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Traffic lights non-functional at key intersections in city, vicinity
DC tells officials to identify sites for protests
Public work suffers as govt staff go on pen-down strike
Traffic policemen soft target for anti-social elements
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State budget: Positive for trade and industry, for some directionless
Malpractices in distribution of LPG cylinders go unchecked
An autorickshaw loaded with LPG cylinders. A file photograph
Annual sports meet of GNDU concludes
MC councillor to launch garbage-lifting rickshaws
Increase in VAT on tobacco products hailed
Fashion designing students display their creations
2 held with 1 kg heroin,
Rs 7.5 lakh
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Traffic lights non-functional at key intersections in city, vicinity
Amritsar, March 21
While the city traffic police says that it is for the Municipal Corporation (MC) of the city to maintain the traffic lights, the latter passes the buck to the PWD Department, saying these lights had not yet been handed over to them officially by the PWD, which further held PowerCorp responsible for not extending the power connection to the lights. The reality is that the traffic lights at two major intersections - the eight-lane New Amritsar Gate and Batala Bypass (diverted from Amritsar-Jalandhar road) — have been lying defunct, posing a danger to the lives of residents. With no policeman is in sight to regulate the traffic here, it is "might is right" norm to cross this intersection. Being an eight-lane stretch, the heavy vehicles coming in or exiting the city for Jalandhar would be at high speed. With no traffic signal interruption, accidents at this spot are rampant. Ironically, not even a single policeman is normally spotted to manage the traffic. aShying away from its responsibility, the police department, too, has turned a blind eye to it, saying it was for the departments concerned to make the lights functional. Even as city traffic in charge D Jitender had promised to take "measures" for putting in place a proper vigil at the New Amritsar traffic light-point to direct traffic, it has not been done even after a week. While enquiring the issue, it was revealed that the PowerCorp had not extended the power connection to these lights despite the fact that the load for these lights (1 kw for each traffic terminal) has been sanctioned "officially". However, as a stop-gap arrangement, a temporary connection has been extended to the Batala Bypass intersection lights through the NH-1 power lines "unofficially". PWD SDO Tharu Ram claimed that despite repeated reminders to the Power department, these lights could not be made functional. "Even this morning, I had called up the XEN concerned as well as the SDO of power department to make the lights functional, but in vain," he said while revealing the official estimate applications for both traffic lights as 53222 and 53221 submitted since November 8, 2012. When this matter was brought to the notice of XEN Satinder Sharma, he showed some promise. "Even as this issue was being handled by our other wing, I would initiate to expedite it," he said, promising to get these functional "as soon as possible". MC XEN Manjit Singh Bedi said as soon as the traffic lights get functional, these would be maintained, keeping in view the intensity of the route.
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DC tells officials to identify sites for protests
Amritsar, March 21 In a meeting held here today, he instructed the officials to work jointly to suggest such places in all sub-divisions and the district headquarters. The final decision in this regard will be taken by the district administration. He said while looking for such places, the officials should keep in mind that the holding of protests at these places does not hinder public life in any way. Aggarwal said it should also be taken into account that security forces can be mobilised to such places at a short notice. It was also discussed that such places should have the arrangement for drinking water supply and toilets for a large number of people. Aggarwal said officials had suggested spots in Ranjit Avenue, New Amritsar and the bypass near Amrit Anand Bagh to be used for the purpose at the district headquarters. He said the final decision would be taken after the inspection of these places. Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupinder Singh, Assistant Commissioner (General) Amandeep Kaur, SDM-II Manmohan Singh Kang, SDM Baba Bakala Vimal Kumar Setia and SDM Ajnala Ravinderpal Singh were among those who attended the meeting.
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Public work suffers as govt staff go on pen-down strike
Amritsar, March 21 The problem was aggravated as the ministerial staff workers at various offices, too, joined a protest rally in support of their separate demands. Works at excise and taxation, education, PWD (B and R), public health, agriculture, horticulture, sanitation, irrigation, revenue and treasury departments were affected due to the protest by the ministerial staff association. Meanwhile, the District (DC) Office Employees Association president Asunil Kumar Sharma said they had decided to resume work from Friday as the government had assured them to fulfil their demands. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the association today. However, the State Ministerial Services Association has announced to hold a pen-down strike on March 25 and 26. Association general secretary Jagdish Thakur said, "So far we have submitted memorandum four times, but the government has failed to take any notice. The government is pushing the association to go on strike by its indifferent attitude." Thakur said the association was protesting to get the anomalies in the implementation of the revised pay scales corrected, besides various other issues. Prominent other association leaders present in the protest included Sukhjinder Singh Riar, Gurinder Singh, Tejinder Singh and Manjinder Singh.
