Amritsar, April 1
Punjab's Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia has extended the date for the registration of property deeds using the power of attorney till April 30 in Amritsar and Jalandhar districts.

The earlier deadline for the same had ended yesterday and confusion prevailed among people, as people were anticipating an extension, but no formal orders had been received till date.

In a press release issued today, Majithia said that no further extension would be allowed in the matter, so people must get their properties registered before the due date.

He said it had been revealed that people often use the power of attorney to evade government fees. “The powers of attorneys are also a reason for a large number of property disputes. As per law, a person becomes the legitimate owner of a property only after the registration deed is duly signed,” he said.

As per the new instructions, the owner of property who has given the power of attorney to some other person is also required to be present at the time of the signing of the registration deed. The owner is also required to declare that he has received full compensation from the purchaser, besides disclosing the account number to which the money was transferred.

It is no secret that people who had given the power of attorney to some friend or relative in good faith had betrayed the owner by disposing of the property without the knowledge of the real owner. As a result, a large number of property related disputes have arisen.

He urged people to get their properties registered at the earliest to avoid heavy rush at the counter during the later days of April.

The Punjab Government had earlier fixed December 31, 2012, as the deadline for the registration of properties on the basis of power of attorney. Later, in view of the demand raised by the general public, the deadline was extended till March 31. It is for the second time that the deadline has been extended.

Amritsar, April 1
While the Municipal Corporation(MC) has acted tough against illegal hoardings, many iron frames on which they were being put up stand in different parts of the city, suggesting that a permanent solution to the menace is still afar.

The illegal frames ,installed on unipoles and on rooftops, can be seen at places like Crystal Chowk, Bhandhari Bridge, Elevated Road, GT Road, Lawrence Road and many other places.

The MC had earlier identified around 430 hoarding structures on the rooftop of private buildings and over 200 unipoles on roadside in the city. While the MC acting on the High Court's instructions about hoardings has nearly solved the problem of hoardings which prove a distraction for the drivers, the residents feel that hoarding frames should also be removed.

Besides proving a nuisance for drivers, their installation in abundance in every nook and the corner of the city reflects badly on the heritage and culture of the city.

Residents feel that the permanent solution to the problem lies in removing all illegal structures and ensuring that no new structure come up. “The sky has become more visible after the hoardings have been removed, but the distraction is there as far as the structures are present,” said Joginder Singh, a resident.

Meanwhile ,Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupinder Singh said that notices were served to the owners of all buildings on which these structures stand. “For the unipoles standing beside roads, we have still left these where they are till the advertising policy is finalized. After that we would keep whatever the requirement is and the rest be removed,” he said.

Though the MC had earlier given a notice for removal of these structures for 15 days, the date was extended for another fortnight as people complained about shortage of labour to remove the structures. The MC Commissioner claimed that around 120 hoarding frames from the rooftop have reportedly been removed.

Considering the height and rusted condition of these iron frames, the labourers are not easily ready to take up the job, said Bhupinder Singh adding that despite all things no structure would be allowed to stand after the notice period ends next week. 

Amritsar, April 1
RTI activist Ravinder Sultanwind has accused the Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) of intimating him late regarding a hearing at Chandigarh in connection with a case filed by him about corruption charges against a few Improvement Trust officials.

The Commission, on a notice of hearing, stated that the hearing in the case of Ravinder Sultanwind versus Public Information Officer and First Appellate Authority, both from Director Local Government Punjab, had been fixed before RS Nagi, State Information Commissioner, Punjab, at its office in Chandigarh on March 14 at 2 pm. The Notice of Hearing dated March 11 numbering PSIC/Legal/2013/4890 was allegedly dispatched by speed post from Chandigarh on March 19. A computer generated receipt pasted on the envelope of the notice mentioned “Chandigarh GPO <160017> C RP190938309in Counter No:3, Wt:20 grams, 19/03/2013 12:24 to Amritsar GPO <143001>”. Besides, a red colour stamp on the envelope stated the date as March 19, 2013, with Chandigarh and some codes written around it.

He wondered when the hearing was scheduled for March 14 and the notice of hearing had a date of March 11 along with the signature of Deputy Registrar, why the notice was dispatched late. He smelled a conspiracy to deny him the opportunity to pursue the case, as big land sharks, who have connections with high-profile people, were behind these cases.

The commission had issued the notice of hearing following the appeal filed by Ravinder on February 4, 2013. In his appeal, he had sought the information over the action taken report against five employees of the Amritsar Improvement Trust as recommended by the then Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, KS Pannu.

The then DC Pannu in a communiqué (No. DRA (M)/2/4249-50 dated October 27, 2008) to Director, Department of Local Government, had recommended a vigilance inquiry for disproportionate assets against these five employees.

