Amritsar, May 13
The recent hike in the “facilitation charges” by Suwidha (Single User-friendly Window Disposal and Help-line for Applicants) Centres will burn a hole in the pocket of the common man who is already reeling under severe inflation.

Established by the state government for effective delivery of administrative services under the Right to Service Act, many feel instead of making the services viable and more convenient these centres have turned contrary to their name.

The officials, however, said there was negligible hike in the essential services category. But contrary to the claim, there are many essential services for which the Suwidha Centres charge exorbitant fees.

Even certain services for which there is no government fee have not been spared.

If you are unmarried and want a ‘marriage-ability certificate’, you have to shell out Rs 150 as facilitation charges even as there is no fee fixed by the government for the certificate.

Further, for obtaining a marriage registration certificate under the Hindu Marriage Act, the prescribed government fee is Rs 125 but Suwidha Centres will charge you Rs 700. Earlier, this fee was Rs 500.

The government fee for issuance of a new ration card, for adding name of a newborn child, deletion of name in ration card, change of address in ration card, adding name in ration card, issuing duplicate ration card is Rs 5 each. But, the Suwidha Centre facilitation charges will now be Rs 20 instead of earlier fee of Rs 10 for these services.

For an arms licence, the state government has fixed Rs 120 fee for a .12 bore gun, Rs 180 for rifle and Rs 300 for a revolver or pistol. But, Suvidha Centres charge Rs 700 for each application as facilitation charges.

It means that for a .12 bore gun, the facilitation charges are around 6 times higher than the actual fee. Earlier, the Suwidha Centre charges were Rs 500.

For renewal of a .12 bore, the government fee is Rs 60 but the Suwidha Centre charges will be Rs 300, five times more than the prescribed government fee. Earlier, Suwidha Centre used to charge Rs 200 for the same service.

However, there is no government fee for entry of weapon in arms licence, deletion of weapon, no-objection certificate (NOC) for import of weapon, application for entry of retainers, addition of weapon, permission to carry weapon and disposal of weapon due to death or deposit of weapon. But, Suwidha Centres charge Rs 225 each for these services. For a duplicate arms licence, the government fee is Rs 100 while here too the facilitation charges are Rs 225.

For obtaining birth certificate, the government fee is Rs 15 (cash at the counter) and Rs 10 for extra copy whereas a Suwidha Centre charges Rs 30 for either of these.

For residence certificate, SC/BC/OBC certificate, border area certificate, income certificate, rural area certificate etc, the government charges are Rs 10, whereas Suwidha Centre will charge three times for these.

Though there is no fee to get a character certificate from the police station as prescribed by the government, the Suwidha Centre will charge Rs 20 for this. To get a nationality certificate, the Suwidha Centre charges Rs 23 whereas there is no government fee for the same.

For getting old registry records, Rs 25 is the government fee prescribed but the Suwidha Centre will charge Rs 50 for Punjabi and Rs 60 for Urdu language.

Harpreet Singh Dua, General Manager, Suwidha Centre (Headquarters), Amritsar, said, “It was the state government’s decision to increase the facilitation fee. The revised rates are applicable from May 8. The rates of only premium services have been raised whereas there is negligible hike in the essential services.”

Amritsar, May 13
Sleuths of the Excise Department today confiscated over 36 kilograms of unaccounted silver ornaments, valuing over 6 lakh, from Mathura resident Jatinder Aggarwal.

Excise and Taxation Department officials show unaccounted silver in Amritsar on Monday. A tribune photograph

Aggarwal had not informed about the merchandise at the department office at the railway station.

Deputy Director, Excise and Taxation Department (Mobile Wing) Hardeep Randhawa said on a tip-off, a team of the department detained Jatinder near the Sadar police station. Randhawa said a post of the department is operational at the railway station to record the arrival of goods from outside the state. She said businessmen and traders have to inform about the arrival of goods.

