Ludhiana, October 4
The transfer orders of officiating MC Commissioner Malwinder Singh Jaggi have been cancelled and he has been asked to continue his job in the same capacity. The orders were sent through fax by the Chief Secretary at the MC Commissioner’s office this evening.

Highly placed sources at the local bodies department said leaders from all political parties had visited Chandigarh to get the orders of their “favourite” officer cancelled. Sources said some officials even camped in Chandigarh to get the orders cancelled.

The development comes after all three Additional Commissioners were shifted to different districts.

Jaggi, a Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer, who was transferred as the Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) at Moga, a sensitive constituency, will now remain with the MC. The other two Additional Commissioners, Kuldip Singh and Mohinder Pal Gupta, have been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) at Amritsar and District Transport Officer at Sangrur, respectively.

Congress councillor Hem Raj Aggarwal said: “He has been in the city for long and knows the MC functioning well. A lot of construction activity is going on in the city and an officer like him is the best for the job. If a new officer joins now, it will take a long time for him to understand the whole system.” An elated Jaggi said: “I have been asked to stay put in the present capacity.”

MC Commissioner Ajoy Kumar Sinha, an IAS officer, has been attending a two-month mid-career training programme at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, since August.

Ludhiana, October 4
The State Information Commission (SIC) has slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on former District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC) of Ludhiana Rakesh Bhaskar, who is presently posted in Hoshiarpur, for delaying information under the Right to Information Act.

This is not for the first time that the State Information Commission has fined Bhaskar.

He was fined Rs 6,000 in April this year by the information commission in a separate case pertaining to the RTI.

Kuldip Kumar Kaura, a resident of Urban Estate, Focal Point, had sought information from Bhaskar, the then DFSC, Ludhiana, under the RTI Act. The information was sought on May 24, but the District Food and Civil Supplies Controller delivered the same after four months on September 8 this year.

The order passed by State Information Commissioner PPS Gill read: “The complainant says the respondent (Rakesh Bhaskar) is habitual in defaulting, delaying and denying information whenever asked for under the RTI Act.

“The respondent has scant respect for the Act or the information seekers. These observations of the complainant must be taken cognisance of by the respondent, who should remove the systematic deficiencies in the working of the department and sensitise the staff about the RTI Act to lessen the harassment of information seekers.” Clarifying the delay on September 19, Bhaskar had submitted his written reply before the State Information Commission. In his submission, Bhaskar has tried to generalise as to why the information could not be supplied. He had put the blame on his subordinate staff for the delay in providing information. He also admitted that the mess created was more because of the staff’s pre-occupation with the Central government sponsored unique identification card scheme of which he was the supervisor and had to redress a large number of public complaints daily.

The SIC, however, said: “The written submission is deficient and Bhaskar should have been more specific in his reply. Therefore, in view of the inordinate delay in giving the information and vague submission made by the DFSC, a penalty of Rs 10,000 is imposed on him.”

Ludhiana, October 4
After removing a few kiosks, structures and unauthorised occupants along its storage site on the Pakhowal road here, the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) has now asked the Municipal Corporation (MC) to clear the area of a hotel site and green belt till Sidhwan Canal where jhuggi dwellers had encroached on part of the road to carry out commercial activity.

Some 8 acres of prime land of the LIT on Pakhowal road adjacent to the canal is under unlawful occupation of jhuggi dwellers who had settled there many years ago and named the area Jamuna Colony.

In a letter to the MC Commissioner, LIT Chairman MM Vyas has said that the land under the illegal possession and where commercial activity was being carried out, formed a part of the Model Town Extension (Part II) scheme of the Trust, which stood transferred to the MC for maintenance and building control under Section 55 of the Punjab Town Improvement Act. Therefore, the removal of encroachments on vacant sites, as also along the main road, was the responsibility of the MC.

“The LIT has already got some area along the storage site cleared. Some part of the area under the unlawful possession of jhuggi dwellers is a hotel site which has been sold, but the matter is under litigation. In the larger public interest and to avoid temporary encroachments from becoming permanent in future, action should be taken immediately to clear the area,” says a memo written by Vyas to the MC.

The LIT has also sought a status report of the dwelling units under construction by the MC under the Centrally-sponsored Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission scheme where jhuggi dwellers were proposed to be shifted. “The expected time of completion of the project should be intimated so that the LIT can take timely action to get the Trust land under encroachment vacated,” the letter states.

Ludhiana, October 4
After The Tribune exposed the illegal drug business near the bus stand here, a team of the health department, under the instructions of the Civil Surgeon, conducted raids on two medical stores in the city today.