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Traffic policemen soft target for anti-social elements
Amritsar, March 21
A traffic policeman was run over by some youths near the Circuit House when the former signalled them to stop. In the past too, traffic policemen have faced similar instances, but in the absence of any concrete action, the accused get free, whereas such criminal activity goes on unabated. These repeated instances point to the fact that there seems to be no fear of action in the minds of anti-social elements, a majority of whom have political patronage. Nevertheless, it is being viewed that in the yesterday’s instance too, the accused would likely be free, as has happened in a number of similar incidents in the past. Regarding yesterday’s incident, the investigating officer ASI Sohan Lal said rigorous Sections of the law were registered against the three occupants -Nishan Singh (driver of the Indigo Car), Gurditta, alias Gobind Singh, and Avtar Singh, but nothing objectionable was found during the preliminary investigations and that it appeared that they just ran over the policeman "out of fear". “We have checked the antecedents and the car was thoroughly searched, but nothing objectionable could be found from them. The car belonged to Nishan Singh’s brother-in-law, who incidentally is a policeman attached with the CM’s security. In a statement given to the police, the accused admitted to breaking the signal at an earlier point and got nervous when the traffic cop Balraj Singh tried to intercept them again. Still, we have booked them and law will take its own course,” he said. In December, a head constable Karamjit Singh, deputed at a naka near Circuit House was physically assaulted by a group of miscreants who tore his uniform in broad daylight. They, too, were stopped by a police party deputed there for creating hooliganism. The accused Avtar Singh of Kot Salagram, Gulzar Singh of Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Taminderjit Singh and Gurinderpal Singh of Cheel Mandi were arrested. They had claimed that they belonged to a "prominent" political party in the region and possessed power to get all policemen dismissed from service. The Civil Lines police registered a case under Section 353 (assaulting or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty), 332, 186, 506, 34 IPC in this regard. “The culprits were on the wrong side and indulged in hooliganism. When I stopped them, they entered into a verbal dual. Then, after giving some political references, they physically assaulted me, threatened to get me dismissed and tore my uniform,” he said. On November 26, another traffic policeman was abused and manhandled by a couple in the Chatiwind area. The offenders - Manjit Singh and his wife Sarabjit Kaur - reportedly got offended when the traffic policeman, Kulbir Singh, on duty at Chattiwind Chowk, near Gurdwara Shaheedan Sahib, asked the couple to stop their car at a proper place. “I asked them to park their car in the designated parking place so that traffic should not get obstructed on the road. But this offended them. They manhandled me and tore my uniform. My only mistake was that I told them to park their vehicle properly,” said the head constable. On November 24, a traffic policeman Sardara Singh was thrashed badly by a group of five unidentified persons when he was on duty near Regent Cinema. The accused attacked and injured him with a knife. A case in this regard was registered with the Kotwali police station. Even as a person was taken into custody on suspicion, the main culprits are still at large.
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State budget: Positive for trade and industry, for some directionless
Amritsar, March 21
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Malpractices in distribution of LPG cylinders go unchecked
Amritsar, March 21 As the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas doles out new consumer-friendly policies like the LPG connection portability and the rating of distribution services by consumers, Amritsar residents are facing inconvenience in booking and getting new connections. Some of them have complained about receiving half-filled cylinders, pointing towards the erratic distribution cartel. Most of the consumers have to wait for over a month to get a booking done. Some of them say they are being mislead by agencies about the time gap between two consecutive bookings. “Most distributors take new bookings of cylinders only after 21 days of the last delivery. This is being enforced by all the distributing agencies arbitrarily as there is no such regulation or directive from the government or the oil companies. One has to wait for over a month to get a refill,” said BR Preenja, general secretary, Consumer Rights Protection Society, Amritsar. “Most complaints deal with consumers receiving half-filled cylinders, even when it is mandatory for agency distributors to weigh cylinders at the time of delivery. Also, the policies have failed to weed out the menace of multiple connections despite the mandatory filling of the Know Your Customer forms by the agencies,” he says. He says, "Major oil companies have appointed officials in each district to check irregularities and aid distributing agencies in customer care services but it is not helping as most of these officials are not approachable.” Most of the agencies fail to follow guidelines and provide facilities by oil companies and the government. Even the authorities admit there are discrepancies in the LPG distribution in the city. “No doubt there have been some incidents and problems are being faced by consumers in the city but we are keeping a consistent check against any wrongdoings by the distributing agencies. As far as the legal and executive guidelines regarding distribution and bookings are concerned, we will definitely get them checked for any discrepancies and act accordingly,” says Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal. “The district authorities have been regularly ensuring that the distribution by agencies remains transparent and any party found flouting the rules will be subjected to a strict action,” he said.
