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Stone of 3G aquarium laid
DC told to look into construction of illegal shops
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Sub-inspector hurt in encounter with drug smugglers
Brick-kiln labourers at higher risk of respiratory problems: Study
Wholesale liquor outlet owner challaned
Panchayat can’t claim compensation for ‘Mushtarka Malkan’ land
Ashwini Sharma holds meeting with BJP office-bearers
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Stone of 3G aquarium laid
Jalandhar, August 23 As per the plans, the 3G aquarium would have four large fish, 150 exotic species from international waters and 50 species from Indian waters. There would also be double basement parking facility, 4D gaming zone, food court, aqua theme-based high-end dining restaurant, feeding-cum-demonstration training hall for schoolchildren, interactive zone and touch pools, where children would be able to touch and feel small fish. Outlining the project, Lim, Philippine owner of the Manila Oceanics, said he would submit the intricate architectural designs in a month’s time and get the work started at the site soon after these were cleared. He said the project would be finally ready in two years’ time. Asked about the charges to be levied, he said he was yet to study the local market and work out costs and other factors. “Anyways, it will be sustainable amount with special discounts for students as there will be a lot for them to learn.” Asked about the safety factors being taken into account for setting up 10,000 cubic metre aquarium, he said the acrylic boundary of the aquarium would be 1.3 feet thick and of such a strength that even a bullet would not be able to pierce it. Mayor Rathour said all the facilities would be developed in an area of 0.95 acre. The project, being developed on the built operate transfer (BOT) basis, would cost Rs 30 crore, to be spent by the company. “The developer would be given operational rights for a period of 47 years, including construction duration. The Municipal Corporation (MC) will not invest any amount in the project and get Rs 11 lakh per annum escalated at 10 per cent year on year bringing in revenue of Rs 96 crore in the due period of time. After the period, the facility would get transferred to the MC,” he said. He added that the company would directly employ 300 Indians, while also generate scope for indirect employment. Highlights
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DC told to look into construction of illegal shops
Chandigarh, August 23 In their petition against Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, the Improvement Trust, the Municipal Corporation, the District Congress Committee and other respondents, the petitioners had earlier contended that as many as 13 illegal shops had been constructed in the houseline. Appearing before the Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh, counsel Deipa Asdhir Dubey asserted that the shops were constructed without the passing of building plans and were not even in the map. Record was not available with the Improvement Trust regarding the handing over of the possession, she contended on the basis of information obtained under the Right to Information Act. Describing it as a case of commercialisation by a social institution, Dubey argued that neither the sale deed was registered nor conveyance deed executed for more than one kanal-eight marla plot. Going into the background, she said the land was allotted on July 24, 1974, by the Jalandhar Improvement Trust for ‘no profit no loss’ purpose. But, the allocation was cancelled due to non-payment of approximately Rs 16,000 sale amount. It was reallocated on April 7, 1980, after a resolution was passed to waive off penalty and interest on the amount as it was a “social institution”. |
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3 thieves held with copper wire coils
Jalandhar, August 23 The trio, who were rounded up in a drug trafficking case, turned out to be members of the gang of thieves when a city-based copper trader identified them while they were in the police lock-up. Talking to The Tribune, ADCP (City-I) RK Sharma revealed that Raju, resident of Saharanpur, Sunny, and Sushil, both from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, were arrested with 255 gm of charas and were in the police lock-up when a trader, whom they had approached for selling the stolen copper coils, identified them. Sharma revealed that during questioning, the trio admitted to have stolen the copper coils from the industrial unit along with their four other accomplices. In daytime the gang used to identify the industries to be targeted during night, the ADCP said. The gang had been active in the city and vicinity for the past couple of years and committed a number of thefts and burglaries. The policed had laid traps to nab their accomplices, who were still at large, claimed Sharma. Besides registering a case under the NPDS Act, the police has also booked them on the charges of theft, he said. |
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Sub-inspector hurt in encounter with drug smugglers
Jalandhar, August 23 The police, however, managed to nab a gangster and recovered two firearms from him besides a packet containing 1 kg of heroin, costing Rs 5 crore in the international market. The gangsters, including son of a former Punjab Police personnel, were reportedly travelling in an Alto car with a “police sticker” on its windscreen. The Superintendent of the Jalandhar (Rural) Police (Detective), Rajinder Singh, revealed that acting on a tip-off that the gangsters were smuggling heroin in
