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HC shows zero tolerance to illegal colonies
Tribune Special
We don’t have wooden ladders, official vehicles or gloves.
— A power employee |
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PowerCom blames MC, Town Planning officials
Heritage Walk: Tourism board on course correction
Wires just 2ft above rooftops
A mishap waiting to happen
Punjab’s claim on Sukhna’s catchment area refuted
EcoSikh initiatives help increase forest cover
SAD workers block traffic
SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, along with Lakhbir Singh Sondha, briefs the police in Fatehgarh Sahib on Tuesday. Photo: Surinder Bhardwaj
Appointment of Sainik Welfare officer quashed
Patwari’s arrest sparks agitation
Procurement Pangs
A first in
Punjab
Suspect’s brother among 2 detained in DSP murder case
Dhingra's Memorial
SGPC steps up efforts for early
session
Man getting ‘threats’ from policemen
Regular staff to replace
guest lecturers, HC told
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Tribune Special
Mandi Gobindgarh, February 21 Trucks loaded with iron and steel pipes pass through the city roads everyday. At many junctions the TNS team saw the wires almost touching these trucks being pushed away by helpers with wooden sticks. The data with the fire department shows that more than 1,000 fire incidents have been reported in the city in the recent past - more than 70 per cent of these in the summer season. “More than 60 per cent of these incidents are reported from the town’s inner areas because of the poor quality medium tension wires that hang dangerously from electricity poles”, says councillor (Ward No. 4) and the local Punjab Small-Scale Steel Re-Rollers Association chief Rajiv Sood. A power corporation official said the wires posed a threat not only to the lives of residents but the power officials too. “We don’t have wooden ladders, official vehicles or gloves ”, said an assistant who had to use a stationary truck to climb on to a transformer near Kumbh village. Residents said that with most colonies housing industrial units, the main power supply line was always on. Residents said that with most colonies housing industrial units, the main power supply line was always on.
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PowerCom blames MC, Town Planning officials
Gurdaspur, February 21 It also blames the Municipal Council and the Town Planning Department for not doing their bit to check illegal constructions near these electricity cables, thereby endangering residents’ lives, especially in areas like Hanuman Chowk, Islamabad, Krishna Nagar and Adarsh Nagar. All these areas are heavily populated. Jasbir Singh, Deputy Chief Engineer, Gurdaspur Circle, says that the Municipal Council and the Town Planning Department ought to conduct surprise raids to stop illegal construction coming up in areas dotted with overhead wires. “We have sent thousands of notices to such residents with copies marked to their respective police stations but to no avail.” A senior PowerCom officer said either the police was hand in glove with the encroachers or it was sheer callousness on its part.
“These high-voltage lines have been in existence for the past six decades and it is the residents who are at fault as they have illegally constructed balconies barely inches away from such cables,” he said. The most hazardous electricity lines are the feeder lines coming from the 11 KV city main line. “This problem can be solved if these cables are buried underground as in the colonies approved by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) including Jawahar Enclave and Shubham Enclave. “However, the cost of laying the lines underground is very high and only big real estate owners can afford to do so.” Says Manjit Singh Dhala, owner of Jawahar Enclave: “I had reinforced cement concrete (RCC) pipes laid underground and then had electricity cables pass through these. “Recently, the proprietors of Shubham Enclave paid Rs 18 lakh to the PowerCom to shift a 66 KV cable outside the colony premises. If we people can do it
in our colonies thast are approved by PUDA, I don’t understand why PowerCom can’t do so in
the town.” The only way out is to have these high-voltage lines beneath the earth. However, the cash-strapped PowerCom says it can’t undertake such a costly project. Clearly, it’s the residents’ lives that are in danger as the Municipal Council, the Town Planning Department and the PowerCom play
the blame game.
