College gets new block, but not regular principal
Amritsar, July 27
Though the SGPC opened a new building block at Trai Shatabdi Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College today, it is yet to appoint a regular principal at the college.






SGPC president Avtar Singh inaugurates a new building of Trai Shatabdi Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College in Amritsar on Friday. A Tribune photo

MC fails to pin responsibility for Kanika’s death 
Amritsar, July 27
The Municipal Corporation authorities are yet to fix the responsibility for the death of Kanika Chugh who died after her scooter fell in an open manhole. Sanjiv Khanna (62) and his son Sadesh Khanna also received head injuries when their scooter fell at the same spot barely hours after the tragedy. Sanjiv is being treated at a private hospital.

Amritsar, July 27
Boldly standing up to criminals, a woman, whose identity is not known, helped in the arrest of two robbers who had entered the house of her landlady on the pretext of cleaning the sewer. One of the accused is absconding.

Saranjit Kaur, a resident of Abadi Mahant Laxman Dass, near Balmik temple on the Sultanwind road was alone at her residence at the time of the incident. Her tenant lives on the first floor. Three robbers posing as sewerage board employees entered the house on the pretext of cleaning the sewerage and bolted the door. They snatched two gold bangles and a gold chain from Saranjit. The gold weighed 52 grams.

Sensing this, the victim’s tenant came out and raised an alarm. Before the robbers could understand anything, she attacked them barehanded. Listening to the shouts, their neighbours came running towards the house. As the three robbers tried to escape, the brave tenant slapped one of them and he fell on the stairs. He was arrested by the Sultanwind police.

The accused have been identified as Sohan Singh of Prem Nagar on Majitha Road, Manjit Singh of Jagdev Kalan and Bittu of Jora Phatak area. The police said Sohan Singh and Manjit Singh have been arrested while raids are on to nab the third accused.

Amritsar, July 27
Alleging that the seats for the MBBS course at Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Science and Research had been allotted to ‘patit’ (apostate) students, parents and aspirants held a protest outside the institute today. The counselling for 
admissions was held today. They alleged favouritism in violation of rules.

students while allotting MBBS seats through the counselling held today.

Aspirants and their parents form a human chain; a student shows his result card  Photo Sameer Sehgal

Parminder Singh from Chandigarh said, “We have seen that students who had cut their beards and had evidently grown it only for the purpose of the counselling but those living their life strictly following the tenants of Sikhism were denied seats.”

The agitators shouted slogans against SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar and demanded that counselling should be held in a free and fair manner.

Another parent Kulwant Singh said, “As per the result downloaded from the institute’s website a few days ago, my Son Ekamdeep Singh, roll number 1259 was ranked 163 with 114 marks in the paper one. But when we checked it again before coming for the counselling, his rank was shown as 128 with 119 marks.” Showing both the copies he alleged that the merit position had been changed.

Institute’s principal Dr Geeta Sharma said, “Some parents misunderstood and they were satisfied when everything was explained to them. Counselling for the course was conducted in the presence of the representatives of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. “There was no question of ignoring the merit or bylaws,” she said.

The additional secretary of the Trust, Dr AP Singh said, “Confusion was created as two of the students had same name. The call was for Arshdeep Kaur with rank 84 but her namesake with rank 137 responded by mistake. 

The agitating parents also alleged that the counselling was eyewash and influential candidates were allotted seats ignoring the interests of the meritorious and deserving candidates.

Aspirants and their parents form a human chain; a student shows his result card and (below) a dharna being held in front of Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Science and Research in Amritsar on Friday.

Amritsar, July 27
Though the SGPC opened a new building block at Trai Shatabdi Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College today, it is yet to appoint a regular principal at the college.

With a view to celebrate the tricentenary of Khalsa Panth, the SGPC has opened the college in 1999. In its 13 years of existence, the college got regular principal for less than three years. And for the rest 10 years, a lecturer-rank teacher headed the college. At present, the college is headed by an officiating principal.

The regular principals, who headed the college, were Paramjit Kaur Tiwana and Dr Gurdev Singh. Tiwana was appointed twice to lead the college.

An insider said the college got a regular principal only when the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) exerted pressure on the college to implement the University Grants Commission (UGC) norms as per which the affiliated college has to appoint a regular principal within six months.

Academicians said a college headed by lecturers, who have less experience in teaching and less understanding of administrative matters, cast a negative impact on students.

Tarlochan Singh, SGPC Secretary (Education), said Dr Gurdev Singh was the last regular principal who resigned in 2010. He said the process to appoint a regular principal is on and an advertisement was flashed in leading dailies a couple of weeks back.

He said many advertisements were splashed in the past too, but no suitable candidate was found to head the college.

Meanwhile, SGPC president Avtar Singh today inaugurated the new building of the college, which has been running from the premises of Sri Guru Ram Das Khalsa Senior Secondary School on Ramsar road near Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Shahid, as an evening college since its inception in 1999.

He informed that the building has 11 classrooms, three air conditioned laboratories.

He said in all, the newly built college building would have 40 classrooms, five computer laboratories, account branch, staff room, library and canteen.