Jatinder arrived in Chhatisgarh Express here in the morning. The official said the ornaments were released after Jatinder deposited a penalty of about Rs 3 lakh.

Jatinder neither produced the sale and purchase bill nor the electronic information collection (EIC), which is mandatory as per the provisions.

She did not rule out the possibility of the jewellery being routed through a domestic hawala system, known as angariya, which is widely used by traders in the western part of the country.

She said prima facie it appeared to be a case of tax evasion as the dealers of precious objects did not inform the department before transporting such goods to Punjab.

As per the excise and taxation laws of the state, any material above Rs 2 lakh to be transported by road, rail or by air has to be brought to the prior notice to the Excise Department through the EIC mode.

Amritsar, May 13
Over 50 per cent of the arms licences registered at the Amritsar branch for rural areas may face cancellation.

This warning has been issued today by the police authorities against those who did not deposit their weapons with the designated authorities, thereby violating the code of conduct as imposed by the Election Commission in the wake of zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections scheduled for May 19.

Statistics reveal that the Amritsar rural area has the maximum number of licensed arms holders followed by Tarn Taran and Batala. Out of total 14,473 weapons issued in Amritsar rural police district, nearly 5,000 persons have deposited their arms with the respective police stations while in Tarn Taran just 6,300 weapons were deposited against over 12,000 issued.

Even as the advantage of 'exception' lies with the urban arms holders, since zila parishad and panchayats moreover fall in rural belt,

Out of around 7,000 weapons issued to urban residents, only 400 persons cared to abide by the orders of the Election Commission.

Taking cognisance of this, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kaustub Sharma said from tomorrow onwards, the process was being initiated to cancel the arms licences.

"A week ago, the police had issued notices to arms holders to deposit their weapons with the police stations concerned or registered gun houses but we got a lukewarm response. We will start issuing notices to those arms holders who did not care to deposit their weapons as directed by the Executive Magistrate," he said. —TNS

Amritsar, May 13
Even as government medical colleges in Punjab are grappling with an acute faculty shortage, as many as 277 Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) officers in the Health Department have completed the senior residency since 2000 but only 83 of them have been absorbed in the Punjab Medical Education Services (PMES) cadre as teachers in the state.

This has been revealed by statistics procured by local RTI activist SS Channa from the Directorate of Research and Medical Education (DRME).

The shortage, which is around 33 per cent, is affecting the standard of medical education in the state. The senior residency is the criterion for PCMS doctors to be eligible for faculty post in medical colleges.

As per the state government rules, 75 per cent of the total seats of faculty at government medical colleges are mandatory to be filled through promotion of PCMS cadre. But as the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings for promotion are seldom held, 103 seats of faculty from PCMS quota are lying vacant.

Against the total sanctioned strength of 334 faculty posts from the PCMS quota, only 231 have been filled. The medical colleges in the state have a total sanctioned strength of 432 faculty members, including professors, additional professors, associate professors, assistant professors and senior lecturers.

Even in the 25 per cent quota, a total of 103 that are required to be filled through direct recruitment, 43 seats of faculty are lying vacant.

Advocate SS Channa said he was soon going to file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court so that directions for holding regular DPC meetings were sought. He alleged that a lobby in PMES cadre is against the DPC meetings as it allowed them to fill posts through direct recruitment.

Channa said while the retirement age for the faculty members of medial education institutions had been increased from 58 years to 60 years and then again to 62 years presently, no efforts were made to fill the vacant posts.

“Now there is lobbying going on to get the retirement age extended to 65 years citing faculty shortage. But when around 194 people from PCMS cadre already fulfill the criteria why are they not being appointed,” questioned Channa. He further alleged that even backdoor entries were being made through direct quota.

“The recent example of one such entry is where a person has been appointed as the head of department in the Government Medical College, Amritsar,” he said, adding that the person would remain head for next 10 years and even those who had taught the one heading the department were working as juniors to her.

