Ludhiana, April 12
The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) had to suspend its demolition drive in unauthorised colonies midway today when a large number of affected developers, along with their supporters, gathered at an unlicensed colony on the Dhandra road and forced the the officials to call off the demolition operations for the time being.

During the stand-off, which continued for well over an hour, the developers threatened to lie in front of the bulldozer, saying that any demolition would have to be carried out over their bodies.

When the GLADA Additional Chief Administrator (ACA), Dr Jaswant Singh, who was leading the demolition squad, made an attempt to prevail upon the mob, the developers sought some time so that they could take up the issue with the state government at the appropriate level.

The developers claimed that the SAD had made a commitment in its election manifesto that if the party was voted to power, all the unauthorised colonies would be approved and the related policy would be made flexible. "Now that the SAD-BJP government is in place in the state, GLADA ought to give a reasonable time to the developers of unlicensed colonies so that the issue could be taken up with the government and a solution could be found," the developers said.

It may be mentioned that GLADA had stepped up its regulatory and enforcement drive against 114 identified unauthorised colonies here on the completion of the one-month notice period on April 1. A demolition drive had been carried out at five unlicensed colonies situated on the Dhandra road and at Thakkarwal village in the last few days.

Dr Jaswant Singh said in the wake of a plea made by the developers, the demolition operations in those colonies had been suspended for the time being. "But at the same time, we will make sure that no new unlicensed colony is developed anywhere in or around the city,” he added.

Ludhiana, April 12
Ludhiana Municipal Commissioner Malwinder Singh Jaggi’s claim that the PUDA Act violations would be removed from all the scheduled roads before April 15 doesn’t seem to be getting true. With just two days left, the MC is yet to finalise the list of all those buildings which have been constructed in violation of the PUDA Act, are within five metres from the scheduled roads and have been constructed after 1995.

At present, the Assistant Town Planners have submitted a list of PUDA Act violators to Jaggi and it would now be “verified” by four Zonal Commissioners. “We want to be doubly sure about all the violators so that no resident is harassed,” Jaggi claimed while speaking to The Tribune.

The MC had formed committees and assigned responsibilities to the municipal town planner, senior town planner and zonal commissioners.

The MC Commissioner had directed its staff to prepare a final list of all the buildings constructed in violation of the PUDA Act by April 8. The list was scrutinised by the building branch officials by conducting an inspection of the buildings.

Some buildings, where the MC team had earlier put red markings, have been cleared after their owners replied to the notices sent by civic body. Now, the MC officials have started marking those buildings with green paint.

After the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the MC had decided to start an anti-encroachment drive against around 2,500 buildings in different parts of the city. These buildings are situated on the roads from the Jalandhar bypass chowk to the Sherpur chowk, the Sherpur chowk to the Delhi road octroi post, from the Samrala chowk to the Chandigarh road octroi post, from the Jagraon bridge to the Ferozepur road octroi post, from the Jalandhar bypass chowk to the Jalandhar road octroi post and from the Gill chowk to the Gill road octroi post.

The MC authorities had twice served notices on 2,500-odd defaulters. In zone A, a total of 608 notices have been served to violators, in zone B 1,133 notices , in zone C 1,037 notices and in zone D 447 notices have been served to defaulters.

Ludhiana, April 12
As the Municipal Corporation elections are nearing, the SAD has started setting its house in order. Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura chaired a closed-door meeting with the Akali councillors at his camp office recently. It was attended by former Jails Minister Hira Singh Gabria as well.

It was the first meeting of the Akali Dal councillors after the Local Bodies Minister’s announcement last month that the MC elections would be held within two months.

The Akali Dal councillors said this was the first meeting of the party councillors attended by Hira Singh Gabria in the Mayor’s camp office in the last five years. “Even when he was a cabinet minister as well as urban unit president of the party, he had never chaired a meeting of the Akali councillors at the Mayor’s camp office. The only meeting which he had attended was with the councillors from his own group,” said a party councillor.

Gabria was defeated by independent candidate Simarjit Singh Bains in the recently held Vidhan Sabha elections from the Atam Nagar constituency of the city.

Even though most Akali Dal councillors refused to divulge any details about the meeting, a senior party councillor, while requesting anonymity, said: “It was a routine meeting before the MC elections. Our senior leaders asked us to make sure all votes are in order and that there is no repetition of votes in any other ward. We have been asked to stay in touch with our voters as well as our supporters until the elections are over,” said the councillor.

