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A stretch fraught with danger
Trader robbed of cash at gunpoint
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Robbery case: Complainant misleads police
Improvement Trust scheme gets lukewarm response
Sweetmeat shop worker’s death sparks protest, police steps in
Health centre for tannery workers
The pathetic state of Kala Sanghian road
Teachers threaten protest
Sports equipment worth
Rs 30 cr awaits distribution
Services at Cantt hospital to be upgraded
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A stretch fraught with danger
Jalandhar, August 25 Since there is no break in the median of the high-speed vehicle road for at least one kilometre, residents prefer to park their vehicles and walk down to the other side through this stretch. As the divider on the road is too high, many pedestrians have had a narrow escape while hopping on to the other side. The stretch of the road had at least two cuts before the flyovers were constructed. There are important commercial centres on either side of the road housing banks, telecom firms, air-ticketing companies, stock exchange firms and filling stations. There are a lot many educational centres also on either side including those imparting coaching in IELTS and engineering entrance tests. An underground parking lot also falls on side of the road, which many use to park their cars and then cross over for work on the other side. The residents have been demanding that a foot overbridge be put up here for safety concern. Harpreet Singh, a bank employee, said, “Before starting of construction of the BMC Chowk flyover in March last year, a foot overbridge that had been put up here had been removed. I feel that the structure needs to be re-installed a little behind in the gap between the bridges.” ACP Traffic Diljinder Singh Dhillon, when asked about the proposal, said, “It is a fit place for a foot overbridge (FOB). But the success rate of such bridges is too low. People do not want to climb up so many stairs and get down even if it is for their safety reasons. They rather prefer to wait on roadside for a chance to crossover”. He suggested, “I have recently proposed the Municipal Corporation officials to re-design the nearby bus stand area, which falls under Lyallpur Khalsa Overbridge, so that the pedestrians can rather use this stretch to cross over to the other side. It is a very elaborate plan in the form of a technical drawing which I had myself designed.” SE (B&R), MC, Kulwinder Singh, said that he too felt that it was a high-risk zone as the speed of vehicles between the landing point of one bridge and the take off point of the second bridge was too high. He said that the plan proposed by the ACP was quite interesting with details of U-turns, bus parking and zebra crossings. “We too have decided to engineer the area on the same lines as constructing a sub-way is a costly affair and makes the area prone to anti-social elements. The FOBs, however, may be put up in front of Lyallpur Khalsa College, across the railway lines, and Apeejay College, also in the vicinity. |
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Trader robbed of cash at gunpoint
Jalandhar, August 27 The incident occurred at about 10 pm when Sanjiv Aggarwal, the trader was leaving for home. Hearing the gunshot, traders of the market assembled and informed the police. ADCP (City-I) RK Sharma, said Sanjiv in a complaint has named two persons - Amit Verma and Deepak Verma - for arranging men to kill him. The complainant also alleged that the armed persons took away the bag containing Rs 5,000 cash and certain important documents and threatened him of dire consequence before fleeing. In the complaint, Aggarwal has also alleged that Amit Verma’s brother has been to his house some days ago and had challenged him, the ADCP added. Sharma added that Aggarwal’s relations with the Verma’s turned sour over an old money dispute. The police has not recovered any shell of the cartridge that was fired from the weapons used by the robbers, he said. Meanwhile, a case under Sections 392, 336 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against Amit and Deepak at New Baradari police station and investigations are on. No arrest has been made so far. |
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Robbery case: Complainant misleads police
Jalandhar, August 27 The complainant, Sonia, who had complained that she was robbed of cash and valuable worth thousands of rupees at a gunpoint on August 25 was found to be misleading the police. During investigations the police found that Sonia had implicated her boyfriend Sachin, who had been pursuing the woman to carry on with the old relations, even after her marriage. The ACP, Ravinder Pal Sandhu, claimed that during investigation, the police found the woman had cooked up the story to get rid of the boy. The police rounded up the suspect after registering a case but during question Sachin told the truth. The police has initiated legal proceeding in this regard. A resident of Takwian Mohalla in Basti Sekh locality, Sonin had alleged that two youths had entered her house and robbed of valuables. The duo then directed her to handover the keys of the almirah where valuable were kept, Sonia had alleged.
