Jalandhar, September 4
A middle-aged addict man killed his wife over a feud by hitting her several times on her head with a wooden grinder taken from the kitchen at their residence in Raj Nagar here this morning.

The deceased, Jagdish Kaur, had been married to Jeet Singh for 22 years and have two sons and a daughter. The couple reportedly often had spats with one another over financial issues and addiction problems. This morning at 10.30 am when everyone else was away, Jeet Singh reportedly dragged his wife inside a room from the verandah where she was washing clothes.

Jeet Singh hit her hard in the head with a wooden grinder meant for crushing eatables. As she started bleeding heavily, he left her to die. The deceased had reportedly called her mother Rajni from Kullewal village in Kapurthala to tackle the ongoing discord going on for the past few days. Rajni had gone to her other daughter’s place close by when the incident took place.

The mother of the deceased said Jeet Singh had not been working and her daughter had been organising kitty parties to make small income to run the house. She said Jeet often sought money from her for buying intoxicants, to which Jagdish objected, leading to fight.

The couple has two sons, aged 21 and 19 years. While one of them had gone to college, the other one was away to Kapurthala. Their daughter is working with a finance company.

The ACP (West) Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu, said a case was registered under Section 302 of the IPC at the Basti Bawa Khel police station. He said police parties had been dispatched to apprehend the accused, who was on a run.

Kavita, wife of Rakesh Kumar, who committed suicide, being rounded up by the police at Darjian Mohalla in Jalandhar on Wednesday

The ACP (West), Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu, said they were yet to come to give statements. "We have however rounded up Kavita, who was not at home at the time of incident. The suicide note on the wall is a big evidence to book her under Section 306 of the IPC," he added.


Rakesh Kumar. Tribune photographs

Jalandhar, September 4
Two-and-a-half-year-old Reeti, daughter of Rajat, a resident of Garha, lost her life after consuming contaminated water here today. Reeti died at around 11.30 am here this morning after showing diarrhoea-like symptoms.

Her father Rajat said while she had vomiting and loose motions between 1 to 2 am, she died in the morning after her health deteriorated. He said the bad water in the locality was to blame for her health.

While the area is characterised by insanitary conditions and water outlets without taps (only nets being tied to outlets to filter water), the authorities remained on a denial mode on the issue.

Councillor of Ward 33 Neera Jain said, "While a girl has died in the locality and the death has occurred due to bad water, a look at the area can tell one it is quite possible for illness to spread here. Water pipes are bound with strings and ropes and at places there are big mounds of garbage. There are no taps and water coming out of holes is bound to be bad. It is an area of scrap pickers and they clearly live in very insanitary conditions. Reportedly the residents have also not been paying water bills."

Residents of the area, however, said the bad water supply and not the conditions were to blame. They said the water coming out of the taps was contaminated and responsible for Reeti's death.

Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan said, "We are not yet sure about the nature of the illness of the girl. We have taken water samples and more samples will be taken tomorrow, which will help us determine the nature of the disease. A health camp was earlier held in the area in which not many patients turned up. We have written to the corporation to fix the water supply of the area."

Jalandhar, September 4
Taking a cue from the recent suicide of an HIV/AIDS patient at the Civil Hospital, a full-fledged counselling centre under the Red Ribbon project has resumed its operations in the ART Centre of the hospital today.

Apart from counselling, the centre will also help in getting jobs and organising marriages of the HIV/AIDS patients coming to them. This will help in the rehabilitation of many HIV-positive patients coming to the ART Centre everyday for treatment.

"An HIV-infected person needs compassion and friendliness, which only a councillor can provide. Moreover, we as a society has to look after their other needs, like equal job opportunities, marriages and rehabilitation, to make them feel as part of our society. So, we resumed the project, earlier run by the National AIDS Control Society, and will be running it successfully," said Surinder Saini, Director, Jalandhar Welfare Society.