Ravinder maintained that he had earlier filed the same complaint to the State Information Commission in 2009. However, the then State Information Commissioner Lt-Gen PK Grover had disposed of and closed it on January 12, 2010. In his order, Grover stated that the respondent present during the proceedings stated that no PIO had been appointed in Local Government Office. He directed the respondent to send a copy of the said affidavit to the complainant (Ravinder) by registered post by January 12, 2010, since he (complainant) was not present. It also reprimanded the Department of Local Government for not appointing a PIO so far contrary to the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.

PSIC Secretary Dr Arvinder Singh said if the complainant had a grudge that he got the communication intimating him about the hearing date late, he could inform the same to the Commission in writing. He said then the Commission, as per the provisions, would institute an inquiry committee to probe the reasons and the persons behind it. He stressed that the guilty would be punished accordingly.

Amritsar, April 1
Even as the Amritsar Municipal Corporation's ambitious solid waste management (SWM) project has failed to take off, the civic body has now sought the help of Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) to keep the holy city clean.

A three-member delegation of Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), led by its managing director Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, arrived in India on the invitation of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Attari-Wagah joint check-post today.

Chaudhary said the SWM system had been taken from Turkey following a seven-year-long contract. The system was installed at a whopping $ 80 million in Lahore last year, as the Turkish concern had brought in special vehicles, washers and other specialised machinery for collecting and disposal of waste. A state-of-the-art waste disposal facility for the recycling of the waste and its conversion into energy has been created in Lahore.

He said a remarkable change was taking place in developing countries, in general, and South Asian nations, in particular, as they were becoming more conscious about solid waste and its impact on environment.

On a four-day visit to Punjab, the delegation would study the feasibility of replicating the LWMC model, which is at present in operation at Lahore, in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Jalalabad (Ferozepur) and Ludhiana. The other two members of the delegation were LWMC general manager (operations) Khalid Majeed and manager (operations) Asif Iqbal.

The Pakistani delegation will be meeting senior officials of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ferozepur and Chandigarh municipal Corporations during their stay in Punjab. The visitors are expected to visit the Bio-Methamisation Processing Plant and Bio-Medical Waste Plant in Ludhiana.

Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupinder Singh welcomed the delegates and held discussion with them over the SWM. He said the Turkish system adopted by Lahore had three components. Firstly, it involves door-to-door garbage collection in which bags are supplied to the houses, machines attached with vehicles wash roads and streets, develops waste into compact material and then process it. He said the Lahore civic authorities had engaged 6,500 safai karamcharis, as it had over a crore population, whereas the local Civic body engages 2,000 safai karamcharis for a population over 11.40 lakh.

The Deputy Chief Minister had visited Lahore in November 2012 and after observing the functioning of the LWMC model, stressed the need to replicate it in his home state. After his approval, a four-member Indian delegation had visited Lahore in the first week of March to study the LWMC model.

The visiting delegation would meet the Deputy Chief Minister at Jalalabad tomorrow and would exchange information on solid waste management system. They would also look at solid waste management (SWM) systems and landfills in the proposed cities.

Amritsar, April 1
Two youths were killed and one seriously injured when a speeding Innova rammed into their motorcycle last evening.

The incident occurred near Arjan Maga village when the victims were going to pay obeisance at a nearby gurdwara. They trio was on the motorcycle PB-17-A-1283.

The victims were identified as Jobanpreet Singh, Arjinder Singh and Harwinder Singh, all residents of Udoke Kalan village .They were rushed to Guru Ram Dass Hospital in Uthia village in Mehta. While Jobanpreet and Arjinder were declared brought dead, Harwinder was admitted with serious injuries .

The police has registered a case under Sections 304-A, 279, 427, 337 and 338 of the IPC against the driver of the Innova (PB-12-Q-7875), who was later identified as Nishan Singh of Buttar Khurd village.

Amritsar, April 1
Remember BBC reporting a scientist discovering spaghetti tree in Swiss Alps, more recently Burger King’s left-handed burger, Viagra for pets and Diet tap water to lose 21 pounds. Well, the gifted ones would remember, especially when it's April Fool’s Day.

While these go down in history as one of best pranks played on April Fool’s, some creative minds have taken a cue every year to dust off the joker’s hat and get a prank right. For the chronologically challenged, April Fool’s Day is just another day to fall prey to some foolhardy, or so share some pranksters from city.

“It's one day in the year when I can get a bit creative, plan out some pranks that are harmless. The most common and safest prank I play is to call up my friends and fake a girl’s voice, asking them out on a date,” shares Chandan Nagi, an engineering student from city. Chandan agrees that though April 1 is universally known as Fool’s Day, people fall prey easily. “The best part is that you can play a prank and get away with it,” he says.