Another party councillor said during the last MC elections, the party’s youth leader in the city, Simarjit Singh Bains, was very much part of the Akali Dal. “Now that he has been expelled from the party and has announced that he would field his independent candidates from all the 75 wards of the city, things are going to get tough for the party. We would have to give our 200 per cent for the preparation of these elections if we want to come in power in the MC house once again,” said the councillor.

Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura just said it was a routine party meeting. “We are all set for the MC elections and would win them at every cost,” he claimed without divulging any other details.

Ludhiana, April 12
While the state government and the District Transport Office have asked the college authorities to issue learner’s licences to their students, the notification number 10/51/2011-1t2/1104 dated June 28 of the Department of Transport, Punjab Government, Chandigarh, says that the educational institutions/colleges and universities recognised by the central/state government are authorised to issue a certificate to their students only with regard to the possession of adequate knowledge and understanding of traffic knowledge, i.e. traffic education made mandatory for college students.

Sunil Sood, chairman of the local Aditya Road Safety Society, has said according to the Secretary, Department of Transport, Government of Punjab, Anurag Aggarwal, in the notification issued on June 20, 2011, the colleges have been authorised to issue certificates to their students only with the regard to the possession of adequate knowledge and understanding of the matters referred to in sub rule (1) and rule II of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, only for getting learner’s licences from the licensing authority (DTO).

"How can the department ask colleges to issue learner’s licences to students when it is clearly mentioned in the notification that just a certificate has to be provided to the students by the college, and the licence has to be issued by the department. Still they are getting Rs 10,000 from each college as security amount to install software, etc, when they (the department) themselves are supposed to issue licences", rued Sood.

For physical fitness, a self-declaration form has to be filled in by college students. But, the Transport Department has asked the colleges to engage medical professionals to carry out medical examination of students. A senior professor of the Government College for Women said: "Just Rs 20 per student is kept for medical expert. And which qualified medical professional will spare so much time for just Rs 20 per child. Though we are ready to help the department if it is over-burdened with work, we have to be given proper guidance and cooperation by the department officials," said the senior teacher.

Ludhiana, April 12
The Punjab government seems to be concerned about the falling standards of the teaching profession, especially with regard to professional decorum and moral values. With this view, the additional education secretary to the government of Punjab has issued a circular to check consumption of liquor by teachers while on duty.

Through the circular, the education department has instructed all district education officers in the state to take strict action against teachers who are found in an inebriated condition during duty hours. The circular states, “The teaching community is making a valuable contribution towards educating children. However, there are certain bad elements among the teachers as well who are bringing disrepute to the noble profession.”

The circular asserts that there are reports from the schools that some of the teachers come to the school after consuming liquor.

It affects the school discipline and study of students. “If any teacher or other employee of the school consumes liquor during duty time, he should be got medically examined and the report should be sent to the department for further necessary action without any delay.”

Gurbeer Singh, a teacher from local school, said, “We welcome these orders. We also seek strict action against such teachers.

If the department starts taking action against such teachers, then no teacher would dare to drink in the school.”

“The department should take an action against such defaulters without taking care of the image of the department, as study environment is more important than image of the schools.”

Ludhiana, April 12
The Ludhiana MP and national spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, Manish Tewari, today claimed that the Congress will win the ensuing civic elections in Punjab with a thumping majority and the next Mayor of the city will be from the party.

Addressing a public meeting after inauguration of a tube-well in ward number 35 here today, he said Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura and senior Deputy Mayor Parveen Bansal had lost not only in their respective Assembly segments but also from their own wards. “The same goes for a majority of the city councillors belonging to the SAD-BJP coalition.”

Charging the state government with making a mess of the state economy, he said the government was surviving on the strength of Central funds. “The coffers of the state are empty and the government does not even have funds to pay salaries to its employees.”

He further asserted that most of the ongoing development works, including residential flats for urban poor, widening and repair of major roads, city bus service, cleaning of Budha Nullah and expansion of water supply and sewerage, were being carried out under different Centrally-funded welfare schemes.

The area councillor, Parminder Mehta, said the development works worth Rs 50 lakh had been completed in his ward. The problems being faced by people with regard to supply of drinking water and disposal of sewerage as well as recarpeting of roads and streets in the area had been addressed.

Prominent among others present at the meeting were Congress legislators Rakesh Pandey, Surinder Dawar and former councillor Satnam Ahuja.

