Jalandhar, November 8
A major mishap averted as an 11-kV high tension wire snapped and fell on the rooftops of several houses in Globe Colony here this morning. However, nobody was injured in the incident.

This is the second such incident occurred at the same place. Earlier, a wire snapped and fell on the rooftops of various houses on January 7 last year during the Assembly elections.

As soon as the wire snapped with a loud noise, residents informed officials of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). Later, JE Baljit Singh was deputed to rectify the issue.

However, residents wanted the PSPCL to fix the problem in such a way by removing overhead wires that they do not pass over any house. Earlier, several accidents had occurred due to the high-tension wires and many have also died due to the same.

They also met Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) for Cooperation Krishan Dev Bhandari and PSPCL Deputy Chief Engineer (Operation Circle), Jalandhar, Gopal Sharma, on August 29 in this regard and submitted a written application to him to make arrangements to get the high-tension wires removed.

On the residents’ request, Gopal got prepared an estimate of nearly Rs 10 lakh for removing the wires.

The PSPCL authorities said: “The wires may be removed only after the required amount to shift the same to another place is deposited.”

Bhandari, MLA from Jalandhar north, when contacted said he would check the issue with the PSPCL authorities and would get the wires removed after arranging special funds from the Chief Minister as he had already done in several areas, including Santokh Pura, Aman Nagar and Ram Nagar of his area.

Bhandari had made promises during the last Assembly elections regarding getting the high-tension wires removed from Globe Colony and other areas on a priority basis.

Jalandhar, November 8
In an attempt to provide a smooth drive to the Punjab Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, officials of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), local Municipal Corporation and the district administration not only pulled down a part of the boundary wall of the high-security PAP Ground but also diverted the cavalcades of their vehicles to newly carpeted roads.

While the authorities had demolished a part of the PAP ground boundary wall, sharing the Gurunanakpura road, to make way for the vehicles heading towards the city from the PAP Ground where CM’s Chopper landed, the city police escorted Deputy CM’s vehicles up to the venue adjacent to the BSF Chowk for laying foundation stones of the development works.

Vehicles of both father and the son took wrong sides of the roads as the right sides of the respective roads were in bad shapes, though the authorities had repaired the same.

Moreover, scores of roadside vends along the road through which the Badals crossed were forcibly closed down early this morning.

The act of the local administration not only put the poor roadside vendors and their customers into a hardship but also caused them financial losses.

Employees from the PUDA, Municipal Corporation and district administration were seen forcing the vendors to close down their establishments early in the morning.

Security was beefed up along the Gurunanakpura road, Laddowali Road, railway road, roads leading to the BMC Chowk via Tehsil Complex and from BSF Chowk.

Jalandhar, November 8
Differences between Mayor Sunil Jyoti and Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia again come to the fore here today.

Bhatia boycotted the function organised by the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) at BSF Chowk where Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal laid the foundation stones of various development works of about Rs 21 crore.

Talking to The Tribune, Bhatia said: “I have boycotted the function as I was not informed about the event in advance by the Mayor who did not even discussed about various development works to be carried out in different areas with me. I just got a call from him at 6.30pm yesterday about the programme.”

When asked why he boycotted the function of his own party president, Bhatia said: “I have not boycotted Sukhbir Badal’s function but I have boycotted the function organised by the MCJ headed by Mayor Sunil Jyoti.”

On the other hand downplaying the issue, Jyoti said: “Bhatia might have not attended the function as he might be somewhere outside Jalandhar.”

The Mayor said: “I have personally informed him about the function by calling him yesterday and earlier also. The entire programme was finalised by the Deputy CM Office. As far as the issue of not discussing development works with Bhatia is concerned, these works are pertaining to the construction of roads and not other projects of various wards.”

However, going one step further, Bhatia said: “Lack of coordination in the MCJ, headed by Mayor Jyoti, may easily be judged from the fact that only seven out of the total 31 ruling SAD-BJP councilors were present during the Deputy CM’s function. Two former local bodies ministers Manoranjan Kalia and Bhagat Chunni Lal, local MLAs, also did not attend the function.”

Claiming that at least 11 ruling councillors were present during the function, Jyoti further said Bhatia might had not attended the function due to some communication gap.

