Amritsar, November 1
Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the district administration to permit the traders to sell firecrackers in the Jahajgarh Patakha market instead of temporary kiosks installed at open space in Ranjit Avenue, uncertainty looms large over the selling of firecrackers as the traders are yet to get the requisite permission.

They have expressed their anguish over the attitude of the authorities concerned.

After waiting for hours till late this evening for the requisite nod, they got agitated and decided to hold an agitation. They reached the Ranjit Avenue where temporary kiosks were put by the administration at around 8 pm and tried to shut down all the kiosks involved in the sale of crackers. The traders held an agitation and raised slogans against the district administration.

“We were told that a police team, along with members of other authorities concerned, would visit the Jahajgarh market today at 5 pm for giving its final nod, but nobody arrived till 7.30 pm which forced us to hold demonstration,” said Harish Dua, a trader.

“Only a couple of days are left for Diwali and the district administration has been deliberately delaying granting the permission due to which they have been incurring huge losses,” said another trader.

It is pertinent to mention here that unsatisfied over the arrangements made by the district administration at Ranjit Avenue, the Patakha Market Association had approached the high court, which later formed a commission that visited the site last evening. The commission also expressed its unhappiness over the preparations made by the administration and asked it to allow the firecrackers traders to sell the crackers from its earlier place ie from the Jahajgarh market. The high court had also imposed a fine to the civic authorities for its failure to provide necessary arrangements at the Ranjit Avenue site.

“We have been selling firecrackers for the past 13 years from the Jahajgarh market and every time we have made arrangements as per the norms,” said Bittu, another trader.

Parampal Singh, ADCP city-I, who has been heading the team, said that permission would be granted to the traders after visiting the site.

“We are going to the spot and would give nod after observing the measures taken by the shopkeepers such as putting up sand-filled bags, water tanks etc,” he said.

Amritsar, November 1
The Civil Lines police has arrested liquor contractor Randeep Singh, alias Rimple, who allegedly clashed with and opened fire at a car accessory centre owner, Kanwardeep Singh, over the payment of new alloy wheels that were installed in the former’s Innova vehicle late last night.

Ajaybir Singh, partner of the owner of the car accessory shop, located on Court Road and his manager, sustained gun shot injuries and was rushed to a private hospital here. Suraj, an associate of Rimple, also sustained injuries and was admitted in a private hospital.

The police has booked Rimple and his accomplices, numbering more than 10, on attempt to murder charges.

Kanwardeep Singh said the driver of Rimple, who is an old customer of the shop, came to the shop in the evening and asked him to install alloy rims and two tyres in the vehicle CH-04-J-0587.

“After changing the tyres and alloy rims, when Ajaybir asked for the payment of Rs 19,500, the driver made him to talk to Rimple, who asked him to let go the vehicle as he would give the payment later,” he said. However, Ajaybir refused to oblige him, as the material was too costly.

“Infuriated at this, he threatened to take the vehicle away without any payment. Around 8.30 pm Rimple, along with his accomplices identified as Bhola, Bunty, Suraj and around 10 unidentified persons, came to the shop. They were armed with revolvers and fired at Ajaybir and manager Karan who sustained bullet injuries on their legs. Ajaybir sustained three gun shot injuries on his leg, while Karan got a shot in his ankle. He alleged that the accused also ransacked the shop, besides damaging some vehicles. He said Rimple also snatched their licensed .315 bore rifle before fleeing from the spot.

Balkar Singh, ACP (North) said a case under Sections 307, 382, 452, 148 and 149 of the IPC and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act had been registered in this regard.

He said a manhunt was launched to nab Rimple, who was later arrested from a hotel.

It is pertinent to mention here that his name also figured in the liquor contractors' clash that occurred in the Green Avenue area and near the Gumtala bypass road last year. Suraj, who also sustained injuries, was wanted in a snatching case, while Bedi, one of Rimple's accomplices, was wanted in an attempt to murder case.

Amritsar, November 1
While people clean their homes ahead of Diwali, political leaders, cutting across party lines, have defaced the holy city by putting up huge hoardings to greet the people on the festival.

The SAD is leading the race despite the fact that the Deputy Chief Minister stated yesterday only that no hoardings would be tolerated at traffic signals.

