Ludhiana, December 12
A two-day pen-down strike by PUDA/GLADA employees in response to a call given by the PUDA Employees Coordination Committee began today and brought the entire work in the office to a halt. It has also put the proposed auction of commercial sites on December 13 in a jeopardy.The clerical, technical and engineering staff went on a strike in the morning in support of their demands. However, applications of those who had arrived at the GLADA office for the regularisation of their plots and properties by 10 am were received, claimed Rajinder Pal Singh, convener of the coordination committee, who led the protest.

In a bid to save people from inconvenience, the protesting employees made an announcement on the public address system that due to the two-day pen-down strike, no official or public-dealing work would be handled.

Senior GLADA officials, including the Chief Administrator, were also apprised of the decision during a discussion on their pending demands. The employees made it clear that they would boycott the auction of commercial sites, proposed to be conducted by PUDA here on December 13.

Addressing a rally, Rajinder Pal Singh and other functionaries of the coordination committee said their agitation would continue till the acceptance and implementation of all pending demands. "The agitating employees will hold a state-level dharna at the PUDA headquarters in Mohali next week and the stir will be further intensified if the PUDA authorities continue with their stubborn attitude," they said.

The main demands of the PUDA/GLADA employees include the introduction of a pension scheme, allotment of residential plots to employees, raising the retirement age from 58 to 60 years on the pattern of the Punjab Government, regularisation of daily wage and contractual employees, filling of all vacant posts and granting promotions to all categories of employees.

With the PUDA/GLADA staff set to stay away from work tomorrow also, officials are keeping their fingers crossed regarding the fate of the auction of commercial sites, scheduled to be held at Ludhiana and Bathinda on December 13. PUDA proposes to sell 30 booths and shops in the Old District Courts, four SCOs and 20 shops on Old Jail Road and six booths in th Old Tehsil Complex at Payal during the auction. 

Ludhiana, December 12
Two local Commissioners appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court have observed that a marriage palace has been operating without the parking arrangements for a single vehicle. They also stated in their report that two hotels were not using their designated parking space and were allowing parking on the service lane, which was illegal.

The Commissioners had visited the city on December 7. In their report, they observed that three social functions were going on at the local Friends Regency Hotel. “During these programmes, vehicles were found parked in the paid parking lot in front of the hotel and also in the service lanes. However, the entry to the designated parking area in the basement of the hotel was found closed and it was not being used for parking cars. It essentially meant that the vehicles of guests of the hotel were taking up the space at the paid parking lot. Managers at the hotel, when asked, said the designated basement parking area had space for 35 vehicles, the report said.”

On inspection of the basement parking area, a single car was not found. An electric motor was found installed right in the middle of the basement, thus making a large portion of the basement inaccessible to parking purposes.

At Hotel Nagpal Regency, the Commissioners observed that all vehicles were parked in a parking lot located on its front side.

“Several vehicles were also found parked on the service lane, which can affect the flow of traffic therein.

On inspection of the basement parking lot of the hotel, which was not being utilised for parking vehicles of guests, only two cars and a few two-wheelers, possibly belonging to the employees, were found parked," read the report.

For Embassy Palace, a marriage palace, located near Bhai Wala Chowk, the report said: “The undersigned found to their utter shock that despite the apparent action by the MC on commercial establishments which were not having any/sufficient parking space, Embassy Palace, has escaped unscathed despite the fact that they have no internal parking space whatsoever in their marriage palace.”

“This leads to the situation wherein the service lane and the paid parking lot are being occupied by vehicles of guests to the events being hosted at the marriage palace. On enquiries it has come to the notice of the officials that the said palace was owned by a political bigwig and, therefore, operates with complete impunity,” read the report.

Doraha, December 12
The stretch between Doraha and Neelon is no less than a death trap for commuters as some points are marred by eroded edges.

The four-laning work, which was scheduled to be completed in November this year, is still lying in the lurch, multiplying the difficulties of commuters. The erosion of parapets can result in major accidents. Now, with the onset of foggy days, the commuters are at a bigger risk.

The Doraha-Neelon stretch serves as a major bypass and is a link to a number of villages.

“The missing edges can lead to a major tragedy regarding which the authorities seem to be entirely oblivious,” said a commuter.

“The already weakened edges can give way any time and from any place. It is a serious matter and it needs the attention of the authorities concerned. At a number of places between Doraha and Neelon, especially near the Kushat Ashram and near the railway track, the missing edges can be detected at four or five places. Many a times, occupants of various vehicles had a miraculous escape. The deteriorated edges along the canal, with earth caving in at a number of places, carry the highest risk to life at present,” said Surinder Rampur of the nearby Rampur village.

