Amritsar, July 14
A man trying to catch hold of two robbers was critically injured after the miscreants fired at him in the Naraingarh area at Chheharta here today.

Jaspal Singh, the victim, along with other residents and shopkeepers, had rushed to save a woman, identified as Jasbir Kaur, who was robbed of her gold jewellery by the robbers who had come on a motorcycle.

Jasbir Kaur was sitting inside her residence when the accused entered the house and snatched her gold chain and earrings. She raised an alarm and resisted robbers' attempt. The woman even pulled them down when they tried to flee.

The nearby shopkeepers and residents rushed to the spot to save the woman and nab the culprits.

The residents, including a former BSF jawan, tried to nab the culprits. In the melee, a country-made pistol of the accused fell down. Showing presence of mind, a person took that gun and threw it on the roof of the nearby tubewell.

However, one of the accused climbed up the wall and got the pistol. He fired seven shots first in the air to intimidate and disperse people. They tried to flee from the spot, but showing courage Jaspal Singh caught hold of an accused. In panic, the accused shot at him leaving him critically injured.

Jaspal Singh was rushed to a hospital in a serious condition. Also his younger brother was hit by splinters.

Senior police officials, including Amrik Singh Pawar, ADCP (City-II) reached the spot and interacted with residents and Jasbir Kaur.

Amrik Singh Pawar said a case under Section 392 of the IPC has been registered against the unidentified accused. He said sketches of the suspected youths are being prepared and hopefully, they would be arrested soon. He said the motorcycle recovered from the spot was found to be stolen.

Amritsar, July 14
Even as the city police claims to have taken a number of steps to nail the problem of snatchings, there is no stopping the snatchers.

Continuous spurt in snatching incidents has put a big question mark on the law and order situation in the city. These incidents leave city residents especially women and tourists feeling insecure as they become the prime target of snatchers.

Most of times they are left frightened as these anti-social elements don’t hesitate to physically assault them in case they resist their attempts.

Even the imposition of more serious sections such as 379-B and 382 of the Indian Penal Code against these criminals has failed to check these incidents.

Amritsar, July 14
Several unidentified persons stabbed one Jagtar Singh of Bhangwan village to death falling under Majitha police station in Amritsar rural police district here last evening.

The Majitha police has registered a case in this connection and launched the investigation. It is learnt that the accused, posing as salesmen of a tea company, asked Jagtar Singh to come out of his house.

But as soon as Jagtar came out of the house, the accused dragged him and repeatedly stabbed him. He was critically injured. Listening to his shouts, his family members and neighbours gathered. However, the accused managed to escape.

Jagtar Singh was immediately rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries late last night.

The police authorities said a case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered against the unidentified accused. The police handed over the body to the family after post-mortem examination.

Amritsar, July 14
Six persons belonging to two groups sustained minor injuries during a firing incident in Chheharta area here today. The incident occurred over a property dispute.

While one group, headed by Mahabir Singh, tried to forcibly take the possession of a property, the other group, led by Labh Singh, owner of Guru Nanak Collection Centre, opposed the move.

Those injured were identified as Kuldeep Singh, Baljinder Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Rinku of Mahabir group and Sonu and Labh Singh of the other group. The injured were rushed to a hospital where their condition is stated to be stable. Senior police officials, led by Police Commissioner RP MIttal, reached the spot.

The police has registered a case under Sections 325, 336, 452 and 120-B of the IPC and relevant section of the Arms Act against 30 persons, including Mahabir Singh, in this connection. No arrest has been made so far.

Sources said an altercation occurred between the two groups over the possession of the property. The altercation soon took ugly turn. The accomplices of Mahabir Singh allegedly opened fire against the opposite group.

Amritsar, July 14
A brief spell of heavy rain in the wee hours today exposed the tall claims of the Municipal Corporation which had undertaken 51-day de-silting drive as part of monsoon preparation.

Various roads in the city were inundated after the rain.

Importantly, residents had to bear the brunt of MC shortcomings.

Due to the inadequate water disposal system, the dirty water overflows from drains along the houses or shops and gets accumulated on the streets.

While the residents say they find it difficult to reach their homes, shopkeepers resent that these conditions hamper their business and expose them to various diseases.

Apart from the walled city area, from where over 60 per cent of the total waste water of entire city emerges, residential lanes of Krishna Avenue, Sultanwind, Jawaharnagar, Havelian, Mustafabad, Karampura, Faizpura, Dhupai, Bhagtanwala (outside), Gilwali gate, Anngarh, Mohkampura, Rasulpur Kallar and Indira Colony on the Batala Road (near Verka) turned into a pool.

MC workers were spotted draining out water manually near a mall.

Even as the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), in collaboration

with Japan International Corporation Agency (JAICA), has conceptualised a plan to rejuvenate the existing sewerage system under the JNNURM programme, there has been no "transformation" on the ground even after a year.

Residents complained that several accidents have happened due to slippery roads.

