Amritsar, April 19
The historic Company Bagh, the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, is turning into a dumping ground. The government has spent crores on its preservation but the Municipal Corporation has other thoughts for its use.

On Wednesday morning, a three-wheel garbage collection carrier was spotted dumping garbage in one corner of the bagh. Residents have often complained that safai karamcharis collect garbage from adjoining shops or the road and dump it in the Company Bagh.

“The dry leaves and garbage routinely burnt here emanates a very foul smell. It also destroys the plants and the trees where the garbage is burnt by safai karamcharis. It also pollutes the environment and is also dangerous for the children playing nearby,” said NS Gabarhia, a resident.

“Even as the authorities claim to have spent crores to make the holy city garbage and pollution free, it is a pity that their own staff plays spoilsport. It is an important place to get some fresh air, but it has become a dumping ground,” said Jagdish Singh.

“It is a secluded corner of the park where no one comes. We should be held liable only if we dump or burn garbage in the middle of the park or on the path where the people take a walk,” he said, without revealing his name.

Investigation into the matter has revealed that the logic behind this exercise is to steal the fuel and escape from the drudgery of lifting or dumping garbage. Each garbage collector is supposed to make at least three rounds to transport garbage to Bhaktanwala site daily. They try to finish it off in just one round by dumping garbage nearby and set it ablaze.

“They do it just to save the fuel and resell it. I have caught them on many occasions but I didn’t pursue the case because I knew that no action will be taken against them,” said a senior level MC official, preferring anonymity. In the absence of any check, sweepers in various localities adopt this practice, he said.

MC officials say they are liable to clean the area falling within the Walled city whereas the area falling outside the Walled city is the responsibility of the Antony Waste Company, which has been hired to collect and dump garbage at the designated dumping site of Bhagtanwala.

MC Commissioner Dharampal Gupta said, “It is tough to believe that they do this. I will probe into the matter and disciplinary action will be taken against the guilty.

Amritsar, April 19
The health department today nabbed a quack allegedly running an illegal clinic in Nawa Pind village near Mannawala here. A team led by Assistant Civil Surgeon (ACS) Arjun Kumar Dhawan conducted the raid at Bawa Clinic and found a midwife Kulwinder Kaur examining patients.

It was found that Kashmir Singh Bawa, the owner of the clinic, did not possess a valid degree required to practice medicine in the state. “Kashmir Singh produced a degree which he had procured from an institution in Bihar. The degree was to practice Ayurveda, but he has been practicing allopathic medicine,” said Dhawan. He said Kashmir Singh’s degree was not registered with the Indian Medical Council which is mandatory. The health department later filed a police complaint in this regard.

Dhawan said Kulwinder Kaur is in no way authorised to diagnose patients and treat them,” he added.

Civil Surgeon Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa said 30 kinds of allopathic medicines worth Rs 25,000 were seized from the private clinic. He said the department had received various complaints against the clinic after which an investigation was conducted. Notably the illegal clinic was operating from the vicinity of a government primary health centre in the village. “More of such operations will be conducted in soon,” said Randhawa. People can also help the department by providing information about such quacks.

A team of the health department raided a medical store in Katra Sher Singh area and seized medicines of veterinary use from an unlicensed godown. Drug Inspector Anupama Kalia said medicines worth Rs 17,000 were seized from Govind Vet Pharma. Drug Inspector Tejinder Singh said the shopkeepers have to take a separate licence to set up a godown. He said the shopkeeper failed to produce any licence for the store after which legal action was initiated. The team also included Tarn Taran Drug Inspector Kulwinder Singh.

Amritsar, April 19
After failing to initiate a drive on its own, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has decided to hire private players for the sterilisation of stray dogs. However, it will also seek the expertise of the animal husbandry department apparently with a view to make the drive successful.

A private company hired by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation two years ago had invited criticism for mistreating and abandoning dogs after operations.

Not taking any chance, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has devised a CNVR (catch, neuter, vaccinate and release) methodology for canines.

The CNVR method is a good process, provided it is carried out by competent surgeons and under complete aseptic conditions. Besides this, dogs which undergo sterilisation operation would be identified with the help of special badges.

MC Commissioner Dharampal Gupta said the project would be taken care of by experts of the animal husbandry department. The advertisement for inviting bidders for the sterilisation programme would be floated soon, he added.

“We have decided to adopt the new CNVR methodology, which will give us speedy results. The hired company will be given a target of sterilising dogs on a monthly basis,” he said.

Earlier, to control the increasing population of canines, the MC had joined hands with the Animal Husbandry Department, but the programme failed to kick off for want of infrastructure.

The whole process of sterilisation, post operation care and diet of the dog amounted to about Rs 420 each. Further, the recent directions of the Animal Husbandry Board too had added to the woes of the civic authorities.

The board had sternly told the civic authorities that the dogs which were to be operated upon should not be released the same day.