Khanna April 12
The Punjab Government has ordered a special girdawri to assess the losses due to heavy rains and hail storm last night at several places in the state, stated Punjab Agro Chairman, Randhir Singh Rakhra, while talking to the media persons at Dana Mandi, Khanna, during his visit to the grain market. He informed that as per information, main damage to the standing wheat crop was reported in Sangrur and Bhawanigarh areas apart from some other areas.

He said that the Punjab Government will support farmers of the state by compensating the losses to some extent and the girdawri will be conducted at the earliest. He also said that due to prevailing weather conditions and rains, the arrival of wheat has been delayed and it will speed-up in the next some days.

He added that 4876 lakh metric ton wheat was purchased in the state till today out of which the Punjab Agro purchased 933-lakh metric tonne on its own. He said that the Punjab Agro is procuring the wheat in about 216 mandis in the state and they will ensure the payment to the farmers in 48 hours.

He, however, said that the proposed purchase target would be achieved despite losses to the standing wheat crop at some places.

GMT Public School

Ludhiana: "Baisakhi" was celebrated with full fervour on the premises of the GMT Public School, Jalandhar Bye Pass, Ludhiana, here on Thursday. The students of junior wing came attired in traditional outfits accentuating their Punjabi culture. During the assembly, the students participated in Punjabi singing competition.

GRD Academy

Founder's Day and Baisakhi were celebrated at GRD Academy. The students from both, primary and senior section participated on the occasion. The programme commenced with speech highlighting the foundation of GRD. The students performed gidha and bhangra and recited Punjabi and English poems.

Cherry Lane

Cherry Lane Celebrated Baisakhi on the school campus here on Thursday. The campus was decorated with multicoloured rangoli and yellow balloons. The students were dressed in yellow colour clothes. All the tiny-tots played many recreational games like tug of war and musical chairs.

GNI Sr Sec Public School

The students of GNI Sr Sec Public School I-Block, BRS Nagar, celebrated Baisakhi. Tiny-tots came dressed in traditional Punjabi attires. The students of class VIII, VIII and X sang devotional songs. The students also performed giddha and bhangra.

Penguin Castle Pre School

Penguin Castle Pre School, Udham Singh Nagar, celebrated Baisakhi on the school premises with great exuberance and gaiety. The little boys and girls, dressed in colourful Punjabi attire, performed bhangra and gidda to the rhythm of the dhol. The children were briefed about the history and significance of the Baisakhi festival in Punjab.

DAV school

The festival of "Baisakhi" was celebrated with full fervour in the premises of DAV School, Pakhowal, here Thursday. The students came attired in beautiful traditional outfits accentuating the Punjabi culture. The students participated in various cultural presentations.

Sacred Soul Convent Senior School

Ludhiana, April 12
A 25-year-old newly married man died here this evening after consuming poison. The victim, who has been identified as Manoj Kumar, a resident of Ghati Mohalla, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition yesterday.

He got married barely two months ago. His relatives said the couple had just returned home after spending vacation in the hills.

The family was shocked when he told them that he had consumed poison. He was rushed to hospital here he died.

Phillaur, April 12
Six armed robbers looted three villagers on the Goraya-Barrapind Road, here on Thursday today.

Ludhiana, April 12
A police constable has been booked for fraud and stealing belongings of a resident of Khanna.

The constable, identified as Sukhdev Singh, was booked by the Daba police, following a probe.

According to complainant Pawan Kumar, he purchased a house in Shimlapuri from constable Sukhdev Singh.

Pawan said he paid Rs 8 lakh as the token amount to Sukhdev and took the possession of the house.

Pawan further complained that despite repeated requests, Sukhdev did not formulate the registry.

Pawan said a few months ago, the constable threw him out of the house and also stole the belongings.

Pawan lodged a complaint to senior police officials, following which the probe was conducted into the allegations.

Phillaur, April 12
The Goraya police claims to have arrested a drug-smuggler and recovered 340 gm of intoxicants from his possession.

Ludhiana, April 12
The trials to select Punjab basketball squads (sub-junior boys and girls) will be held here at the Guru Nanak Stadium tomorrow at 3 pm, according to general secretary Teja Singh Dhaliwal, Punjab Basketball Association.

Players born on or after January 1, 1999 are eligible to take part in these trials.

The interested boys and girls have been advised to bring their age proof documents, attested by the head of their institute or from the registration authority of the Punjab government.

The selected cagers will represent Punjab in the Sub-Junior National Basketball Championship slated to be held from May 6 to 12 at Goa.