He said the state government and medical colleges are ensuring backdoor entries of their kin and favourites which would further affect the standard of education. 

Amritsar, May 13
Parents of various private school students here are up in arms against the school managements concerned for allegedly promoting help book culture. They said the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) had directed against the introduction of help books which promoted cramming.

It has been learnt that many private schools are still introducing such books as they get commissions in exchange for this. Besides, this also serves as a cover-up for lack of adequate qualified teachers, parents alleged.

Rakesh Kumar, a parent from Shakti Nagar, in a communiqué dispatched to the state Education Department in Mohali, said many schools recognised, affiliated and associated with the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) were making mockery of the prohibitory orders of not recommending help books with textbook solutions to students.

He said as per the rules of the education department, all non-government schools would suggest their students only those books which had been recommended by the PSEB.

“Apart from these recommended books, no other help books or guides can be suggested to students for reading,” he said.

He said violation of these rules could attract disaffiliation of such schools. Citing the example of many schools run by private houses and educational trusts in the city which are flouting the rules, he sought strict action against these.

Rakesh Kumar said a school management recently distributed pamphlets which included names of book sellers to students from Class VI to XII.

The pamphlet citing ISO certification of the school mentioned the name of the bookstore from where the books are to be procured and the list with names of the books. He sought strict action against the school and other schools as well which were defeating the cause of education to pocket money.

A source in the education department said as per PSEB norms, the affiliated and associated schools were mandated to procure 60 per cent of the books from book depots of the board operating in districts and tehsils of the state.

He said in absence of any checks and balances on the implementation of these rules, such schools were circumventing the rules to reap maximum profit in connivance with private book depots.

Social activist Naresh Johar said the education department and other government agencies seemed to have closed their eyes to such educational institutes. He said the managements of reputed private schools and other public schools being run by the Charitable Educational Trusts were forcing families to procure uniforms, stationery, books from particular shops.

Repeated attempts to contact District Education Officer (DEO-Secondary) Rasal Singh Malhi failed as he did not pick his phone. 

Amritsar, May 13
Gian Singh has been running from pillar to post for release of his son Sarabjit Singh, who has been languishing in a jail in Greece, after falling in the trap of fake travel agents.

The victim's family today approached Vice-Chairman of the National SC/ST Commission Rajkumar Verka seeking his intervention. Verka said he would take up matter with the foreign ministry and Indian High Commission in Greece.

Gian Singh had sold his property in Patti besides withdrawing money from his general provident fund (GPF) to send his son abroad. His repeated pleas before the police department failed to bear any fruit as the authorities did not do anything against the culprits.

He said his son used to perform sewa at the Golden Temple where he met Amarveer Singh, a resident of Meerakot who told him that he and his sister were travel agents and used to send youths to the United Kingdom. Gian Singh said he had sent his son to Turkey instead of the UK in May 2011.

He said after reaching Turkey, some accomplices of Amarveer snatched his son's passport and money and forced him to go Greece through sea route.

Amritsar, May 13
Even as the elections of the railway employees union concluded a few days ago, the walls of the local railway station continue to be crowded with posters and banners of different colours and sizes.

Without caring about the beauty of the railway station and the large number of tourists visiting the holy city, the railway employees union, in the run-up to the elections, has splashed the walls of main railway station into a place for slogan writing.

Amarjeet Singh, a tourist from Asansol, said it was gloomy to see posters pasted all over the wall of the railway station after alighting from train. He said the railway authorities must take into account that the finely painted walls added to the beauty of the railway stations.

Heritage lover and expert Balvinder Singh said the railway station was an example of Victorian architecture. It came into being in 1859, six years after the Indian sub-continent saw its first formal run of train from Bori Bunder (Mumbai). A major railhead junction of the northern Railways, the railway station had witnessed a maximum movement of trains carrying refugees to and fro from India and Pakistan during the Partition. He said sticking of bills and posters must be stopped on the walls of the national property.