Ignoring the high court directions which had sternly banned such hoardings on the roadside (as these divert drivers’ attention and could cause mishaps on roads), scores of these ‘greetings messages’ in the shape of big billboards were spotted on the historic Town Hall building from where the MC’s own office is run, besides Batala Road, Crystal Chowk, Queens Road, the Company Bagh, the Novelty Chowk Nehru Shopping complex and the Hall Gate.

There is a provision of awarding one-year imprisonment and a penalty of Rs 50,000 under the Punjab Prevention of Pubic Property Defacement Act.

Even as Local Bodies minister Anil Joshi has contemplated to hire a consultancy firm so that the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2012 should be implemented in the city in its true letter and spirit to shun illegal hoardings and posters which dot the city, it is ironically none other than our worthy leaders who left no chance to flout norms and defaced various surroundings by erecting their huge hoardings to make their "show of strength".

Irked residents see little hope from the leaders who leave no chance to spoil the city. Naresh Johar, a resident said, “We have to live with such slurs, as leaders do not refrain from the ‘show of strength’, which practically contains no weightage through posters or hoardings,” he said.

Endorsing it, Kiranjeet Kaur, another resident, said that the need was to change the basic mindset. “Norms cannot be implemented here until the leaders themselves change their mindset and do not run after such cheap publicity stunts,” she said.

Amritsar, November 1
Either the quality of food sold in the entire state except Amritsar is of better quality or officials here have failed to perform their duty with integrity. This seems to be the conclusion, as of the total 530 food samples which failed on quality parameters in the entire state in the past nine months, 213 have failed from shops in Amritsar district alone.

The health department, during the period from January 1 to September 30 this year, had collected 4,407 samples from the entire state. In the same period, the local health department had collected 514 samples.

The intensive drive by the health department in the district has also brought to light the substandard food items being sold by famous restaurants, hotels and retail chains.

When it comes to the failure of samples from all districts, Amritsar has the maximum number of samples - 213. The district is followed by Patiala, from where only 46 samples have failed. Only 45 samples from Muktsar and 36 from Sangrur have failed.

The local health department also ranks on top as far as securing permission from the state for filing court cases against the food joints whose samples have failed. Amritsar has secured permission for 33 shops, followed by Ludhiana which got it for 17 shops. Patiala secured permission for 11 and Gurdaspur for eight cases.

Sources in the health department stated that a large number of samples failing from Amritsar does not mean that food sold in other districts is of a better quality. Probably, in other districts officials did work only to match their targets.

Amritsar, November 1
Questions have been raised over the functioning of the Police Department when it registered a criminal case after elapsing of nearly a week since the murderous incident took place in which Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Kot Mangal Singh, was critically injured by members of a notorious gang of criminals.

Kuldeep Singh, who is the son of an SAD leader, sustained serious injuries and had admitted to the hospital for several days. He suffered as many as 13 fractures, besides serious injuries on his chest, arms and legs.

Family members of the victim alleged that instead of registering a case against the accused on attempt to murder charges, the Sultanwind police registered a case of voluntary causing hurt and wrongful restraint, besides other relevant sections of the IPC.

Kuldeep alleged that on October 23 when he was returning home, the accused intercepted him near a tube well pump and attacked him with sharp-edged and blunt weapons.

They later fled the scene when people started gathering after hearing the victim’s cries.

He claimed that as per doctors, he sustained around 40 injury marks on his body.

Among those booked include Nehla of Gobind Nagar, Raju and his brother Billu, Matharu, Laddu and Pinky, all members of a notorious gang, it has been learnt.

The police has registered a case under Sections 323, 341, 506, 148, 149 of the IPC while no arrest has been made so far.

SHO Arun Sharma could not be contacted even after repeated attempts as he failed to respond to the calls.

Amritsar, November 1
Based on the tragic Komagata Maru incident of 1914, the Manch Rangmanch staged a play to a packed house here today.

The play has been written by Ajmer Rode and directed by Kewal Dhaliwal.

“It was an incident that triggered revolutionary protests and went on to become a significant event in the history of the nation. We are working collaboratively to develop a single programme that will integrate sections of the other versions of the play written in English, to explore how and why we remember the Komagata Maru,” said Dhaliwal.

The legacy of the incident, which was described as a violation of human rights, was depicted with intensity on stage.

The play highlighted the plight of passengers of a Japanese ship, Komagata Maru, its journey to Canada and the forced return to India, including the aftermath of the incident which triggered a revolution by Gurdit Singh Sandhu and inflamed passions cultivated by the Ghadar Party.

