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City Bus Service project hits a roadblock again
The SAD-BJP alliance has conceived the idea of the City Bus Service for Amritsar on the Ludhiana pattern. A Tribune photo Patti-Ferozepur rail
line hailed by traders
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Devotees seek rail link between all Takhts
The Akal Takht in Amritsar. A Tribune photograph
Union Budget: Residents expect some relief
Searching for ways to control crime against women
‘Activity-oriented classrooms should get more focus’
PCMS doctors demand better pay
Orientation course for teachers begins
22 booked for thrashing man
21 food samples collected from shops
Roadways bus crushes man to death
Labourers provided
info on welfare schemes
Faction of Namdhari sect meets Police Commissioner
Pawan Kumar in police custody in Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Five held for running flesh trade racket
Non-teaching employees hold strike |
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City Bus Service project hits a roadblock again
Amritsar, February 27 The tenders were floated by the Ludhiana administration on behalf of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation for low-floor, semi low-floor, AC and non-AC buses. But the Ludhiana administration received poor response from bidders in two of the five categories of
buses. The MC admitted that in response to the tenders called on November 16, 2012, not a single bidder showed interest. Following this, tenders had to be re-called on December 18, 2012. Three bids were received each for low-floor AC buses; midi AC buses and midi non-AC buses. However, in the semi low-floor non-AC bus category, only two bidders showed interest and in mini AC bus category, only one company showed interest. The tender formalities for the last two categories stood null and void and whole process had to be repeated. Participation of at least three bidders is a must for auction of any government project. There was a proposal to introduce 30 low-floor AC buses, 25 semi low-floor non-AC buses, 70 midi buses AC/non-AC standard and 25 mini buses AC on different routes. Earlier, four companies --- Tata Motors, Swaraj Mazda, Volvo and Ashok Leyland --- were in the race, but Ashok Leyland reportedly backed out due to some technical reasons. Reliable sources said the successful bidder would have to introduce the buses within a span of 180 days from the date of award of the contract. This project is worth around Rs 33 crore. The total project cost has to be borne jointly by the Centre (50 per cent), the state government (20 per cent) and the MC (30 per cent). The Centre released its partial share of Rs 10 crore two years back. The Centre’s share has now become Rs 11.66 crore. The idea of the bus service was conceptualised in 2007 by the Akali-BJP alliance. Poor response to bidding process
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Patti-Ferozepur rail
line hailed by traders
Amritsar, February 27 The line, they said, would shorten the distance between the holy city and the country’s financial capital, Mumbai, by 240 km and will also open up the freight passage from Attari to Mumbai, thereby benefiting the trade and industry. The Amritsar-Patti, about 50-km rail line, is already operational. The Patti-Ferozepur line will also benefit passengers travelling from Amritsar to Ferozepur. Dileep Singh, a clearing agent, said about 20,000 containers of basmati rice valued at around Rs 6,000 crore are exported from the holy city via Kandla port in Gujarat. Presently, exporters prefer to ferry the merchandise through trucks as they save about Rs 5000 on a truckload of 24 tonnes of goods in comparison to goods train. “The Patti-Ferozepur line would link Amritsar with the country’s financial capital and Gujarat and would prompt the exporters to switch over to freight trains,” he said. Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar, who hails from Ferozepur area, hailed the announcement, saying it had been a missing link in Punjab railway network which would be filled soon. PL Seth, a shawl exporter, said a delegation of the traders of the holy city led by MLA OP Soni had given a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at New Delhi on September 20, 2010. He said following this, the Railway Ministry conducted a survey of the route and the Planning Commission allocated a sum of Rs 147.6 crore for the project. Gunbir Singh, member, CII National Council on Public Policy, said Amritsar-Ferozepur rail link could open freight passage from the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari to Mumbai. Suneet Kochar, managing director, Khanna Paper Mill, said the railway link would connect the people of Malwa with Majha and would bring Rajasthan and Gujarat closer. This route will boost the export of rice from Kandla port, he added.