The Advanced Minimally Invasive Vas Occlusion Technique (MIVOT), introduced in 2009, to sterilise male dogs too had failed to bring in desired results for want of funds. The Centre, which had to partly fund the project, did not show any interest.

Dr Jagdish Chander Shori, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, said five clinics have been spared exclusively for the sterilisation programme. A survey carried out by the MC in 2008 had put the population of stray dogs at 25,000.

Amritsar, April 19
The Jallianwala Bagh Memorial (JBM) Civil Hospital is all set to instal CCTV cameras on its premises to keep a watch over employees and visitors coming to the hospital. The hospital management has already completed all procedural formalities in this regard.

Dr Balbir Singh Dhillon, Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, said cameras would be installed with the money collected as user charges. He said the project would be completed at the earliest.

The hospital at present is also facing a problem of theft of sanitary fittings and other equipment. With the installation of cameras, the management would be able to monitor the activities of suspicious visitors.

Besides, the patients have often complained that the employees are not available on their respective seats as a result of which they fail to get proper treatment. With the cameras keeping an eye on employees, it would be difficult for them to bunk duty.

The move to instal cameras was initiated after the hospital received specifications in this regard from the Punjab Health Systems Corporation. As per these specifications the hospitals can install CCTVs by spending money from the user charges collected from patients. In the first part of the project, the hospital has plans to instal cameras at the out patient departments (OPDs), entry points, clinical laboratories and reception counters. Dr Dhillon said they have already identified the strategic locations where these cameras would be installed. He said all formalities have been completed and project would become operational in two months.

Dhillon said they would also monitor public dealing of the staff so that patients do not have any complaints. He said sanitary fittings from the washrooms are often stolen by unknown miscreants as the hospital security cannot keep an eye on each and every individual.

Amritsar, April 19
The Diary Development department will hold a 45-day long course to impart skills in diary farming to youth from May 7. Department deputy director Kashmir Singh said interested candidates with matriculation, having availability of 10 milching animals and a high-tech diary farm could undergo the training.

Interested candidates can appear for interview on April 25 at the local office of the department. — TNS

Amritsar, April 19
The standoff between the administration and teachers of Guru Nanak Dev University has come to an end.

Dr Balwinder Singh, president, Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers’ Association confirming the development said though there is a difference of opinion over the issue of teachers’ eligibility conditions for promotional avenues, all other issues have been resolved.

The teachers had alleged that the authorities have whimsically altered their date of eligibility for promotions, thereby flouting the UGC guidelines.

On the other hand, Vice Chancellor AS Brar said he agreed to negotiate all issues except those which do not come under his purview. “About the selection procedure of teachers’ promotions, nobody, including me, has the right to amend it because it was the decision of the selection committee. The university does not have any overriding powers to change/modify the rules and regulations mandated by the UGC or the AICTE norms. Still, it can be referred to the UGC to seek its opinion. Whatever will be the UGC guidelines over it, I can assure that it will be implemented in toto,” he said.

Meanwhile, the modalities committee, constituted under the chairmanship of Dean, Academic Affairs, and also including the president of the teachers’ union as one of its members, will study the UGC rules in this direction and try to find a way out.

Dr Balwinder Singh said now the university teachers’ body would either approach the UGC directly or knock at the door of the court to quash the orders. “It is still an issue that the dates of promotions which were altered, commands a thorough review. We will approach the higher authorities or the court to get it quashed,” he said.

“We have no grudge against the university authorities as we have reached a consensus over other issues which mattered to us and the authorities too have given us assurance to fulfil them. We have ended our agitation as we were determined to take the movement to a healthy conclusion,” he said.

Importantly, both the sides had reached a verbal agreement over prime issues during an earlier meeting held on April 5, the teachers were adamant to get it in writing. Since, the university authorities did not agree, the teachers resorted to carry on with their agitation.

Amritsar, April 19
The District Transport Office earned revenue of Rs 20 lakh from the auction of fancy vehicle registration numbers held here today. The number 0001 of the PB-02-BP series went for Rs 2.35 lakh to Dayal Singh.

The department earned Rs 1.30 lakh for 0002. Numbers 0004 and 0005 were auctioned for Rs 1.10 lakh and Rs 70,000, respectively. Number 0009 was sold for Rs 1.30 lakh. Number 2222 fetched Rs 95,000 to the department. Similarly, numbers 1111, 7777 and 8888 went for Rs 20,000, Rs 18,500 and Rs 21,000, respectively.

The department earned the lowest (Rs 5000) for numbers 0021 and 0044.

Amritsar, April 19
Following a scuffle that broke out at a wedding in Rajasansi, a man was allegedly stabbed to death by several persons over an old enmity with him.

The deceased has been identified as Jaswinder Singh (35) a resident of Jajje village, falling under Lopoke police station.

The Rajasansi police has registered a case of murder against three persons. They have been identified as Nirmaljit Singh, Gurinder and Dharminder Masih, all belonging to the same village.

