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Residents suffer as BJP holds ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’
Shanta Kumar, Manoranjan Kalia court arrest
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Maharashtra fire
Fire safety equipment at the District Administrative Complex in Jalandhar.
Photo: Sarabjit Singh
3 brothers booked for group clash in Santokhpura
More names crop up for Mayor’s post
Elections gone, power cuts on
Women use hand fans to get some relief from the scorching heat during a power cut while sitting outside their houses at the Bhargo Camp locality in Jalandhar on Friday afternoon. Photo: Sarabjit Singh
NCC squadron to get microlight aircraft
Man commits suicide
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Residents suffer as BJP holds ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’
Jalandhar, June 22 The around two-hour-long protest, addressed by senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar and others, led to the total blockade of the busy stretch of Ladowali Road leading to the DAC, courts, tehsil and the police commissionerate. The protest started at 11 am and concluded at 1.15 pm. During the protest, BJP leaders and party workers, who had gathered in large numbers, closed the main entrance to the DAC and did not allow the visitors to go inside. Shanta Kumar was accompanied by Jalandhar (Central) MLA Manoranjan Kalia, District BJP president Subhash Sood and many other local leaders. Though a heavy posse of city police was deployed to avoid any untoward incident, but that further added to the problems of the common man. The police had taken a preventive measure and diverted the traffic from different routes like Master Tara Singh Nagar, Shashtri Market, BMC Chowk and ISBT in the city. Scores of city residents who had come to visit the DAC for different works had to return empty handed. Although, the officials, employees and people, who were inside the DAC complex, remained unaffected with the protest, but there were many, who were not even aware of the protest, were caught unawares. Shakuntala Devi, an elderly woman, who was seen sitting near a shop with her son, said, “I had come to deposit my land registration forms, but the BJP workers did not allow us to enter the DAC from the main entrance. We remained struck inside the traffic for more than half an hour and then reached from the other entrance of the police commissionerate.” Another group of villagers from Jamsher, who, too, had come for some work at the land records office, had to return empty handed. “We mistook the protest of the BJP as a dharna of some local group and got caught in the jam. This should not be the way of protest. It was Jail Bharo Andolan, so where was the need to hold a protest. Such acts always lead to inconvenience to the public,” said Satnam Singh, one of the villagers. There were many residents who were forced to take a diverted route following the protest in front of the DAC. Avinash Singh, a city resident, said, “We were inside the DAC when the protest started. Since we had parked our car near the PUDA complex, it took us more than half an hour to make way to reach our vehicle and even longer to commute as the protest led to a traffic jam later.” Later, when the protest came to an end at 1.15 pm, it led to even more chaos as the entire route was flooded with vehicles. While people rushed to the DAC for getting their works done, the traffic police helped in easing the traffic congestion on Ladowali Road.
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Shanta Kumar, Manoranjan Kalia court arrest
Jalandhar, June 22 His supporters said they came on the horse cart as the rates of petrol and diesel had gone out of the reach of the common man due to escalating prices of petroleum products during Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. Before courting their arrests during the BJP’s nationwide “Jail Bharo Aandolan” against escalating prices of essential commodities, party national vice-president Shanta Kumar and Manoranjan Kalia addressed the gathering at the protest site outside the DAC today. Shanta Kumar and Kalia flayed Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government for escalating prices of essential commodities. District BJP president Subash Sood and district BJP Mahila Morcha chief Urmil Vaid were also present. Several protesters left the site midway due to the scorching heat. Later, a number of BJP workers, led by Shanta Kumar and former local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia courted their arrest. They were taken to the Police Lines from the DAC. The leaders were offered “lassi” by police officials. In the evening, terming the protest by the BJP a drama, state Congress Publicity Committee convener Virendra Sharma and DCC chief Arun Walia said the BJP should put pressure on its alliance partner SAD to reduce VAT on petrol as the state taxes on petrol were highest in Punjab. Earlier, in an informal chat with mediapersons Shanta Kumar stated that the BJP was not in support of the construction of a memorial to those killed in the Operation Bluestar in the Golden Temple. Shanta Kumar’s statement on the memorial holds significance as it was issued a day after Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal’s statement in the Assembly in which he opposed bestowing honour on former CM Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana. Shanta Kumar said, “The BJP oppose construction of any such memorial.” However, he evaded several other queries, including the one regarding will BJP take up the issue of reducing VAT on petrol in Punjab.