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Annual sports meet of GNDU concludes
Amritsar, March 21
The Department of Electronics Technology won the overall championship with 53 points in the men's category and the Department of Architecture excelled in the women's category with 32 points. Harpreet Singh of English Department was adjudged the best athlete in the men's category with 25 points while Sanchi Kapoor was declared the best woman athlete with 21 points. The wife of GNDU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ajaib Singh Brar, Dr Sarvjit Kaur Brar, presided over the valedictory function and distributed trophies and certificates to the winners. Deputy Director, Sports, Dr HS Randhawa presented the detailed report of the activities of the department. He said Abhishek Verma of the university had secured the first position in the International Archery Championship and about 20 sportspersons had brought laurels to the university by participating in national and international-level championships.
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MC councillor to launch garbage-lifting rickshaws
Amritsar, March 21 Congress councillor from Ward No. 24 Gurinder Rishi said out of the Rs-300 crore MC budget for the financial year 2013-2014, over Rs 230 crore had been kept for compulsory expenses, which include employees’ salaries, and only Rs 70 crore would be left for the development of the holy city. “That is why I want to introduce garbage-picking rickshaws, which will be launched on the Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on March 23, and conduct door-to-door collection in my ward,” he said.
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Increase in VAT on tobacco products hailed
Amritsar, March 21 The Voice of Tobacco Victims Association president Dr Prahlad Duggal said, "A study conducted in 2010 in Rajasthan had revealed that increase in VAT from 20 to 40 per cent resulted in an 8 per cent decrease in the consumption of tobacco products." Duggal said earlier the Union Government, in its Budget, had increased taxes on cigarettes and now the state government had increased VAT to 50 per cent along with a surcharge of 10 per cent. He said all these taxes cumulatively would increase the cost of cigarette by almost 30-35 per cent. Duggal said a study to find out the relation between increase in taxes and decrease in consumption would also be conducted in the state. Even former Cabinet minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla has welcomed the budget for increase in VAT on tobacco, but at the same time she has criticised the government for not taking any steps to curb the consumption of liquor. "The increased cost of cigarettes would surely save people's health, but at the same time all intoxicants should be treated as equally harmful," she said, demanding that liquor should be made costlier to decrease its consumption. Even the District Health Officer, Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon, who is actively running a campaign to curb smoking at public places and implement ban on sale of tobacco products, said, "The smokers would automatically think twice before buying a cigarette if it goes costlier. The Budget decision would go a long way in curbing the menace of smoking in the state."
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Fashion designing students display their creations
Amritsar, March, 21 The young designers not only designed the outfits but also displayed their creations as models. The chief guest for the evening, Amritsar Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Aabha Rani Singh, in her address appreciated the efforts of the participating staff and students. College principal Dr Neelam Kamra appreciated the talent exhibited by the students and said, “The purpose of the event is to offer a platform to students to showcase their hidden potential.” The garments were designed on themes like Mughal, fusion, Indo-Western and ethnic. Designer frocks for girls aged between five to eight years were also on display. The fashion show had eight rounds, which were judged by Prabhdip Brar from the UIFT, Panjab University, and Kamal Uppal, a city-based entrepreneur. Ankita, Amar, Maninder, Anjana, Pallavi, Komalpreet and Maninder were adjudged the best designers. ACET students bring laurels Students of the Amritsar College of Engineering & Technology (ACET) won the overall trophy in 'Momentum 2013', a national-level management festival held at the CT Group of Institutions, Jalandhar. Over 1,000 students from various engineering and management colleges participated in the festival. A team of 60 students from the ACET participated in various technical and management events such as quiz, sudoku, ad skills, need for speed and debate in the festival. ACET principal Dr SK Aggarwal said the ACET, which started in 2002, always motivates and encourages its students to participate in technical, management and cultural festivals. Dua to preside over Khalsa College convocation Journalist and Rajya Sabha MP HK Dua will preside over the 107th convocation of the Khalsa College on March 24. More than 400 students from various disciplines will receive degrees at the function. College principal Dr Daljit Singh said the Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Ram Singh, would be the guest of honour on the occasion. He said Khalsa College Governing Council president Satyajit Singh Majithia, vice-president Charanjit Singh Chadha and honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina would be among the special guests. The function will be held at the college’s Sundar Singh Majithia hall. More than 70 medals will be given to meritorious students during the convocation.