While welcoming the move, Dr RL Bassan, Civil Surgeon, has revealed that most of the patients come to ART Centre after testing positive for HIV, but later get lost in the crowd due to shame and humiliation attached to the disease. "More than 150 patients come to our ART Centre everyday, but later cease to come for treatment due to various reasons. A lot of awareness is still required in the society, including doctors, about this disease. Such moves will help us to keep a consistent track of the HIV-infected people and their problems who are coming to our ART Centre," he said.

According to the data provided by the Punjab AIDS Control Society, till May this year there are 5,755 HIV- infected people in the district, out of which 2,007 are on ART. Around 590 deaths have been reported so far due to the disease."

Jalandhar, September 4
A meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation (MC) regarding award of various tender works, which was scheduled for today, got postponed at the last moment as three political members did not turn up showing strong defiance against Mayor Sunil Jyoti.

The heads of various departments kept on waiting, but since Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia, Deputy Mayor Arvinder Oberoi and BJP councillor Ravi Mahendru did not turn up, the meeting was postponed.

There, however, has been a buzz going around that Bhatia, Oberoi and Mahendru did not deliberately turn up as they rued that they were not being taken into confidence for any decision making.

Both Bhatia and Oberoi represent the SAD and have reportedly joined hands against Mayor Sunil Jyoti despite differences in the past. Mahendru represents the camp opposite to that of Jyoti in the BJP. While Jyoti is supported by CPS KD Bhandari, Mahendru is close to former minister Manoranjan Kalia.

The Mayor, however, claimed that there was no such political rivalry. He said while Bhatia had to go to court for a hearing, Ravi went to Phagwara owing to the demise of his relative. It was just Bhagwant Prabhakar, BJP councillor close to Jyoti, who made it to the meeting.

Jalandhar, September 4
Implementing the revised regularisation policy on illegal colonies, the Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) today issued the first regularisation certificates to an owner of two such plots.

Perhaps sending a signal that the residents of unauthorised colonies had started paying regularisation fee and that the JDA was keen enough to process all applications thus received at the earliest, the officials held a function in the office. Chief Parliamentary Secretary KD Bhandari and JDA Chief Administrator Vinay Bublani distributed certificates.

Bublani said he had received 19 applications since the policy got revised on August 20 and that he would clear them all by this evening. The official, who also holds the charge of the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, said nearly 40 applications had been received by him in the MC office.

For the convenience of the residents, who were unable to register for the same online through the website www.punjabregularisation.com, Bublani said help could also be sought from his staff in both the offices. He said the online registration number must be saved for submission of forms.

The Chief Administrator said for the convenience of the public 100 email accounts had been given to SDMs, Executive Officers of Municipal Committees and even Suwidha Centres of subdivisions so that residents of Phillaur, Mehatpur and other far-flung areas could make the payments at offices nearer to them.

Estate Officer, PUDA, Amarjit Bains said for the first instalment, a draft for 5 per cent of the regularisation fee is to be made in the name of the Chief Administrator PUDA, for levying of Social Infrastructure Fund (SIF) and the remaining 25 per cent to the Chief Administrator, JDA. He said those paying lump sum at the first go, could also avail 5 per cent rebate. For colonisers, he said 10 per cent of the composition fee is to be paid to the District Town Planner and the remaining in instalments to the Chief Administrator, JDA.

Saying that the last date for the application is October 7, Bains said all facilities, including water and power connections, could be withdrawn from the residents after that. He said the offices would have 30 days' time to scrutinise the applications after the deadline.

Asked if any coloniser had also applied, the EO said not yet. "The process of compounding for colonisers is lengthier for they are also expected to present building plan and land record for each plot of the colony," Bains said. He added that none of the colonisers would be spared as the office would get undertaking from the applicants of that area as to from whom they had bought the properties.

Regarding those who have bought plots after April 1, 2013, and done construction, he said such persons would be considered offenders under the PAPRA Act and Special Provisions Act, which came into effect after that date. "Such properties will not be regularised," he said.

Jalandhar, September 4
Border Security Force (BSF) hockey team has won the All-India Police Hockey Championship-2013 held at Bengaluru (Karnataka).