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DC orders checking of DAC’s fire system
Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Priyank Bharti ordered the MC Commissioner to check the fire safety arrangements at the District Administration Complex (DAC). The DC also ordered that a four-member committee be constituted, specially to check the fire safety arrangements at the DAC, with the four record rooms in the complex on the top of his priority list. A visit to the DAC by The Tribune team revealed that while the complex is a hub of activity with a footfall of about a 1,000 persons per day, the fire safety system in the complex is clearly obsolete and unused for over a decade. A laxity would clearly have endangered the lives of officials and the many visitors to the complex in the eventuality of a fire. Fire hoses are present in the corridors of the main building, which houses the DC’s office, of the complex and pipes run through all the upper floors. While nowhere could a single fire-extinguishing cylinder be seen in the complex, the fire-safety system being used at the DAC is inherently a water-based system, running on pipes and hoses. Clearly in case of an urgent need, one would have to wait for the water hydrant at the complex, due to the total lack of other extinguishers. The hose pipes on all the floors were cobwebbed and eating dust, with some of the hose shelves being used to keep things by visitors or DAC staff. The hose units on the roof of the complex were seen to be rusted. Since there hasn’t been any fire at the complex (since the setting up of the fire safety system in 2000), it has never been used. Insiders say they do not remember the last time they saw a mock drill or a check being conducted on the system, either. District Fire Officer Kashmir Singh said, “It has been sometime since the system was set up and we have been conducting checks whenever asked. The DC has ordered a checking of the fire system of the DAC and we would be conducting it today.” While the Fire Officer said there was nothing wrong with the existing fire system at the DAC, when asked why there weren’t any fire extinguishing cylinders at the DAC, he said, “Extinguishers have certainly been installed at the DAC, but they are kept in the offices.” Speaking on the issue, Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti said, “I have ordered to conducted checking of the fire system at the DC complex. A four-member committee will look into the fire safety arrangements of the complex and come up with concrete arrangements within three days. We are specially making sure that the four record rooms of the complex - main, subsidiary and two other - are completely safe.” The DC added that he had never seen any mock drills being conducted to check the working of the DAC’s fire safety system, “Since the system is unused, the checking will help us gauge whatever trouble there is with the system. I have categorically mentioned that the process should be completed within three days to ensure the safety of the visitors and the records.”
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3 brothers booked for group clash in Santokhpura
Jalandhar, June 22 The incident took place at 11 pm last night when four persons, namely Ashwani, Harbans, Deepak, alias Deepa, and Ninder, were standing at a juice vend in the Santokhpura locality consuming alcohol. Eyewitnesses revealed that Ashwani was supporter of the Congress, while the remaining three, all brothers, were of the BSP. While drinking, they started arguing over some political issues, which took an ugly turn in a few minutes only. When Ashwani objected to some arguments, the trio abused and started manhandling him. After coming to know about the clash, Ashwani’s supporters, including Binder, Ricky and Madan, reached the spot and the clash turned furious. Meanwhile, nearby people intervened and pacified both the groups. The eyewitnesses said when Ashwani and his supporters were heading home, the members of the other group started pelting them with stones. In no time, both the groups started pelting each other with stones which caused panic in the area. Meanwhile, scores of police personnel of the Police Divisions No 1, 3 and 8 reached the spot. Despite police’s presence, the groups kept pelting each other with stones for a few more minutes, in which a windowpane of a police vehicle of Police Division No 8 was smashed. After a few minutes of struggle, the police managed to pacify the two groups and took some suspected persons in its custody. Dharamvir, SHO, Division No 3 police station, said Ashwani sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. His three supporters also sustained minor injuries and were discharged after first aid. On the statement of Ashwani, a case under Sections 452, 323, 148, 149 and 506 of the IPC was registered against Deepak, Harbans and Ninder and raids were being conducted to nab them, he said.
