Flip-flop on FDI
Badals urged to have rethink
Amritsar, September 19
The Dal Khalsa has accused the ruling SAD-BJP government of “hypocrisy” by first demanding FDI in retail and later on opposing it despite the fact that the Union Government has given the leeway to the states to implement this decision.

Amritsar, September 19
BJP’s Bakshi Ram Arora, who was elected to the Mayor’s post today, faces several tough challenges ahead.

Amristar having a 10-lakh population grapples with civic woes like inadequate road network, chaotic traffic, poor sewerage system, haphazard urbanisation and insufficient drinking water supply.

I have already set my priorities. The first thing I will take up will be to expedite the execution of the Solid Waste Management Plant, followed by revamping the dilapidated sewerage and drinking water system. I will also ensure betterment of storm water disposal system. The other objectives will be to streamline the traffic and enhancing facilities to attract tourists. — Bakshi Ram Arora

Amritsar, September 19
Members of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) would hold a shutter-down strike tomorrow to protest against the Union government’s decision of permitting FDI in multi-brand retail and alleged anti-trade policies of the SAD-BJP coalition government.

Amrit Lal Jain, president, PPBM, said here today that traders of the state would observe a complete shutter down strike tomorrow on the call of the Beopari Mahapanchayat.

He urged the UPA government to rollback its decision of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail as it would affect 5 crore traders across the country.

He said giant retail stores had high turnover with which they could conveniently decide market trend and even set prices of their commodities. Citing examples of leading retail chain stores in the world, Jain said Walmart had annual turnover of Rs 18 lakh crore, Carefour of Rs 5.85 lakh crore, Tesco of Rs 4.5 lakh crore and Metro of Rs 4.2 lakh crore. He said in front of their enormous resources and immense wealth, interests of small shopkeepers would be hit.

Jain said the state government increased the hardships of traders by enforcing various measures, including e-trip, hike in VAT rate, 6.05 per cent surcharge, Rs 800 annual processing charges for online service, hike in power tariff and property tax on urban populace.

Amritsar, September 19
Agitating against the hike in the price of diesel, a cap on subsidised LPG cylinders and allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, a large number of farmer activists, under the banner of the Border Area Sangharsh Committee, today burnt an effigy of the Central government at border Attari village. Earlier, they held a protest outside Powercom office at Attari.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, general secretary of the committee, pointed out that with the steep hike in petroleum prices in the past one year, the prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed. It has pinched the pocket of the common man, who is finding it hard to cope up with the high inflation rate.

Raj Balbir Singh Veeram, joint secretary, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, said the entry of foreign companies in the retail sector would prove detrimental for farmers and the labour sector. He said about six crore families involved in the retail sector would become unemployed.

The farmer activists pointed out that scams of lakhs of crores of rupees were being unearthed every now and then. They said neither the Central government nor the state government had any concern about the difficulties being faced by farmers, especially in the border areas.

The farmers also raised slogans against the government and urged it to rollback its decisions.

Amritsar, September 19
The Dal Khalsa has accused the ruling SAD-BJP government of “hypocrisy” by first demanding FDI in retail and later on opposing it despite the fact that the Union Government has given the leeway to the states to implement this decision.

The Dal Khalsa has slammed Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for ignoring the interests of farmers and consumers in the state to please the BJP’s perceived vote bank of middlemen on the FDI issue, which his son, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, had earlier welcomed, though for different reasons.

Describing the FDI in retail as favourable for the welfare of the people, party head HS Dhami said Badal had all along claimed to articulate the concerns of the farmers but in this case, his stand was counter to his self-projected image.

He urged Badals to rethink on their flip-flop position on FDI.

He said for farmers, FDI signifies a bigger opportunity, better prices for their produce and freedom from the archaic ways of their local mandis. The consumer would benefit as this system would eliminate middlemen who were exploiting both producers as well as consumers.

He was of the opinion that farmers and consumers have for long been fleeced by small traders, hoarders and middlemen. “The argument that FDI in multi-brand retail would eliminate small traders is misleading,” he said.

He said the organised retail would eliminate the middleman by dealing directly with farmers and buying in bulk. “So, both producers and consumers will be benefited,” Dhami said.

Pointing out ideological inconsistency in the BJP on economic matters, he took a dig at saffron party for resorting to fear mongering to please a section of its vote bank.

Referring to arguments for and against FDI in the retail sector, he said there were huge business lobbies at work and there were vested interests that would get affected.

Amritsar, September 19
In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old youth today committed suicide after jumping from a three-storey building in B-block of Ranjit Avenue area.

