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It’s time to relax for candidates
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Votes secured in strongrooms
9-yr-old boy’s body found from bushes
Newly paved road wears out in month
MC staff flout rules, burn garbage on roadsides
5 BJP supporters injured in clashes
Suicide case registered after eight yrs
Candidates calculate their chances of winning
Amritsar West recorded lowest voting
Season of sale beckons
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It’s time to relax for candidates
Amritsar, January 31 For Congress candidate OP Soni, who contested from the Amritsar (Central) seat, it was his usual routine schedule which started at 8 am. He had at least six social engagements, which included a mass marriage of underprivileged girls, furnishing medical or educational fee for the needy who approached him this morning. The happiest ones were his wife Suman Soni and father Jagat Mittal. On family’s demand, Soni has planned to spend at least a week in Goa. Suman was happy to arrange special breakfast for Soni. “For the past two months, I had been seldom finding him joining us on the dining table. I am happy that we had our breakfast together this morning. I had made special bessan paronthas of his choice,” she said. The head of the family, Jagat Mittal, said he had planned to hold an akhand path. “I have dedicated my son to the service of the masses. Otherwise, I am happy that my son is always inclined to help the needy. I suppose that it was for this very reason that people chose him, irrespective of his party position,” he said. Despite the fact that Soni had contested from a new constituency this time, his social contacts and personal rapport has made him the most popular candidate. “I too do not believe in criticising my opponents. I prefer to utilise time for the welfare of the needy,” he said, before leaving for visiting one of his supporters at hospital who received injuries during minor clashes that occurred with the opposite group during polls. The BJP candidate from the Amritsar (East) constituency, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, too attended party workers at her office and visited various localities in the morning to thank the residents for their support, yet she had prepared some plans with her husband MP Navjot Singh Sidhu. “I am looking forward for these plans to fructify as my husband, too, had hectic schedule throughout. Just yesterday, we both had planned to watch movie ‘Agneepath’ and to my surprise this morning, he had arranged for tickets well in advance. These would be the most precious moments for me,” she said, while happy to have her son Karan Sidhu, who has been practicing law at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, with her this time for moral support. Dr Sidhu also found time for her second love, which is her pets. “My husband and me are both fond of pets. Pets are the best stress busters. I have nine dogs of various breeds at home,” she said. Congress candidate contesting from the Amritsar (North) seat Jasbir Singh Dimpa said, “I am feeling completely relaxed now. The duration of campaigning in the city was very long and so is now the wait for the results, but never mind, I am fully confident about myself because residents have shown great support to me.” BJP candidate Tarun Chugh, who also preferred to spend quality time with his family, said, “It has been a hectic campaign. Now that it has finally ended, I can think of relaxing with my family as there was hardly anytime spent together with it in the past few weeks,” he said.
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Votes secured in strongrooms
Amritsar, January 31 The strongrooms for the EVMs of the Rajasansi, Jandiala and Amritsar (North) constituencies have been set up at Government Medical College. The machines of the Majitha, Amritsar (Central) and Amritsar (East) constituencies have been placed at Mai Bhago Government Polytechnic College. At Khalsa College, three separate strongrooms for the Amritsar (West), Amritsar (South) and Attari constituencies have been established. A strongroom for the Ajnala constituency was established at Government College, Ajnala, and for the Baba Bakala constituency it was set up at Mata Ganga Kanya School, Baba Bakala. Election officials said foolproof security arrangements have been made with the deployment of jawans of the paramilitary forces along with the Punjab Police. They said workers of political parties were also keeping a watch on these centres.
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9-yr-old boy’s body found from bushes
Amritsar, January 31 According to information, the unidentified occupants of the car, which hit the boy, told the eyewitnesses that they would take the boy to a hospital, but threw him at a secluded place near D-Block in the Ranjit Avenue area. Bikram Singh Bajwa, a resident of Ranjit Avenue, found the body of the boy lying in the bushes. The Civil Line police took the body in its custody and registered a case under Section 134 of the RP Act, 1951.