All-India Police Hockey Championship-2013 was held from August 24 to August 31, 2013 at Bengaluru. In an exciting final played between the BSF and the Punjab Police, the BSF defeated the Punjab Police by 3-2 to lift the All-India Hockey Championship-2013 title.

A warm welcome was given to the BSF team on arrival at Frontier HQrs, BSF, Jalandhar, here today, by Ajay Kumar Tomar, IPS, IG BSF, Punjab Frontier along with other officers and BSF personnel. Inspector-General, BSF Punjab Frontier, appreciated and congratulated the team on this achievement and encouraged the team members to continue with the same spirit in future also.

BSF has been a home for legendary hockey players Udham Singh, Arjuna Awardee, who represented India in the Olympics in 1956, 1960 and 1964, Ajit Pal Singh, (decorated with Padamshri and Arjuna Award) who captained 1975 World Cup winning Indian team, Praveen Kumar, Arjuna Awardee and many other sports stalwarts. The BSF has produced 17 Arjuna Awardees in various disciplines. Besides above, many sportsmen of the BSF have represented India in various International Competitions.

As an elite Central Armed Police Force, BSF lays extra stress on games and competitions of different disciplines as a regular part of its day-to-day functioning where potential young talents are selected and further groomed for National and International championships. 

Jalandhar, September 4
33 persons were challaned and a fine of Rs 5,200 (in total) levied on them during an anti-tobacco drive held here today. Areas like Ladowali Road, Railway Road, Bus Stand, Cool Road, Shastri Market, Nakodar Road, Bhargo Camp, among others, were raided.

The drive was conducted under the instructions of Civil Surgeon RL Bassan. The nodal officer of the drive was Dr Balwinder Singh, DHO, and the challans were conducted by Harjot Pal Singh and Sukhrao Singh, food safety officers. As per the drive people are instructed not to smoke at public places banned under Section 4 of the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).

There is also a total ban on the sale of any food product containing tobacco - like gutkha, zarda etc. 

Jalandhar, September 4
The District Bar Association today suspended the membership of Ashok Khanna over his alleged wrong way of conversation with Junior vice-president, Sandeep Verma, recently.

President of the DBA, Mandeep Singh Sachdev, said Khanna had been issued a show-cause notice and asked to reply within a week. He said if his reply would be found dissatisfactory, his membership could even be terminated.

Meanwhile, DBA invited Divisional Commissioner R Venkatratnam to DBA office and apprised him of the ongoing plan regarding construction of chambers. Members sought government help through him for the purpose. They also asked him to devise system by way of which long waiting hours at Suwidha Centre could be done away with.

Phagwara, September 4
While firing a fresh political salvo against the state government the National Scheduled Caste Alliance said yesterday that Parkash Singh Badal-headed government was not sincere towards the state Scheduled Castes and only using them to take a political mileage.

Paramjit Singh Kainth, National president of National Scheduled Castes Alliance (NSCA), in a statement issued here made a frontal attack against the state government.

He said the Scheduled Castes are having a share of 35 per cent in the total population of the state but they are living on the mercy of the state government.They are lacking a strong leadership to protect their own rights as all the political parties have developed dummy leaders for themselves among the state Scheduled Castes to earn votes for them and such leaders have no guts to raise any kind of voice in favour of the state SC's. He exhorted the state SCs to rise above and forge unity to develop a new leadership.

Lashing against the Shiromani Akali Dal Chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Kainth alleged that Sukhbir under a conspiracy to weaken the Scheduled Castes in the state further had deputed one of his blue-eyed bureaucrat for this task in the State Welfare Department. He said NSCA will expose this nexus very soon.

Hitting hard against the state government he said the state government has not nominated a member from the Scheduled Castes community for Punjab Public Service Commission, even as the commission is meant to recruit class one and other officials for the state government and obeying the reservation criteria in such recruitment. He said how strange are the things in this government that it is not appointing a Scheduled Caste member for the PPSC to safeguard the interests of the state scheduled castes.