Residents of the Chheharta area, which comprise Gannupur, Kale and Wadali villages, said during rains, they have to pass through the muddy pool to reach the satellite hospital in their locality. This hospital would be surrounded by knee-deep dirty water standing on its periphery.

Jatinder Kumar Pappi, a BJP activist and a resident of the Nawankot area, said, "I am an avid BJP activist. Due to internal friction within the ruling parties, I have no say on getting the sewerage system rectified."

Ashwani Arora, a cloth merchant in the walled city, said these filthy conditions exist since his birth. "It was same 40 years ago. I hardly expect any reforms in the near future. Slippery roads here cause frequent accidents," he said. 

Amritsar, July 14
The Amritsar Municipal Corporation plans to come out with new advertisement policy as conceptualised by the state government for putting up hoardings and unipoles in the city with an aim to curb fraudulent practices that were prevalent in the past.

This move is a result of stern directions issued by the high court to the Secretary, Local Bodies Department. The HC ordered removal of all hoardings put up illegally either by political leaders, parties or commercial organisations on road berms, rooftops of residential complexes.

Nevertheless, in Amritsar, despite staff crunch, the MC has formed a special team under a superintendent and an inspector to ensure compliance with the HC orders.

MC Additional Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said it would be for the first time that an advertisement policy is being framed in the state. “A draft has already been framed and it’s in the final stage. A meeting to this effect took place yesterday. Once this policy is implemented, no illegal hoardings or advertisement billboards would dot the city. In the absence of a concrete and uniform advertisement policy, we faced difficulty in implementing the HC directions in total,” he said.

Meanwhile, MC teams were spotted removing the hoardings of political parties or religious organisations.

Till date, over 200 such hoardings have been removed from rooftops. Officials expect around 400 more such hoardings still exist in the city.

Official records revealed that there were around 195 unipoles which were sanctioned for putting up advertisement or banners. Out of these, 82 were removed. But the remaining 113 cannot be disturbed as the MC has entered into an agreement with organisations concerned. As many as 91 unipoles would remain erected till December 2012.

Amritsar, July 14
Culminating the month-long campaigns on spreading awareness on blood donation, the health department today honoured various societies and organisations dedicated for the cause.

Dr Karanjit Singh, Health and Family Welfare Officer, Punjab, participated in the programme.

The institutions which were honoured included Shri Guru Ramdas Blood Donation Sewa Society, Amritsar College of Engineering and Technology, Shaheed Udham Singh Sports Club, Alpha Go Federation, 108 ambulance service, Bakshish Charitable Society and Nirankari Mandal Commission.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Karanjit Singh said due to today’s fast pace life, road accidents have become an order of the day in which many precious lives are lost due to non availability of blood. He said a single unit donated by a person could save four lives. He said more and more people should donate blood.

Besides doctors, members of various societies donated blood during a camp organised at the Civil Hospital here today.

Amritsar, July 14
GNDU Vice-Chancellor Dr AS Brar said in the next three years, the university and college administration system will be computerised.

Addressing principals of various affiliated colleges of the Guru Nanak Dev University, he said there is a dire need of coordination between the education sector and industry so that employment could be generated and need based vocational courses could be started.

He appealed to the principals to look into the problems of students and try to solve them on priority.

The principals also shared their problems with the Vice-Chancellor on this occasion.

Amritsar, July 14
With a view to meet the demand of skilled workers in the industry, the state has been introducing innovative short-term technical courses, said Trade and Industry Minister Anil Joshi during an interaction session with industrialists and principals of various Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) at Ranjit Avenue today.

“The need of the hour is to produce as many skilled hands in the wake of shortage of skilled labour. The state government has framed a policy for starting new technical courses,” he said.

The minister also asked the industrialists to let the department know about the type of skilled workers they need so that the courses could be pursued accordingly. He also appealed to them to open their doors for absorbing students of these institutes.

The minister further instructed the principals of ITIs to apprise the aspirants about yet-to-be launched courses and placement opportunities.

“These efforts would help eradicate unemployment”, he said.

Jagjit Singh, joint director, Industrial Training Department, Punjab, said the department has been apprising the industrialists about various courses. Meanwhile, those industrialists present on the occasion expressed full support to the cause.

Amritsar, July 14
Sukhdeep Singh has brought laurels to the city by bagging the sixth position in Indian Economics Service Examination, 2011. The examination was conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

At present, Sukhdeep is studying at IIT-Roorkee with specialisation in economics.

Sukhdeep has been a topper throughout his academic years. He bagged the gold medal in MSc (Honours) at Punjab School of Economics at Guru Nanak Dev University.

Sukhdeep credited his teacher Prof SP Singh, Department of Humanities, Roorkee, and his sister Satinder Kaur, who is a lecturer at a local college, for his success.

“They have always been my inspiration. Prof Singh has been a guiding force and my sister always encouraged me to come out with flying colours,” an elated Sukhdeep Singh said.