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Newly paved road wears out in month
Amritsar, January 31 The residents said the administration had hurriedly paved the road in winters, the season which technically is not fit for ensuring durability of roads. Presently the concrete pebbles of the road have come out as the cold weather did not allow the coal-tar to hold them. Amanpreet Singh, a shopkeeper from the area said, “Within a month or so the road would return to its earlier bad shape. The road was hurriedly paved to woo the voters and now as the government has fulfilled its promise, practically it is of no good use.” The residents said the roads in the Shiwala Mandir and nearby localities were also paved in the same phase. All such roads had already started showing symptoms of decay, complained the residents. The residents demanded that all such projects, which were hurriedly initiated, should be completed at the earliest after the weather becomes conducive for such constructions. In another locality, residents complained that a divider between the under-construction road near Guru Nanak Dev Hospital was partially demolished shortly after the construction. The residents said the public money was being wasted as the divider served When contacted, MC Commissioner Dharam Pal Gupta said, “All the matters of such kind which come to my notice would be duly investigated.” He said he had got no complaints from the residents so far and the office would inspect the roads without waiting for one. He said they could not keep records of the projects because of the election process.
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MC staff flout rules, burn garbage on roadsides
Amritsar, January 31 Even as garbage dumps have become a nuisance for the general public, the MC employees are burning the dumps on routine basis to get rid of them. In one such incident today, a garbage dump set on fire was spotted on the Albert road.
The garbage dumps were also seen besides the railway station and Putlighar areas. The dumps were also spotted in the walled city areas and lesser developed localities as Naia Wala Morh. The garbage dumps, apart from emitting foul smell, are also a hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic. The smoke emitting from the dumps that are set on fire also poses health hazards to residents. Residents said sometimes they had a difficulty in driving their vehicles though these smoke blankets covering the roads. Jagdev Kumar, a resident, said, “The burning of garbage is no solution to the problem. The employees instead of lifting and disposing of the garbage at places designated for the purpose are burning them.” Sunita Mahajan, a housewife said, “The smoke is a problem for kids and old people. Even those who have respiratory problems are the sufferers.” She said the administration must take necessary action against the defaulting employees for degrading environment.The garbage bins placed at some places were also seen overflowing as these are not timely replaced and transported. Residents said the MC needed to become more aware and active on disposing of the garbage in a right manner.
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5 BJP supporters injured in clashes
Amritsar, January 31 He alleged that unprovoked attacks were made on his supporters by the supporters of opponent party. Chugh said Surinder Kumar aka Vicky, independent councillor from Haripura area and BJP supporter, received serious head injuries. Four others sustained comparatively lesser injuries during the brawl at Haripura. He said Vicky was operated at a private hospital today. He said the violence was undemocratic and against the spirit of peaceful holding of polls. A scuffle broke out between supporters of the Congress candidate, OP Soni, and the councillor, over a trivial issue. In the second incident, he said his party supporter Rishi Kapoor was assaulted and was left injured outside a polling booth in Tunda Talab. He said these were attempts to intimidate his supporters. He said applications for registration of cases had been forwarded to Islamabad and to concerned police station.
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Suicide case registered after eight yrs
Amritsar, January 31 According to her, several jail guards helped her husband, Satnam Singh, to get poisonous substance. He was an under trial then. In her complaint she stated Satnam Singh died in Civil Hospital on January 13, 2004.
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Candidates calculate their chances of winning
Amritsar, January 31 BJP-SAD candidate Anil Joshi
Poll Assessment: It would be my sincerity and various development works that I have executed in my last tenure. In the last four Assembly elections, no legislator got re-elected from the Amritsar North seat, but I am confident that would not happen this time. The development works have improved the living standard in my constituency and various other projects are still underway. Moreover, the voters are intelligent enough and they know what is good for them. Strategy adopted: We intended to have more and more interaction with the people and we have chalked out our campaign accordingly. My team focused on issues which were so far neglected, like employment and law and order problems. Besides this, I was easily accessible to the masses. Issues that impacted polling: The major issue that impacted polling in my constituency was development projects. This included construction of Batala road at the cost of Rs 7 crore, covering of 2.75 km long stretch of ganda nullah, shifting of high-tension wires from various residential areas stretching up to an area of 11 km, and construction of a government college. I also initiated construction of cemented streets in residential areas where Rs 165 crore have been spent. Rs 7.5 crore were spent on development works in seven village panchayats. The Company Bagh has been beautified, and Rs 1.5 crore was spent on water treatment plant at Durgiana Temple. Congress candidate Karmjit Singh Rintu
