Jalandhar, February 17
The Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PowerCom) is helpless as government departments have outstanding electricity bills running into crores. Government departments owe PowerCom a whopping Rs 1.26 crore.

Municipal committees top the defaulters’ list with Rs 57 lakh pending towards electricity bills. However, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, the Punjab Urban Development Authority, the Public Works Department and Zila Parishad offices have cleared their power bills on time.

Second on the defaulters’ list are government dispensaries and hospitals as over Rs 23 lakh is pending against them till January this year. The Public Health Department has to pay Rs 3.5 lakh to PowerCom.

The administration and police are also not behind with Rs 6.7 lakh pending against the DC office and Rs 9 lakh against the Punjab Police. Tehsils, SDM offices, BDO offices, civil courts and the CID department have no outstanding dues.

The Civil Defence owes Rs 1.06 lakh while the MES has to pay Rs 42,000 to PowerCom. The Central government departments, more or less, seem to be punctual with their payments with power bills of only Rs 4,000 pending against them. 

Jalandhar, February 17
The district police has arrested owner of another finance company for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore scam in the office of the Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner.

A resident of Old Jawahar Nagar, Rajesh Anand is the fourth accused to be arrested in the case for allegedly misappropriating challan amount received from NRIs for embossing of power of attorneys.

With records of two financial years audited so far, Anand reportedly embezzled Rs 15 lakh, which are shown as transactions through his Fair Deal Capital Services, but not received by the authorised banks of the department. He has been remanded in police custody till February 21.

Earlier, the police had arrested brothers Yogesh Soni and Ajay Soni, who too worked as agents for the office. The fourth suspect in the case, who was an agent, is on the radar of the police.

The staff of the anti-fraud wing is also zeroing in on other staff members for their direct or indirect involvement in the case, for they believe that it could not be the handiwork of one person.

The dealing hand for embossing work, Charanjit, who was arrested on Tuesday, is on police remand till tomorrow. The police is also culling cellphone details of the accused for more clues.

ACP S Bhupathi said the bank accounts of Soni brothers with Rs 10 lakh deposited had been frozen. An amount of Rs 8 lakh in the account of Charanjit, too, had been blocked with probe on into each transaction.

Misappropriation to the tune of Rs 1,03,25,400 was detected in the office for the financial year 2010-11 and Rs 38 lakh for the previous financial year. Divisional Commissioner Anurag Verma said since the record of 2008-09 was a bit segregated, its auditing was more time consuming. 

Jalandhar, February 17
A day after the body of a grocery store owner was found at Wadala village, the police toady claimed to have solved the murder case. The police claimed the deceased's alleged illicit relations with a woman led to the crime.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Harpreet Singh Benipal said that Geeta, a resident of Bhargo Camp area, who was arrested yesterday, was having illicit relations with the deceased, Jagmohan Singh, and Golu, a resident of Abadpura area. The police alleged that she also had illicit relations with her brother-in-law, Ved Prakash, with whom she was putting up for some time.

Both Ved Prakash and Golu had been warning Geeta against relations with Jagmohan. Benipal said that during interrogation, Geeta confessed to have hatched a conspiracy with Golu to eliminate Jagmohan. On Wednesday evening, she informed Golu that she was accompanying Jagmohan towards Wadala and the 'job' could be easily done on the way, he added.

Golu followed them and alleged shot at Jagmohan from a point-black range. Jagmohan died on the spot. Golu then fled and Geeta returned home, the DSP revealed.

The police arrested Geeta yesterday, while Golu is still at large. The police has launched a hunt to nab him, said the DSP. Ved Prakash is also being questioned in the case, he added. 

Jalandhar, February 17
Winner of the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 20 times, Guru Nanak Dev University has lagged behind this time too. The trophy was won by Punjabi University, Patiala.

Since 1969, when Guru Nanak Dev University came into existence, it won the MAKA Trophy 20 times.

Surprisingly, the performance of the GND University is contrary to the status it is enjoying, that of the 'centre of excellence in sports' awarded by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Jalandhar Tribune takes a look at what were the factors behind the GND University lagging behind in bagging this prestigious trophy. Sources revealed it was Punjabi University's well-planned sports promotion strategy which was working wonders.