Amritsar, July 27
The Municipal Corporation authorities are yet to fix the responsibility for the death of Kanika Chugh who died after her scooter fell in an open manhole. Sanjiv Khanna (62) and his son Sadesh Khanna also received head injuries when their scooter fell at the same spot barely hours after the tragedy. Sanjiv is being treated at a private hospital.

The Civil Lines police has slapped charges of 304-A IPC against unidentified municipal corporation employees in connection with the death of Kanika Chugh. But no one has been identified as being responsible for leaving the manhole open.

Jaswinder Singh, Additional Commissioner, Technical, who is conducting a probe into the case, said the probe could take some time as it involved a thorough probe. “We don’t want to probe the matter in a hurry. We are determined to take stern action in this regard but we want a thorough investigation in the case,” he said. The Police Commissioner RP Mittal had ordered the Civil Lines police to register a case.

Amritsar, July 27
The latest Bollywood import to Pollywood actor Ashmit Patel along with actors Jonita Doda and Jividha paid obeisance at the Golden Temple before the release of their Punjabi film 'Dil sada luteya gaya'.

"It feels very soothing to pray here before the start of my first Punjabi film. I like the feeling of calmness and spirituality that washes over you here."

“I love the food. I have tried Amritsari delicacies and I find them out of this world,” says Ashmit.

“The film has a very fresh story, a love story with a youthful and different treatment. It is sure to strike a chord with the youth,” he says.

The movie, Dil Sada Luteya Gaya, has Ashmit playing lead with actors Jonita Doda, Jividha and Rhythm Arora.

“It’s flattering to work with three beautiful actors. I am just a fresher while the three leading ladies are senior to me," he says.

"I find Punjabi a very sweet and easy language. I have been taking classes to learn the language and will not dub for my debut Punjabi film," he says.

The movie is lined up for January release and has newcomer Sonu Bajwa playing a baddie. It has been directed by Manoj Punj and also stars Mangi Mahal.

About his link ups, he says, “It's all rubbish. These link-ups are a part and parcel of the film industry. As actors, you get immune to it after some time. If I was married, it would have been different as it might have affected my family life. But I am single, so I take it with a pinch of salt.”

Amritsar, July 27
Rising prices of cereals, pulses and sugar have burnt a hole in the pocket of the common man. The prices of these products have increased considerably in the past fortnight.

Even as retail inflation in the country fell marginally in June, it failed to give respite to consumers. The all-India Consumer Price Inflation, a unit to evaluate retail inflation, was 10 per cent in June, in comparison to 10.4 per cent in May.

“A constant rise in prices of cereals, pulses, sugar and other essential commodities has upset our monthly budget,” said a housewife, Parminder Kaur. “Major chunk of my husband’s salary goes into bearing kitchen expenses leaving no room to save much for the future needs of my family,” she said.

Subhash Kumar, working with a private company, said his salary has seen a six per cent increase in the past one year but prices of all commodities have increased more than six per cent. “To keep the expenses under control, I have not procured any new article for my family this year,” he said.

He wondered that the government did not make any effort to rationalise the prices.

Vimal Kumar, owner of grocery shop, said the prices of cereals and pulses fluctuate frequently. He said it indicates that the present government has little control over prices.

Amritsar, July 27
Two local industrialists, who participated in the first meeting on drafting of the state’s new industrial policy, advocated a string of measures to the government.

Kamal Dalmia asked the government to take a cue from industrial policies of Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh as these have shown tremendous results over a period of time.

He said the state government must bring all the departments related to industry under the ambit of the Right to Service Act at the earliest. He also demanded four laning of leading roads of the state to ensure smooth, trouble free and quick transportation.

He also suggested the government to raise the capital investment limit for micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) from Rs five crore to Rs 10 crore. He said it would help MSME industry to avail various available benefits which could be used to upgrade the units.

He said imposition of hiked power tariffs retrospectively from April 1 was unbusinesslike.

He advocated setting up of industrial adalats under the supervision of the Principal Secretary, Industries. He sought upgrade of fire brigade and introduction of the goods and service tax (GST) in the state.

Industrialist Sundeep Khosla sought the introduction of the interest-free loans in the border belt on the line of the one introduced in 1978. He felt that the government must set up land banks for industrial zones under the public private partnership mode.

Amritsar, July 27
Hardyal Singh, a resident of Chatiwind village, was crushed under a speeding Punjab Roadways bus at Chatiwind Road here today. The bus hit his motorcycle as he tried to take a turn while coming out of a petrol pump. The bus driver of the bus fled the spot leaving the bus behind.

Investigating officer, Gurbhej Singh, said Hardyal and two of his friends who were on a different motorcycle were taking a turn after coming out of the filling station at the time of the incident. The bus (PB-02-AS-8601) was coming from Moga.

He said a case under Section 304-A, 279 and 427 IPC has been registered against the unidentified accused.

Amritsar, July 27
The CIA staff has arrested Gurpreet Singh alias Tota (22) of Khara Nikka Vehra village in Tarn Taran. The accused allegedly stole vehicles and sold them on the basis of forged documents. The police has also recovered three motorcycles from his possession.

He admitted to have stolen three motorcycles which were later recovered after he admitted to it during interrogation.