The team took samples of four drugs from Naveen Medicos after the chemist failed to produce purchase bills. The medical officer accompanying the team then collected the samples to check the quality of the drugs.

The health team also raided Drug Division medical store at Pindi Street. As many as 69,000 tablets, 2,800 capsules and 120 bottles of cough syrups were seized.

“We will send the samples to a laboratory. A report of the raid will be sent to the State Drug Controller. Action will follow under the law,” said drug inspector Sanjeev Garg.

Jagraon, October 4
Allegations of embezzlement of funds to the tune of lakhs in various development works carried out in the city rocked the house during the monthly general house meeting of the Jagraon municipal council held today.

Municipal councillors, including Rachpal Singh, Jatinderpal Rana, Kulwinder Singh Kala and Ravinder Sabharwal, raised issues of corruption and use of substandard material in various development works carried out in the city in the past.

As soon as proceedings began, municipal councillor from ward number 10 Rachpal Singh raised the issue of missing iron manhole covers from the Lajpat Rai road, where work of fixing interlocking tiles had completed about two months ago. Rachpal Singh alleged that these iron manholes covers, which cost around Rs 1.5 lakh, had been illegally soled by contractors who were awarded the work of laying interlocking tiles on the road.

Rachpal Singh alleged that the contractors used substandard material while laying interlocking tiles as a result of which the tiles had already started dislocating from various places. “Neither the contractors laid down stones, nor they levelled the road before fixing the tiles. Besides, the contractor did not use the required amount of cement for fixing the tiles,” he alleged.

“Moreover, the council had passed the bill of laying rubber-based interlocking tiles, but the contractors in connivance with certain municipal council officials laid down simple interlocking tiles which cost almost half if compared to the rates of rubber-based interlocking tiles. In this way, the contractors looted the public money with both hands and nobody bothered despite the fact that he took up the issue with various MC officials, including MC president Baldev Krishan Dhir as well as the senior officials of the local bodies department,” lamented the councillor.

When he demanded a thorough probe into the matter by a team of higher authorities, MC president Baldev Krishan Dhir asked him to submit a written complaint and assured that an independent inquiry would be conducted into the matter. Rachpal Singh submitted a written complaint following which Executive Officer Amna Kumar Goyal marked an inquiry into the matter and assured that the report of the inquiry would be tabled within 10 days.

After Rachpal Singh, it was the turn of councillor Kulwinder Singh Kala, who raised the issue of sewerage cleaning machine gathering dust at the MC’s office since it was purchased by the civic body at a high cost in 2009.

According to Kulwinder Singh Kala, the MC had purchased the machine-fitted vehicle of Bajaj company at a cost of Rs 5.45 lakh from Bathinda in September 2009. He also questioned why the machine was purchased at a higher cost from Bathinda when it was available at a cheaper price at the same company’s showroom in Ludhiana?

“The same machine was available at the cost of Rs 4,13,890, while the Jagraon MC purchased it from the company’s showroom at Bathinda at a cost of Rs 5.45 lakh, which clearly indicates that there was something wrong in the purchase of the machine,” he said.

Accusing MC president Baldev Krishan Dhir of misusing funds with the connivance of the MC officials, he demanded a probe into the matter. Following which Congress councillor Ravinder Sabharwal and independent councillor Jatinderpal Rana also alleged that despite the availability of sufficient funds with the MC, no proper development work appeared to be done in the city and most of the roads and streets were in a bad condition. The MC president stated that the civic body would complete all pending projects within a given time.

Ludhiana, October 4
Employees of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) from all over Punjab climbed atop a water tank at Gill village. The employees said they would not come down till a notification related to their demands was issued by the state government.

It was around 12.30 pm today when more than 50 employees of the NRHM from various climbed atop the water tank. Gupreet Kaur, a nurse, and a resident of Sangrur, went on a hunger strike.

The NRHM employees' union spokesperson Rajinder Singh said, “We will continue our protest till we get the notification from the state government. We have got the message that Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal want to hold a meeting with us. So we will go to Chandigarh to meet him tomorrow at 9.30 am, but will continue our protest till our demands are met. Our salaries should be increased and all contractual employees should be regularised.”

Ludhiana, October 4
On the fourth day of their chain hunger strike, jobless veterinary doctors polished shoes outside the veterinary clinic gate on GADVASU campus. Maninder Singh and Ranbir Singh observed a fast. Around 60 to 80 unemployed veterinary doctors polished shoes of farmers, pet owners and pedestrians inside and outside the GADVASU hospital.

Manbir Singh, a demonstrator, said, “We earned Rs 92 by polishing shoes and the amount was sent to Chief Secretary of Punjab. A scanned copy of the demand draft was also sent.”