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Devotees seek rail link between all Takhts
Amritsar, February 27 Amritsar, where Akal Takht is located, has rail connectivity with Takht Shri Patna Sahib in Bihar and Takht Shri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, but there is no direct train between Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib. The reason behind this is the delay in commissioning of the Amritsar-Anandpur Sahib rail link. At present, the passengers bound for Anandpur Sahib are forced to disembark at the Sirhind railway station from where they take road route to Anandpur Sahib. “It is surprising that there is no rail link between Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib. A rail link will be of immense benefit to the devotees visiting the holy city, particularly the elderly who prefer rail travel,” said Balkar Singh, an NRI. Himmat Singh, another pilgrim, said all the three Takhts in Punjab should be connected via rail route as devotees from other states and countries return after visiting Amritsar. The devotees, meanwhile, hailed the rail link for Takht Damdama Sahib and a new train connecting Anandpur Sahib with Nanded. Amritsar has a direct train to Takht Shri Hazur Sahib in Nanded in the form of Sachkhand Express, which witnesses heavy booking round the year. Besides, it has two trains connecting the holy city with Takht Shri Patna Sahib in Bihar. However, unlike Sachkhand Express, which primarily caters to Sikh devotees, these trains don't terminate at Patna Sahib but have a 15-minute halt there on the way to Howrah, their final destination. Similarly, Anandpur Sahib has a weekly train to Patna Sahib every Saturday while a new weekly train connecting Anandpur Sahib to Nanded Sahib has been announced in the Rail Budget 2013-14. Anandpur Sahib station master Daljit Singh said the Morinda-Ludhiana rail section was most likely to be thrown open by March 31 this year and it would pave the way for the Amritsar-Anandpur Sahib rail connectivity. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar said the railway line connecting Amritsar to Anandpur Sahib had already been laid and the train service would start any time soon. He said they had already approached the Union Railway Ministry seeking rail connectivity between all the five
Takhts.
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Union Budget: Residents expect some relief
Amritsar, February 27 Amit Mehra, a shopkeeper, said the budget should not be an instrument for taxing people. The budget is a time-tested rule, lighter the taxes the greater are the earning of the government, he opined. BR Preenja, a retired government employee, said “Over the past two decades, a trend of qualified youth flying to foreign shores looking for greener pastures have increased manifold.” Taking up the cause of workers from unorganised sector, he said, people from these sectors must also be brought under the net of pension under the government’s social welfare obligation. Besides, the provision of pension for organised private sector must be consolidated on the line of government employees. AL Jain, a trader, said the government must extend tax holidays to the border districts of Punjab as the industries had suffered immense economical setback during the militancy. Ruchika, a housewife, said the Central Government should increase the number of subsidised LPG cylinders to 12 to offer respite to the middle and low income group of families. She said the government must keep a tab on prices of cereals, edible oils and ghee as rates of these have been rising constantly in the past, which was not earlier the case.
