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Wait continues for Bhaktanwala residents
Registration
of Business houses
'84 anti-Sikh riots — a murder of humanity'
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Amritsar, October 20 The city police today arrested a head constable, identified as Gurbinder Singh, for allegedly molesting and teasing a minor girl. Following the complaint by the victim, the police immediately swung into action and registered a case against the culprit and placed him under suspension with immediate effect. According to information, the incident occurred in the Katra Ahluwalia area of the city. The victim alleged that the head constable, who was in an inebriated condition, passed objectionable remarks against her while she was talking to someone on her mobile phone. Police Commissioner Ram Singh confirmed the incident and said a molestation case had been slapped against the accused, who had also been arrested. He said such incidents bring bad name to the Police Department and would not be tolerated. TNS
Man killed in mishap
Height Matters Artisans make effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnath for Dussehra in Amritsar on Saturday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Cylinders’ limit worries residents
Old age home inaugurated
Colourful start to Sufi festival
An artiste recites poetry during the Sufi International festival at Khalsa college in Amritsar on Saturday. Tribune photo:
Sameer Sehgal
Tricycles distributed among disabled
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Wait continues for Bhaktanwala residents
Amritsar, October 20
The much-awaited solid waste management plant at Bhaktanwala continues to hang fire as the case is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, following one of the writ filed by one of the private companies against the process adopted in award of the work. Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu and his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu had opened a front against its own government and attended the court hearing recently while urging to expedite the case and the court had fixed October 10 as the date of hearing of the case but it did not conclude any result. The MC officials were summoned to appear before the court on October 16. Superintendent Bhawani Shankar appeared from the corporation side, but the hearing was deferred again. Confirming the development, Amritsar Municipal Corporation’s (AMCs) Commissioner Dharampal Gupta said nothing
could be preceded till the court gives its verdict over the issue. While the matter was pending with the court, the process of allotting the work has got stalled till the final verdict comes. On the other hand, the residents of Bhaktanwala have to pass through stinky lanes to reach their workplace or homes. The Bhaktanwala area which has been designated as the holy city’s main grain market and where over 30,000 residents live has been proposed for establishing the solid waste management project. Meanwhile, the AMC was also facing tough times to settle down the heaps of garbage, mounting with each passing day. The MC had already faced tough times due to its scant resources as the private company Antony Waste Handling Private Ltd had withdrawn its machinery over the disagreement with the MC over payment of their dues. In Amritsar, the garbage processing idea was conceptualised in 2007, and with the 20 per cent grant-in share which amounted to Rs 16 crore, a Mumbai-based company Antony Waste Handling Cell Private Ltd, was entrusted with the task of lifting 300 metric tones of garbage, excluding the walled city in 2009, for the first phase of the solid waste management project to lift the garbage to the Bhaktanwala dump. But the second phase of the project wherein a solid waste management plant was to be established because another Mumbai based company AKC whom the work was allotted and later cancelled, had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against this decision.
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Registration
of Business houses Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 20 The response of the business houses towards the guidelines was negligible as only 1,200 had got registered so far and another 450 had obtained licences. Sources said there were more than 25,000 such businesses in the city alone. Considering a large number of businesses engaged in manufacturing, selling cooked food, selling ingredients or any other involvement at any stage, the response could easily be termed as poor. Admitting this district health officer Dr Shivkaran Kahlon said, “We have delivered 40 licenses to businesses operating in Rayya town. About 100 of the licenses were delivered to the Ajnala shopkeepers earlier this week.” He said the registration was required for all the businesses ranging from rhehris to the big hotels. In absence of any registration of food businesses, the department was inefficient in keeping a check on adulteration and sale of substandard items. “Some of them are operating in an unauthorized way from the residential areas,” said Kahlon. The department had recently discovered an illegal noodle manufacturing factory. “The factory was in such a filthy condition that food was highly harmful for the people. It was seen that the workers were using the same tub of water for washing hands and using it in preparations afterwards,” said Kahlon. The department officials said once the deadline for issuing licenses or registering businesses would be over, it would be easier to crack the illegal shops. “The registration would make sure that the shopkeeper is identifiable. He would become more responsible when the department keeps a check on him,” said Kahlon. He said to make the process easier for the business houses, the department would be going to each and every block. “We would be organising camps at all the block headquarters. All formalities would be completed on the spot and businesses would be delivered documents in two or three days,” said Kahlon.