The accused and the victim had come to Baldev marriage palace near the bus stand of Kukkadawali village in Rajasansi for the wedding of the son of Pargat Singh, sarpanch of their village.

Jaswinder and Nirmaljit Singh had an old enmity as the latter believed Jaswinder had murdered his brother. When they came face to face at the wedding, a heated argument ensued over some minor issue which later took an ugly turn.

Angrej Singh, a resident of the same village on the basis of whose statement the police registered the case alleged that Dharminder and Gurinder caught hold of Jaswinder’s arms while Nirmaljit Singh attacked him with a sharp-edged knife which he took from a stall. He allegedly stabbed him repeatedly due to which he died on the spot. The accused fled from the spot.

Harminder Singh, SHO of the police station said the body of the deceased was handed over to the family members after a post-mortem examination. He said a case under Section 302 IPC has been registered against the accused.

He said raids were on to nab the culprits who have been on the run since the incident.

n The deceased has been identified as Jaswinder Singh (35) a resident of Jajje village.

n One of the accused Nirmaljit had an old enmity with the deceased as he thought he had killed his borther.

n Nirmaljit Singh, Gurinder and Dharminder Masih, of Jijje village booked for Jaswinder’s murder.

n An argument over some minor issue took and ugly turn when the victim and the accused met at the wedding of the son of their village sarpanch.

Amritsar, April 19
The police has booked Soma, a resident of Bhitewid village, for rape bid on an 18-year old girl of the same village. No arrest has been made so far.

The Rajasansi police has registered a case under Section 376, 511, 506 IPC against the accused.

The victim told the police that the accused took her to a secluded place near Baggianwali canal on the pretext that her sister had asked her to go to Chogwan for some work. She alleged instead of going towards Chogawan, the accused took her to Baggianwali canal and tried to rape her. She said when she tried to raise an alarm, the accused threatened to kill her.

Amritsar, April 19
The in charge of Baba Bakala Suvidha Centre was allegedly thrashed and robbed by three persons. The police has booked three persons in this connection but no arrests have been made so far. The incident took place at the office premises of SDM Baba Bakala.

The victim Naresh Kumar, a resident of Dera Baba Nanak, in his compliant alleged the accused Ravi Singh, a resident of Vadala Kalan, Sukhdev Singh of Mehta Chowk and Amandeep Singh of Bhalipur Purba attacked him and tore his clothes. The robbed him of ~10,000. — TNS 

Amritsar, April 19
Gagan Anand and his brother Akash, sons of Congress leader Kushal Anand, were robbed of Rs 10,000 by four robbers. They were returning to their factory after collecting payments from various shops.

The incident occurred near the railway crossing number 22 at 9 pm. The police has registered a complaint under Section 392 of the IPC on the basis of the statement of Gagan Anand.

Gagan alleged that he along with his brother was going back to their factory, when they attacked by four robbers near the crossing. The accused, riding a motorcycle and armed with sharp-edged weapons, tried to snatch their bag. As the brothers resisted the snatching attempt, it led to a scuffle and were injured in the process. The accused managed to take out Rs 10,000 from the pocket of one of the brothers.

In another incident, two unidentified persons snatched the gold earring of Kulwinder Kaur, a resident of Sewa Nagar, Ram Tirath Road here. Kulwinder, in her complaint, alleged that she had gone to Shimla Market to shop. The accused on a motorcycle came from behind and fled after pulling her earring. A case under under Section 382 of the IPC has been registered. 

Amritsar, April 19
The Sadar police has seized 260 grams of smack following interrogation of Kulwinder Singh and Bachitar Singh, the two robbers who were arrested a couple of days back.

The police had recovered 550 grams of narcotics powder besides a country-made pistol from their possession.

Vavinder Mahajan, SHO, Sadar police station, said investigations revealed that the accused had procured the pistol from Simranjit Singh of Sandhu Colony, who is currently in the judicial custody at Amritsar Central Jail.

Simranjit was nabbed in connection with attempt to murder and looting cases registered at Sadar police station. He was brought on production warrant for further investigations.

“The probe revealed that Simranjit had procured three country-made pistols and 500 grams of smack from Meerut. He had given two pistols and 240 grams smack to his accomplices while he sold the third pistol to Kulwinder Singh at Rs 5,000,” the SHO said.

Amritsar, April 19
The Chheharta police today arrested two persons with 400 grams of heroin, worth Rs 40 lakh in the international market, and 200 grams of smack.

They were identified as Vijay Kumar of Dashmesh Nagar, Kot Khalsa, and Madhu of Ram Nagar Colony, Islamabad. The police has registered a case under Sections 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act.

Ashwani Kumar, SHO, Chheharta police, said the duo was nabbed during a naka following a tip-off. He said they were going towards the government polytechnic when they were intercepted. During search, the police party seized the heroin from Vijay and 200 grams smack from Madhu. — TNS