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Improvement Trust scheme gets lukewarm response
Jalandhar, August 27 Contrary to its aim of providing houses or plots at affordable prizes, the JIT has fixed as much as Rs 17,000 per square yard (which means Rs. 4.25 lakh per marla) at its Surya Enclave Extension proposed to come up at a part of Qazi Mandi located near its old scheme of Surya Enclave and Guru Gobind Singh Avenue. The 94.97 square yard scheme has already been floated. As many as 431 plots will be available in Surya Enclave Extension. While 66 plots will be available of 100 square yards, 50 plots of 153 square yards, 130 plots of 200 square yards, 65 of 250 square yards, 66 plots of 356 square yards and 54 plots will be available of 500 square yards. Though booking of the plots is open since August 8, not many persons have so far applied for plots at Surya Enclave Extension, the sources said. However, forms may be filled by September 7. Ranjit, a resident of Kishan Pura locality, who runs a photography shop near Jyoti Chowk, said: “The rates fixed by JIT are so high that a common man can not even think of buying plot for making a house there.” Jitendra Sharma, a resident of Dualatpuri locality, expressed surprise “The JIT has fixed Rs 5,000 more per square yard rates as compared to those in the prestigious scheme of Aerocity in Mohali by PUDA last year. The rate of land at Aerocity was just Rs 12,000 per square yard, that is Rs three lakh per marla.” JIT Chairman Baljit Singh Neelamahal refused to reconsider the rates. Justifying the high rates, he said the JIT had acquired the land from its owners at a very high rate of Rs 1.28 lakh per marla. |
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Sweetmeat shop worker’s death sparks protest, police steps in
Jalandhar, August 27 Vidheshwar, a 35-year-old a migrant labourer from Gaya district of Bihar, had sustained about 60 per cent burnt injuries on his abdomen after falling in a large cauldron with boiling sugar syrup. However, doctors said he did not succumb to his burn injuries, but died of a cardiac arrest. .“The victim approached me as he was a kidney patient and had even undergone a dialysis a couple of times. However, he died due to a cardiac arrest last evening,” revealed Dr Vijay Mahajan, who was treating the patient. The doctor said the labourer had sustained 60 per cent burns on his legs. The worker had, however, taken treatment from a different hospital. Regardless of the actual cause of the death, the news created a furore among the workers who resorted to staging a protest outside the sweet shop while alleging that their colleague had died of burns and that the management was allegedly making them work in inhuman conditions. They alleged no postmortem was conducted on the deceased’s body, which was sent to Bihar in a jiffy. They alleged that the management had promised a meagre compensation amount to the family, they went on to demand a hike in their wages besides a risk allowance. The protestors had assembled at the shop last evening also. But the police was able to suppress the protest. Today morning, the company the area outside the shop was virtually turned into a police cantonment and the establishment was cordoned-off by a unit of the City police and the private security guards of the company. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Navjot Singh Mahal, who along with his team reached the spot, pacified the workers. He said the postmortem was not conducted as the family had taken away the body to Bihar before the case came to light. ‘We are following the rules’
The worker died to a cardiac arrest. The company had borne his medical expenses and we even arranged for the body to be sent to his native place. We raised the salaries of our employees six months ago. It is not possible to give a hike twice in a year. If the workers are willing to quit, they can do so. The company has already cleared their dues. We are running a big company and are following all guidelines of the Labour Law. You cannot run a show for long if you do not follow the rules.~ — Amit Mittal, Director, Lovely Group |
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Health centre for tannery workers
Jalandhar, August 27 In the absence of any state-run health centre nearby, the workers and their families have to rush to the ESIC hospital, located around 5 kilometres away from the complex. The situation has usually turned worst in emergency cases, as the poor workers were left with no other option but get admitted and pay heavy treatment cost in the private hospitals located near the complex. Hub of around 54 leather-tanning units and good number of rubber goods manufacturing units, the world-renowned Jalandhar leather tanning industry is one of the largest exporters of dry and wet leather of North India. As the workers employed in the tanneries are highly prone to various systemic and dermatological diseases, the health centre, once it comes up, will be a boon to workers and would facilitate early diagnosis of the chronic diseases, prevalent among the workers. JP Dhanda, Joint Director, ESIC, said the entire medical and paramedical staff would be routed to the dispensary with in coming 15 days. Dhanda added the corporation could also initiate efforts to set up an ESIC hospital in the complex, provided the Punjab Small Industry and Export Council (PSIEC) would arrange for the one acre land, required to set up project. Welcoming the move of the corporation, Ajay Sharma, eminent leather industrialist, and secretary, Punjab Effluent and Treatment Society of Tanneries, said around 10,000 workers of the leather complex and nearby industries would be benefited from the dispensary. Jaspreet Singh, a tannery owner, said to persuade the PSIEC to earmark the land required for the hospital at the earliest, the industrialists have arranged a meeting with PSIEC officials on coming Tuesday.