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Heritage Walk: Tourism board on course correction
Amritsar, February 21 Talking to The Tribune, Harpreet Kaur, Community Development Officer, said: “Come March, and we will be releasing literature in the form of leaflets and pamphlets for tourists, besides putting up big hoardings to publicise the Heritage Walk and the Panj Sarovar Walk. The literature will be left at city hotels so that more and more tourists come to know about it.” She said the installation of billboards had been sanctioned while the literature would arrive by the first week of March. “Initially, the hoarding will be installed at the starting points of both the walks. Gradually, these will be put up at key locations like the Golden Temple, the airport, the railway station and the bus terminus,” Harpreet said. She said benches would be installed at the eating joints on the Heritage Walk route where the tourists could halt for refreshments. To popularise the walk among city residents, the board planned to rope in schools and colleges. In the summers, the Heritage Walk could be conducted twice a day. As of now it is held once, in the morning. On cleanliness, she said the board was working in tandem with the civic authorities and was hopeful of a mechanism in place to ensure there was no litter en route. For the convernience of tourists, the board had changed the starting point of the Panj Sarovar Walk from Town Hall to Gurdwara Santokhsar Sahib. Both the walks have failed to draw tourists because of lack of promotion and the dirty surroundings. The Heritage Walk, launched on September 27 last, took off on the wrong note with errors in the promotion literature, mentioning the sarovars as lakes. The entire literature had to be withdrawn and re-printed. The board authorities say the flex boards that were installed to promote the walk had disappeared in days. The Panj Sarovar Walk launched on December 14 also met a similar fate. Till date, the Panj Sarovar Walk has drawn only 300 tourists. The Heritage Walk drew 285 tourists in October when the walk was free. However, the number fell to a meagre 85 in January. A domestic tourist is charged Rs 25 and a foreign tourist Rs 75 for the Heritage Walk.
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Wires just 2ft above rooftops
Amritsar, February 21 Three-year old Diya, daughter of Raman Kumar, lost her hand after she accidentally touched a wire while playing on the terrace of her house. With rain amplifying the threat, the residents are always fearful whenever there is a downpour. “The owners sold us plots, at rates lower than the market price, assuring us that the wires would be removed, but nothing was done,” said Gurjeet Singh, an auto driver. In Mai Sewa Bazar and Guru Bazar, the wires run parallel to windows on the first floor. In November last year, an 18-year-old boy was electrocuted in Dupai Chowk area here. Chief Engineer, Sudeep Singh Sandhu said: “The poles with wires were there earlier before the colonies came up later. The authorities concerned should not have allowed these buildings to come up at any cost.” He said the wires could be shifted if there was an alternative place and if the complainant was ready to bear the expenses for the same.
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A mishap waiting to happen
Patiala, February 21 In Malerkotla (Sangrur), Shastri Nagar, Aggar Nagar, Thandi Road, Iqbal Colony and Bhumsi are vulnerable areas and in Rajpura, residents of Anand Colony face the risk of electrocution. In Fatehgarh Sahib, residents of Preet Nagar, those living at the rear of Aam Khas Bagh, Brahman Majra and Bassi Road got high-tension wires shifted by submitting a request to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. They had to pay the mandatory fee to the corporation Realtors make hay
Colonisers purchase land with electricity poles with HT wires at cheaper rates and then develop a residential colony, making huge profits. Casualties
Indian Electricity Rules, 1956, says...
— With inputs from Vikrant Jindal in Malerkotla and Surinder Bhardwaj in
Fatehgarh Sahib
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Electromagnetic Waves & Health Patiala: The electromagnetic field generated by high-tension wires can affect those with a pacemaker, say medical experts. Dr Amanpreet Garg, a cardiologist says: "People with a pacemaker must stay away from every kind of magnetic field. There is a possibility that the pacemaker may stop functioning due to the electromagnetic waves generated by these wires." Residents of Khalifewala village, Amanpura, Patiala, had shot off a letter to the Patiala Divisional Commissioner, stating that the wires laid by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited a few metres from residential houses, may lead to serious health ailments. Village sarpanch Satnam Singh had stated that 220 KV power transmission lines “are as close as 50 metres from some households. Since these power transmission lines generate a magnetic field of 2 milligaus, it can be injurious to human health." — TNS
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Official Word...
Poles with high-tension wires are always erected at vacant places (empty plots) and not on concrete structures. Later if someone constructs a house there, it is not the fault of the corporation.