a vehicle a police party, led by Inspector Inderjit Singh from the Kartarpur police station, started chasing them from Kartarpur. During a long chase (almost 50 km) there was crossfire. The car occupants met with an accident when its driver lost control over the vehicle while taking the Jandiala Guru road from Dhilwan and rammed the vehicle into buffaloes. In charge of the Special Staff of the Jalandhar (Rural) Police Shiv Sharma also sustained injuries when a glass of their vehicle broke in the encounter. Here the gangsters again resorted to firing at the police, which it returned. Three armed members of the gang, however, managed to escape into the fields, while the fourth one, Charanjit Singh of Chabbal village, was nabbed. The police today also nabbed Charanjit Singh’s accomplice Gurjit Singh of Bhikhiwind in Amritsar district on his identification. The SP claimed that Charanjit Singh is son of a former police personnel, Ram Prakash, and had indulged in the trade for easy money. The kingpin of the gang was said to be a suspended cop Kashmir Singh, a resident of Jajyani village in Tarn Taran district. Rajinder Singh claimed that the gangsters had hidden the contraband in a field on the Jandiala Guru road and were on their way to get it. During questioning, Charanjit Singh named his accomplices as Kashmir Singh and Surjit Singh Sito of Havelian village in Tarn Taran district. The police had been conducting raids on the suspected hideouts of the gangsters and a case was registered at the Jandiala Guru police station. |
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Demo of bikes equipped with fire extinguishers held
Jalandhar, August 23 After the demonstration, the bikes were handed over by Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti and officiating ADC Sarojini Gautam Sharda to District Fire Officer Kashmir Singh. The demonstration of an inflatable tower light, costing Rs 1.5 lakh, which can go up to the height of 15 feet and can cover a radius of 1 km around the disaster site, was also held. This light, however will be retained by the local staff Daksh and Parwinder Singh. |
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Bank staff observe strike for 2nd day
Jalandhar, August 23 On day two, people faced huge inconvenience as the banks remained closed and the majority of the ATMs of nationalised banks were left with no cash in them. People were seen making rounds of the nationalised banks’ ATMs and later withdrawing cash from private banks’ ATMs. “Initially, I thought that there was some technical snag in the ATM, but later people from the adjoining shops told me that there was no cash
in the ATM. I had to withdraw cash from a private bank ATM,” said a resident. Convener of the UFBU Amrit Lal said they received reports that most of the ATMs were left with no cash. “Owing to the strike, we could not load the ATMs with cash and that in turn added to the inconvenience of the public. However, all the banks would be functional from tomorrow morning onwards,” he added. Although most of the city residents were aware of the strike, but still many were seen approaching the banks to check if some of the services were available. Many residents even feared that the strike would be prolonged as was reported in the media. “We had to get a land registered as soon as possible, but the strike left us in the lurch. We enquired from the union members and they assured us that the banks would be functional tomorrow,” said Niranjan Singh. From morning, bank employees and officers gathered in front of their bank branches and raised slogans against the policies of the Union Government. Later they gathered at the main branch of the State bank of India (SBI) at Civil Lines and held a massive rally, protesting against the Banking Laws Amendment Bill-2011. |
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Brick-kiln labourers at higher risk of respiratory problems: Study
Jalandhar, August 23 These findings came to the fore in a study conducted by two professors and one student from the Department of Industrial and Production Engineering of Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar. Assistant Prof Dr Lakhwinder Pal Singh, Prof Dr Arvind Bhardwaj and Vikas Monga, the student, studied a sample of 120 brick-kiln workers at a site and 80 unexposed workers as controlled group and found that brick-kiln workers were exposed to dust particles and were susceptible to multiple pulmonary complications. The team of the researchers noticed that the workers engaged in the brick manufacturing industry were at the risk of developing obstructive ventilatory impairment and restrictive ventilatory impairment. “The degree of this impairment was directly linked to the duration of the employment,” said Dr Lakhwinder. A technique of ‘spirometric tests’ was conducted on the sample with automatic data processing. Respirable dust was collected from four sections of the brick-kiln site - ‘pathai’ (molding), ‘bharai’ (filling), ‘nikasee’ (outlet) and ‘jalai’ (firing). “The ventilator function parameter was measured five times and an average of three best results was calculated. These tests were performed with a nose clip and with the subject in the sitting position,” he said. Dr Lakhwinder said brick-kiln