School students learn self defence in winter chill
Amritsar, December 27
In times when most prefer to stay indoors to save themselves from the harsh cold, more than 45O school students are waking up at 5 am. The students are undergoing an annual training camp at Shri Guru Harkrishan Public school.

Amritsar, December 27
The city police has issued seven circulars to the liquor vend owners to install CCTV cameras since October 15, 2010, but to no avail. Even after 15 months, these orders remain only on paper and the vend owners have not followed the same so far. Fresh orders were issued on December 23 for the cameras to be installed up to February 20, 2012.

The orders were to be implemented within 45 days since they were issued for the first time in October, 2010. Orders to renew the directions, however, have been issued several times since the first deadline lapsed on December 12, 2010.

In view of the forthcoming polls, the district administration has issued directions to the liquor vend owners today to keep an account of their daily stock and also note down the antecedents of their customers.

"It is mere tactics to pressurise us while the objective is to mint money. Such orders are only to decorate the files of the officers," was the casual reply of a liquor contractor.

Nevertheless, the idea to install CCTV cameras, to cover up to 50-metre radius of liquor shops, was in general interest. It will help keep a close watch on the scrupulous elements who generally have liquor vends as their favourite destination. Drinking in public is a nuisance likely to lead to brawls and quarrels causing serious injury/death and damage to the public and private property.

Apart from this, it will help monitor anyone consuming liquor or facilitating consumption of liquor in an unauthorised manner in the run up to the polls.

Even as the contravention of these orders imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC, demand to be punishable under Section 188 of the IPC, yet the authorities did not care to take cognisance of the violation of these orders and no case has been registered against the violators so far. Ironically, the orders further prohibited even those accompanying the wedding procession to drink liquor on the road.

Harmeet Singh, a shop owner on Lawrence Road said, "Drinking in public is a nuisance and can result in brawls which may lead to serious injury, death or damage to public and private property. Here, the passage adjacent to only liquor vend on the Lawrence road is the most prominent escape route of the bad elements. Had CCTV cameras been there, they could have been identified."

Monica Sharma, a student of SR Government College for Women said," It has been observed that people buying liquor from liquor vends often start consuming it at the same spot or at other public places. Vendors selling eatables and juices, also station outside these vends. So the orders to install CCTVs should be implemented strictly.

CCTV cameras in liquor joints would have helped us to keep an eye on unscrupulous elements. The matter needs to be taken care of by the police. As the district election officer, stern instructions have been issued to liquor vend owners not to sell liquor bottles without bill. Even those who want it in bulk will have to obtain permission from the authorities concerned. The authorities have been told to maintain a register to note down the name, address and contact numbers of the buyers

— Rajat aggarwal, deputy commissioner, Amritsar

Notices could not be served individually to liquor contractors. It was directed to be published in newspapers or were affixed on the notice boards of all offices of the police, the police stations and the MC offices. These orders were issued in public interest, but could not be implemented properly. There was some leniency in making people aware about it. In the days to come, such violations will be dealt with sternly

— RP Mittal, police commissioner, Amritsar

Amritsar, December 27
In the absence of effective provisions under the law, mushrooming of unauthorised colonies goes on unchecked as unauthorised realty developers exploit lacunae in the law. Politicians, businessmen, industrialists, allegedly fuel property prices by investing their surplus money in these properties.

A leading real estate agent Harpinder Singh Walia said neither the Municipal Town Planning (MTP) department nor the District Town Planning department had provisions to impose any fine on the buyers of residential land for failing to construct houses after a stipulated period of time. He said the absence of any such provision was aiding investors, a majority of whom come from influential political and business houses, to invest in agriculture land and keep the area deprived of development for a long time. They wait for the prices to shoot up so as to maximise their profit.

He said on the other hand Improvement Trusts and the PUDA levy fine on plot owners for failing to construct houses. However, no similar provision exists in the municipal limits.

“This will deter speculators and only genuine buyers will come forward to buy plots and undue spiralling of land prices would be kept in check,” he added.

A number of townships and illegal colonies have come up on the periphery of the city, but people have not started living at many of them. Barring a few, majority of these colonies are waiting for the actual construction to begin.

Located far from the main city, families in these localities have been found to be soft targets for anti-social elements. A daylight robbery took place at a house in the planned locality on the Airport road last month. Families living in illegal colonies are deprived of basic amenities like roads, street lights, have limited options to fall upon in the time of exigency.