Blaming the Mayor and MC Commissioner Manpreet Singh Chhatwal for not taking stern action against those safai karamcharis who had scattered dirt in his office a few weeks ago, Bhatia said: “It seems that there was some political conspiracy behind the incident.”

When asked that an FIR was registered on MCJ Commissoner’s complaint in the case, Bhatia said: “It was mere eyewash as not even a single person was named by the MCJ Commissioner in his complaint sent to Commissioner of Police Ram Singh.”

Earlier also, Sunil Jyoti and Bhatia remained at loggerheads during several occasions. Bhatia also boycotted a number of important meetings of finance and contract committee (F&CC) of the MCJ. Later, both of them reached at a compromise. But now, again differences have been resurfaced between the two.

Jalandhar, November 8
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked a building contractor to refund Rs 3,80,350, with an additional payment of Rs 20,000 as compensation, to a client who allegedly overcharged the latter while raising a building.

In her complaint, Darshan Kaur, a resident of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Kapurthala, said she had engaged Anup Singh of Sodal Road for some construction on her property at Desalpur village in Jalandhar.

She said the contractor was supposed to use building material, including wood, iron, electricity fittings and flooring, for the construction with a covered area of 3,000 sq feet, as per an agreement on October 14, 2011, at the charges of Rs 1,000 per sq ft.

"It had been agreed that the work would be completed within a period of one year from the date of agreement for which an amount of Rs 2.2 lakh was paid as advance on the same day and Rs 3 lakh was supposed to be paid as the second instalment after laying down the foundation stone of the construction and Rs 2 lakh before laying the roof of the RCC lintel. Up to April 24, 2012, the contractor had received Rs 15.5 lakh from her by part payment from time to time and made the endorsement on the backside of the agreement”, she said.

In May 2012, a dispute ensued between the two parties and the contractor allegedly stopped the construction at the complainant's site.

"He demanded more payment and starting harassing me on one pretext or another. On May 26, 2012, an inspection was got done by the complainant from the approved architect and building engineer of RS Bawa, who submitted the report that the construction work worth Rs 12,15,116 was done till that time. The matter was compromised and a new agreement was signed on May 28, 2012, with modified terms and conditions in which it had been agreed by the contractor that he had received Rs.16 lakh as part payment of the total amount. Thereafter, the contractor re-started the work and received Rs 2,80,350 up to June 10, 2012, and thus, received a total of Rs 18,80,350 from me. The opposite party carried the construction work for a few days and thereafter, stopped the work at the site," she said.

Thereafter, the complainant requested the opposite party to restart the work, but it failed to take off.

"On June 24, 2012, again the site inspection was got done by the complainant from architect RS Bawa, who submitted the report that the work worth Rs 15 lakh had been done and the contractor had taken Rs 3,80,350 extra amount from the complainant for which he had not done any construction work," the complainant said.

Upon notice, the contractor admitted that the complainant had made a total payment of Rs15.50 lakh up to April 24, 2012. He denied having received any extra amount of Rs 3,80,350.

The contractor was directed to file written arguments on October 17, 2013, but no one appeared on its behalf. The case was adjourned till October 22, but nobody appeared on his behalf on that day also and the case was adjourned for October 29 for order with liberty to him to file written argument, but no written argument was filed.

The forum accepted the complaint and directed the contractor to pay Rs 3,80,350 to the complainant along with Rs 20,000 in lump sum on account of compensation and litigation expenses within one month.

Jalandhar, November 8
Incidents of theft in the city have seen a sudden rise in the past some days. While there had been a theft in the industrial area yesterday and thieves had struck at the house of a property dealer on Kala Sanghian day before, there has been a third incident in a row today wherein miscreants took away valuables worth lakhs from a house at Qila Mohalla.

Owner of the house and an iron trader, Sandeep, said he was sleeping when the incident occurred. He alleged that when he got up, he found his house ransacked with cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh missing.

ASI Kirpal Singh of the Police Station Division No 3, said efforts were on to arrest the thieves. However, the city police was still clueless regarding the theft at the house in the New Geeta Colony on the Kala Sanghian road wherein gold, cash and valuables worth Rs 25 lakh had been taken away on Wednesday. — TNS

Jalandhar, November 8
After providing free training in food production and housekeeping utility helping 60 learners to get employment in different sectors, Lovely Professional University (LPU) has now commenced the second phase of 'Hunar Se Rozgar Tak' (HSRT), a Union Ministry of Tourism scheme to provide free training to the needy.

