Jalandhar, July 5
Alleging political vendetta at the hands of leaders of the ruling party, the CPI and the Congress panchayat members of Mallpur village in Nawanshahr district claimed that the authorities of the Rural Development Department and local leaders of SAD were working hand in glove to oust the non-SAD sarpanch of the village.

They also alleged police inaction in a case in which notorious criminals, at the behest of a local Akali leader, assaulted the house of sarpanch Balram Singh, who belongs to the CPI, on May 15.

Bhupinder Sambhar, a member of the National Council of the CPI, along with sarpanch Balram Singh and three panches of Mallpur village, alleged here today that despite being in minority in the panchayat, an Akali leader of the village wanted to take over as a sarpanch by hook or crook.

To fulfil his design, the Akali leader in connivance with the rural development authorities had got a false case of embezzlement registered against Balram Singh and got him suspended, alleged panches Rai Singh and Madan Singh of the Congress, who along with panch Kulwant Singh were also indicted in the case.

In their complaint, the complainants accused Balram Singh of embezzling the part of money generated through leasing of village common land. Ironically, some of the complainants and SAD panches were among the signatories to the leasing proceedings. Moreover, instead of taking action against Balram Singh only, the authorities rather preferred to initiate proceedings only against the non-SAD panchayat members. This clearly indicated their designs, alleged Sambhar.

Worse, despite that fact that the Financial Commissioner had given clean chit to the sarpanch, the Rural Development authorities, at the behest of the Akali leader, took over two months to reinstate the sarpanch, he alleged.

Hoshiarpur, July 5
After more than eight months of the occurrence of a crime, the Hariana police last night registered a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC against Amrit Pal of Sataur for murdering a registered medical practitioner (RMP), Amarjit Singh, son of Darshan of Sherpur Glind. The case was registered on the basis of the inquiry report of the DSP (R).

According to police sources, Amarjit Singh, who had been running his clinic near Bassi Maruf, was found dead near Radha Swami Sat Sangh Ghar on the Hoshiarpur-Hariana road at about 11.30 pm on October 23, 2010. Despite the demand of registration of a murder case by Amarjit Singh's father Darshan and relatives, the police did proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC at that time.

Later, Darshan in his representation to the SSP, demanded an inquiry into the death of his son Amarjit Singh, for which the SSP deputed the DSP (R) to investigate the case.

During the investigation it emerged that a quarrel took place between Amarjit Singh and accused Amrit Pal some days before the incident, which led to the murder of the former.

Gurdaspur, July 5
With monsoon being predicted on time and the water-levels rising in Beas, Ravi and Ujh rivers due to pre-monsoon rains in the hills, the Gurdaspur district administration has geared up to meet any eventuality in case there are heavy floods.

Come monsoon or for that matter pre-monsoon rains and flash floods, people in the border district of Gurdaspur are the worst hit. This development has now forced the district administration to take preventative measures to save life and property of the people, particularly those living near the Ravi.

Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Singh Kainth outlined the measures being taken by the district administration and the Drainage and Irrigation Department officials to save this border district from the fury of floods.

Five control rooms have been established at Batala, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur town, Pathankot and Dhar block, which saw unprecedented loss of life and property during the 1988 floods. All these rooms will be manned round the clock till September 30. All these control rooms have been inter-connected through an elaborate system of wireless sets and other electronic paraphernalia.

The sub-divisional magistrates have been instructed to supervise flood-control measures in their respective areas with Gurdaspur SDM JP Singh being made in-charge of Gurdaspur subdivision.

The DC added that a total of 175 villages, including 125 having proximity to the Ravi, had been declared sensitive. In all 32 relief centres had been established in the entire district, including 14 in Pathankot subdivision, 10 in Gurdaspur subdivision and four each in Batala and Dera Baba Nanak subdivisions.

Motorboats, including five aluminium ones, 100 life jackets and several bamboo tents have been kept aside in case of any eventuality.

Irrigation Department Executive Engineer TK Gupta said the DC had asked him to monitor the water level in the Ravi at Madhopur head works and the Beas at Gopipur and Mirthal hamlets.

The District Food and Civil Supply Controller had been asked to arrange sufficient stocks of food stocks while the civil surgeons had been asked to arrange stocks of medicines.

The Batala and Pathankot depots of Punjab Roadways had been asked to make necessary arrangements to ferry people to safer places just in case things go out of hand. 

Amritsar, July 5
The zila parishad today distributed cheques worth Rs 2.65 crore among the below poverty line families under the Indira Awaas Yogna.