The deceased, identified as Amarjit Singh, was reportedly under depression following the death of his father Kuldeep Singh, who passed away following a cardiac arrest on Tuesday. Kuldeep Singh used to run a shop near the Golden Temple area.

Kuldeep Singh was survived by his wife Davinder Kaur and two children Amarjit Singh and Dimple. Since the death of his father, Amarjit Singh was in a deep shock. The family members of the deceased said he was a blue-eyed boy of his father and he could not bear the shock of his father’s death.

Today, he went to a three-storey building located in front of his house and jumped from the roof. His cousin ran behind him to catch him, but before he could do anything, Amarjit jumped from the building and died on the spot.

His mother Davinder Kaur, sister Dimple, paternal uncle Bachitar Singh and a cousin Sweety fell unconscious following the incident. They were rushed to a nearby private hospital where their condition is stated to be stable.

The Civil Lines police has initiated proceedings under the relevant section of the CrPC.

 

The deceased, identified as Amarjit Singh, was reportedly under depression following the death of his father Kuldeep Singh, who passed away following a cardiac arrest on Tuesday Today, he went to a three-storey building located in front of his house and jumped from the roof. His cousin ran behind him to catch him, but before he could do anything, Amarjit jumped from the building and died on the spot His mother Davinder Kaur, sister Dimple, paternal uncle Bachitar Singh and a cousin Sweety fell unconscious following the incident

Amritsar, September 19
Doubling of sales tax on brick kilns has jacked up the cost of bricks in the retail market.

While the real estate market in the city goes through a bad phase, the surge in prices of bricks following a hike in rates of sand and gravel have further hit the housing dream of a common man.

The state government doubled sales tax from Rs 1.75 lakh to Rs 3.50 lakh in A-category kilns. There are three kinds of brick kilns. Similarly, the tax on B category kiln is Rs 1.75 lakh and C category is Rs 1.25 lakh.

As many as 1000 bricks now cost Rs 5,300 which were available at Rs 4,800 few weeks ago. Notably, price of 1,000 bricks was Rs 4,200 about a year ago.

A brick kiln proprietor, Jashnpreet Singh said there had been a constant increase in prices of commodities used in preparing bricks. "Owners of brick kilns do not have any choice but to pass on the hike to consumers. Earlier price of a tonne of coal was hiked from Rs 10,000 to Rs 14000 about six months ago," he said.

Besides, a rise in diesel price has shot up transportation cost of all these products.

He said keeping in view the price hike of essential commodities, wages of labourers had to be increased. The brick-kiln industry provided employment to skilled and non-skilled labourers from six to eight months. The industry engages different category of labourers in carrying out operations and their minimum wages were revised twice a year based upon inflation statistical index.

A city resident, Paramjit Singh said rates of almost all items used in construction business have increased since the SAD-BJP coalition government

got re-elected. Prices of sand, gravel and bitumen were raised in June. Then registration of property was also increased. He said rates of a 100-square feet sand rose from nearly Rs 900 to Rs 1800, a 100-square feet gravel from Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,600 and a cubic meter of bitumen from Rs 3000 to 3400 in the past four months.

He said, "Years after buying a plot at Ranjit Vihar, I began construction of the house after saving money all these years. However, my all plans and calculations have gone wrong with increase in prices of these items needed for construction."

Amritsar, September 19
If only creativity could be categorised, then these girls would have found themselves struggling to avoid being 'tagged'. But creating their place and looking comfortable in it as well, some of the young, aspiring girls from some of the rural and small towns around Amritsar have gone glamorous.

The Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) campus in the city has become a chosen ground, especially for girls from the rural areas and villages around Amritsar.

Finding their confidence and creativity, a bunch of aspiring fashion designers and aviation professionals are determined to break free from their 'small town' frame. Ask them what was the toughest part to learn and they say in unision, “Confidence.”

“Most youngsters in villages and rural areas struggle to find their confidence as they grow up amidst limited opportunities. And considering that the glamour industry demands confidence, it’s the first thing to work on,” shares Gurdaspur village girl Harpreet Kaur, a third-year student of fashion designing.

Learning the ways of a big city, these girls admit that they have come out of their Plain Jane frame and turned into more fashionable avatar.

“When I came here first, I really had to work on my looks. I used to wear traditional clothes back in my village, but here I learnt to groom myself and look bit more fashionable,” says Priya Tulli from Gurdaspur. Apart from a makeover, physical and mental, these girls had to shun their initial inhibitions to fit in the big city crowd. “There are so many barriers for youngsters who come from rural areas. The barriers included language, mannerisms, knowledge, physical appearance and independence. It's difficult to adjust initially from an overprotective environment to a completely independent life,” shares Ankita Sharma, who comes from Kapurthala. She adds, “I had to fight my inferiority complex. City girls are open minded and tech-savvy.”