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2 held with 1 kg heroin,
Rs 7.5 lakh
Amritsar, March 21 District Rural Police chief Manmohan Singh said they were arrested at about 8.30 pm from the Tarn Taran road by a police party in a joint operation conducted by the narcotics cell in charge Sanjeev Kumar and the Majitha police. “We had information about the suspected activities of these two persons. On a tip-off, a naka was laid on the GT road Manawala, where the two were intercepted while they were riding a bike Pulsar (No. PB-02-BQ-4516). We recovered 1 kg of heroin and Rs 7.5 lakh currency of Rs 1,000 denomination from them,” he said. Preliminary investigations revealed that Bhupinder Singh was engaged in wood work, but his actual profession was drug trafficking and Puran Singh had joined him later. “Further investigation is on to find out their actual involvement in the crime. They appeared to be couriers of the consignment and we are trying to reach the kingpin,” he added.
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Even as the authorities are taking steps to check unauthorised dealings by gas agencies, consumers remain at the receiving end as far as LPG connections and distribution in the city is concerned.
As the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas doles out new consumer-friendly policies like the LPG connection portability and the rating of distribution services by consumers, Amritsar residents are facing inconvenience in booking and getting new connections.
"It's not a wise budget, but a completely political one. The aim has been to win over the votes of certain sections of society by dishing out sops without realising the resources needed in doing so. It presents no innovation for the agriculture sector as well as no industrial boosters. These are the two important basis of our state economy. I am disappointed with
it." —
"The budget has come with some good news for the students, especially those who come with limited resources. Scholarships for needy students and free education for girls at ITIs would ensure that kids of poor families, too, will get an equal opportunity to excel. With education sector getting 12 per cent share of the budget, education reforms are most likely
expected." — 
"It’s a very disappointing budget. Though promises have been made through subsidies, allowances for the senior citizens and women, agriculture sector and education, no clarity as to how the common man would benefit from such schemes was given. It's not the budget for common man, but for specific sections of society that the government is trying to
woo." 
"It was a balanced and welfare-oriented budget and focused more towards development of social infrastructure like strengthening the road network and uplift of civic amenities. The outlay of Rs 285 crore for the upgradation of focal points would help upgrading the facilities at industrial
centres." 
"The promise of an investment policy is indeed a silver lining in Punjab's budget for industry and trade. Expo and trade exhibition infrastructure at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Mohali would provide a showcase for the produce of
Punjab." 
"Laudable initiatives are to fund alternative sources of energy from farm waste, municipal solid waste and harnessing solar energy.Power consumption is considerably increasing each month and the utilisation of energy available from sources around may contribute significantly while resolving the concern for disposing of tonnes of waste. The ambitious plan to generate another 1500 mw of power through renewable sources of energy such as biomass, municipal waste, solar and waste of sugar mills and distilleries could bring down the rising demand of
energy." — 
"Overall the budget is directionless as it does not guide the state economy out of its present condition. The budget promises to usher the state into industrialisation but fails to describe its strategy. It is a welcome move to levy additional VAT on soft drinks and cigarettes, as these are highly harmful products for human consumption. However, at the same time, the government must have reduced VAT on petrol and diesel to offer respite to the families from middle and lower income groups of families and to boost the
industry." 
"The setting up of exhibition and convention centres at Mohali, Amritsar and Ludhiana would meet the long demand of the trading community. Of late, manufacturers and traders from neighbouring Pakistan are showing keen interest in this side of Punjab. Indigenous industries of Punjab would be in a position to showcase its merchandise, and
produce." 
