3 families come forward to adopt abandoned sisters
Amritsar, August 30
Even after two days, the parents of the sisters, aged 5 and 3, who had reportedly separated from their family at the Golden Temple Complex, have not turned up to take their daughters back. The two girls, who identified themselves as Sapna (5) and Dimple (3) were found by the SGPC officials in the Complex. They were kept in the female ward of the Sri Guru Ram Das Sarai in the shrine complex. The duo was not able to recall their father's name or address.

Amritsar, August 30
Now, it will be a safe and comfortable ride for the tourists visiting the Golden Temple to their destinations. The district administration, with the consent of SGPC, is going to introduce pre-paid taxi service with GPS- enabled vehicles from the shrine within a week.

Though the rates are yet to be finalised, the officials have given the assurance that it would be a competitively priced cab service. The administration has already engaged the services of a transport firm which has been providing the same kind of service at the Guru Ram Das International Airport. Two booking counters -one located just adjacent to the gate of Guru Ram Dass Sarai and another located at the Dharam Singh Market complex- is being installed for the purpose.

These air-conditioned booking counters would have all the information about the tourist spots and the fares to be charged, as per the administration’s directions. Being GPS-equipped, the location of each and every vehicle would be under surveillance 24X7.

The officials say that at a time two vehicles would be allowed to be stationed at each of the counters and the rest of the vehicles, at present around 30 (which includes Indica, Innova and Tavera ), would be parked at the Saragarhi parking, near the Dharam Singh Market.

From the safety point of view, all the vehicles under this service would comply with the Motor Vehicles Act and have proper documentation. In the backdrop of this move, it has been learnt that numerous complaints received from tourists, about the exorbitant fares charged by taxi drivers, had compelled the administration to intervene and offer a hassle-free transport facility for the tourists from this point. At least, 1 lakh tourists visit the Golden Temple in a day.

The next destination of tourists, after the Golden Temple is always to watch the Retreat ceremony held every evening at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost. With no alternative, tourists were being fleeced by private taxi operators. It has been learnt that most of these taxi operators have engaged the services of middle-men, who help them to find passengers on a commission basis. They engage the passengers for Rs 120 and Rs 130, as against the stipulated rate of Rs 100 per seat for to- and-fro journey to the Attari-Wagah border. 

It is my maiden visit here. I wanted to go to see the beating Retreat ceremony but was hesitant to hire a taxi because I afraid whteher or not its driver has undergone a police verification process or whether the vehicle has a legal permit. also, The other occupants in the car would be strangers. —Diana, from USA

We are not terminating the services of those taxi operators who have been operating from there at present. Rather, we have just thrown an option in the rink. It would ultimately be beneficial for tourists because under the competition, they too would be forced to provide better facilities. Therefore, just on the lines of the arrangement that is already operating at the Guru Ram Das International Airport, an idea was mulled over to introduce a similar facility for the Golden Temple or Jallianwala Bagh tourists because it would be advantageous for them in terms of justifiable fare, their safety as well the ensured services for which they would be charged. All the vehicles engaged under this service would be inspected by the DTO staff to ensure that they comply with all norms of Motor vehicles and possess all documents, including the insurance policies.— Rajat Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner

Amritsar, August 30
Even after two days, the parents of the sisters, aged 5 and 3, who had reportedly separated from their family at the Golden Temple Complex, have not turned up to take their daughters back. The two girls, who identified themselves as Sapna (5) and Dimple (3) were found by the SGPC officials in the Complex. They were kept in the female ward of the Sri Guru Ram Das Sarai in the shrine complex. The duo was not able to recall their father's name or address.

Meanwhile, some families from different parts of Punjab have contacted the SGPC officials, and shown an interest in adopting the two girls after

they saw their photographs flashed on the TV channels. Confirming this, Partap Singh, manager of the sarais, told the Amritsar Tribune that three families from Moga, Faridkot and Barnala have contacted him, expressing their wish to adopt the girls. “We will wait for another few days for their parents and would initiate the process of adoption only after completing the legal formalities. This would be done only after discussing it with higher authorities," said Partap Singh.

Amritsar, August 30
The Amritsar Games Association (AGA) cricket ground, which was badly damaged during the state-level Independence Day celebrations held on August 15 here, is all set to regain its original shape.

Teams of the Public Works Department (PWD) and Amritsar Municipal Corporation (AMC) are on the job to refurbish the ground. The entire net practice area was damaged with the constant plying of heavy vehicles, and the grass on the ground was uprooted due to three-day rehearsal by parade squads with their heavy sole shoes. The net practice area and the ground are being revamped and the pits that were developed on the ground are being filled.

Similarly, the iron grills on the boundary walls of the ground, which were removed apparently to facilitate the clear vision for the VVIP spectators of the celebrations, are being fixed back. Also, the stage on the pavilion area, which was build for unfurling the Tri-colour, is being dismantled.

Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal viewed that the repair of the ground was being undertaken on priority and it would otherwise be a blessing in disguise for the ground.

“Actually, the decision to hold the function on the cricket ground was taken under compulsion. Otherwise, it would have been held at the adjoining Guru Nanak Stadium if the renovation work had been completed on time. Nonetheless, I assure that the original condition of the cricket ground would be restored. Rather, it would come up with a new and better outlook than before. Now, the ground has more suitable entry and exit points. Its pavilion, which was originally in a bad shape, too would be rebuilt. In a way it would be a blessing in disguise in this situation,” he said.

The secretary of the AGA, Mohit Khanna, while agreeing that it was not a “very wise” step to hold such a function on the ground, stated that the association had to agree because there was no suitable alternative site to hold the function.

He said the pitch area, which supported the most sensitive Barmuda grass, was totally kept out during the celebrations. “The grass on the field has grown and needs trimming. Moreover, we have drying arrangement and high-power levelling machines, which will set the whole ground,” he said.

Amritsar, August 30
Farmers, traders and shopkeepers dealing in vegetables and fruit are annoyed at deplorable condition of infrastructure at Vallah market located on city’s outskirt.

A wholesale vegetable trader Jaspal Singh Sethi said the wholesale market registered trade in fruit and vegetable to the tune of Rs 12 crore every month. “Consequently, the market committee earns revenue in lakhs every month yet they are deprived of basic amenities like smooth roads, cleanliness and efficient storm channel”, he rued.

Roads in and around the market are teeming with potholes of all sizes. After showers, these potholes turned into puddles and aggravate the risk of accidents, he maintained. He said that the deplorable condition of the market had made their trade and living conditions untenable here. Besides, the very purpose of shifting the market from outside Hall Gate to the city’s outskirts remained unrealised.

A farmer Jagtar Singh, who supplied vegetables from nearby villages to the market, said that agriculturists faced innumerable troubles in supplying the fresh produces at the market. He said animals driven carts full of material got stuck on the roads and sometimes tend to fall

Another wholesale fruit trader added that out of the two gates of the market one invariably remained closed. As a result, there is a perennial rush at the solitary gate and the condition turns worse during the peak hours, he maintained.

Fruit and Vegetable Merchants Union Vallah President Ravinder Singh Sekhon said the government had charged Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 per square yard for allotting space for setting up shops in Vallah market in June 2004 to the shopkeepers after evacuating them from old Sabzi Mandi.

He opined that their conditioned had worsened after shifting here. First of all, their market was shifted from the heart of the city to the far-flung area. “Besides, their livelihood is in danger as their shops were later found to fall in prohibited area of Army’s ammunition depot”, he said. He added that nearly 33 shopkeepers were denied construction of their shops even after depositing the requisite money. He said these shopkeepers were forced to carry out their business under a shed.

He said the Master Plan, passed last year, had also recommended shifting of Vallah mandi. Market Committee secretary Gehal Singh said that his department was aware of the troubles being faced by the farmers and traders. He informed that Rs 1.30 crore has been allocated by the department for re-laying of damaged roads and other repair works. He added that following the objection by the Army the repair work was halted. He said Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal was taking up the issue with the Army and they would carry out the repairs as soon as the approval came. It is pertinent to mention here that the issue of ammunition dump location dated back to 2002 when the civic administration decided to increase the city periphery. The Army, till then had acquired 122 acres of land on the bypass, which had few settlements in the Vallah village. In turn, the Army approached the Union Government and a notification banning any construction in 1,000 yards parapet was issued on November 11, 2004. However, till then a vegetable market had come up in the vicinity.

The Vallah ammunition depot, spread across 122 acres of land on Amritsar-Verka-Wagah bypass, has been infested with a hush-hush growth of illegal structures within its 1,000 yards of outer parapet.

The local Army establishment has no other option but to file First Information Report (FIR) against the offenders.

The district administration has been issuing orders under section 144 of the CrPC (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) in the area for avoiding any fresh construction. The Army had identified many construction activities in the area. These included gates of a privately developed residential complex are erected, a resort, boundary wall of projected church, two cloth factory, a plywood factory, two PUNSUM godown, a Gurdwara, a FCI godown, a number of private residential houses have come up in the 1000 yard limit of the ammunition depot. 

Amritsar, August 30
The National Coordination Committee of the central trade unions, including Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) and Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), will hold a pan-India joint trade union conference to highlight the plight of unorganised labourers on September 7 in New Delhi.

National Coordination Committee chairman Dr G. Sanjeeva Reddy, also Indian National Trade Union Congress president, said here today that about 40 crore labourers in the unorganised sector needed immediate attention following constant rise in the prices of essential commodities. He was here to take part in the Punjab Pradesh Galla Mazdoor Union rally held at Raja Sansi.

Expressing his concern at the condition of labourers, Reddy said inflation had made the lives of these labourers miserable. He said either the government should control prices or make provision for releasing essential commodities at subsidised rates from ration depots.