Most of them pursuing courses in fashion designing, these girls are not docile but an ambitious and confident lot. Whether it’s keeping a tab of international fashion weeks or following latest trends and changes in the industry, these girls seem to be doing great.

Neelu Gauri, centre head, INIFD, shares, “We have over 100 such students pursuing various courses in fashion industry and the number is growing each year. Most of them didn't even know names of famous fashion designers when they joined INIFD. We have to turn into counsellors and groomers for them, transforming their way of speech to dress and mannerisms. But most importantly, what these girls learn is to become independent.” She adds that these girls become hard working as they learn to compete with the big city crowd. “But as they say, talent could be found anywhere and it doesn't come with any tags attached,” says Neelu.

Amritsar, September 19
Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majitha has ordered the transfer of three erring employees after an inspection of the local tehsil office, said a press release issued today. These employees were taken to task for negligence in performing their duty.

Majithia also checked the records pertaining to registration of properties.

Talking to the Revenue Department officials, Majithia asked them to ensure implementation of token system for registration of properties. “If there is a rush of applicants, then they should be allotted tokens for the next working day. At no cost, people should be made to wait in queues,” he said.

He said tokens should be reserved for NRIs, elderly and women. He also issued instructions for the Financial Commissioner, Revenue, to provide basic services to the visitors.

Amritsar, September 19
The Health Department issued challans to 107 persons for smoking at public places in the city today.

District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said the inspection was conducted on Lawrence Road, bus stand, Ajnala road, Rattan Singh Chowk and other places.

He said in addition to monetary fines, teams warned violators against smoking at public places.

He said cigarette vendors had also been issued warnings against selling chewing tobacco as the state government had imposed a ban on the product.

“In the coming days, we will check more of these places to see the norms are followed properly. No violator will be spared,” he said. — TNS

Amritsar, September 19
Guru Nanak Dev University organised a two-day seminar on “History, Literature and Punjabi Society” here today at the Guru Nanak Bhawan Auditorium. The seminar is being organised by the Department of History of the university.

Krishan Lal Zakir, vice-president of Haryana Urdu Academy, and an eminent Urdu poet and famous writer, delivered the keynote address.

Dr Rakshanda Zaidi, Ali Zaved, Dr Arjumand Ara from Delhi, Dr Kamlesh Mohan, Dr Surinder Singh from Chandigarh and Dr Paramjit Dhingra from Sri Muktsar Sahib were also present on the occasion. Dr SS Sohal, head of the department, welcomed the chief guest and others.

In his inaugural address, Prof AS Brar, Vice-Chancellor, said: “History is a meeting ground for various disciplines. Literature is a vital record of what people have observed and what they experienced”.

“If a historian is to reconstruct a realistic picture of the past, literature can be one of the authentic sources. History and literature are social narratives,” he said.

He also reflected upon the development of Punjabi language and literature and the contribution of the Sikh Gurus and Sufi saints.

Zakir said Urdu language should not be treated as an alien language. It has its roots in Punjab.

“History and literature have deep relationship with each other. Without history we cannot be creative in writing and without literary flare, it is not possible to write history,” he said.

He also cited many examples from the writings of Manto, Amrita Pritam, Krishan Chander, Sahir Ludhianvi and others to establish his viewpoint. — TNS

Amritsar, September 19
“Magic is nothing but science”, said experts who were addressing a large gathering at Khalsa College today during a four-day-long seminar on “Scientific Explanation of Miracles”.

The seminar was organised in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology and sponsored by the Union Government’s Department of Science and Technology.

During the inaugural address of the workshop, experts, including Dr DK Panday, Dr Narendra Nayak and Dr SK Bath, stressed upon the need for understanding scientific facts behind misleading miracles by magicians and godmen.

Dr Daljit Singh, principal, Khalsa College, said the aim of the seminar was to inculcate scientific temper among the common man and empower them to understand the magical miracles.

The experts also gave the examples of daily life and how science was involved in igniting fire in water or making things disappear from hands and baskets.

Among others, Dr Jasjit Kaur Randhawa, Prof Jaswinder Singh, Prof Zorawar Singh, Prof Amandeep Singh and Prof Amit Anand were present on the occasion.

Amritsar, September 19
Sri Guru Teg Bahadur College for Women bagged the champion trophy of the Youth Festival Zone-B of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU).

Nanak Singh, principal of the college, congratulated staff and students for winning laurels for the institute. He said the college team won first positions in play, mimicry and western solo, and stood runners-up in mime and elocution. The college gained third position in costume parade (fancy dress), western group song, folk song, folk dance, giddha and clay modelling.