— PSPCL Director, Distribution, Arun Verma There is a provision to get these wires shifted for which the applicant has to submit a request and the mandatory fee. However, there is no fixed fee
structure — PSPCL officials
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Punjab’s claim on Sukhna’s catchment area refuted
Chandigarh, February 21 Assisting the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the Save Sukhna case, Bedi also told the Bench headed by Justice MM Kumar that large scale construction work was going on in the catchment area on Punjab side. This, she claimed, was in complete contravention of the High Court directions. In her detail report, Bedi submitted that on March 14 last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed all kind of constructions in the catchment area of the lake falling under the jurisdiction of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. But, apparently the High Court mandate was not complied with in true spirit. In the catchment area of Sukhna in Punjab area, which is covered as per the map prepared by the Survey of India, the authorities has allowed large number of construction activities. "The court is requested to direct the State of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to give information to the High Court about any construction project that are under consideration in the catchment area of Sukhna Lake as per the map prepared by the Survey of India," Bedi added. She also informed the Bench about two projects that were coming up on the Punjab side in the catchment area. Reference was also made to the Tata Camelot project. The High Court has already directed an inter-state committee — comprising experts and advocates — to decide the issue of demarcating the lake's catchment area. On the previous date of hearing, the Bench directed the committee to "decide the issue with regard to the demarcation of the catchment area." The committee comprises members of the Survey of India, the States of Punjab and Haryana, along with advocates ML Sarin, Rajiv Atma Ram, Sanjay Kaushal and Tanu Bedi. Going deep into the Sukhna Lake conservation issue, the High Court had also asked Haryana and Chandigarh to ensure continuous flow of water from the catchment area to the reservoir. Going into the background of the controversy, the Bench asserted the issue has been debated since long. The State of Punjab has been claiming the catchment area stood demarcated by official notification dated March 15, 1963. On the other hand, Bedi has been arguing on the necessity of demarcating the area, as "nobody was clear as to what the true catchment area is". The Bench added a map prepared by the Survey of India was also on record.
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EcoSikh initiatives help increase forest cover
Chandigarh, February 21 Having worked relentlessly for a year, activists of the organisation painstakingly turned every stumbling block into a stepping stone, and today claim as many as 1.38 lakh saplings, which have grown into trees, were planted at their initiative in
Amritsar. "The statistics are provided by the Forest Department. We are now looking at other districts to follow suit," said Dr Rajwant Singh, president of the group. Their inspiration came from none other than the 7th Sikh Guru, Guru Har
Rai, who is remembered for his deep sensitivity towards nature, they started plating trees on his coronation anniversary on March 14 last year. "We had 300 schools registered with us last year and their number has now gone up to 1,300 this year. Not only the schools but 25 gurdwaras in Pakistan, several in Punjab and Haryana and other countries, including Canada, US, Australia, Malaysia, Kenya, China and Singapore, are supporting us in spreading the message across," said Dr
Rajwant. Giving a clarion call to celebrate Match 14 this year too in the same way, he said Padam Shree Baba Sewa Singh, a leading Sikh environmentalist from Khadur Sahib, has joined hands with them to spread the message further. "We do not just make a pitch for plantation of saplings, but walk an extra mile to ensure the saplings grow into trees. Our mission is not just plantation, but also we want to see every sapling standing tall as a tree after some years, " said Baba Sewa Singh, who has to his credit 3 lakh full grown trees on many roads and houses in Punjab and Madhya
Pradesh. On March 14, hundreds of gurdwaras in the United States, Canada, England, Australia, Malaysia, Africa and other parts of the world will be taking part in this celebration by singing
"shabads" focused on environment, holding ceremonial tree plantings and encouraging children to share reflections on the environment and Sikhism with the
sangat.
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SAD workers block traffic
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 21 Sondha is also district president of the Arhtia Association and director of the Land Mortgage Bank. Chandumajra and Jagdeep Singh Cheema, district president, SAD, reached the protesting site and tried to pacify the supporters. There was tension as rumours of a clash between Bhatti and Chandumajra’s supporters spread in the town. The police rushed to the spot and convinced Chandumajra and his supporters to lift the blockade. Sondha was then taken to a hospital for medical examination. Sondha said that he was a staunch worker of the SAD and had earlier been with Didar Singh Bhatti. But when Chandumajra got the SAD ticket, he supported him. He said when Didar Singh, his son Gurbinder, Sarabjit Makhan and many others, came to his commission agent shop in the Sirhind grain market, his accountant told them he had gone to a market. Sondha said as he was going towards Fatehgarh Sahib near Aam Khas Bagh, several vehicles blocked his car and in no time Didar Singh, his son and Makhan dragged him out of his car and started thrashing him mercilessly. He alleged that they pushed him towards their vehicles to take him away, but a large number of people gathered there and they fled away. He called his relatives and they further informed the police and Chandumajra. Chandumajra and Cheema said that it was the height of "gunda gardi" by the Bhatti family and their supporters. However, the mobile phone of Didar Singh Bhatti was switched off, while Gurbinder Singh Bhatti said that false allegations were being levelled against them. "We don't know who beat him up," he said. Fatehgarh Sahib SHO Willam Jaje said on the complaint of Sondha, the police constituted four teams to nab Didar Singh Bhatti, his son and supporters.
