Power play Employees of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited stage a play to spread awareness on saving power to mark National Energy Conservation Day in Amritsar on Friday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

Bar assn denies charges of favourtism
Amritsar, December 14
Vehemently opposing the charges of favourtism in the allotment of chambers at the newly built chambers complex at local district courts, Amritsar Bar Association President Pradeep Kumar Saini has accused the opposing faction of politicisation the issue.

Amritsar, December 14
Policemen are frequently becoming targets of anti-social elements allegedly enjoying political patronage.

On Thursday night, a head constable deputed at a naka near Circuit House became the latest victim who was allegedly assaulted by a group of youths.

Earlier, the youths, allegedly involved in hooliganism, were intercepted by a police party. But the youths, claiming to be associated with a prominent political party, assaulted head constable Karamjit Singh, tore his uniform and even threatened to get him dismissed from the service.

All the accused, identified as Avtar Singh of Kot Salagram, Gulzar Singh of Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Taminderjit Singh and Gurinderpal Singh of Cheel Mandi have been arrested.

The Civil Lines police has registered a case under Section 353 (assaulting or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty), 332, 186, 506 and 34 of the IPC in this regard on the complaint of the head constable.

In his statement, Karamjit Singh said the youths were coming from the wrong side and indulged in hooliganism. “When I stopped them, they started a verbal duel and abused me. They also physically assaulted me besides threatening me to get me dismissed. They also tore his uniform.” he claimed.

Earlier too, traffic policemen were manhandled in the city while an ASI was shot dead by a SAD leader earlier this month.

On November 26, policeman Kulbir Singh regulating traffic was abused and manhandled by a couple in the Chatiwind area. He had asked the couple to park their vehicle in the designated parking spot. On November 24, traffic policeman Sardara Singh was beaten up by a group of five youths when he was on his duty near Regent Cinema.

Police Commissioner Ram Singh said stern action would be taken against the accused who were involved in any type of anti-social activities. He said nobody was above law and no one would be allowed to take law in their hands.

Amritsar, December 14
The incident of firing inside the district courts complex on Friday raised questions about the lack of security inside the premises, especially in view of the scheduled visit of Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir tomorrow.

A former president of the local bar association, Ragubir Singh Sandhu, fired at least nine shots from his revolver on Friday.

There have been several incidents of firing or clashes inside the courts complex.

In January 2010, a gangster was shot dead inside the courts complex in a gang war involving two groups in which at least 20 shots were fired. In September 2011, a father-son duo with a criminal past had allegedly committed suicide inside a lawyer’s chamber.

In February this year, six prisoners have fled after breaking open the bakshikhana. Few days after the incident, another gang war between two groups was reported.

All the above said cases and many more incidents which were often not reported have made lawyers and visitors to believe that the courts complex is devoid of any security.

“Though the policemen are posted at the entrance gate, we don’t feel safe inside the complex. What if a bullet fired accidentally hits somebody?” said Balram Kumar, a visitor.

The large number of entry points to the complex makes screening of mischievous persons almost impossible. Even as the advocates are considered well educated in the matters of law, nobody expected Sandhu to act in such a way.

A policeman present at the spot said, “The police cannot check each and every advocate to detect arms. Even they would find it offending. As such they have a responsibility to cooperate in ensuring security.”

The absence of security can be seen at most of the entry points (about half a dozen) to the district courts complex. Even as policemen are present at the entry points to the judicial complex building, lawyers say the number of policemen is not enough to keep an eye on the large rush of visitors.

The courts complex also houses many other offices besides the judicial offices.

Meanwhile, Amritsar Bar Association president Pradeep Kumar Saini said the association would take up the matter of security with the police administration. He said the security at the complex needs to be enhanced to instill a sense of security among the lawyers and visitors.

Amritsar, December 14
The Thursday's incident in which a retired bank manager was killed after he was hit by a stray bull has brought to the fore MC's gross negligence in dealing with the stray animal menace.

Sometime back, the city police had approached the Society for Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals (SPCA) for help, but the SPCA had expressed its inability to deal with the issue citing space and financial crunch. The society had asked the police to approach the MC which is the nodal authority dealing with the matter.

Though the MC has deputed a seven-member team to catch stray animals, the menace, a big headache and a constant threat for commuters, is far from over.

These abandoned animals could be spotted at almost every point in the city. Most of the time, these would be found sitting on the dividers.

