Jalandhar, June 18
After witnessing a long period of dry spell and heatwave in the region, the city residents were in for a surprise this morning as weather remained pleasant with cool winds blowing throughout the day.

However, the biggest surprise came around noon when it started drizzling, bringing respite for the residents. Though the drizzle lasted just 15 minutes, but that came as a welcome change.

The Met Department at Adampur Air Force Station predicted a cloudy weather to occasional and continuous dust haze in the next 24 hours. Earlier today, the minimum temperature was recorded at 29°C, while the maximum remained at 43.4°C.

No sooner it started drizzling, people, especially the children, were seen enjoying the weather. The region was virtually parched and baked in the unabated heatwave, which saw people staying indoors throughout the day and coming out in the evening only.

“For the past around a fortnight, unabated heatwave had forced people to stay indoors. The sudden change in the weather made the day pleasant today. As the weather was pleasant, children, too, had a good time and enjoyed the drizzle,” said Akash Sharma, a father of two children.

“The drizzle and cool winds ensured a respite from the heatwave, which had made life miserable for the past some days. Even during the afternoon and later in the evening, weather remained pleasant,” Priyanka Vats, a housewife, said.

Last week the maximum temperature was recorded at 43°C. Yesterday, the city had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.8°C, while the minimum remained at 26.5°C.

On June 16, mercury rose to 43.6°C and on June 15, the maximum temperature was recorded at 42.6°Celsius. The maximum temperature on June 14 was recorded at 41°C, while on June 13 at 42.3°C.

Jalandhar, June 18
A 22-year-old youth allegedly committed suicide last evening after he was robbed of Rs 500 by some miscreants. The youth allegedly took the extreme step due to remorse as he couldn’t bring medicine for his mother, who is suffering from some prolonged illness.

The deceased, Sonu, son of Joginder, resident of the New Aman Nagar locality, was working as a labourer along with his father in a bat-manufacturing factory.

Joginder, the deceased’s father, alleged to the police that Sonu’s mother was bedridden as she was suffering from some serious illness. “Yesterday, Sonu had borrowed Rs 500 to buy medicine for his mother’s treatment and when he was on his way to buy medicine, he was robbed of the cash by some miscreants on the Kala Sanghia road. He also sustained injuries in the incident,” he said.

Instead of complaining to the police, Sonu got his treatment done from some private clinic, Joginder said, adding that the loss of Rs 500 had completely shattered Sonu and he was even fearing to face his mother, who was waiting for the medicine.

Sonu committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan at his residence, Joginder said.

The SHO, Bhargo Camp police station, Somnath, said though Sonu’s body was having some injury marks, but in the preliminary investigation the police didn’t ascertain any loot incident, so inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the IPC were done.

The deceased’s relatives, however, told the police that the father-son duo was having tension as their meagre income was not enough to get treatment for Sonu’s mother.

They claimed that a few days ago Sonu told them that he would commit suicide as he couldn’t bear the expenses of his mother’s treatment.

Jalandhar, June 18
The Division No 8 police has booked 13 persons, including a woman, in an attempt-to-murder case and arrested one of the accused. The armed accused had attacked three brothers - Ravi Thaper, Joginder Thaper and Ashwani Thaper - of Baldev Nagar after barging into their house late last night.

The accused are Ramesh Kumar Meshi, Ram Lal, Laxmi, Vijay, Nannu and eight unknown persons. Ram Lal had been arrested by the police.

A case under Section 307, 323, 452, 148 and 149 of the IPC was registered.

Ravi Thaper had complained to the police that last night when he and his two brothers returned from the Jammu, they were informed by their aunt that a woman, Laxmi, who was also their immediate neighbour, had used abusive language for them.

“When we went to ask the woman the reason for abusing our family, she again abused us and threatened us with dire consequences,” Ravi said, adding that the moment they reached home, a number of armed youths barged into their house along with the woman and attacked them with sharp-edged weapons.

The SHO, Bimal Kant, said the three brothers sustained serious head injuries and were undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital. — OC

Jalandhar, June 18
The sewerage-laying work by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board has led to the collapse of a part of the boundary wall and a washroom and huge cracks in the house of a retired junior engineer (JE) of Powercom at Nangal Shama village.

The foundation of the building is also getting weak day by day and the flooring tiles have started caving in.

Tajinder Pal Sharma, the house owner, alleges that during the sewerage-laying process an electricity pole fell down on the house, which damaged the boundary wall and led to the collapse of a washroom situated adjacent to the outer wall.

“The cracks in the house got bigger after the sewerage department dug up about 25-30 sewerage lines in front of my house. Due to the sinking of flooring tiles, our main gate has struck in the midway,” Sharma rues.

Sharma said when the sewerage-laying work was in full swing last month, quite visible cracks had already started cropping up in the house, but still the sewerage department continued with the work and let the cracks develop to the extent that it led to the collapse of the boundary wall and the washroom.

“Due to these cracks, the fear of roof collapse has gripped the six of my family members,” Sharma said, adding that to prevent the collapse of the building, he has got a wooden support fixed to the roof.

“If his house is not repaired before the arrival of monsoons, it may collapse any time and the sewerage department will be responsible for it,” Sharma said, adding that despite the risk of house collapse, they were forced to live in the house as he had no other place to live.

He has also submitted a written complaint to the sewerage board and Deputy Commissioner and they have assured him of justice,” he claims.

“The repair work will not bring the building to its original state and if the department really want to compensate me, then it should get the damaged portion completely reconstructed,” he demands.