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Appointment of Sainik Welfare officer quashed
Chandigarh, February 21 For the purpose, Punjab Chief Secretary has been directed to conduct inquiry and to fix the responsibility of the officer concerned. The order setting aside the appointment was issued by the Division Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice AK Mittal today, while allowing a petition filed in public interest by RTI Activists Federation vice-president HS Rathee. Challenging the order dated July 14 last year granting two years' extension, the petitioner through counsel HC Arora contended Manmohan Singh, due to his political connections, has been given extensions on 12 occasions during the past 24 years. Even though the upper age limit for appointment to the post is 55 years, and the retirement age is 58 years, Manmohan Singh has been given extension for two years at the age of 78 years, Arora asserted. He alleged the government never attempted to issue advertisement for inviting applications from eligible and willing candidates for appointment to the post on regular basis. Referring to the political connections of Lt Col Manmohan Singh, counsel said recommendation was made by then Health and Family Welfare Minister Manoranjan Kalia vide letter dated November 22, 1999, to the Chief Minister for giving a lifetime extension to Manmohan Singh.
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Patwari’s arrest sparks agitation
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 21 State president of the union Nirmal Jeet Singh Bajwa alleged that Mohan had been framed in the paddy scam on the behest of Shiv Kumar, SSP, Vigilance, Patiala, who nurses a grudge against him. Mohan had complained against the SSP for constructing a marriage place illegally at Roorkie village, where Mohan was posted. Jaspal Singh, SSP, Vigilance Bureau, Ferozepur, said the bureau had registered an FIR dated January 11, 2011, against the directors of LT Agro Tech Pvt Ltd and Raj Kumar, inspector, PUNSUP, for embezzlement of paddy worth Rs 2.65 crore. The case was registered on the complaint of the district manager, PUNSUP. He said the department has arrested Ramesh Garg, co-owner of rice mill, Raj Kumar and patwari Mohan Singh. He said Mohan was a mediator between PUNSUP officials and the mill owners and had received Rs 2 lakh as bribe.
— OC
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PTU to tie up with industry for training
Ludhiana, February 21 Dr Arora said, "In the 8th semester of B Tech we have already introduced this course, but now we are planning to start it from the 5th semester (third year of B Tech). This way the students will be able to get practical training of two years. This will enable them to understand things in a better way and of course students will get better placement opportunities." The Vice-Chancellor today held a meeting in this regard with Ludhiana-based industrialists. "The agenda of the meeting was to provide industrial training of two years to our students. Along with students, teachers will also assist industry by providing consultancy. Teachers can redress some of the problems being faced by the industry," he said. About the Human Values and Professional Ethics course, which was started about a year-and-a-half ago, he said, "We introduced the course for all students. It is based on the guidelines of the IIT- Delhi, IIT-Kanpur etc and is very good for professional growth. I have observed that after introduction of this course, our students from many colleges have got very good placements. Now, we have appointed Dr AP Singh as Dean, Research, Innovation and Consultation, who will keep observing all aspects of this course and keep guiding colleges accordingly."
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Procurement Pangs
Chandigarh, February 21 At a meeting of officials of the food departments of various states in New Delhi today, officials of the Punjab Government urged the Centre to move at least 40 lakh tonnes of wheat to other states to create space for stacking the fresh stock in April in the state. Even, Haryana has a huge surplus stock of wheat and has urged to send it to other states. Punjab, which has a stock of 80 lakh tonnes of wheat, has fixed a target to procure 108 lakh tonnes of fresh wheat in April and May this year. Meanwhile, the state government made it clear to the Centre that it would not be possible to make direct payment to farmers for the procurement of wheat during April and May this year. The issue of direct payment came up at the meeting in New Delhi. Punjab’s Food and Supplies Secretary DS Grewal and other officials attended the meeting. The Centre is insisting for a direct payment to farmers in lieu of procurement of their grains for the central pool. “We have conveyed to the officials concerned of the Union food ministry that there was a need to put in place infrastructure to make direct payment to farmers. It will take time to do it,” said Grewal. Staff would be required to prepare bills of the grains procured and then to process it. At least, 60 lakh cheques have to be issued during procurement to farmers. At present, payment to farmers is made through account-payee cheques, but it is routed through commission agents. While some farmer organisations are pressing for a direct payment to farmers, commission agents are opposed to it.
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A first in
Punjab
The CEO directed the officials to organise video cameras for the counting exercise. Each constituency in the state has a counting centre. All centres would have 12 to 14 counting tables each. There would be a separate camera for each table. Kusumjit Sidhu also warned all the returning officers to ensure there was no breach of security in case another EVM was found beeping. Earlier, she had stated that the EVMs were beeping due to human error. She had directed the DCs concerned to issue show-cause notices to presiding officers concerned for taking their work casually and not switching off the units before storing them in strongrooms. Also, the CEO has asked the district chiefs to submit the list of expenditure before February 23 so that she could send it for reimbursement before the next government was formed. The state is estimated to have spent Rs 85 crore on the elections.