workers were found exposed to high level of RSPM (respirable suspended particulate matter) in the firing section, while mean respirable dust in the mixing and molding sections was the lowest. “The results revealed that all lung function parameters were lower in exposed group than in control group. The reduction in lung functions was associated with exposure to duct as the respirable dust levels obtained were considerably higher than the recommended levels,” the report reads. “Respirable dust levels were also found much higher in the ‘jalai’ and ‘nikasee’ sections as obtained from the dust sampling. Further, the workers working at the brick-kiln industry were not wearing proper protective equipment, hence leading to exposure in higher RSPM,” Dr Lakhwinder said. Further highlighting the loopholes in the brick-kiln industry, Dr Lakhwinder said this was one of the unorganised sectors where employers as well as employees were ignorant and unaware of the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recommendations. “The government needs to set up some regulatory mechanism to check the implementation of safety measures for the brick-kiln workers,” he suggested. |
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Wholesale liquor outlet owner challaned
Jalandhar, August 23 Irked over the alleged sale of liquor meant for wholesale market in retail, the association members also held a protest in front of the Suranussi-based wholesale outlet, said to be owned by Gagan Vasu Wines. Excise officials, led by Excise and Taxation Officers Maninder Singh and Sukhmandar Singh, conducted an inspection at the outlet in Suranussi on a complaint lodged by association president Rajinder Kumar Laadi. “As many as 275 boxes of liquor were found short and 56 cases of old stock of year 2010 were found in the outlet. We have detected some bottles of liquor without any labels, which is a violation. The firm has been challaned under the Excise Act for induling in irregularities,” said ETO Maninder Singh. “The firm was diverting the wholesale stocks to retail market, which is evident from the shortage of boxes in the stocks. We have urged the Excise and Taxation authorities to conduct a through inquiry into it,” said Maninder Singh Bawa, an office-bearer of the association. He said the illegal sale and diversion of wholesale liquor by some people to the retail market was resulting in losses to the retailers,” said Maninder Singh Bawa. The irregularities
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Panchayat can’t claim compensation for ‘Mushtarka Malkan’ land
Jalandhar, August 23 A decision in this regard was passed on a complaint filed by the gram panchayat of Dhandhore village through sarpanch Pargat Singh in which he had claimed a compensation of Rs 5,19,312 from the Punjab Government for acquiring 36 marla land for widening of a road from Jandhu Singha to Kathar, coming up as a part of the Prime Minister Rozgar Scheme. While the panchayat applied for compensation amount, Land Acquisition Collector-cum-SDM-I Iqbal Singh Sandhu did not release the amount, following which the panchayat approached the court. He had maintained that the panchayat had the right to manage the land only, but could not receive any compensation for the same. The panchayat had staked a claim quoting provisions of the Section 42 of the Village Common Land Act as per which the land left for common purposes is “Shamlat Deh”, the rights of which are vested in the gram panchayat. It also cited a notification dated July 23, 2007, of the Punjab Government under the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Amendment Act-2007 as per which all the lands left for common purposes during consolidation shall not be partitions among proprietors of the village, meaning that the management and ownership of such land vest with the respective panchayat. The respondents, who included the PWD through its secretary, PWD through its Executive Engineer and SDM-1 replied, “Since the revenue record did not show ownership of panchayat, it was not the owner of land.” Naib Tehsildar of Adampur Lakhwinder Singh also deposed that the compensation could not be released in favour of panchayat, since it is not the owner of land. The amount of compensation is to be paid as per revenue record. Additional District Judge took the decision in favour of the respondents and pronounced, “The panchayat is not made owner of Jumla Muhtarka Malkan land. The panchayat is only authorised to manage this land. The ownership is still in the name of Mushtarka Malkan in the revenue record. The amount of compensation is to be withdrawn by owner of land and as per revenue record the panchayat is not recorded as owner of acquired land.” |
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Ashwini Sharma holds meeting with BJP office-bearers
Jalandhar, August 23 He told the office-bearers of the various morchas and councillors that the party could have a strong organisational setup only if it had a strong base at the grassroots level. Those who attended the meeting included Local Bodies Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, state vice-president Saroj Malhotra, state secretary Ravi Mahindru and other party leaders Mahinder Bhagat, Manjit Singh Rai, Ajay Jamwal and Subhash Sud. Later, sugar dealers
also met Ashwini Sharma and handed over their memorandum demanding roll back of VAT on
the commodity. |
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