President of the district unit of the CREDAI Krishan Kumar Sharma Kukku said the CREDAI had urged the government to moderate the high rate of registry to attract genuine customers.

The district administration had earmarked different rates for residential and commercial areas in the city. Giving the example of New Golden Avenue, residential registry rate for a square yard of land is Rs 17,000 whereas commercial rate is Rs 50,000.

A new buyer of a 100 square yard plot in this locality will have to shell out nine per cent, which amounts to Rs 1.53 lakh, in the shape of stamp duty and other charges to get the registry done. Such a high rate deters genuine buyers. He said the state government must relax stamp duty to encourage genuine buyers and instead levy a tax on the failure to construction houses.

“The move will not affect the income of the government whereas the genuine buyers will come forward and the investors will be relegated.” It will also check a fast depletion of agriculture land especially around the city and not allow investment of black money in the realty sector.

MTP Shakti Bhatia said there was no provision in the town planning law to impose a fine on the owners of a land for failing to construct houses.

Amritsar, December 27
The CIA staff today arrested Reena, a resident of Khasa village here and recovered jewellery items weighing 220 gram valued at Rs 7 lakh. According to the police, Harkesh Singh of Model town had lodged a complaint with the police that on December 19, someone barged into his house when his aged parents were alone at home and decamped with the valuables.

“We kept a tab on suspects and zeroed in on the accused and after investigation she admitted to have committed the offence. We have also recovered an Activa scooter from the accused besides two gold bangles, two bracelets, a necklace and earrings from her possession,” said the police. A case under Section 380, 411 has also been registered in this regard.

In a separate incident, the CIA staff has arrested Rahul, a resident of Deviwali gali and Rohit, a resident of Fateh Colony for illegal possession of weapons.

The police also recovered a pistol 3x3 and four live cartridges from Rahul and another .12-bore weapon and three live rounds from the possession of Rohit. After interrogation, it was revealed that both used to snatch motorbikes at gunpoint.

The police has also recovered 23 motorcycles from them.

In yet another breakthrough, the CIA staff arrested Simranjeet Singh, a resident of Gilwali Gate, here.

He was wanted in 14 cases. According to the police, he had formed a gang to indulge in various criminal activities.

Amritsar, December 27
In times when most prefer to stay indoors to save themselves from the harsh cold, more than 45O school students are waking up at 5 am. The students are undergoing an annual training camp at Shri Guru Harkrishan Public school.

These National Cadets Corps (NCC) members are learning the art of weapon handling, map reading, and above all methods of socialising. For most of the students the training camp is an adventure where they learn many interesting things.

Captain Sanjeev Sharma, instructor at the camp, said, “The students wake up at five and get themselves ready for the morning parade. After that they learn map reading, arms shooting, weapon handling and civil defence.” He said most of the cadets love the adventurous vacation.

The NCC camps also provide a platform to these youngsters to get acquainted with the daily routine of a soldier. “Here, if they work hard they can achieve an NCC ‘C’ certificate.

This certificate holder is exempted from appearing in written examinations for entering Armed forces as commissioned officers,” said Captain Sanjeev Sharma.

Sharma said they have also included session’s career guidance and personality development for the benefit of the students. He commented, “The cadets are also building friendships and learning how to live on their own here in the camp.”

The cadets said, “they are loving and every moment in the camp.” Sumandeep said, ‘It is my first time. Though I am missing my family and friends, but at the same time I am thrilled.”

Camp Commandant Col SS Mand said the camp started on December 25 and shall continue till January 3. He said the cadets here learnt the art of disciple, which would help them if they join the armed forces. “Even in civilian life the virtues of disciple cannot be denied. The students are really working hard to learn it,” said Mand.

The cadets said, “We are trained to tackle natural calamities or accidents.”

“I always wanted to help people during calamities but I was ignorant of the ways and means,” said Jai Kumar, another cadet.

Amritsar, December 27
The state government has failed to sanction funds to set up a swine flu laboratory at Government Medical College (GMC). The medical college had even got a building vacated for the purpose of setting up the said laboratory.

A team of experts from Punjab Health Systems Corporation and PGI, Chandigarh, had conducted an inspection of the proposed laboratory in March 2010 and submitted a report with the Directorate of Research and Medical Education.

Earlier, the union health ministry, on a request by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had given its nod for the lab to be set up for testing swine flu cases. Though the government had already provided an administrative sanction to the project, which approximately costs Rs 50 lakh, the project could not be initiated for lack of financial sanction.