“The risk multiplies during the night hours. There are no indicators at the place where the parapets are missing,” said Sukhpal Singh, who commutes on this road daily.

On the other hand, the work of four-laning along this stretch seem to have slackened, thus leaving road users in the lurch. The Deputy Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of the project in August last year.

In charge (canals) Inderjit Singh said: The four-laning of this particular stretch has to be done. But till that time I will personally make efforts to make the road usable as early as possible” he added.

Ludhiana, December 12
The low-floor buses plying under the City Bus Service project are likely to remain off the roads for a month if the ongoing deadlock between the drivers/conductors and Ludhiana City Bus Service Ltd doesn’t end soon. The buses have been off the roads for the last three days and in these three days, the LCBSL has suffered a loss of more than Rs 6 lakh.

The main reason behind the buses staying off the roads is that earlier the contractual drivers were on strike and now the conductors have also joined them, due to which the entire fleet of city bus service has come to a standstill.

Ever since the city bus service was launched in the city in 2011, it has been a huge success as a large number of residents use this public transport rather than taking auto-rickshaws.

Sources in the LCBSL said from a fleet of 50 low-floor non-AC buses, they were generating revenue of around Rs 2.25 lakh on an average daily. “But now that none of the buses is plying, no revenue is generated. We have written to the contractor providing conductors to provide us replacements so that our service doesn’t suffer,” said an official of the city bus service.

The city bus service has a fleet of 75 buses, of which 25 are brand new.

While speaking to Ludhiana Tribune, Isha Kalia, CEO, LCBSL, confirmed that none of their buses was plying in the city. “I will be having a meeting with the drivers and conductors tomorrow and if they don’t resume their duties, we will get them replaced. We will not let the city residents suffer due to their strike,” she said.

It is learnt that the LCBSL authorities tried to persuade the drivers and conductors but it did not work. “We would resume our duties only if all of our demands are met,” claimed a driver.

Won’t let residents suffer due to strike

I will hold a meeting with the protesting drivers and conductors on Friday and if they don’t resume their duties, we will get them replaced. We will not let the city residents suffer due to their strike.

— Isha Kalia, CEO, LCBSL

No revenue

Now that none of the buses is plying, no revenue is being generated. We have written to the contractor providing conductors to the LCBSL to provide us replacements so that our service doesn’t suffer.

— an official

Ludhiana, December 12
In a bid to bag a government job, overqualified candidates are applying for posts of postman and Group D services. The qualification for these posts is matriculation. However, even postgraduate candidates are applying for these posts.

Youngsters are thronging the Head Post Office these days to apply for these jobs as the last date for submitting applications is nearing. The applicants say it is difficult to find a government job these days, and that is why they are applying for these posts despite having higher qualifications.

Ramesh Kumar, who is applying for both posts of postman as well as the Group D services, is a graduate. He says he would be happy if he gets a government job. Another youth, Manoj, also echoed similar views.

Karanvir, another graduate, says, "Despite having a diploma in hardware in addition to being a graduate, I work at a salary of Rs 9,000 a month. At least, the government job will secure me financially, no matter what kind of work I have to do."

Not only youths, even girls are applying for the posts. Kanwaljit, a resident of the city who has applied for the posts, is a postgraduate in Punjabi and has also done BEd. "These days girls are working in the security forces also; so why shouldn't they apply for posts of 'postman'. There is a dearth of government jobs."

Ludhiana, December 12
You order online a product on a shopping website and chances are that you would receive it through post rather than the courier service.

An international online retailer was already working on this pilot project to tap the postal network, which had a wide reach in villages and cities across the country, sources at the Department of Posts said.

“Amazon, an e-commerce company, is working with the Department of Posts and will provide the option of payment to buyers on the delivery of products,” an official of the Department of Posts said.

“If the pilot project succeeds, online shopping will become a breeze for people," said the official.

“In Bangalore GPO, a ‘Post Shoppe’ has been started on its premises where a host of products like stationery items, books, watches and snacks are being sold. If it succeeds, this model may be replicated at other places. Hence, the department is getting abuzz with a host of services,” another official said.

Ludhiana, December 12
After being pulled up by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Tehbazaari wing of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation today carried a massive anti-encroachment drive on Ferozepur Road today. Two local commissioners, who had visited the city on December 7, had submitted photographs of several encroachments along this road, which had caused much embarrassment to the civic body.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Dec 12
Reports about printing and circulation of fake currency in nearby villages and the failure of government agencies to check the same have started giving sleepless nights to big establishments and have resulted in harassment of residents.