For, Sahil Nanda, a final year student of B Tech at the GNDU, it's time to settle some scores with friends. He has a lot of tales from the crypt to share, “Once we saved an unknown number in a friend's mobile and called him up midnight to cook up scary stories,” he shares. Another time, “I took my sister to a friend’s house and told her that it was haunted. Later, we managed to scare her every time she visited that house.” He could stretch the prank for at least three months, only to come clear later.

Another one to keep is from Manika Arora, a housewife, who made her husband the target of her tomfoolery. “It was a prank planned by my mother-in-law and me. I told my husband that he has won a Galaxy Grand on some shopping coupon a few days ago. So in the morning, he was all eager-beaver to go get his prize and when we reached the address, I broke the prank to him. He was a bit upset, but later laughed his heart out.”

While some take it sportingly, others do not find any humour in getting punked. “It’s annoying sometimes, when people play silly jokes without realising the place or time for it. In the name of April Fool’s, some cross their limit as well,” says Rajiv Anand, a healthcare professional from the city. “Once I was supposed to go to Delhi for a conference along with my colleague, who found it funny to mock call me about changed train timings. As a result, I missed my train and had to book a flight in emergency and double the fare to get to Delhi on time. He later realised and apologised for it, but the prank did not go down well with me," he says.

Well, love it or hate it, but as long as we get away with a few laughs and memories, what’s the harm in playing a little foolish for a day!

Amritsar, April 1
Rampant encroachments mar the inner peripheral road around the historic wall in the city as the residents as well as the trading community have encroached upon a part of it, leading to traffic congestion in the area.

Shivinder Kumar, a resident of the Lohgarh Gate, said it seemed that the government agencies did not have any other task than to deploy the police to verify documents of vehicles. He said the decades-old formula to show the presence of administration by checking documents would not serve any purpose. He added that it was the high team that over 2.5 lakh residents of the the city and commuters must be provided with quality roads. Kumar lamented that rampant encroachment was prevalent on the inner peripheral road, characterised by 12 gates.

From the Hall Gate to Sikandari Gate, parking of vehicles has gobbled up a major chunk of the road. Despite the presence of several policemen at the roundabouts and traffic light points, the road at many parts remains choked with traffic throughout the day. Tourists, VIPs and their cavalcades, visiting the Golden Temple, have to pass through this stretch.

The traffic movement increases manifold as the traditional wholesale markets of various merchandises like textile, shawls, food grains, spices and dry fruits, are situated in the walled city. Many educational institutes and government offices are situated on or near the road. Hence, heavy flow of automobiles is natural.

Similar nature of encroachment can be found from the Sikandari gate to Hathi gate. Encroachments by shopkeepers on stretches between the Lohgarh gate to BK Dutt Gate and Bhagtanwala Gate to Hall Gate do not allow vehicles a smooth drive.

Each power outage results in traffic chaos. It seems that the administration has completely forgotten the zebra crossings and footpaths. While zebra crossings could not be seen anywhere, encroachments by shopkeepers and vendors have eaten up footpaths. Similarly, slip roads do not find enough attention in the administration's scheme of things, which results in unnecessary chaos at each intersection. Haphazard parking of vehicles, especially auto-rickshaws, on the roads increases the chaos.

A separate lane for slow moving vehicles is the need of the hour as they hamper the traffic movement and create an avoidable traffic jam. As a number of wholesale markets are there in the walled city, traders hire cattle-driven carts to deliver merchandise. These carts can be spotted anywhere on the road.

MC Commissioner Bhupinder Singh said a comprehensive traffic management plan was under process and various aspects of congestion and its solutions would be considered in it.

Amritsar, April 1
The Sultanwind police has nabbed a youth and his sister for theft. The duo used to steal mobiles and purses of the devotees, who come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.

The police recovered four mobile phones and a stolen motorcycle from them. Waris Masih, investigating officer, said they had received an information that the duo was involved in stealing at the Darbar Sahib complex and were going to Sultanwind to sell the stolen material.

Following the information, a check post was laid and both the accused were arrested. The accused have been identified as Harpal Singh and Paramjit Kaur, both residents of Mustafabad, Batala road. A case under Sections 379, 411 of the IPC has been registered against them.

Attari, April 1
The inauguration of the electronic data interface (EDI) system, installed at the integrated check-post, which was to be inaugurated here today, has been postponed for the time being.

The system that has been installed to bring efficiency in documentation procedure for the bilateral trade between India and Pakistan, will reportedly be launched on its first anniversary celebrations on April 13.

The EDI will enable the traders to electronically fil their documents besides helping them in keeping the track of their consignments.

The officials at the ICP informed that the inauguration of the EDI system had been postponed due to some technical reasons. However, the sources said it would now be launched on April 13, the first anniversary of the ICP.

The authorities have also been planning to honor the best importer and exporters on this occasion besides organising a cultural programme.

It is pertinent to mention here that the system will also bring relief to the traders as they now wait for lengthy paper work due to involvement of multiple agencies at the ICP.