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Searching for ways to control crime against women
Amritsar, February 27 Seminar director Prof HS Walia said the prime objective of the seminar was to find out the reasons for the discrimination and crimes against women. While sub-themes of the papers included, gender bias in Indian society, polity and economy; commercialisation and commodification of women; ‘khap panchayats’ and status of women; female foeticide and skewed sex ratio in India; need for police, legal and judicial reforms; role of education, religion and state in curbing crime against women. Former minister Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who was the chief guest at the seminar, in her inaugural address said materialistic pursuits and lapping up of Western lifestyle in Indian conditions were leading to degradation of moral values among both men and women. Jyotsna Kapoor, director, Community Friendly Movement, New Delhi, in her keynote address, said economic empowerment and education could help women enhance their status and dignity in the society. Dr Inderjit Kaur, president, All-India Pingalwara Society, laid stress on the role of education in the promotion of moral values and reduction crime rate. She said the religion can play a vital role in reducing crime against women. Earlier, Principal Dr KN Kaul stressed upon the relevance of the subject in the contemporary society. He urged the social scientists to devise ways to assist the government and its agencies in reducing crime against women. Experts speak
Materialistic pursuits and lapping up of Western lifestyle in Indian conditions are leading to degradation of moral values. — Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Former health minister, Punjab
Economic empowerment and education could help women enhance their status and dignity in the society. — Jyotsna Kapoor
Education has an important role to play in promoting moral values. Religion can also play a vital role in reducing crime against women. — Dr Inderjit Kaur,
PRESIDENT, PINGALWARA SOCIETY
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‘Activity-oriented classrooms should get more focus’
Amritsar, February 27 She was surprised to find that students of elementary classes were studying in libraries and parents were encouraged to participate in classroom learning. A parent could volunteer in counselling, extra-curricular activity like art and craft. Parents even had access to attend classroom learning. “I saw parents attending their wards even in lunch break," she said. Dr Brar started her educational career from IIT Delhi and chose to head a school and was instrumental in introducing several changes. She said in the age of technology, the emphasis was still on libraries in US which was surprising. Smart classrooms, computer labs and libraries were used for imparting instructions, she added. "The primary stress is on activities, discussions, debates and daily small-level mock tests. I am happy that many of our schools have already started following advance techniques of education," she said. She said its good that the new technology was making inroads in Indian schools but we should also focus more on activities in the classrooms, including theatrical presentations for children to grab maximum information.
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PCMS doctors demand better pay
Amritsar, February 27 General secretary Dr Sandeep Aggarwal said PCMS (Punjab Civil Medical Services) doctors are unhappy as they are overburdened, have poor working conditions, low pay and allowances. “But their counterparts in Central Health Services and other states are well placed, who get better facilities and pay,” he added. The association has also highlighted the mass exodus of specialists from the services and reluctance of new comers to join the services owning to various issues, including political and bureaucratic interference, Aggarwal said. Dr Khushbinder Singh said the government’s knee jerk reaction to the situation by calling walk-in interviews of specialist doctors had miserably failed to lure doctors. In other demands, the association had asked for a separate specialist sub-cadre within the PCMS, abolition of the system of furnishing bond at the time of joining, regular departmental promotion committee meetings, bringing doctors working at dispensaries controlled by zila parishads under the control of the health department and increase of pay at par with specialists of Central Health Services.
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Orientation course for teachers begins
Amritsar, February 27 He said the teachers working in the schools have to undergo a training course before joining the profession, which was not the case with the teachers engaged in higher education. Therefore, it was imperative for the teachers to undergo such courses at regular intervals. He emphasised the need to reform our education system to bring it on par with education system of other developed countries. He said the credit base semester system and the interdisciplinary courses were followed in reputed educational institutes all over the world. He opined that such a system goes a long way in widening the horizons of the students. Director Prof TS Banipal briefed participants about the design and structure, aims and objectives of the course. Lecture on Punjabi language held
Guru Nanak Dev University organised Dr Paramjit Singh Walia Memorial Lecture here today in the Conference Hall of the Guru Nanak
Bhawan. Dr Boota Singh Brar from the Punjabi University, Regional, Bathinda, delivered a lecture on historical perspective of Punjabi language. Head of Department Prof Sukhdev Singh Khera welcomed the chief guest. He briefed about the activities of the Department. Dr Paramjit Singh Sidhu presented vote of thanks on the occasion. Dr Kanwaljit Kaur
Jassal, coordinator of the lecture, detailed about the life and achievements of Dr Paramjit Singh
Walia.
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22 booked for thrashing man
Amritsar, February 27 Gurwinder Singh Walia and Mandeep Singh (both residents of Kot Baba Deep Singh) were among those booked. Vijay Kumar alleged that they were heading towards Chowk Baba Sahib on their motorcycle when it collided with the motorcycle of Gurwinder Walia which led to an altercation. However, the matter was sorted out and a compromise was reached. He said at about 8.30 PM, the accused came to the area and clashed with the duo. He said Walia fired gunshots while rest of the accused thrashed them with baseball bats and swords. Sub-Inspector Charan Singh, investigating officer, said a case under Sections 307, 148 and 149 of the IPC, 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against Walia, Mandeep and over 20 unidentified persons in this regard. Gurwinder Singh Walia has been arrested.
