Jalandhar, April 7
Human bones were recovered outside the old police station building in Garha late last night.

A human skull and five bones were found just a day after the authorities shifted the police station to its newly constructed building in the Urban Estate.

Police Commissioner Gaurav Yadav has marked an inquiry in this case and has asked Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jasbir Singh Rai to submit a report within a week.

The police has also launched an investigation to find out whether any 'tantrik' is involved in exhuming the human bones from a graveyard or stealing them from any cremation ground for black magic.

The incident came to light last night when areas residents noticed smoke outside the old police station premises. They found partially charred human skull and five bones lying in a pile of trash, including certain 'havan' items, at the spot.

Residents informed the police following which a police team headed by SHO Jaswinder Singh took the human bones and other items in possession.

The SHO said everything was normal till Friday morning.

He said it seemed to be an act of a 'tantrik' who threw the bones and set these on fire.

The ACP claimed that a search has been launched to find out if any 'tantrik' is involved in the matter. The bones would be sent to a laboratory for forensic examination, Rai said.

n Police Commissioner Gaurav Yadav orders an inquiry and asks Assistant Commissioner of Police Jasbir Singh Rai to submit a report within a week

n The police has also launched an investigation to find out whether any 'tantrik' is involved in exhuming the human bones from a graveyard or stealing them from any cremation ground for black magic

Jalandhar, April 7
While in papers, the government announces incentives and special schemes for slum dwellers, but a look at the facilities at Indira Colony slums makes it clear that not much has been done to safeguard the health of dwellers.

Even as the government establishments held seminars and mouthed speeches on World Health Day, it was clear that these people are without some of the very basic facilities.

The area lacks awareness on maternal health schemes.

Nobody has ever called a 108 ambulance in the area and the scene on the existing maternal health schemes is dismal.

Since most of the women of the area have got deliveries done at homes or nearby private (accredited) hospitals, due to lack of awareness, they have missed out on heftier incentives.

None of the women, The Tribune talked to, knew about the Mata Kaushalya Scheme. All of them think that any delivery, anywhere, can fetch them an incentive of not more than Rs 700.

Those who have availed the Janani Surankha Yojna (though they don’t know what it is called), have a mixed response about the services. They say they are scared to ask auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) questions because they are usually snubbed.

Though many women reportedly received incentive ranging Rs 500 to Rs 700, there were abundant cases where women hadn’t been paid incentives despite the fact that months had passed since the delivery of their babies.

Asha Rani’s son was born six months ago. She received a cheque of Rs 500, that too after months of requests to her ANM. She has yet to get it cashed.

There are other women like Nazma who have never received any money even though she has recently given birth to a daughter.

Talking to The Tribune, the women said they are often denied money on delivery and the usual reason given by ANMs or visiting doctor is that they are out of cheques.

There are many women who have been awaiting their post-delivery incentives for months and there are others who haven’t even been promised any money.

Talking of maternal hygiene, a local NGO has regularly been sensitising women of the area regarding maternal health. Initial maternal deaths due to local, untrained midwives have made the women wiser, who now make sure they take government help for deliveries.

Regarding sanitation too, people express dissatisfaction.

There is no sewerage. The area is riddled with garbage and foul-smelling standing water. During the rains, like all slums, the possibility of a disease outbreak torments them. Though the nearby Ashok Vihar area has got sewerage facility, Indira Colony residents rue that they have none so far.

Kheto Devi, who heads the slum, said, “Around 10 to 12 per cent of us are registered BPL families. Even though all had applied, very few cards got made. None of the medical teams had ever held an awareness programme regarding the health benefits meant for BPL families.”

However, the people of the area were largely satisfied with pulse polio and other vaccination drives.

n There is poor sanitation and hygeine in the area.

n No one has ever called a 108 ambulance in the area because they don’t about it.

n The scene on the existing maternal health schemes is dismal.

n There were abundant cases where women hadn’t been paid incentives despite the fact that months had passed since the delivery of their babies.

Jalandhar, April 7
Come May 1 and the process of making a new passport would be completed the very next day the applicant submits his file.

To achieve the goal, infrastructure is being spruced up at two Passport Sewa Kendras in the city and another one in Hoshiarpur.

Besides, the staff would be provided training so as to comply with the new policy of quick dispatch of passports.

So far, an applicant who submits his file is given an appointment after three days or more for the interview, fingerprints and other formalities. The whole process would now be accomplished on the same day the file is submitted.

As per the new system, as soon as the applicants submits the file with all the required documents, it will be checked, the data will uploaded on the server, fingerprints of the applicant will be taken, online verification from the police will be sought if necessary and final assessment with regards to any objections by the granting officer will be done before sending the passport for printing.

Giving details, Regional Passport Officer Parneet Singh said, “Since the entire information to be sought from the applicant would be taken on the same day, he will have to spend just a day at the office. He will not be required to visit again, unless some documents are pending or some objection is raised.”

The officer said since printing and lamination of passports takes a lot of time, it would be done the next day before these are dispatched on the address of the applicant. “As soon as dispatch is done, the applicant would also get an SMS alert on his phone. In case, there is an objection, he would get a call from the office”, he explained.

He further said the pendency would most likely be cleared by this month, so that only current work is left by the end of this month. He said most of objection cases were being resolved during the weekly adalats.

n So far, an applicant who submits his file is given an appointment after three days or more for the interview, fingerprints and other formalities.

Jalandhar, April 7
Irrespective of central jewellers’ associations calling off their strike in New Delhi on Friday, city jewellers have intensified their strike. The jewellers, who demand rollback of excise duty on gold, have started a hunger strike at Hanuman Chowk since yesterday.

As many as 450 jewellery shops have been lying closed in the city for the past 22 days.

Naresh Malhotra, president of the jewellers’ association, said while earlier 1.5 per cent duty was being levied on importing of gold, it had now been doubled to 3 per cent. He said the imposition of 1.1 per cent VAT on purchase of gold worth more than Rs 2 lakh too had added to their woes. He further said the 1 per cent excise tax on refining of gold and another 1 per cent on remaking would further burden the customers and leave the traders with little profit margin.

Gaurav Dhall, CA and treasurer, Taxation Bar, Jalandhar, said, “The changes in policies of taxes and duties on gold can adversely affect the small and medium jewellers. It is very cumbersome for the small dealers to fulfil formalities of excise. Already gold rates are touching the skies and imposition of taxes would further keep the customers away”.

Jalandhar, April 7
The ration depot holders from across the district today held a protest in front of the residence of Bhagat Chunni Lal, minister and leader of the BJP legislature party, demanding rollback of 63 per cent cut in kerosene supply through the public distribution system.

The depot holders, led by Anoop Sareen, said over 25,000 depot holders across the state would be affected by the cut. “While earlier, each depot holder was getting 700 to 800 litres of kerosene for distribution each month, it would not come down to 250 to 300 litres. This would also affect each BPL family which could avail 10 litres of kerosene at prices far lower than in the open market. Now, these families would feel the heat as the supply has been reduced to just 3.5 litres which would last only for a few days”, he added.

The members of the Depot Holders’ Association said while they were earlier getting Sunehri Atta for supply at the rate of Rs 120 for 10 kg, this scheme which had been a great success too had been dropped about two years back. “We have been left to just act as agents for supply of atta-dal scheme for Blue Card holders which does not leave us with any commission,” they complained.

The members gave Bhagat a copy of their memorandum and demanded quick action on it. Bhagat assured them of intervention into the matter.