"In the past five to six years, Punjabi University introduced dedicated sports wings apart from those in the colleges. It has been instrumental in holding long-term sports camps in different disciplines and giving handsome cash prizes to budding sportspersons," said a professor from the sports department of Lyallpur Khalsa College.

He said it is not that the GND University did not fare well, Punjabi University has improved its record in the past some years. 

Jalandhar, February 17
In a bid to provide better learning platform to the Scheduled Caste (SC) students and to sharpen their skills, the Department of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Punjab, has decided to start free interview coaching for candidates aspiring for bank probationary officers (POs) .

It is for the first time that the Ambedkar Institute of Careers and Courses, Mohali, has started free interview coaching for SC students.

Till now, the institute had been providing free coaching to aspirants of the IAS and PCS exams only. The free-of-cost coaching would commence from March. The last date to apply for the coaching is February 29.

Under this initiative, students who have already cleared the common written examination (CWE) for bank PO conducted by the Indian Bank Probationary Services are eligible to apply.

The coaching facility is open for the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, backward classes, minority community (Muslims, Sikhs, Christian, Bodhis and Zoroastrians) from the state.

Officials at the Ambedkar institute said out of the 20 seats, 50 per cent were reserved for SC students. “To apply for this course, the family income of the candidate from all sources should be less than Rs 1 lakh per annum. We have reserved 30 per cent seats for other backward classes and 20 per cent for the students belonging to the minority community. We will also cover 30 per cent of women candidates and 5 per cent of disabled candidates from across the state,” they added.

However, officials said candidates who come under higher income group under the eligible categories of castes and communities could also contact. “Such candidates will not be eligible for financial assistance but will be considered if some seats are left vacant,” officials added. 

Jalandhar, February 17
Development of a parking lot and a greenbelt under the Lyallpur Khalsa College railway overbridge (ROB) has finally taken off, almost seven months after the Municipal Corporation had laid its foundation stone.

As per the plan, the entire stretch underneath the Lyallpur Khalsa College ROB and the BMC Chowk flyover from BSF Chowk to BMC Chowk is to be interspersed with parking areas and green belt. A stone for the purpose was laid on July 19 last.

Inter-locking tiles have been laid on a raised platform constructed under the Khalsa College ROB towards the bus stand side. A concrete road is to be laid alongside the Punjab State War Memorial leading to this parking lot. Since the area falls in the periphery of the bus stand and the parking lots in the ISBT often fall short of space, this lot will be able to handle the additional parking requirement of daily commuters, auto rickshaws and taxi operators.

While a part of the parking lot is being used by the auto-rickshaws for free, the MC plans to auction the parking site in the coming days so as to earn an additional income from the contractors.

Though the parking lot seems to have taken some shape, the green belt shows an opposite picture. A few palms, perennial and aesthetic shrubs have been planted underneath the far end of the BMC flyover in the name of green belt.

A part underneath the ROB on Khalsa College side has been used for construction of night shelter which is near completion.

BJP councillor Shiv Dyal Chugh in a meeting held in October last said more space should be allotted for green belt than proposed.

Mayor Rakesh Rathour said designs of the complete stretch had to be prepared. “It was then passed and subsequently the contractors delayed it over payment issues,” he said while adding that weather is not suitable for new plantation. 

Jalandhar, February 17
Students from more than 34 business schools participated in Le Mélange-2012, a two-day management festival of Lovely Professional University that was inaugurated today.

More than 20 events were organised in which 2,000 students from LPU and other B-schools participated. The various events included case analysis, creative marketing, B-plan, strategy making, panel discussion and various other fun-oriented competitions as well. The events are open to all commerce and management students only.

Event that will be organised tomorrow are: Srijan-a contest for creative marketing, Chhavi-for business simulation games, Chehre pe Chehra-for face painting, Khel Khel Mein-management games, Punch Mantra-tag line, Waad Wiwaad-debate, Rann Neeti-make your strategy, Aaina-for documentary making and Pixetra-a photography event.