Officials at various police stations have already nabbed a number of persons involved in this organised crime and seized fake currency worth lakhs from their possession.

The alleged involvement of three police officials, who had replaced “lost currency notes” with fake currency notes printed from a local printing press, had also complicated the situation. Small traders, vendors and even government officials have started showing hesitation in accepting the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

Big commercial organisations, including industrial houses and petrol pumps of the area, have already installed expensive fake-note detection machines to fight the menace. Busting of a gang involved in printing of fake currency at Ghudani village, near here, has spread panic among traders and establishments who have been doing business with residents of localities surrounding the village.

Major Singh of the village, who was arrested by the Moti Nagar police, Ludhiana, has been reported to have installed paraphernalia for printing fake currency at his house and sold the same to local residents.

It is feared that at least a part of the currency was circulated in the town and surrounding localities.

Earlier, a trader of Brahampur village was caught by the police for keeping and facilitating circulation of fake currency. Local traders, who had done transactions with him during past season, fear that he might had succeeded in using fake notes in the local market.

Further investigations revealed that a large number of fake currency notes of the denomination of Rs 500, Rs 100 and Rs 50 had been in circulation in this area, since the time the Hoshiarpur police busted a fake currency racket a few years ago.

Ludhiana, December 12
Exports from Ludhiana make up 80 per cent of the total exports from Punjab and there is a need to have a focused office that will look after exporters’ interests. Keeping this in mind, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) recently opened its Punjab chapter office in Ludhiana.

A workshop on “Practical Aspects of Letter of Credit" was organised today. Regional Chairman (Northern Region), FIEO, SC Ralhan, while speaking at a workshop, assured the exporters of value-added services and taking up various issues with the authorities concerned in a time-bound manner.

He said the letter of credit was an important document in international trade. Even though its usage has come down, understanding its nitty gritty is very important and with this objective the first workshop on the subject after opening the Punjab chapter office has been organised by FIEO, he added.

Ralhan said FIEO would conduct a series of seminars and workshops on a pan India basis to strengthen the exporting community and to take up exporters’ issues and grievances.

Harpal Singh, Field General Manager, Punjab National Bank, said although the usage of the letter of credit had come down, it was still recommended to avoid any hazards. The PNB has opened its branch at the integrated check post in Atari and it provides services for doing business with Pakistan, he added.

Prof MP Singh, an expert on the subject who had come from Delhi, apprised the participants about the various practical aspects of the instruments with live case studies.

Ludhiana, December 12
Manufacturers of sewing machines and their parts have sought levy of anti-dumping duty on sewing machines and its parts to save the industry from the cheap Chinese imports.

After cycle and cycle parts manufacturers, it is the sewing machine industry, which has urged the government to levy anti-dumping duty to save it from Chinese imports.

“The demand of locally made sewing machines and its parts has come down considerably due to cheap variants available in the market. Even the units assembling machines have started importing parts from China. There is hardly any business left for us,” said Sukhpal Singh, a sewing machine manufacturer.

Two years ago, the government has imposed anti-dumping duty on needles of sewing machines but now time has come when it needs to impose anti-dumping duty on the whole units and on parts as well, he added.

Another manufacturer said left with no other option, he started outsourcing parts from China and selling them in the local market. It was not viable to manufacture sewing machine parts now as China is dumping them at very low prices,” he added.

Govt lifts anti-dumping duty on polypropylene

The Central Government has lifted anti-dumping duty imposed on polypropylene imported from Omani suppliers, especially the Oman Polypropylene. In November, 2010, India had imposed anti-dumping duty of 6.5 per cent on polypropylene originating from Oman or exported from the Sultanate (and from Saudi Arabia and Singapore) to protect domestic manufacturers.

Ludhiana, December 12
The District Health Department has collected 431 samples of eatables from January 1 to December 12. Of these, 51 samples have failed the purity test. Action has been initiated under the Food Safety and Standard Act against the persons whose samples have failed the purity test.

Disclosing this, the District Health Officer, Dr Abnash Kumar, said: "Court cases have been filed against the persons whose samples have been found substandard or misbranded in the court of Adjudicating Officer. On the orders of Adjudicating Officer, a fine of Rs 2,95,000 has been imposed on defaulters while some cases are sub judice."