Charging the state government for following anti-Scheduled castes policies Kainth said this government is not sincere in implementing the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan for the Scheduled Castes.He said how strange are the things going so far till this panel has failed to conduct any meeting which shows how sincere is the state government towards scheduled castes.

Jalandhar, September 4
Communist Party Marxist (CPM) Punjab may forge alliance with other Left parties for the coming parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held next year.

Soon after its state committee meeting of the CPM, Punjab, its state secretary Mangat Ram Pasla said “My party will contest coming parliamentary elections in Punjab but it is still not clear on how many of total 13 Lok Sabha seats, we will field our candidates. We will try to forge alliance with other Left parties including CPI and CPM for that.”

To a query that other Left parties are already in alliance with former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal-led PPP, he replied “It is still not clear whether they will contest coming Parliamentary Elections jointly or not.”

Pasla accompanied by CPM Punjab state secretariat member Harkanwal Singh further flayed both United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for its “anti- public” and “anti-nation” policies.

CPM Punjab leaders said “The economic conditions in the country as well as in Punjab will not improve by forming governments of either the NDA or the UPA but it will only improve after changing the existing policies.”

To a query, Pasla replied they would make a mass movement for spreading awareness among the masses against the policies adopted by both these alliances.

The Punjab unit of the CPM will hold a state-level rally in Jalandhar on September 23 for spreading awareness among the public regarding its policies, they added.

Hailing Sarav Shikhya Abhiyan (SSA) and Mahatma Gandhi Rozgaar Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) programmes initiated by the UPA government, Harkanwal Singh criticised improper implementation of these pro-public policies.

To a query, they alleged “Food Security Bill is being introduced by the UPA only for making efforts to take political mileage out of it. They said “Several other items should be included in this bill and its proper implementation should be ensured for benefiting the masses in real sense.”

Jalandhar, September 4
Despite deadline closes in, most of the CBSE affiliated schools in the district have so far not updated their school websites according to the format prescribed by the board. Earlier, the schools were supposed to update the school information every year by 15th of September, but most of the non-aided private schools were not following the direction. However, to ensure the effective compliance, the CBSE has now linked the compliance by the school with the registration of class IX and XI candidates of each affiliated school. The defaulter school failing to comply with the above direction will not be able to register their candidates for the board examination and responsibility would lie only with the school management.

“We have not upgraded our website as of now but very soon we will be doing that. We have provided all the updated details to the company managing our website. We are hopeful that we will meet the CBSE deadline on time,” said Neelam Jhalli, Website coordinator, Eklavya School.

“We have already started the dry run of the upgraded website on our local server. We will be putting the upgraded version on the net within two three days. The address will be the same,” confirmed Feroz Khan, IT head, Mayor World.

While few schools are having full-fledged in house team working to create a new website or to upgrade the existing ones, most of the schools are hiring professional services to meet the deadline. The website designing companies are nowadays busy to help their educational clients to meet the board deadline.

“We have so far upgraded the websites of almost 10 schools according to the CBSE directions. The work of 24 schools is in the pipeline. Some of the schools are merely upgrading but some want to have a complete makeover of their website,” said Sandeep Soni, CEO, Dreams Business Systems, Jalandhar.

However, few schools who have already upgraded their websites have not done it according to the format prescribed by the CBSE. The information that the schools are required to provide by 15th of September this year on their web portal includes affiliation status, infrastructure details, names and designations of the teachers, class-wise enrolment of the students, address-postal and e-mail details, and contact details of the school managing committee with thepro forma enclosed. Besides, school prescribing private publishers books should also put a declaration on its website as per the direction.

Although, MGN and CT Public Schools have thoroughly provided details and even made a separate column for CBSE to view the details, many schools have not provided details about the admission charges. Some of them have not revealed the information about private publishers prescribed by them. Also, most of them have not mentioned class wise enrolment of students as asked by the board. This may lead to last minute chaos causing devastating effect on some students who are preparing hard for the whole year and may not be allowed to appear in the board exam.