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21 food samples collected from shops
Amritsar, February 27 The eating joints from where samples were collected included Kundan
Dhaba, Kundan Vaishno dhaba, Fauji dhaba, National dhaba, Ashok dhaba and Lahore Vaishno
dhaba. The team also collected samples of murabba (preserved fruit) from Mahajan food products. Dr Kahlon said dhaba owners were warned against serving unhygienic food to the people. He said samples have been sent to the food testing laboratory.
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Roadways bus crushes man to death
Amritsar, February 27 The Mehta police booked the driver of the bus, identified as Gopal Singh of Attari Ranewal village, Gurdaspur. No arrest has been made so far. The deceased’s relative Major Singh said he along with his relative Gurwinder Singh and Rajwinder Singh was heading towards Mehta Chowk from Khabbe Rajputa village on two separate motorcycles. He said as soon as Rajwinder turned towards Mehta Chowk, the bus (PB-06-9321) which was coming from Baba Bakala side hit his motorcycle following which he fell in front of the bus. A case under Sections 304-A and 279 of the IPC has been registered against Gopal Singh who fled the scene leaving the bus behind.
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Labourers provided
info on welfare schemes
Amritsar, February 27 The seminar was addressed by Vipan
Parmar, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Jagir Singh, Inspector, Kulwant Singh, Hind Majdoor
Sabha, Ram Karan Gautam of Punjab Nirman Union, and Ved Parkash of Bharat construction workers union. Assistant District Attorney Manoj Kumar briefed about various social welfare schemes regarding ex-gratia relief, financial aid for education to beneficiary and his/her children, interest free loan facility and shagun scheme facility at the time of marriage of daughter of beneficiary, LTC benefit and financial assistance up to Rs 1 lakh for treatment of chronic diseases.
— TNS
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Faction of Namdhari sect meets Police Commissioner
Amritsar, February 27 Thakur Dalip Singh is elder nephew of Satguru Jagjit Singh. Swaran Singh, president, International Namdhari Sangat, Namdhari Dharmshala, Chheharta, claimed that the Police Commissioner has assured them of all possible help and impartial probe into the incident. He claimed that a large number of Namdhari Sikhs, including women, were peacefully going to meet Mata Chand Kaur, widow of Satguru Jagjit Singh, urging her to review their decision of appointing Thakur Uday Singh as the head of the sect. He alleged that instead of allowing them to meet her, the followers of Thakur Uday Singh resorted to violence and openly fired and indulged in stone pelting.
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Man arrested for abetting brother’s suicide
Amritsar, February 27 The accused, identified as Pawan Kumar, is the elder brother of the deceased. A resident Gali Aave Wali, Gate Bhagtanwala, Sunil took the extreme step after Pawan along with his two sons Ajay Kumar and Vikas Kumar thrashed and humiliated him in full public view. Family members of the deceased had alleged police inaction. They have now urged the government to arrest the remaining two accused in the case soon.
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Five held for running flesh trade racket
Amritsar, February 27 Guest house manager Sandeep Kumar, Naveen Kumar of Krishna Nagar and Gurbhej Singh of Sarai Amanat Khan were among the arrested. All have been booked under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act.
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With the bidding process receiving a partial success, the much-awaited City Bus Service, the public transport system conceptualised for the holy city on the Ludhiana pattern, may take more time to take off.
Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal may have brought Takht Damdama Sahib on the rail map of the country by announcing the rail link between Rama Mandi and Maur Mandi, the other two Takhts in Punjab, Akal Takht in Amritsar and Takht Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, are still awaiting rail connectivity between each other.
Amritsar, where Akal Takht is located, has rail connectivity with Takht Shri
Patna Sahib in Bihar and Takht Shri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, but
there is no direct train between Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib.
In a reply to an RTI plea filed by a resident, Naresh Johar, the MC officials admitted that no order has been placed for buses proposed to be introduced in the city till date.