The fresh batches of 30 candidates each will be trained in food and beverage services (waiters) and bakery and patisseries production (bakers). The ministry has launched the HSRT for generating employable skills among youth belonging to economically weaker sections. A press note issued by the university said that the basic objective of the scheme was to reduce skill gap that affected the growing hospitality and tourism sector tremendously.

The minimum qualification for the applicants is Class VIII, and they should be between the age group of 18 to 28 years. In addition to tool kit and uniform, a stipend of Rs 1,500 for food and beverage services and Rs 2,000 for bakery and patisseries production would be provided to candidates, the press note stated.

A skill test will be conducted at the end of each course, and those who pass the test will be awarded certificates. To be eligible for the certificate and stipend, the trainee must have 95 per cent attendance during the courses. 

Jalandhar, November 8
Jagdish Singh Dhaliwal bagged the first position in the 800m race under the boys’ category while Ashish Kumar and Sarabjeet Singh finished second and third, respectively, on the first day of the annual athletic fest organised at Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, near here, today.

In the long jump competitions (boys), Sachin Karwasara was adjudged the winner while Shafaf and Anuj Kumar came second and third.

Princi Mallhan scored highest points in the discus throw competition for girls and were chased by Anjali Kumari and Ruby Salma who had to satisfy with the second and third positions.

Earlier, Gurjit Singh, Assistant Deputy Director (Enforcement), Punjab, declared the meet open by releasing balloons in the air. Followed by lighting of the Olympic Torch by the best athlete of 2012-13, a march past by students was the event of the inaugural ceremony. The trophy for the best march past was awarded to B.Tech final year students by the chief guest.

The fest began with the 800m race of boys followed by other events. The chief guest lauded the achievements of sportspersons in various events and also appreciated Director Sports Dr GS Dhaliwal’s support behind the institute’s excellent achievements in various tournaments throughout the year. 

Jalandhar, November 8
Up in arms against the state government for not redressing their pending demands, members of the Non-Teaching Employees Union held a dharna in front of DAV College here today. They also raised anti-government slogans.

The protesters assembled at the spot at 10.30 am and organised a three-hour-long dharna to press for their demands. They alleged step-motherly treatment by the government in releasing their dues and fulfilling their demands.

They had been demanding the release of arrears from January 2006, lifting the ban on new recruitments, implementing pension schemes, gratuity and pay grade, stepping up increment, CCA, Rural Area allowance and leave encashment.

The union also warned to intensify their protest if their demands were not met, a press note issued by union secretary Nathu Ram Thakur said.

Jalandhar, November 8
To create awareness about a rare celestial happening regarding likely sighting of a comet with a long tail with an unaided eye on November 28, the Pushpa Gujral Science City today started a two-day workshop, ‘Eyes on ISON’ ,here today.

The workshop is being organised jointly by Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi and National Council for Science, Technology and Communication, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. More than 60 teachers from government schools from all over Punjab will participate in the awareness workshop.

In his inaugural address, Director-General, Science City, Dr RS Khandpur gave a background about the forthcoming event and mentioned that on its journey towards the sun, comet ISON was expected to be at the closet point to the sun on November 28. “If all goes well and the comet doesn’t fragment, its closet approach to the sun will turn it into a very bright object. It may also form a long comet tail around this time.”

He said the objective of the ongoing nationwide campaign was to develop scientific temper and create awareness among masses about celestial happenings which were otherwise taken to be awesome and ill-omen.

Dr Pyara Lal Garg, State Coordinator, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi, Punjab and Chandigarh, stated that due to a changed lifestyle, we were forgetting even to have a glimpse of a beautiful sky. “The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the asteroids and the comets are an integral part of our solar system.”

Jalandhar, November 8
The city police has registered a case of attempt to murder against Suraj Lahoria for allegedly opening fire on an NRI following a petty fight at New Santokhpura here yesterday.

NRI Balraj Singh was going by his car to distribute marriage invitation cards when his car collided with that of Lahoria. The latter opened fire, but luckily no one was hit. The police recovered used cartridges from the site. The accused fled the spot and is still absconding.

ADCP-1 Naresh Dogra said a case had been registered under Section 307 of the IPC and Arms Act against Lahoria at Police Station Division Number 3.