He said taking stern action against adulteration, 50 quintals of adulterated eatables were seized in six big seizures and the department also got an FIR registered against two persons for selling adulterated products.

The DHO said the campaign against food adulteration would be intensified in the coming days. Earlier, there were only two Food Safety Officers in the department and only this month two more officers have been appointed in Ludhiana district.

Ludhiana, December 12
It was a dream come true for the Air Sqn NCC cadets when they got an opportunity to have a look at the Sukhoi-30 fighter airplanes. The most potent fighter aircraft of Indian Air Force was presently based at the Air Force Station, Halwara, and was recently in news for the President’s colour presentation on November 20. It was due to the personal efforts of Wing Cdr SS Kaila, Commanding Officer of No 4 (Pb) Air Sqn NCC, that the visit could be organised for the cadets. Over the past one week, around 350 cadets have already visited the station and have witnessed the fighter flying.

The tour programme was well laid out and was worked out in consultation with the Chief Operations Officer (COO), Group Captain Manoj Kumar. Initially the cadets were taken to the security section for the requisite security clearances. The Chief Administrative Officer, Group Capt Bedi, coordinated the admin and security arrangements.

The cadets, escorted by the IAF police personnel, were taken into the technical area where the COO, in his welcome address, apprised them of the demarcated areas and emphasised the rules to be followed with regards to the movement around aircraft and equipment.

The subsequent part of the visit was broken up into four phases. In the first phase, the cadets were taken to the tarmac/hangar and were shown various external equipments being used for aircraft servicing, refueling, etc. In the second phase the cadets were divided into smaller groups of about 20 cadets each and were independently escorted by the young Su-30 pilots to the aircraft and were briefed about its features/capabilities. In the third phase the cadets were given a tour of the fighter squadron premises where they were shown the briefing room, Sqn museum and were introduced to various state-of-the-art equipments used for extracting all flying related data. In the last phase, the cadets were taken to the air traffic area from where they witnessed the clear view of the runway and thus could see the Su-30 aircraft flying.

Ludhiana, December 12
Taking a serious note of the defiance of its orders, the State Information Commission has issued bailable warrants against PS Bains, Public Information Officer-cum-Sub Registrar (West), Hambran Road, for failing to provide information to BS Sidhu in response to his RTI application and also for his failure to be present before the commission on the date of hearing in the case.

Surinder Awasthi, State Information Commissioner, in his orders, said the PIO (Bains) was absent without giving intimation to the commission despite a show-cause notice having been issued to him on October 31. Even during the last hearing, the PIO had turned up after the hearing and had stated that the required information had been provided to Sidhu through a letter (number 423) dated October 29.

However, the PIO was directed to send a copy of the information to the appellant and the appellant was also advised to pursue the same and point out deficiencies, if any, in writing to the PIO. The appellant stated that he had not received any letter, dated October 29, adding that neither had he receieved any response till date. This was in gross defiance to the commission's directions that the information be provided through a registered post.

The bailable warrants have been issued by the commission under Section 18(3) of the Right to Information Act 2005, read with the relevant provisions of the Civil Procedure Code with the direction that the PIO shall produce the relevant record relating to the appellant's RTI application on the next date of hearing.

A copy of this order has also been sent to the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, to serve enclosed bailable warrants, dated December 16, on Bains and to ensure his presence before the commission on the next date of hearing, scheduled for December 16.

Ludhiana, December 12
A writ filed by the local industrialists against the High Court's decision that the CBI will hold an inquiry into the bogus VAT refund scam has been admitted and a stay has been granted in this regard. The court has given time to the department till January 29 to hold an inquiry and file its report.

Three city-based firms, York International, Jaldhara Exports and Trimurti Hosiery, had allegedly been indulging in bogus billing and obtained VAT refunds worth crores by submitting bogus bills to the department.

Sources in the department said the court had given some time to investigate the matter and submit a report regarding the bogus refund scam. The Economic Intelligence Unit was already investigating the case before the CBI was marked an inquiry into it.

"The verdict has come as a big relief to the industry. If the inquiry was headed by a CBI team, then it would have created hurdles in the regular issuing of VAT refunds. A large amount of industrialists' money is already lying with the department in the form of VAT refunds," said Gurmeet Singh Kular, general secretary of the Bicycle Research and Development Organisation.

Badish Jindal, president of the Federation of Association of Small Scale Industries, said they were happy with the decision as the issuing of VAT refunds would not be affected now. It is a departmental matter and the department should carry out an inquiry into it," he said.