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'84 anti-Sikh riots — a murder of humanity'
Amritsar, October 20 While intimating about the detailed programme of a week-long campaign in a moving vehicle named as ‘Forgotten Citizens’, scheduled to be launching from Jallianwala Bagh here from tomorrow, Phoolka said there were instances where the Hindus came to the rescue of the Sikhs in their acquaintances from the crowd. Citing a copy of the affidavit filed by former Union minister Ram Bilas Paswan in the court, who admitted that his house in Delhi, was attacked on November 1, 1984, by the furious crowd when he sheltered an elderly Sikh man. “Paswan had stated that when the crowd broke open the gate, set fire to the garage. Those present in the house escaped through the servant quarters located at the rear but the mob caught hold of elder Sikh and threw him into the garage that was set on fire. He had also stated that the police van which frequented the road many times but did not stop”, said
Phoolka. Phoolka said the moving exhibition, while passing through various parts of Punjab, would display the photographs pertaining to the 1984 riots occurred in various parts of the country with a message that it was a mass murder of humanity and not against any particular community. A joint petition has been prepared which would be openly displayed during the exhibition and would be open for public opinion. “The petition would be handed over to PM to prosecute those political leaders who were involved in this massacre to bring justice to the suffering Sikh community,” he said. The exhibition would kickstart from Jallianwala Bagh at 11 am. It will be there till October 23 before leaving for Sultanpur Lodhi on October 24, the exhibition will reach Jalandhar on October 25; Ludhiana on October 26; Ananapur Sahib on October 27; Chandigarh on October 28. Thereafter, it will move to its final destination in Delhi on October 30. “On November 9, there would be symbolic people’s court at India International Centre annexe on November 9.”
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Man killed in mishap
Amritsar, October 20 The police has registered a case under Sections 304-A, 338, 337, 279 of the IPC against the unidentified car driver at the Sadar Police Station. Vinod Kumar, a relative of the deceased, said his nephew, Guddu, and his brother-in-law, Sham Kumar, were crossing the road on foot on the Majitha-Verka bypass road when the accident took place. Sham Kumar was rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital where the doctor declared him dead.
— TNS
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Dussehra festival: Inflation takes its toll on demons’
effigies
Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 20 Elaborating the reasons, Surinder Kumar, an artisan and a seller, said the cost of bamboo jacked up from Rs 200 last year to Rs 260 per 24-foot high log. Similarly, prices of rope, jute string, paper and fabric also rose. A piece of paper which was available at Rs 2 per piece a year ago was now being sold at Rs 4. Even inferior quality cloth used for preparing high effigies was not available for anything less than Rs 15 a metre. These articles were excessively used to make effigies and rise in their prices automatically escalated the cost of an effigy by at least 25 per cent from the previous year. He said high-rise effigies were prepared only on orders as their cost run in thousands. Effigies were also made at the Kasereyan Wala Bazaar, Passiyan Wala Bazaar, Maha Singh Gate and Shivala Bhaiyan. These traditional bazaars located inside the walled city were agog with activities, especially children, coming throughout the day to witness making of larger than life-size effigies from the heaps of canvass and bamboo sticks tied with rope. Unlike other districts of Punjab, master craftsmen involved in the preparation are locals keeping the age-old art alive passing from one generation to other. The artisan families, which prepare most of the effigies in the city, reside outside the Lohgarh gate. Harban said his son, Shyam, and grandson, Sonu, had been involved in the profession like their forefathers. Shyam said the entire locality had received orders for preparing many large and small effigies. A majority of the artisans did other kind of works like vegetable and fruit vendors around the year. Close to Dussehra, these skilled workers adopt the job to earn a fortune. Rise in the investment costs had given way to the popularity of effigies as small as four-feet high. Besides, artisans and sellers had found a new way to commercially produce these effigies. He said it was a new fashion catching fast among the customers to procure small effigies to set on fire at their houses and localities. Hence, the artisans had readied the colourful effigies and installed on roads to attract customers. These eye-catching effigies were available from Rs 400 to Rs 2,000 depending upon the firecrackers and other material used in them, besides their height. View point The Durgiana Committee never holds Dussehra programme, but provides financial assistance to the Shri Dussehra Committee, Amritsar, to organise the event. Instead, the Durgiana Committee organises nine-day Langoor Mela. Besides, various Dussehra committees active in various areas of the city would hold Dussehra programme at the same ground. The effigies would be set on fire at Chheharta, Khandwala chowk, Verka, Bhaddarkali temple and many other areas of the city. — Herish Taneja, Shri Durgiana Committee
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Vijaya Dashmi celebrated
Amritsar, October 20 Madhu Puri, principal of the school, said these problems were a big threat to civilised society. Deepak Babbar, executive director, Mission Aagaaz, motivated the students to come forward to fight against these social evils. He appealed to children not to use crackers as they cause pollution. The students regaled the viewers with bhajans.