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The pathetic state of Kala Sanghian road
Jalandhar, August 27 The road is pot-holed and dusty, and the slippery soil of the area, especially since the rains, has resulted in a great deal of slush, causing vehicles to be covered in layers of dirt. Rajesh, a property dealer with a shop on the road, says, “Ever since they have started the work of digging up the road, commuters have been greatly inconvenienced. This area, in any case, is a storehouse of problems. It is difficult for us to travel. Walking on the roads is very hard and little accidents are common. The sludge causes a lot of inconvenience to those driving two-wheelers. Since the road is also narrow in places, traffic jams are also caused due to the problem.” Lucky, a regular commuter, says, “This area has been left ignored from the beginning. Areas like Geeta Colony have similar roads. In Green Avenue Colony, the people haven’t seen comfortable roads for the past eight to nine years. The sewerage work has added to the problems. Our clothes get muddy and the bumpy ride is taxing.” Satpal Bathla, a trader who owns a shop on the road, says, “Leave alone vehicles, the roads leaves the body aching. It’s a punishment to travel on it for a 50 year old man like me.” He also expresses doubts about the sewerage laying work, “The pipes used on the initial stretch are 14 inches wide but those laid later are eight inches wide. Such narrow pipes are not even effective at homes, how will the sewerage of a road be managed? It’s been three months they have been working on it and the commuters have been greatly tormented due to it.” Suresh Mahajan another regular commuter on the road says, “Even a drizzle gets the roads badly inundated. Everyone in the area is sick of the road, we need a break now.” MC Commissioner BS Dhaliwal, when contacted, said, “I will look into the matter.” Area councillors Surinder Kaur (ward number 58) and Manjit Singh Titu (ward no 47) could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. |
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Teachers threaten protest
Jalandhar, August 27 Union member Shivraj Singh said as many as 13,000 teachers working under zila parishad schools had been devoid of facilities that teachers under the Education Department are entitled to. The union’s state chief Ranjit Singh stated despite the issuance of a notification ordering the shifting of the teachers under zila parishad to the Education Department and the constitution of a directorate for the rest of the teachers, the same had not been done so far. Shivraj Singh said while the state government had made a commitment to shift 6,250 teachers across the state from zila parishad schools to empty (sanctioned) posts in the Education Department, none of the teachers had been shifted so far. Talking about Jalandhar, he said while 417 teachers had already been issued shifting orders (and 150 will get them on Monday), none of the teachers have been shifted so far. Singh also said the teachers have also not been getting salaries according to special grades as per the 5th pay commission. The union said the Punjab Government should be ready for a protest rally if the teachers’ demands are not by September 10.
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Sports equipment worth
Rs 30 cr awaits distribution
Jalandhar, August 25 The Sports Department had planned to distribute sports equipment, comprising kits and infrastructure, on August 29, which is celebrated as National Sports Day. But all plans regarding a grand distribution ceremony were shelved as the model code of conduct came into effect from July 28 ahead of the SGPC elections. The Sports Department had planned to reach out to the grass-roots level in all the villages, blocks and districts and equip the rural youth with the state-of-the-art infrastructure and sports kits in various disciplines. The department has spent Rs 15 crore on buying infrastructure for 6,000 “four-station gyms” to be established in villages. While an equal amount has been spent on the purchase of sports kits for the budding players in 12,500 villages of the state. The sports kits include material for cricket, volleyball, football and other such games. It was decided by the Sports Department that all the villages would get sports kits and half of the villages would be given gyms and its infrastructure to develop sports culture. Sources in the department said the sports equipment was still lying with the respective firms and that payments were also yet to be made. “This has further added to our problems. The firms have been demanding their payments, but everything is put on hold due to the SGPC elections. The department will now have to immediately distribute the sports equipment after the elections as this will be followed by the ensuing Assembly elections,” said a senior sports official requesting anonymity. The sources said as the purchase was done a long time ago, distribution of the sports equipment could have been done earlier. “Had it been planned properly, sports equipment could have been distributed among the players in time. This is depriving the rural youth of their chance to avail themselves of the sports facilities in their respective villages,” the sources maintained. |
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Services at Cantt hospital to be upgraded
Jalandhar, August 27 The Principal Director, Defence Estates, Headquarters Western Command, Chandimandir, gave the approval during the general house meeting of the cantonment board recently. The need to upgrade the medical facilities at the hospital was felt as it served residents of cantonment and nearby villages like Sansarpur, Dhina, Sofi Pind and Khusropur situated on the periphery of cantonment. Now, the hospital would be equipped with a physiotherapist and counsellor who would provide free services once a week to special children and senior citizens of cantonment. The hospital would be equipped with a separate special cell for the special children. The counsellor, besides serving at the hospital, would also provide fortnightly service to adolescent girls of all the cantonment board girls schools. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cantonment Board, Vibha Sharma said for years the hospital has been serving the cantonment residents with some basic facilities and there was a dire need to upgrade it. “All the medical services would would start from October 1. We also have plans to start a special mobile dispensary in the coming months. We have also decided to appoint another General Duty Medical Officer, which in turn will ensure better delivery of services,” she added. “In the absence of specialised services the patients were forced to approach the private hospitals or the Civil Hospital for specialist medical services. Soon the cantonment residents will be able to avail all the facilities in this hospital”, she added. The cantonment board authorities also said that visiting specialists in OPD services, addition of specialist eye, ENT and orthopaedic services would also be launched soon. It was also recommended that the services of dental surgeon, pediatrician, skin specialist and gynaecologist would be extended for a period of one year. The CEO also highlighted that they would start homeopathic OPD services at the cantonment on public private partnership (PPP) programme, for which fee sharing would be done on 75:25 ratio between the specialist and the cantonment board. “We have invited applications and would soon make all these specialised departments functional for the cantonment residents”, she added.
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Jalandhar, August 27
Jalandhar, August 27
Jalandhar, August 27
Jalandhar, August 27
