding he was later released on bail.

During interrogation Kumar told the police he was watching the cricket match between India and Pakistan and as the Indian team won he “celebrated” the occasion.

Meanwhile, despite the Mohali deputy commissioner’s order prohibiting carrying of firearms in wedding banquet halls, incidents of guns being fired continue to be reported. Last week such an incident occurred at the Sohi Marriage Palace.

On March 18 Mohali DC Parveen Kumar imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 directing people to not to carry firearms during weddings and other functions at banquet halls from March 19 to May 18, 2011.

Chandigarh, March 31
Both the cricket teams left the city this afternoon. While the ‘Men in Blue’ were seen fully charged for ‘Mission Mumbai’, disappointment writ large on the faces of Pakistan players. Zaheer Khan’s close friend Isha Shabrani was also seen in the hotel.

(From left) MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh; Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul leave the city on Thursday. Tribune photos: Manoj Mahajan