In absence of the facility, there is no option but to send the swine flu cases for testing to the PGI. The doctors say the winter months of November and December are very crucial in the case of H1N1 as the virus is active during the season.

As per an official deadline, the swine flu lab was proposed to be constructed by November, which has lapsed. Though no swine flu case has been reported in city for a long time, insiders said the government is lax in its approach towards controling the deadly disease.

The Government Medical College authoroties have completed the modalities to set up the lab. We have got a building vacated, which, as per the proposal, was to be converted into a swine flu testing lab~

— Dr Shergill, principal, gmc

Amritsar, December 27
Women team of Chandigarh Academy defeated BBK DAV College for Women and Khalsa College for Women on the third day of the Ninth ONGC All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh Junior Gold Cup Hockey Tournament at Guru Nanak Dev University hockey ground today.

In their first contest, Chandigarh Academy routed BBK DAV College for Women by 6-1 score. The winning team kept pressure on the opponent and scored goals at regular intervals. In the 6th minute of the game Jyoti converted a penalty corner into a goal, Shivani scored two field goals in the 17th and 55th minutes, Rani scored a goal in the 31st minute and Jaspreet in the second half. For BBK DAV College for Women single goal came from its captain Charanjit Kaur who hit a field goal.

In their second outing Chandigarh Academy beat Khalsa College for Women by 4-0. Bharti, Jaspreet Kaur, Sarita and Monica scored goals for the winning team. In the men’s category, Sports School Jalandhar defeated Chandigarh Academy by 5-1. Ramandeep scored a field goal in the 17th minute, Amarbir converted a penalty corner into a goal in the 47th minute, Ranjit Singh scored a field goal in the 51st minute, Amarbir converted another penalty corner into a goal in the 57th minute and Gurbhej Singh scored a goal in the 69th minute. For Chandigarh Academy its only goal came in the 54th minute when its Maninder Pal scored a field goal. Surjit Hockey Academy beat PNB Academy, Delhi, by 5-1. Gaganpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the 7th minute, Talwinder scored a field goal, Mandeep scored another field goal in the 15th minute, Talwinder Singh and Mandeep Singh also scored field goals for the team.

Amritsar, December 27
The dip in the temperature in city has failed to dampen the spirit of the devout to pay obeisance at the holy Golden Temple shrine. Be it a celebrity or the common man, the same holds true for everyone.

Amritsar, December 27
The Class IV employees of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation working on a contractual basis withdrew their stir following assurances by the authorities that the same will be taken up after the elections.

The employees are demanding regularisation of services. Meanwhile, the activists of Municipal Safai Mazdoor Union who had announced to observe total strike from today in protest against authorities inability to get them regular appointment letters, withdrew their move and resumed work after having deliberations with the authorities.

Vinod Kumar Bitta, spokesperson of Municipal Safai Mazdoor Union said talks between the employees and the authorities concluded on a positive note. “Mayor and the AMC commissioner explained to us the reason for their inability to give us letters for regularization. We decided unanimously to cooperate with them in the interest of general peace and tranquility,” he said.

AMC Commissioner Dharampal Gupta said the procedure to regularise them is in the pipeline and everything will be completed after the elections because of the code of conduct being in force in the wake of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Mayor Shwait Malik and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu had assured these contractual employees of the AMC to get their services regularised and an official note in this regard was duly delivered by the AMC Commissioner himself to the state government’s local bodies ministry in Chandigarh for a final nod. Yet the matter got stalled when the ministry enquired about the budget to be spent on the move. Since, no groundwork had been done over the matter; the issue had to be revoked on technical grounds.

Amritsar, December 27
They say comedy is in our everyday life. May be they way we react over a recipe gone wrong or a statement hitting right. But if one has to find reason to laugh, start looking around. That's what Chandan Prabhakar or better known as Harpal from comedy shows on the television has done.

Announcing his first directorial venture, Chandan is ready with a play, 'Papa Kehte Hain', based on the day-to-day issues and the comedy hidden in them. "Humour is inspired by our everyday life. Even our stand ups on the television take a cue from everyday issues. That's where I got inspiration for my first play." He has written the play as well.

Papa Kehte Hain, a hindi play presented by Creater's Society, in association with Punjab Natshala, tells the story of a middle class family and its trysts with life and is filled with humour.

“A middle class family has lots of issues. The generation gap, changing priorities and some of them look serious but even then have underlying comedy. The play will be staged at Punjab Natshala on January 1," he says.