A delegation of jobless doctors met director and deputy director of the department of rural development and panchayat.

“They had assured us that jobs would be advertised in newspapers, but it did not happen. We will continue our protest till something concrete is done and jobs are advertised,” Manbir Singh added.

Ludhiana October 4
INIFD wore a different look as young boys and girls came dressed in traditional attire to mark the dandiya festival. The campus was beautifully decorated with ethnic touch of rich coloured drapes and flowers. The event started with Arvind Gupta, centre director, INIFD, paying obeisance to Goddess Durga.

Rashmeen Kaur, a student of event management, said, “Playing dandiya on the land of Punjab itself is a different experience.” The party was attended by nearly 300 INIFDians.

Ludhiana, October 4
The Directorate of Extension Education will be organising three training programmes for members of the Progressive Beekeepers Association (PBKA) and PAU Kisan Club.

Dr MS Gill, director, Extension Education, PAU, said a state-level training-cum-workshop for progressive beekeepers would be held on October 5 at the Centre for Training, Kairon Kisan Ghar (KKG).

The workshop will apprise trainees of marketing of honey and honey-based products. Besides, interaction and discussion with progressive beekeepers and a review of the last meeting/activities would also be held. He said registration for the workshop would be held at 10 am at the venue of the programme.

Dr Gill said a two-month training camp for the PAU Kisan Club members and women wing would begin from October 7 at Dr Borlaug Wheat Auditorium (DBWA).

“The PAU home scientists will hone the skills of the women wing by imparting theoretical as well as practical knowledge about baking and wrapping of cakes and rangoli making for Diwali festival,” he said.

Another training camp for the club members, to be held at DBWA, will familiarise the trainees with the current issues of agricultural sector, cultivation of winter vegetable crops, seed production techniques, mushroom growing, rodent control measures in Happy Seeder Technology (HST), development of HST and experience of Australian farming.

Ludhiana, October 4
The mobile wing of the excise and taxation department today imposed a penalty of Rs 2.93 lakh on goods that were seized from outside the railway station recently. About 74 parcels were seized by the mobile wing as the necessary documents were missing.

Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Tejbir Singh Sidhu said during festivals, goods without documents were brought in by shopkeepers to evade taxes. “The department becomes more alert during festival season. The 74 parcels seized from near the railway station contained electronic goods, readymade garments, shoes and retail products,” he said.

Meanwhile, an autorickshaw parked outside the railway station was impounded by department officials today. “There were two cartons in the vehicle containing mobile phones worth Rs 1.20 lakh and three LCDs. The cartons were brought in the city from outside Punjab,” he said.

During festival days, many shopkeepers buy goods without paying taxes to the department and sell the products to customers without proper bills. A majority of such electronic products were purchased by people as Diwali gifts for officials.

Ludhiana, October 4
About 52 car dealers in the district have been entrusted the job of preparing registration certificate (RC) of vehicles from October 12.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will inaugurate the main service at Mohali on October 12, which will be connected with all the districts through the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and customers will get their RCs prepared by the respective dealers instead of making rounds at the DTO office or the Suvidha Centre.

With the state government’s announcement that RCs will be prepared by car dealers, the RC server was shifted to the district transport office last evening to clear the backlog.

For getting the RC, customers will have to make online payment and dealers will verify the documents. The inspection will be conducted and finally the registration number will be allotted to the customers.

District Transport Officer (DTO) Ashwani Sharma said: “Initially 52 dealers in the district have been asked to do the job but by next week, some others too will be involved in the process. This facility will be beneficial for car owners, the transport department as well as dealers. Now the owners of new cars do not require making rounds to the offices to get their RC made. The dealers from where they purchase the vehicles will prepare the documents for the customers. Besides, the department needs at least 40 persons to make RCs, but we have just 10 employees who already are overloaded with other works.”

Ranjit Singh, a senior citizen, said: “It all depends upon how the scheme works. Since dealers already have all the details (documents) of customers before selling the vehicle, it will be easy for them too to prepare the documents. And for customer too, it will be a less cumbersome process.”

Besides, it was the middlemen who had the field day while getting the RCs made. An employee at the DTO office, on a condition of anonymity, said that middlemen used to dupe car owners. “At times, people prefer to handover the work to middlemen to save their time. Since these middlemen enjoy a good rapport with employees and department officials, their files are cleared on priority basis. But now, such corrupt practices will be curbed.”

Ludhiana, October 4
If you want to survive in business, you have to get noticed by your actions, innovations, comments and contribution to the society. A person cannot live in isolation and to fulfil the dreams of life it is necessary that you should leave some marks and footprints for others to follow.