Big photographs of leaders and their names are highlighted vigorously in these posters.

Slogans that highlight issues of employees and common public mar the beauty of the walls of the station, important from the historical point of view.

The defacement gives a bad impression to a large number of tourists visiting the city daily. Keeping the flow of tourists in mind, the District Tourism Office has been located at the exit gate of the railway station. But even the walls of the office have not been spared from similar defacement.

Besides, slogans highlighting the demands of the railway employees are also painted on the walls. Various leaders of the union accept that the walls of the railway station had been painted with slogans. They said the method of expressing demands of the employees to the government by writing slogans on walls had been going on for decades. They said the practice could be stopped if the authorities provided a suitable place to stick bills and posters to articulate these demands. 

Jalandhar, May 13
Excessive use of laptops and wearing tight jeans may cause infertility among males. This was stated by Dr Kumud Pasricha, a city gynaecologist, at a two-day hands-on workshop on male infertility, held under the aegis of Shivam Fertility and IVF Centre, at Kapurthala Chowk here today.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Kumud said, “Laptops, when kept on thighs for hours, can cause infertility among males. This is due to the heat caused by the laptop. Similarly, heat is caused when one wears tight jeans. It is one of the main reasons for infertility in male. Besides, tensed lifestyle and late marriage are also among the reasons that cause the problem. All these factors can reduce sperm counts.”

Stating that male infertility was already on the rise, she advised youngsters to avoid keeping laptops on thighs and wearing tight jeans.

Over 30 prominent gynaecologists from various parts of Punjab took part in the workshop that concluded at Shivam Fertility and IVF Centre on Sunday.

It is the only centre in the region to impart certified courses in infertility management to qualified city gynaecologists.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ritesh Aggarwal, an embryologist, demonstrated how to process semen samples and improve the quality of sperm to get better pregnancy results.

Dr Aggarwal also showed how to freeze semen samples. This treatment is also helpful for those couples who are not living together, like husband working abroad.

“In this manner, we can freeze a semen sample to help a wife conceive using techniques like the IUI, IVF and ICSI,” he added.

Finally, Dr Kumud thanked the doctors for attending the workshop.

Amritsar, May 13
Every party, travel expedition or an outing with friends becomes a reason to click. With the Facebook lifestyle we now live, photographs become quite important. Your life is as good as seen in the pictures. This has made some creative young minds give a serious thought to it. Juggling between studies and living a dream through the lens, Absar Khan and Aftab Singh Sandhu are doing a pretty good job at what they love doing, clicking.

Seventeen-year-old Absar Khan started looking at the world through the lens four years ago, while still trying to figure out algebra and Playstation. Student of class XII of DAV Public School, Absar is a freelance photographer, who never misses a good chance to click. “My first exhibition was at my school. I had displayed pictures that I had clicked while holidaying in Dharamsala. My teacher Pratibha Malhotra Panghal was the one who pushed me to organise an exhibition at the school,” he shares. Since then, he has been pursuing his passion from a career point of view, so much so that his collection has four generations of cameras. “The first generation of the cameras I have is 20 years old, the second is with a reel and the latest is a PSR.” He mostly does portraits and street photography but his heart goes out to fashion photography. “Daboo Ratnani inspires me and I believe he is India’s most talented photographer.” Believing that a good shot is first clicked in the mind, he tries to keep his pictures as real as possible. “The eye is the first lens through which one captures a shot. A simple click could be made special with good timing and originality.” Though he has, till now, managed to balance his studies and passion equally, he plans to take up photography fulltime. “I have not given it my 100 per cent as yet but I want to,” he expresses.

Another young photographer busy capturing the world in his camera is Aftab Singh Sandhu. The 18-year-old lad, who does candid, portfolios and nature photography, doesn’t just want to make money out of it, but wants to change perceptions. “Usually, when you tell someone that you want to become a photographer, their first reaction is that you would land up as a ‘shaadi’ photographer. Photography has moved beyond weddings and family functions and there is a market for innovation. It’s my passion but I want to make it my profession in the later years of my life,” he says. He has put up several exhibitions and has also got a lot of appreciation for his work. He believes that a good click needs hard work. “Every Sunday morning, I leave house at 5 and roam around the city to click. This way, it doesn’t hinder my studies.”