Chairman of zila parishad Rajinder Kumar Jaintipur said during a survey conducted in 2006-2007, need was felt to either construct or renovate as many as 12,014 houses for BPL families.

“A plan was chalked out to construct at least 6094 new units whereas 5920 other units wanted immediate repairs. Till March 2011, the zila parishad had constructed or repaired at least 8,961 houses,” he said.

Meanwhile, in block Chogawan, cheques to the tune of Rs 42.30 lakh were disbursed for construction of as many as 94 new housing units, Rs 12.75 lakh for renovation of 10 old units at Attari block, Rs 19.65 lakh for construction of a new unit and renovation of 20 others at Verka block, Rs 33.75 lakh for construction of 61 new units and renovation of 42 units at Ajnala block, Rs 18.60 lakh for Majitha block for raising 33 new houses and repairing 25, Rs 23.10 lakh for 42 new blocks and repairing 28 others at Rayya block. The chairman advocated that there remained some lapses while conducting the survey for BPL families. “I view that a fresh survey should be conducted by the administration so that more and more such deprived beneficiaries should be included under the scheme,” he said. 

Tarn Taran, July 5
A woman from Khadur Sahib, 25 km from here, who had been harassed by her in-laws for dowry, committed suicide yesterday by consuming some poisonous substance. She also killed her five-year-old daughter by giving her the poisonous substance.

The Goindwal Sahib police has registered a case under Section 304B of the IPC against her mother-in-law Salwant Kaur and her husband Mukhwinder Singh, who lives in Singapore.

The deceased have been identified as Gurinder Kaur (25) and her daughter Kiranbir Kaur. The perturbed woman let her one-year-old son free of her rant and rave.

Gurinder was married with Mukhwinder about six years ago.

Baljit Singh, brother of the deceased, in his statement recorded to the police alleged that Gurinder was regularly harassed for dowry not only by her mother-in-law but also by her husband. He alleged that Mukhwinder had been threatening her over phone from Singapore.

Gurinder gave the poisonous substance first to her daughter and then took it herself. Soon after consuming poison the duo started feeling uneasiness and then Salwant Kaur arranged a vehicle and took them to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar.

Both breathed their last night at the hospital.

SSP Preetpaul Singh Virk said the post-mortem had been performed and further investigation had been initiated into the case.

He said Mukhwinder Singh who was residing in a foreign country would be brought to India after fulfilling the procedure and Salwant Kaur would be arrested soon. 

Hoshiarpur, July 5
To save lives and property of the people from the fury of floods during this monsoon season in the district elaborate arrangements have been made by the district administration for which Rs 1.76 crore have been released for flood protection works.

Disclosing this here today, Deputy Commissioner Dharam Dutt Tarnach said the flood protection works were being made on a war-footing, which were likely to be completed very shortly.

As many as 213 villages - 37 in Mukerian, 67 in Dasuya, 47 in Garhshankar and 62 in Hoshiarpur subdivisions - had been identified as sensitive. Transport arrangement for shifting people during flood to safer sides had been made. To provide prior information of floods, six flood control rooms had been set up in the district. The district flood control room had been set up in his office at mini-secretariat with a telephone No 01882 220412 and the District Revenue Officer had been deputed as its in charge. The other flood control rooms had been set up at the offices of the District Drainage Department, tehsil offices at Hoshiarpur, Garhshankar, Dasuya and Mukerian. All these flood control rooms would work up to October 15, 2011, round the clock.

He instructed the officials concerned to give prior information of floods to their respective flood control rooms daily. He instructed the officials of the Drainage Department to depute department employees to watch situation of rising water in rivers, canals, dams and choes (seasonal rivulet) round the clock.

To save the people 12 aluminium boats, 31 life jackets, 6 motorboats, 105 bamboo choke, 22 oars, 18 Kunda searchlights, ropes, tents, etc, had been acquired. To plug the breaches in the protection bundhs, 50,000 sand-filled bags had also been acquired.

He had also instructed the officials of the departments of health, animal husbandry, agriculture, revenue and civil supplies, District Red Cross Society and municipal councils to make flood-protection arrangements to provide relief to the flood-affected people.

To tackle any type of epidemic and to provide health facilities to the affected people, 58 medical teams and 13 control rooms had been set up. Similarly, 25 teams for providing relief and medical services to animals had been formed.

To avoid spread of any disease caused due to floods, immunisation of 3.43 lakh animals had recently been done and the Agriculture Department had been instructed to make arrangements for green and dry fodder during floods.