These were the views of experts expressed in front of students of MCom (business innovations) in a two-day workshop on business etiquette and professionalism which ended today at SCD Government College, Ludhiana, with the concluding remarks of Dr BB Singla, an associate professor in the School of Management Studies , Punjabi University, Patiala.

Dr Singla said today’s students were not focused with their vision. He said more than 60 per cent students studying in colleges and universities were not having any aim in their life. They even do not know why they have taken admissions in the respective courses. He asked the students to be different while studying and get noticed by their teachers, juniors, seniors and employers. This is the only survival mantras in life.

Interacting with students, Priyaka Khanna, head of the commerce department of the Khalsa College for Women, said unless students have etiquette and equipped with the soft skills they are of no use for the industry.

Srikant a trainer of the Punjab Infotech taught the students regarding the email etiquettes and telephone etiquettes. Dr Ashwani Bhalla, associate professor in the department of commerce of SCD Government College said that mobile phone has become the biggest issue of discussion these days. Receiving so many calls and attending each and every call and satisfying the customer has become the most important difficulty. He gave the students certain tips to manage mobile technology.

In two-day workshop, eight resource persons from the academia and industry interacted with the students in six technical sessions. Students were also given the opportunity to present their issues through their power point presentations. Around 45 presentations of the students were evaluated by the experts and they were given the tips to improve their performance. The issues which were dealt in two days workshop include: Business Professionalism in India , Office Protocol, Communication at workplace, tips for planning a meeting , Email Etiquettes, Telephone Etiquettes, Cultural considerations in business, Board room etiquettes, Professional code of conduct, Greeting clients and Tips for business owners and career professionals. It is pertinent to mention here that the programme is being organised under the sponsored ship of University Grants Commission under Innovative scheme for Research and Development in the field of education. Jasbir Kaur Makkar, principal of the college, delivered the valedictory address and said that it is the need of the hour to give training of sot skills to the students. She expressed the satisfaction over the outcome of the workshop and congratulated the faculty and students of commerce and business innovations department for their achievements.

Ludhiana, October 4
It was altogether a different experience for the inmates of Juvenile Home here today as a local cook, Mannu Nepali, taught them to make burgers and other eatables to earn a respectable livelihood.

Though most of the inmates took the cooking class seriously, a few made a mockery of it. However, senior inmates asked all present to take interest in the class.

Social activist Pappo Abnash took the initiative to provide massage to the "criminal-minded" children that it was easy to earn a respectable livelihood, provided they were committed.

Sukhjinder (name changed), undergoing imprisonment in a theft case, said it was a different experience in the last three months. "I come out of the barrack to enjoy life. One wrong thing committed has taught me a lesson for the life. Though I never wanted to commit the crime, it was my friend who forced me into it as he was a drug addict. After getting the bail, I will prefer to live a peaceful life by becoming self-reliant,” he said.

For nine-year-old Mukesh (name changed), a migrant from Bihar, the cooking class was an interesting experience as after that he was to taste the burger prepared by the cook. "We are fed-up of eating the routine food here. I like burgers and Chinese food a lot. Today I got an opportunity to have one,” said Mukesh, who is lodged in the Juvenile Home for serving drug-laced food to his master.

An attendant at the Juvenile Home, Satpal, said these children had tremendous energy levels and there was a need to channalise the same. "Otherwise, they keep on abusing and fighting with each other. They should be given such training so that they become self-reliant,” added Satpal.

Ludhiana, October 4
Even as a number of patients suffering from dengue are visiting city hospitals, most of the schools in here are yet to issue instructions to students to wear full sleeves and trousers.

Students of most of the schools in the city are still wearing half sleeves and half pants.

Talking to the Tribune, headmistress of a government high school said: “We did not get any instruction from the District Education Officer (Secondary) in this regard, so we did not change the uniform.”

When contacted, Sudesh Bajaj, District Education Officer (Secondary), Ludhiana, passed the buck on school heads saying: “It is the responsibility of schools to take care of the health of students. They should have issued instructions at their own level. I will check if instructions have been issued by my office. If not, it would be done without delay.

Meanwhile, cases of dengue are on the rise. Dr Kanwal Maseeh, medical superintendent of Christian Medical College and Hospital said: “Till date, we have received 245 dengue cases out of which 50 per cent are from Ludhiana. Today alone, we have received seven fresh cases of dengue.”

Jagraon, October 4
A massive cleanliness drive was carried out by volunteers on the fourth day of week-long NSS camp being organised at Khalsa College for Women, Sidhwan Khurd, Jagraon, today.