Ludhiana, December 12
For making the closing ceremony of the fourth World Cup Kabaddi a memorable event and for entertaining VVIP guests from Pakistan in the best possible manner, the state government seems to be leaving no stone unturned with about 75 Class I officials from the district administration having been put on duty to make the mega event successful. Besides, eight PCS officials from other districts have also been deputed for the closing ceremony of this sports extravaganza, slated for December 14.

Top officials, including Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal, ADCs, SDMs, tehsildars, the DETC, AETCs and Additional Commissioners of the municipal corporation have been personally monitoring the arrangements to ensure that there are no last-minute hiccups. These officials will take care of the stay, dinner, helipad, transportation and seating arrangements for a 30-member delegation from Pakistan to be led by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan, Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

Expensive transportation

According to sources in the Punjab Sports Department, about Rs 34 lakh is going to be spent on the transportation and vehicles of the dignitaries from across the border and the general public, which will be brought from nearby areas to the Guru Nanak Stadium. Five Mercedes cars and 28 Innova cars have been requisitioned for the local and foreign dignitaries. Besides, nearly 350 buses will be plied by the Transport Department here to ferry spectators from different parts of the state to the venue. The Punjab Sports Department is expected to bear the expenditure of about Rs 34 lakh for the transportation exercise.

Pakistani delegation to visit city, other places

The 30-member Pakistani delegation will visit several places, including Punjab Agricultural University, the Sub-Registrar Office (West) on Hambran Road and Saanjh Kendra at Sarabha Nagar. The delegation will stay at Radisson Hotel here. Rishipal Singh, District Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Ludhiana, has been appointed as the nodal officer for the shopping and sight-seeing tour of the Pakisani delegation. The itinerary of the visitors from Pakistan also includes a visit to Jati Umra, the native village of the Pak Punjab CM, Badal village and Talwandi Sabo.

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh to perform

While for the last three World Cup Kabaddi events, Mumbai-based company Whizcraft was hired by the state government, this time Ferriswheel, another Mumbai-based company, has been engaged to make the gala event a great success. Company officials, including managers and choreographers, are busy making all preparations for the D-day. They will present a 90-minute show on Saturday, which will include a performance by Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh along with 800 school students from Ludhiana. Besides, Lakhwinder Wadali will entertain the guests and the spectators with his melodious voice. On other events, the company officials maintain that it will be a "surprise" for the people of Ludhiana. As if it was not enough, artistes from all over Punjab have been called to perform bhangra and giddha at the event.

Sports Dept's objection

Apart from one mega main stage, two other stages have been prepared in the playing area of Guru Nanak Stadium where local artistes will perform. The organisers had erected a controlling panel on the synthetic track but when oficials of the local office of the Sports Department objected to it saying that this would cause damage to the costly track, the small stage (controlling panel) was shifted on the other side today.

Instructions to officials

During a meeting of higher officials today, minute instructions were issued to the officials to make sure that there was no mistake on anybody's part. Waiters, serving refreshments, will not come back from the same side. Instead, after serving eatables to the VVIPs, they will move on and will come back in a circle again while serving next time.

Rehearsals

Troupe members from Mumbai, along with boys and girls drawn from across the state to perform during the closing ceremony on Saturday, rehearsed for long hours today.

Ludhiana, December 12
The following players have been selected to represent Punjab in the 35th Senior National Softball Championship (men and women) scheduled to be held from December 25 to 30 at Bardhaman in West Bengal.

Pran Nath Passi, honorary secretary, Punjab Softball Association, said prior to their participation in the national meet, these players would attend coaching camps in Amritsar (men) from December 13 to 20 and at Chunnikalan near Sirhind ( for women) from December 15 to 20.

The players of the two teams are: Women: Akwinder Kaur, Manisha, Jasleen Kaur, Amrita and Rajwinder Kaur (Ludhiana), Harpreet Kaur, Gagandeep Kaur and Mandeep Kaur (Gurdaspur), Mamta Minhas, Madhvi Sharma, Sandeep Kaur, Rekha and Neeru (Jalandhar), Simranjeet Kaur (Patiala) and Neelima Sharma (Sangrur).

Men: Jagjit Singh, Inderbir Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Jagroop Singh (Amritsar), Vikramjeet Singh, Deepak Kumar and Shamsher Singh (Ludhiana), Vinay Saini, Raj Vansh, Gagandeep Singh and Dinesh Verma (Jalandhar), Mandeep Singh (Sangrur), Harpreet Singh (Moga) and Jaiveer Singh (Bathinda).