Most of these cattle come to the city from nearby rural areas after these are abandoned by dairy owners.

The areas that are worst affected with the problem of stray cattle are the walled city, Ranjit Avenue, Queens road, Crystal Chowk, Lawrence Road.

Sources said with a view to take these animals outside the city limits, the MC had designated a place at Fatahpur. But the cattle, caught by the MC staff, are released after being kept at the designated place for a maximum of four days.

One of the employees attached with the MC cattle catching team said the MC has ignored the problem. "The team needs more staff and fund at its disposal," he added. "We are totally dependent on the grant donated by some NGO. Not even a single penny is kept reserved to tackle the cattle menace in the MC budget," he said.

Amritsar, December 14
KD Chaudhari, chairman-cum managing director, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), has said operationalisation of three thermal power plants by next year would bring down the production cost, which may help lower the power tariffs in the state.

Chaudhari was in the city to inaugurate the fortnight-long electricity saving programme to mark the National Energy Conservation Day today.

Organised in collaboration with the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), the programme saw participation of students from various city schools who conveyed the message to save electricity by adopting various means.

Amritsar, December 14
Balaur Singh, director, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), has said that the government would soon issue a notification on Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) to make it mandatory for group housing schemes using above 100-kw load to adopt energy conservation code (ECC).

He said the PEDA was trying to train architects to guide their customers to raise energy-efficient houses so as to reduce dependence on energy.

In view of PUDA survey which says that more than 400 unapproved colonies have mushroomed in the city, it is believed that the builders give a damn to energy conservation.

Balaur Singh said for the energy-efficient houses, building designs would be issued and efforts would be made to popularise them. The agency was already subsidising 1-kw to 100-kw solar rooftop system for commercial projects.

He said the power generation cost per unit on solar system has come at par with commercial rates being levied by the PSPCL.

For the residential purpose, for 800 rooftops, one solar system will cost Rs 2 lakh. It will have the capacity to generate 1-kw power. He said after subsidy the cost of a system would be around Rs 1.25 lakh. He said the smart electricity meters would be set up.

A real estate consultant HS Dawar lambasted the government for its failure to come up with the guidelines to raise energy-efficient houses. He said, “The government introduced a new property tax on plots, houses and also hiked the registration fee for properties. It apparently increased the government’s revenue but did nothing to publicise any plan on energy-efficient houses.”

“Thousands of houses are being raised annually and they end up being power-guzzling concrete structures,” said Deepak Babbar of Mission Aagaaz. He said, “The government and its dedicated agency like Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) should come up with building designs, materials to be used and gadgets to make upcoming energy-efficient houses.”

Amritsar, December 14
Vehemently opposing the charges of favourtism in the allotment of chambers at the newly built chambers complex at local district courts, Amritsar Bar Association President Pradeep Kumar Saini has accused the opposing faction of politicisation the issue.

Saini said the allotment of chambers was made through a draw of lots on December 5.

He said, “Except VK Dhand, who is leading the protest, none other is sitting on the protest. If he submits a list of 30 deserving advocates, as claimed by him, were denied chambers; we will take necessary action.”

He said he would handover the list of beneficiaries to the building committee of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“The matter has been blown out to gain political mileage. I can prove that all the 39 candidates who were allotted these chambers were the deserving candidates,” he said.

Advocate DV Joshi, who was allotted the chamber during the recent allotment, said: “The advocates are happy with the new chambers. Even as allotment was made through an open draw of lots there is no chance of any favourtism.”

Meanwhile, VK Dhand and his supporters have continued the protest claiming that allotment was not made in a fair manner. They have demanded that the chambers should be re-allotted.

The district administration had recently built chambers complex with 140 chambers to vacate the land for proposed building of mini-secretariat.

Amritsar, December 14
Two blind murder cases, which occurred in September 2010 and May 2011, have hit the dead end as the police had failed to even identify the deceased.

These cases were registered with the Gate Hakima police.

Now, the Gate Hakima police has issued pictures of the unidentified deceased appealing to the public to contact the police in case they had any clue about the two.

SHO Sushil Kumar said an unidentified person in his forties was found murdered at Mulechak village in May 2011. His body bore injury marks caused by sharp-edged weapons. A case under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC had been registered in this regard.

Earlier in September 2010, the police had found another unidentified body of a youth.—TNS