The volunteers cleaned the college campus as well as surrounding areas during the drive and urged villagers to keep their surroundings neat and clean.

More than 150 students of the college are taking part in the drive.

Besides cleanliness drive, extension lectures on various social issues like AIDS, female foeticide, pollution, road safety and traffic rules will also be delivered.

Dr Iqbaljit Kaur delivered a lecture on pollutants, while Prof Shelly delivered a lecture on mental health on the second day of the camp. On the third day of the camp Dr GPS Kaler delivered a lecture on side effects of medicines, whereas a lecture on road safety rules was delivered by Gurcharan Singh, traffic in-charge, Ludhiana (rural).

A rally against drug-addiction was flagged off by president of the trust Dalbara Singh and secretary Surjit Singh.

During the last three days of the camp, there will be a lecture by representatives of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle. Dasehra will also be celebrated during the camp. The camp will conclude on October 7 with a cultural function.

Earlier on October 1, college principal Dr Paramjit Kaur inaugurated the camp.

Ludhiana, October 4
Ludhiana College of Engineering and Technology organised an awareness session on “Save Water Save Environment Save Human”. Avinash Rai Khanna, member of Parliament, was the chief guest.

Darshan Arora, chairman, Ludhiana Citizen Council, and Ravi Gupta, secretary general, Ludhiana Council, and project director of save water save humanity graced the occasion.

Dr Pawan Kumar, principal of the college, welcomed guests. Avinash Rai Khanna said, “Our planet has life just because we have water.”

Ludhiana, October 4
Unknown miscreants broke the windscreen of a Tata Indica car owned by a ragi, Bhai Harjinder Singh Srinagar Wale. The car was parked outside his house last night and the windscreen was found smashed this morning.

Prabhsimran Singh, son of the ragi, said he had parked the car outside their house in Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar (Block C) last night.

“I parked the car at around 9.30 pm. When I stepped out this morning, I was shocked to see that someone had broken the windscreen of the car. This is not the first incident in our locality. Similar incidents have taken place earlier too. The incident took place even though we have a night watchman in the area,” he said.

A complaint in this regard has been lodged with the Sarabha Nagar police.

Ludhiana, October 4
With the arrival of a medical team here this afternoon from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), New Delhi, the stage is set for the second edition of the Kabaddi World Cup slated to be held at different venues across the state from November 1 to 20.

A six-member squad headed by the director, Anti-Doping Committee, Kabaddi World Cup, Dr Munish Chander, reached the city today to conduct anti-doping tests on the players attending the three-day trials being conducted at Guru Nanak Stadium. The laboratory for the purpose has been put up at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre opposite the trials venue.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Munish Chander said the medical team would conduct the test randomly as well as selectively. “The results would be available next week only after which the list of probable players of the Indian kabaddi contingent for the coaching camp prior to the mega event could be finalised," added Dr Munish.

Meanwhile, over 10 aspirants registered their names for trials on the second day today. Sikander Singh Maluka, president, Punjab Kabaddi Association, who was here today to supervise the trials, said that 13 out of total 14 teams had confirmed their participation in the second edition of the Kabaddi World Cup.

The teams include Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Germany, Canada, USA, Argentina and Australia besides hosts India. "We have teams on holdover that are Philippines, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, Royal Canada Police and Irish Army. One out of these could be included to compete the bunch," he added.

Forty-five matches will be played at venues that include Mansa, Sangrur, Patiala, Muktsar, Faridkot, Moga, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

The opening ceremony besides two semifinals will be held at Bathinda while Ludhiana will play host to the final as well the closing function.

Ludhiana, October 4
Toronto Academy, Jalandhar, faced a little resistance from Amritsar before scripting an easy 64-28 win in the women’s section on the third day of the annual Arjuna Awardee Gurdial Singh Malhi Memorial Punjab Basketball League being held at Gure village, near here, today.

Amritsar players, who impressed with their excellent performance yesterday against Ludhiana district, lacked coordination which proved fatal for them.

Toronto Academy established a comfortable lead of 26 points (48-22) at half time and managed to hang on to it till the long whistle.

For the winning side, Priya top scored with 28 points, followed by Kajal and Sushma, who contributed 10 points each. For Amritsar district, Kuldeep Kaur (7), Manmmet Kaur (6) and Preeti (6) were the main scorers.

In the second encounter of the day, Ludhiana district drubbed Jalandhar (Red) 57-26.

Kiranjeet Kaur accounted for 14 points, while Rajveer and Nagma chipped in with 11 and 8 points, respectively. For the losers, Surabhi was the main scorer, who scored 13 points.

In the men’s section, Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA) appeared to be a changed side today as they outplayed Punjab Juniors 50-33.