Poll Assessment: The electorate in Amritsar North gave overwhelming response which in itself indicated that they want change in the leadership. Scant efforts were made for trade and industry and the crime rate is also high here. Strategy adopted: Besides holding public meetings, I connected with the masses, especially the youngsters, through social networking site. I didn’t promised stars and moons to the people. I have ensured them three things: safety of their lives, better education and employment facilities, strengthening trade and industry. It is a pity that due to faulty planning around 450 industrial units shifted to other states. Issues that impacted polling: Over 65 percent polling was witnessed here because the ruling alliance failed to fulfil their promises like subsidised Atta Dal schemes for BPL families, free power to industry or generating employment opportunities. The girls feel unsafe in the city. These are what impacted the polling this year. Sanjha Morcha Candidate Amarjit Singh Asal (CPI)
Poll Assessment: Residents of Amritsar West constituency voted for a change this time. They are disgusted with rule of Congress and SAD. Thanks to the Election Commission which had tightened the noose of the leaders who adopt unethical means to grab the seat. This time we have better chance to win. We are committed to bring in clean administration, better health services, de-politicisation of police and civil administration. Strategy adopted: I relied only on door to door campaigning to connect with the people. Besides being a modest person, I am well recognised among people as I have always raised voices for their concern. Issues that impacted polling: The people here do not have safe drinking water or hygienic sanitation conditions. They have realised that no initiative was ever taken to encourage education and health in this area. In the absence of employment, the youth took to drugs and other unlawful activities. The area which was once known as industrial hub today wears a deserted look.
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Amritsar West recorded lowest voting
Amritsar, January 31
Absent from a day’s work would mean no wages for these daily wage earners. She added the area had been a stronghold of communist for a long and low voting was also witnessed in the area in 2007 also when only 55.58 per cent voting was recorded. Didar Singh, who runs a diary shop, said Raj Kumar Verka of Congress and Rakesh Gill of BJP were from “outside”. He said, “It takes time to familiarise with leaders. He said many residents came to know about the candidates’ names for the first time. Another young voter, Rajinder Singh, said un-kept promises, corruption and selfish approach of politicians had dissuaded voters from voting. A senior citizen Naresh Johar said Amritsar was one of the vast constituencies in the state, which includes posh localities, slum colonies, villages as well as small and micro-level industrial units. It is difficult for leaders to voice concerns for all of them. The candidates of main parties were brought from outside and they had little time to establish link with the residents. A senior citizen, PL Juneja of Guru Nanak Wada said voters were not happy with the candidates of the major parties. They were outsiders, he said.
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Season of sale beckons
Amritsar, January 31 Allen Solly’s ‘One Day Affair’-on purchase of men’s wear women get 100 per cent of the bill amount free-is a strategy to attract customers. Benetton’s Happy Hour scheme gives clients a flat 50% discount if they shop on two selected days. Reliance Trends at Alpha One offers its shoppers free gifts up to Rs 1,999 if they do shopping worth the same amount. Brands like Nike, Puma, Kapsons, Calvin Kline, Satya Paul and Guess offer discount up to 50 percent. The word ‘sale’ has taken the Indian consumer by storm. One look at the city malls and market places and the impact is noticeable. Taranpreet Kaur, hospitality professional from city who fills up her wardrobe during sale, says, “The brand conscious people would rather wait for the sale season to avail costly garments. It is the best time for the sellers as well. It is actually more of an addiction.” The offers seem lucrative and people believe that they are saving more, but in reality they end up spending more, she added. One tends to pick up a lot of stuff that they don’t need said Ranjodh Madaan, a businessman from city. “The stock during sales is limited, so if you are late then you might not get the desired colour or size. Also, one has to keep in mind the ‘no exchange, no return’ condition. The companies generally hike prices of the products before the sales. So the things you are buying on discounted rates are not cheap but just cheaper than the hiked rates,” he said. Nikki Virk, MA English student, GNDU, said, “It is not just about saving a few bucks. It is about the kick I get while shopping during sales. Though, I do tend get disoriented while shopping as everything is so cheap and I want to buy all of them. I mostly purchase clothes in bulk during sales.”
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Amritsar, January 31
The BJP has complained to the Election Commission about an assualt on party workers on the polling day.
In a letter to the Commission, Tarun Chugh, BJP candidate from Amritsar Central, alleged that at least five of his supporters were injured in two clashes which took place at Tunda Talab and Haripura areas. Talking to media persons here today, Chugh said he wrote to the ECI to take stock of the situation.
