Chandigarh, September 1
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that it wants the “ornamental” posts of lambardar to be abolished in the states of Punjab and Haryana.

In a significant order, Justice Alok Singh minced no words to say lambardars were involved in identifying imposters substituting for dead or real landowners; and were a burden on the state exchequer.

“It has come to the notice of this court that nowadays lambardars are involved in different criminal cases for identifying imposters for the dead or the real landowners to grab their valuable land. Remuneration paid to the lambardars from the state exchequer seems to be unnecessary financial burden on the state, while the lambardars have no active duties/functions to perform,” the court held.

This is high time when the government should consider the desirability to abolish the posts of lambardars within the states of Punjab and Haryana, Justice Singh observed. The directions came on a petition challenging the appointment of a lambardar of Tharu village in Sonepat district.

Justice Alok Singh took note of the fact that the duties of a lambardar or headman, among other things, include collection of “all land revenue”, “collect the rents and other income of the common land”.

Justice Alok Singh added prima facie after the 73rd amendment in the Constitution of India, enactment of Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act and Registration of Births and Deaths Act, “lambardar hardly has any duty or function to perform, which he used to perform in the pre-Independence era. Prima facie, in the opinion of this court, the post of lambardar has become ornamental”.

Before parting with the order, Justice Alok Singh observed the courts were flooded with litigations challenging the appointment of lambardars; and directed the filing of an affidavit by a responsible officer not below the joint secretary’s rank in the department of finance in Punjab and Haryana.

The officer has been asked to specify the exact duties or functions being discharged by the lambardars; whether the functions could be delegated to the panchayats and how many lambardars in Punjab and Haryana are facing criminal cases since January 1, 2009, for identifying imposters for dead or real landowners”.

The case will now come up for hearing on September 19.

Chandigarh, September 1
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Taneja Developers and Infrastructure to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 to a complainant for not including his name in the draw of lots for his failure to deposit application fee.

The forum has also directed the developers to pay the litigation cost of Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation, and to allot a flat to the complainant as per the scheme opted by him.

The complainant, Naresh, had applied for a flat meant for the economically weaker section with Taneja Developers and Infrastructure in the TDI City, Mohali. A sum of Rs 15,000 was deposited by the complainant by way of demand draft issued by the State Bank of India. However, the complainant was informed by the builder that his application would not be considered as the demand draft submitted by him had not been credited into their account.

Following this, Naresh visited the developer with a certificate issued by the SBI stating that the demand draft in favour of Taneja Developers had already been encashed.

The TDI, on the other hand, in a reply submitted that the draft issued by the SBI was presented thrice to the bankers and the same was returned each time.

The forum comprising president Lakshman Sharma president and members Madhu Mutneja and Jaswinder Singh observed that “it is clear from the documents that Rs15,000 has been received by the TDI. We do not think they should refuse to consider the complainant for the allotment of a flat in the EWS scheme floated by them.”

Directing the TDI to allot a flat to the complainant as per the scheme opted by him, the forum has asked them to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to the complainant for the harassment caused. 

Mohali, September 1
Faced with pressure from the police, Karandeep Singh, alias Pargat Singh, one of the main accused in the cheating cases registered against Jet Immigration Placement Services, today surrendered before a local court. He was remanded in two-day police custody.

Earlier, Karandeep Singh, along with Deepak Arora, was booked by the Mohali Police in over 30 cases of cheating. The accused had accepted money from visa seekers, but they neither got the visas issued nor refunded the money. Most of the victims from different parts of Punjab had paid between Rs 40,000 and Rs 3 lakh to get work permit visas for Canada and other countries.

SP (City) Harpreet Singh said due to pressure exerted from all corners, Karandeep Singh surrendered before the court today. His brother, Lakhwinder Singh, had already been arrested by the police. Raids were also being conducted to nab Deepak Arora, said Station House Officer, Phase I, Manjit Singh adding that details about the money collected from the visa seekers were being ascertained from the accused.

Meanwhile, the Matour Police conducted a raid at the Phase VII and Sector 70 offices of Guru Kirpa Immigration Company and confiscated the office furniture lying there. Station House Officer, Matour, Tarlochan Singh said there were two case of cheating registered against the proprietor of Guru Kirpa, Neena Sharma, who was on the run. 

Zirakpur, September 1
The Zirakpur police today claimed to have solved a theft case with the arrest of two employees of the Ravi Organic Limited, a Delhi-based company and recovered stolen medicines worth Rs 8 lakh from their possession.

The accused have been identified as godown in charge Mohit Sharma, a resident of Gulmohar Block, Dhakoli, and marketing employee Varinder Singh, a resident of Samana.

The investigating officer stated that a case under Sections 381 and 408 of the IPC was registered against Mohit Sharma on the complaint of Arun Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, UP. The complainant said he owned a godown on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway in Adarsh Nagar. On June 14, medicines worth Rs 3.21 lakh were given to Mohit Sharma for supplying the same to Muzaffarnagar. The complainant alleged that neither the supply was delivered nor deposited in the godown.

After receiving the complaint, a police team laid a trap in Sector 22, Chandigarh, and arrested Mohit. During investigation the accused disclosed the name of his accomplice Varinder Singh Sidhu, who was working as the marketing executive in the company.

After getting information about the stolen goods, the police team raided different places in Haryana. The officer said during raids 101 boxes of medicines were recovered from Varinder Singh Sidhu and 96 boxes were recovered from Mohit and exact cost of the medicines could be Rs 8 lakh.

Chandigarh, September 1
New Public School (NPS), Sector 18, defeated Vivek High School during a match of the ongoing Sub-Junior State Basketball Championship being held at New Public School.

NPS defeated Vivek School 54-04. Parvesh attained 12 points while Amit ensured the team’s victory by attaining seven points. For the loosing side, Viren and Anmol secured two points each.

In the second match, St Xavier’s School-44 defeated GHKP School-38 50-12. Kunal attained 13 points while Gagan managed to get 10 points for the team. For the opposite team, Naman secured six points.

In a match of the girls’ category, St Joseph School-44 defeated St Kabir School-26 18-15. Muskan scored seven points for team. In the second match, GNPS-36 defeated GGSSS-20 24-18 Amrit Kaur with 10 points and Amarjot with eight points ensured the victory of their team.