Sharma’s daughter-in-law Rajni Sharma said due to the collapse of the bathroom, the sewerage connection pipe and water supply pipe fitted in the house has also got completely damaged, hence waste water had started accumulating in the house, which could further weaken the foundation of the building.

When contacted, Executive Engineer of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Resham Lal said he had already inspected the damage to the house and the department would initiate the repair work of the building as soon as the sewerage-laying work in the locality got completed.

Jalandhar, June 18
With the rising temperature and unbearable heat, troubles of the city residents have further multiplied due to the shortage of potable water in various localities.

Santokhpura, Saraba Nagar, Durga Colony, New Santokhpura, Uccha Mohalla and Globe Colony are some of the localities where there is scarcity of potable water. Every morning and evening residents can be seen queueing up awaiting their turn to get water from private water tankers.

Surprisingly, residents have been facing the problem of water scarcity for the last several years, still no efforts have been made by the Municipal Corporation (MC) to solve it.

Residents claim that sometimes they have to use the stored water for several days, which may become the cause of water-borne diseases.

Arjun Kumar, a resident of Santokhpura locality, alleges that the supply of potable water is lacking for the last five years and everyday they have to gather drinking water from the local gurdwara.

Reena Rani, councillor of the Santokhpura locality, states three tubewells need to be installed urgently in the area to solve the problem of the shortage of water. “I have promised the area residents of raising the issue in the meeting of the MC House,” she asserts.

“Sometimes the MC sends a water tanker in the area, but on most of the days, private water tankers are being called to get potable water and the area residents contribute money equally to pay for the service,” the councillor discloses.

Same is the plight of the residents of Globe Colony and its surrounding areas where the supply of drinking is also deficient. However, the newly elected councillor, Kawaljit Singh, reveals that a new tubewell has already been sanctioned, which is likely to be installed in a month or so.

Anita Saini, resident of the colony, says that till the new tubewell is installed, an alternative water supply needs to be arranged.

Jalandhar, June 18
The Division No 4 police today arrested a drug peddler and recovered 500 gm of opium from him. The peddler was on his way to supply the drug to his clients in the city. The peddler was identified as Rohit Sharma, resident of Rasta Mohalla. The SHO, Surinderpal Singh, said following a tip-off, the police laid a trap and arrested Rohit.

During preliminary investigation, Rohit revealed to the police that he had been getting the supply of opium from drug peddlers of Rajasthan and supplying in the city.

Jalandhar, June 18
While the race for becoming fifth Mayor of Jalandhar is gaining momentum day by day. The prominent BJP councilors and the politicians heading district women wings of various political parties expressed their resentment over de-reserving Mayor post which had earlier been reserved for the woman.

In may cause embarrassment to the ruling SAD-BJP alliance, the district president of BJP, Mahila Morcha Urmil Vaid said, “The post of the Mayor should not be de-reserved once it had been reserved for the woman as per rotation system”.

Urmil Vaid said, “Actual women activists are generally ignored by BJP while allocating tickets. The tickets are then allocated to the wives and mothers of male politicians in the wards reserved for the women.”

Urmil Vaid recently resigned from her post over the issue of not allocating any ticket to active woman politician during MC polls. However, she took back her resignation after some time when she was informed by senior party politicians that win ability had been considered as main criterion while distributing tickets.

The district president of Mahila Morcha said she had also raised the issue of ignoring active women politicians in several BJP meetings where the state president, Ashwani Sharma and other senior leaders were also present.

Echoing her sentiments, the district president of Istri Akali Dal, Simarjeet Kaur said, “The post of Mayor may have been de-reserved due to male dominance in the politics. Only the Mayor post was reserved for the woman as per the rules, it should have not been de-reserved”.

Simarjeet Kaur said, “She had sought two tickets for the members of Istri Akali Dal for the MC polls but not even a single ticket was allocated. I became a bit disappointed over this treatment but remained silent for the larger interest of the party”.

“While deputy CM and SAD president Sukhbir Badal is working for the women rights but the low-rung leaders in the party are overlooking them,” Simarjeet said. “The active women should be given deserving places while allocating tickets and making nominations for various committees, boards and trusts,” she said.

Similarly, the president of district mahila Congress (Urban), Dr Jasleen Sethi termed it as an inefficiency of SAD-BJP government for de-reserving the Mayor post in Jalandhar whereas it had been reserved for the woman as per rotation system.

Dr Sethi said her party had allocated three tickets to active women Neelam Gogi, Reeta Sharma and Sushma Gautam for MC elections this time.

Earlier, the convener of Punjab Congress publicity committee, Virendra Sharma and the district Congress (urban) president, Arun Walia, flayed the ruling SAD-BJP alliance for ignoring women by deserving the Mayor post.

Congress leaders said the Mayor post for Jalandhar Municipal Corporation had earlier been reserved for the woman but Parkash Singh Badal led alliance government de-reserved it by misutilising government machinery.

Jalandhar, June 18
The members of BJP Mahila Morcha have decided to take part in the jail bharo andolan on June 22. This was decided during a meeting held at the local circuit house here today.

Jalandhar Central MLA Manoranjan Kalia chaired the meeting in which issues of price rise, escalating petrol prices, corruption was discussed.

Kalia urged the Mahila Morcha members to actively participate in the andolan and raise public concern issues.

The district president of Mahila Morcha, Urmil Vaid, said women leaders of the BJP played a major role in the victory of the SAD-BJP alliance in the assembly as well as the recently held Municipal Corporation elections.

“We will highlight the anti-people policies of the UPA government during the andolan. The women members would raise the issue of escalating prices of essential commodities, which has made the life of common man miserable,” she added.