Ask him and he says that the best part of Amritsar to capture is the walled city. “It’s so alive. The chaos and celebrations show the city’s spirit.”

Unlike Absar, who got support of his parents, Aftab had to convince his about his career choices. “Once they saw that my pictures were worth, they agreed to support me.” 

Amritsar, May 13
Senior Study II Public School bagged the first prize in the overall competitions during the National Technology Day celebrations at Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School, Sultanwind Road, here today.

The second prize was won by Cambridge International School, while Bhavan SL Public School got the third prize. Consolation prizes were also given in the categories of best animation, bit and byte and best orator. The computer department of the host school also presented a research paper and made a presentation on the Shakti Pokhran nuclear test.

In the power point presentation competition, students of 17 Sahodaya schools participated. Prof Jaspal Singh, head of the computer department, Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Research and Science, along with Inderjeet Singh, Assistant Professor, Khalsa College (Computer Department), evaluated the performances of the students.

Amritsar, May 13
In a reshuffle in the district health department, five officials have been transferred to separate places in the district. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has ordered transfer of the District Family Welfare Officer, Dr Ranjit Singh Buttar, to Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital as Senior Medical Officer. Dr Sushma Sondhi has been appointed the DFWO of Civil Hospital.

The District Leprosy Officer, Dr Amarjit Singh Sachdeva, has been appointed in charge of the Employees State Insurance Hospital, Majitha road. Further, Dr SS Bedi, SMO, community health centre (CHC), Mannawala, has been transferred to the Tarsikka CHC. Dr Narinder Kaur has been transferred to the Mannawala CHC from the Tarsikka CHC. 

Amritsar, May 13
The Amritsar rural police has seized 300 gm of heroin worth Rs 1.50 crore in the international black market from Jagtar Singh, a resident of Muhawa village.

The police authorities said he was going towards Sangra village when he was intercepted by the police. Riding a motorcycle, he tried to escape on seeing the police. However, he was nabbed and during search, 300 grams of heroin was recovered from him.

A case under Section 21/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered at the Chatiwind police station in this connection. 

Amritsar, May 13
Suraj and Vikas qualified for the first draw of the u-16 boys All-India Tennis Tournament, which kicked off at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Stadium here today.

Suraj overpowered a resolute Dhruv Sabarwal of Uttarakhand after a spirited fight that ended in 9-6. Vikas got better of Rudra Kapoor of Uttar Pradesh 9-3. As many as three players of Chandigarh won their respective matches. Sabrang Sandal outplayed Anuj Malik of Haryana 9-7, Digvijay Pratap defeated Sahishnu Sharma of Jammu and Kashmir 9-6 and Sehrab Singh outclassed Kanush Kathuria of Delhi 9-6.

Uttar Pradesh’s Piyush Pandey defeated Arnav Bhardwaj of Haryana 9-8, Himanshu of Haryana defeated Navneet Singh of Delhi 9-3, Danish Ahmed of Delhi defeated Karun Bhandari of Punjab 9-1 and Calvin Golmei beat Manav Bhrany 9-8.

Similarly, in the first round of the u-14 boys, Calvin Golmei outplayed Vaibhav Kundu of Haryana 9-6, Savneet Bajwa of Punjab defeated Alen Roddick of Tamil Nadu 9-6, Digvijay Pratap Singh of Chandigarh got better of Navneet Singh of Delhi 9-4, Himanshu of Haryana outclassed Neeraj Yashpal of Chandigarh 9-2. Arya Vardan of Haryana, Danish Ahmad and Arnav Bhardwaj defeated their opponents in other matches of the age group.