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More names crop up for Mayor’s post
Jalandhar, June 22 Jalandhar (North) MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Krishan Dev Bhandari’s cousin Ashwini Bhandari and Kanchan Sharma have also reportedly joined race for the Mayor’s post, whereas Minta Kochar (Ward 27 councillor), Sunil Jyoti (Ward 5 councillor), Ravi Mohindru (Ward 38 councillor) and Dalit Kasturi Lal (Ward 52 councillor) are already in race for the post. When contacted, councillor Ashwini Bhandari said, “Whatever responsibility the party will entrust to me, I will work accordingly.” During the recent MC elections Ashwini Bhandari defeated former councillor Chaman Lal Dada in Ward 20, from where outgoing Mayor Rakesh Rathour emerged victorious during previous polls. When asked about his recent meeting along with CPS KD Bhandari and several BJP councillors, including Kanwaljit Singh Bedi and Bhagwant Prabhakar, with RSS office-bearers during a camp at the Doaba School playground a few days ago, he claimed “His cousin MLA Bhandari did not pursued his case for the Mayor’s post, but he just urged RSS office-bearers to give a chance to any BJP councillor elected from any ward falling under the Jalandhar (North) Assembly segment.” Similarly, BJP Mahila Morcha president Urmil Vaid said she had already requested senior BJP leaders during several meetings during the MC elections that a woman should be made Mayor this time. “If my suggestion is sought, I will suggest Ward 34 councillor Kanchan Sharma’s name for the post of Mayor. Ward 18 councillor Suman Sehgal is also active, but the two-time councillor Kanchan is more active as compared to the former,” she added. Meanwhile, various residents wanted that BJP should appoint city Mayor at the earliest. Raj Kumar Sharma of the Babu Labh Singh locality said the BJP leadership should finalise Mayor’s name at the earliest so that development work of various parts of the city should restart without any further delay. |
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Elections gone, power cuts on
Jalandhar, June 22 When The Tribune team visited the Bhargo Camp locality, most of the women of the area were seen using hand fans in an attempt to get some relief from the heatwave while sitting on cots and folding beds outside their houses. One of the women, Preeto Devi, said “There is no fix time for power cuts. The PSPCL authorities impose power cuts at their whims and fancies. Power cuts also affect supply of water throwing normal life out of gear.” The Bhargo Camp locality is not the only one, but thousands of residents of almost every locality, including Deep Nagar, Golden Avenue and Birring village in cantonment and Mohalla Gobindgarh, Thapran Mohalla, Mai Hiran Gate, Gopal Nagar, Globe Colony, Guru Nanak Pura, Rail Vihar and
Bhagat Singh Colony in the city are sailing in the same boat. Newlywed Tejpal Sharma and Mandeep Dhanota of the Guru Nanak Pura (West) and Rail Vihar localities, respectively, said “They face more problems due to unscheduled power cuts during night.” Hundreds of industrialists are facing similar problem as PSPCL has imposed a one-day mandatory weekly cut on furnace units. Flaying the SAD-BJP government for imposing unscheduled power cuts on consumers, state Congress’ Publicity Committee convener Virendra Sharma said, “Several hours-long cuts after the MC polls have exposed the public-friendly face of the Badal government.” While PSPCL Director (Distribution) Arun Verma could not be contacted, despite repeated attempts, an official claimed that there was no connection of unscheduled cuts with the recently held MC elections. Actually PSPCL had to impose cuts to ensure eight-hour supply in rural areas for paddy season started on June 10, which coincidentally coincided with the date of the MC polling, he added. |
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NCC squadron to get microlight aircraft
Jalandhar, June 22 This was disclosed by National Cadet Corps (NCC) Director-General Lt-Gen PS Bhalla during his visit to the squadron here today. He was here in the city on a visit to the air squadron. Sources maintained that it was a long pending demand of the air squadron and once procured, the aircraft would be either stationed at the Army Aviation Corps, Jalandhar Cantonment or at the Adampur airbase. Till now, the cadets were dependent on the Sahnewal and Pinjore flying clubs for flying sessions, where they had been going for sorties along with pilots. “An NCC air squadron cadet should get at least 15 minutes of flying session. But owing to no microlight aircraft in Jalandhar, the cadets were forced to confine themselves to theory only,” said an assistant. Gen Bhalla also discussed the issue of enhancing the honorariums of the Associate NCC Officers (ANOs) and the refreshments of the cadets, the amount of which was very less. |
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Man commits suicide
Jalandhar, June 22 The deceased has been identified as Madan
Lal, resident of Varyana village. The deceased’s wife Jagir Kaur told the Government Railway Police
(GRP) that her husband had been out of work and due to this he was upset. The deceased has left behind five children. After sending body for postmortem, the police has initiated the inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the
CrPC.
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Jalandhar, June 22
Jalandhar, June 22