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Suspect’s brother among 2 detained in DSP murder case
Jagraon, February 21 The DSP and the woman were done to death by unidentified assailants nearly three weeks ago at a farmhouse on the Hambran road near Ludhiana. The police team searched the house of a suspect in Atam Nagar locality on Tehsil Road, but nothing suspicious was found from there. Following this, the police team raided a house in Sant Nagar Mohala and detained a youth from there. The house was also searched, but nothing suspicious was found from there as well. Another raid was conducted at a house in Kothe Khajura locality on the outskirts of the town. Though the police team did not find the youth for whom it was looking for, they, however, detained the brother of the suspected youth. The police took both the youths to Ludhiana. Sources said that the two youths had been detained on the basis of some phone call details obtained by
the police. The local police was not aware of the raids. Jagraon DSP Harpal Singh said that they were not informed by the Ludhiana police before the raids. He also confirmed that the raids were conducted in connection of double murder case involving Moga DSP Balraj Singh Gill and Monica Kapila. Meanwhile, family members of the youth detained from Sant Nagar locality claimed that their son was innocent and he had nothing to do with the double murder case.
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Dhingra's Memorial
Chandigarh, February 21 In his PIL, placed before the Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Mahesh Grover, advocate HC Arora asserted Dhingra was known as "the first Punjab rebel martyr", hanged by the British Government in London in 1909 for murdering a British secret agent. The petitioner further stated the ancestral house of the martyr, located in Katra Sher Singh, was occupied by his brother Mukand Lal Dhingra and his family. It was recently sold at a price much less than the market rate since the ground floor was occupied by a tenant, who was not vacating the premises. The purchaser, on the other hand, immediately after purchasing it demolished the house partly. The petitioner stated the issue was highlighted in a newspaper and news channel. Amritsar residents too led a protest march and submitted memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding construction of a befitting memorial by the state government at the site of semi-demolished ancestral house.
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SGPC steps up efforts for early
session
Amritsar, February 21 Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief, said the annual SGPC budget had to be passed before March 31, which has to be first cleared by the executive. Ridiculing the Sehajdhari Sikh Party’s claim that the SGPC had misinterpreted the Supreme Court orders, he accused the party of deliberately creating confusion over the issue. SGPC’s senior counsel Gurminder Singh said: “The Supreme Court has clearly said that the board constituted on December 17 will continue to function, which means it can go ahead with the office-bearers' elections.”
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Man getting ‘threats’ from policemen
Baretta (Mansa), February 21 In his complaint, Baldev Sharma alleged that he was getting threats from lower-rung policemen through local residents. Baldev said he suspected registration of a false case against him for capturing a video footage of the policeman pulling the woman by her hair and thrashing her at the police station. The video had created a flutter in the poll-bound Punjab on January 22, following which head constable Harbhagwan Singh and SHO Sikandar Singh were suspended.
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Regular staff to replace
guest lecturers, HC told
Chandigarh, February 21 Taking judicial note of the state's assertion, the High Court has, in fact, disposed of the petitions filed by the guest lecturers as "infructuous". In one such petition against the State of Punjab and other respondents, Jasvir Singh had contended that he was working as a guest faculty lecturer in a college. In his petition placed before the Bench of Justice Surya Kant, the petitioner had sought directions to the respondents that he should not relieved from his assignment "with a view to adjust other guest faculty (lecturer) in his place". As the case came up for hearing, Punjab Additional Advocate General Suvir Sehgal told the Bench "as a matter of policy and subject to the petitioner's eligibility and availability of work, the guest faculty (lecturers) like the petitioner are not to be substituted by another set of guest faculty (lecturers)". The Bench also heard that Jasvir Singh and other similarly situated guest lecturers "shall be replaced by regularly appointed employee only". Issuing notice of motion, Justice Surya Kant made the state, the college and another respondent to accept the notice in the Court itself; and added in view of the nature of order, which he proposed to pass, there was no need to seek counter-reply from the official respondents at the current stage. Before parting with the cases, justice Surya Kant asserted: "In this view of the matter, the writ petition is disposed of as having rendered
infructuous".
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Despite some deaths and several cases of electrocution, the authorities in this industrial hub have failed to solve the problem of overhead high-tension wires in residential areas.
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 21
Chandigarh, February 21