Amritsar, November 1
Dr SS Shergill, former principal, Government Medical College, Amritsar, who had been issued a notice in a case of faulty allotment of shops on the college premises, said recently that no allotment of shops was made during his tenure as principal.

“Not even a single shop was allotted to anybody during my tenure as principal. So, as such, I cannot be accused of faulty allocation,” he said.

A few of these shops in question were allotted over 10 years ago and some even before that, he said.

Dr Shergill said he had not received any notice from the department.

However, department officials had earlier admitted that notices in the case were issued to a few officials, including Dr Shergill.

He said he did all he could do to get the shops in question vacated from occupants.

“I had written several letters to all persons concerned to pursue the matter,” he said, adding that his concise was clear.

Dr Shergill said: “Even in the case of Darshana Mehra, who is occupying a shop near the Crystal chowk, rent was recovered as per policy. It was not that she was allowed to deposit the rent in back date. She had not paid the rent for six years. In fact, we had managed to get the money from her through pursuing the matter.”

He said all things were done as per procedure and records at the college would establish the facts. Dr Shergill said: “Moreover, it cannot be said that shops were allotted by my predecessors at below the market price. It is during the recent years that rent of shops in the city has escalated many times.”

He said those who had allotted the shops had done so as per the market price during the time when the allotment was made.

Dr Shergill had recently resigned from government service after he was transferred to Government Medical College, Patiala, as Head, eye department. Instead of joining his new place of posting, he submitted his resignation citing personnel reasons for the same.

The college has at least 15 shops under its control. These shops are rented out to applicants for running medical stores and other facilities. Earlier, a local resident, Pritpal Singh, had filed a complaint alleging anomalies in the shop allotment process.

Later, the Public Accounts Committee of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had seized the matter and an investigation was conducted. Besides Dr Shergill, notices were also issued to some of the former principals and medical superintendents of the college.

Amritsar, November 1
Ryan International School today organised a cycle rally in collaboration with the Rotary Club to create awareness among people against bursting firecrackers on Diwali and polluting the environment.

The move was aimed at spreading the message of ‘Go green this Diwali and say no to crackers’.

As many as 70 students participated in the rally that started from the Company Bagh and culminated at the school. Rotary Club president Ramneek Arora, Secretary Harvinder Arora, and Principal of the school Rajni Kalra, along with its staff, were among those present during the rally. The rally was flagged off by ADGP Balbir Singh Randhawa.

Slogans were also raised against cutting trees, bursting firecrackers which pose threat to the environment. Residents appreciated the efforts made by the students.

Later, the Principal praised the students for taking the initiative and extended Diwali greetings to all.

Amritsar, November 1
To mark the centenary celebrations of the Ghadar Party, the PG department of history, DAV College, Amritsar, under the UGC sponsored Gandhian and Ambedkar Studies Centre organised a rally-cum-programme to pay tributes to martyrs of the Ghadar movement, especially Baba Sohan Singh Bakhna, who played a key role in the movement.

Under the supervision of Principal KN Kaul and Head, department of history, Vishav Bandhu, students of the department and other faculty were told about the role played by America and Canada-based Punjabis during the Ghadar movement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sukhwant Singh presented an overview of the Ghadar movement.

After a brief interactive session, the students and faculty members paid tributes to the martyrs of the Ghadar movement at the Jallianwala Bagh.

He said the students would organise awareness programmes in the native villages of the martyrs for 10 consecutive days in order to apprise people about the role and contribution of Ghadar martyrs in the freedom struggle.

The students also took out a procession with Dr Bandhu from the college to Jallainwala Bagh where BJP leader Tarun Chugh conducted an oath-taking ceremony.

Amritsar, November 1
Jagroop Singh Sekhon, Professor and Head, department of political science and school of social sciences of Guru Nanak Dev University has been nominated as member of the planning and monitoring board (PMB) of Gandhigram Rural Institute, Gandhigram Deemed University.

This nomination would be for a period of three years with effect from October 17, 2013, onwards.

Dr Sekhon has joined the department of political science of the university in 1989 after starting his career in Government College, Hoshiarpur, in 1986.

His research interest included politics, contemporary social and political movements in Punjab focusing on peasants and border areas.

He was also involved in election-related studies in the state since 2007 as a part of ‘Lokniti’. Almost 40 articles in journals of national and international repute, along with three major projects, go to his credit. He has also co-authored a book on Terrorism in Punjab: Understanding Grass Root Reality and edited Punjab Journal of Politics.