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Cylinders’ limit worries residents
Amritsar, October 20 There are many consumers who have exhausted one subsidised cylinder while many have got issued their second cylinder. The private gas dealers said the second cylinder would be issued between October and November while the third one would be released between November and December. After December, non-subsidised cylinders would be issued and fresh rates of it would be announced on the first day of every month depending upon the international prices. Harjit Kaur, a housewife, said the government has restricted the number of subsidised cylinders to six a year whereas a family of four requires at least 12 around a year. She
said her family comprises seven members and a refill hardly lasts a fortnight. “The government is dealing affluent families and economic weaker families with same yardstick which does not portend well.” She said the government must increase the number of subsidised cylinders for the daily wagers and the poor. Another housewife Shweta said limiting the number of subsidised cylinders coupled with hike in the prices of cylinders burnt a hole in the domestic budget. She said it was the prices of many essential articles were increased following considerable hike in the prices of diesel. She said a subsidised cylinder now costs Rs 433, which was earlier Rs 421. Ashok Mehra, a resident, said the officials from his distributing gas agency visited his residence recently and got a ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) form filled giving detailed information regarding the number of members in the family and LPG connections as well. Meanwhile, defense, schools, mid-day meal schools, colleges, charitable and religious institutions are being released non-exempted at Rs 1,198. While non-domestic and non-exempted 19 kg cylinder sells at Rs 1,700. All dealers have been supplied KYC forms which seek information like bank account, identify proofs, customer photograph and others. While the new customers have to fill one more form apart from affidavit declaring that he possesses only one LPG connection. A person found having two connections with same name and address would have to forego one connection and has to surrender entire equipments like cylinder and regulator to the company.
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Old age home inaugurated
Amritsar, October 20 Charanjit Singh Chadha, president of the CKD, said the old age home had been built at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The building had 56 air-conditioned rooms for the inmates. He said the old age home would provide state-of-the-art facilities to inmates. All rooms would have separate television, crockery and electronic gadgets. The home also had a living hall, a dining hall, a library, a lawn, a Gurdwara and a first-aid centre. Chadha said they were also planning to provide elevator and solar system for heating water and other purposes. The CKD had come into being in 1902. The organisation is known for providing services in the education sector. It runs schools, charitable hospitals, libraries and training centres. The organisation is already running Bhai Vir Singh Birdh Ghar in Tarn Taran since 1959. After inaugurating the institution, Badal lauded the role of CKD in taking up the cause of old-age persons. Speaking on the occasion, he also entrusted the duty of finding a land for the proposed university by the CKD to MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha. Others present on the occasion included MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria, former MP Rajmohinder Singh Majitha, SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur and MLA Bikram Singh Majthia.
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Colourful start to Sufi festival
Amritsar, October 20 The event witnessed participation of international scholars in two separate academic sessions. Tourism department Principal Secretary Gitika Kalha welcomed all the participants. Sufi singers, poets, music composers and intellectuals from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are participating in the two-day Sufi festival. In the first academic session, Prof Akhtarul Wasey presented a keynote paper on the life of 13th century Persian Sufi mystic. Among the others who presented their views on various aspects of Sufism included Saadullah Jaan Barj from Pakistan and Daya Dissanayake from Sri Lanka. The second academic session witnessed key participation of Bal Bahadur Thapa and Humaira Subedi from Nepal, Dr Noor Zaheer from India, Baba Mahmud Yahya Khan and Humaira Ishfaq from Pakistan. The sessions were chaired by Dr Mustafa Zaman Abassi of Bandladesh and Professor Abhi Subedi of Nepal, respectively. Various speakers said Sufi saint Farid was the first Sufi poet of the Punjabi language. Baba Farid’s 134 saloks were included in Guru Granth Sahib. The intellectuals said Sufism could play a predominant role in bringing peace of mind between nations.
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Tricycles distributed among disabled
Amritsar, October 20 Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sidhu said the tricycles would reduce their dependence on others. She said the Health Department was planning to organise more such camps in near future to facilitate people with special needs by distributing tricycles, wheelchairs and other equipment. Dr Sidhu said: “Society needs to change its attitude towards differently abled persons. We need to treat them with more compassion. Society and the government should become more sensitive towards their needs.” She said: "A substantial population of the country is suffering from some physical defects. Still, they had overcome their shortcomings and are facing day-to-day problems bravely. They are contributing to society and the economy of the country. In return, they only expect society and the government to work for increasing their efficiency". Dr Sidhu said the department was also planning to open five state-of-the-art drug de-addiction centres in the state. She said drug addiction was the biggest challenge faced by the government and society in the state.
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Amritsar, October 20
Amritsar, October 20
