Braving winter: Birds enjoy the sunny noon amidst the cold wave in Amritsar on Saturday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Residents, officials spar over garbage dumping container
Amritsar, December 28
A garbage dumping container near a school located in Khu Bambewala area has become a bone of contention between authorities concerned and the residents.




A garbage collection container placed outside Arya Girls Senior Secondary School in Amritsar. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

3 drug peddlers held
Amritsar, December 28
The city police have nabbed three drug peddlers, identified as Asgar Ali of Bihar, Raj Kumar of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar and Akashdeep of Hargoind Avenue.

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Amritsar, December 28
The MC officials have nabbed a team, that had duped residents of Chheharta in lieu of filling up their property tax forms in an unauthorised manner. But due to political intervention, no action was taken against them. This is not the first instance. A couple of days ago, two persons were caught on the charge of similar offence from Chheharta area.

Even as the offenders, including a defence personnel had admitted in writing about their nefarious designs, no police action could be initiated against them. It has been learnt that the MC team had to let them scot-free after getting to know the involvement of relatives of some local BJP political leaders.

Acting on a tip-off, the MC team led by Superintendent Shushant Bhatia conducted raid at the suspected place, only to find that a group of persons were pocketing money to 'facilitate' them in filing their property tax returns. Bhatia told that they were asking for Rs 20 as the least amount for filling a single form while posing as the MC staffers.

"Before the team could proceed, the offenders, which included a sub-inspector of the BSF and three others having close proximity with a former BJP councillor enjoyed the immunity," said the officials.

"One of them was identified to be defence personnel; others accompanying him were students of a college. I made them write an apology in the presence of senior BJP leaders at their office in Khanna Samarak. The matter was brought to the notice of higher authorities. But the authorities might have considered their age and position. Otherwise, it was a non-pardonable act," Bhatia said.

"Two days ago, the MC team had caught two persons from the same area. They were operating from a grocery shop. They too were caught red handed for similar charges, but were later let-off. On questioning them, they admitted to have committed the offence to make easy money," he said.

DPS Kharbanda said the matter was in his knowledge and preventive measures were being adopted to avoid such instances. "I have directed my staff to take cognisance of such instances as it was a serious issue. We will be more vigilant," he said.

Amritsar, December 28
Despite concerns expressed by the apex court, which has directed the states to restrict the number of officials using the red beacon lights, the misuse is rampant in the holy city.

Among the violators are those persons who are associated with VVIPs, VIPs and political leaders. A number of government and private vehicles in the city could be found fitted with the red lights while the law enforcing agencies are working as a mute spectator to the blatant violation.

Being a holy city the visits of VVIPs and VIPs are a routine affair but extensive violation of the red beacon has left the police officials red faced.

In a recent instance, the Civil Lines police have arrested four youths who had opened fire on the PCR team on the Christmas evening. The police officials were left perplexed when they recovered two red beacons from the two cars.

This is not the sole case. Wards of a prominent political leader could be often seen travelling in vehicle fitted with the beacon light.

Usually, the police hesitate to stop and search the vehicle with red beacon atop. This also gave ample chances to the anti-social elements to carry out their nefarious activities.

Going by the police records, the traffic police have challaned negligible violators for using beacon light illegally while in contrast it has issued thousands of challan for other violations.

A traffic policeman while preferring anonymity said that the they could not dare to challan the vehicles fitted with the beacon as they always turned out to the influential one and they soon got a phone call and have to left them without taking punitive action or issued challan under other minor offences. He said that recent slamming by the Supreme Court would hopefully act as a deterrent.

The apex court has criticised the states and authorities concerned for their abysmal failure in checking the misuse of the vehicles with red lights atop. The court has also pointed out the various crimes being committed under the garb of red beacon lights.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Birkampal Bhatti said he had recently issued directions of all ranks and files in the traffic police wing to take strict action against the vehicles plying on roads with the red lights without the requisite permission.

"We are very serious about it. I have asked the traffic police to impound the vehicle and slap hefty challan as per the rules against the violators," said the DCP. 

Amritsar, December 28
Even as schools are closed on account of winter holidays, the district administration has evoked Section 144 under the CrPC to make it a punishable crime to ferry students more than the permissible limit. The order would remain operational till February 23.

Keeping in view the deteriorating traffic condition, relevant laws were evoked as a pre-emptive measure to use the same as a defense in case of any untoward happening.

Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat has directed officials of the traffic police to keep a close watch on the school transport for overloading their vehicles. He said erring vehicles must be brought to book at once.

He also directed the District Education Officer to hold awareness programmes at schools and other educational institutes against traffic norms.

A mother, Rupinder Kaur, said the school transporters operating buses, mini buses, autos and other vehicles ferrying students in the city were spotted violating traffic norms. She said these directions would have full impact if the school authorities were also made responsible and answerable.

She said earlier, Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal had held a joint meeting with the heads of the private and government schools and the police department in March. He had directed officials of the traffic police to impound overloaded vehicles. He also warned that in that case the responsibility of dropping the children of the impounded vehicle would rest on the school principals.

Similarly, a social activist, Naresh Johar, said it was strange that the semi-literate drivers were always held responsible for violation but the school managements were not entrusted the responsibility, to keep a tab on violations. He said relevant laws were available to regulate school buses, as per these norms a driver of a school bus could be booked for his driving related offences, while the school management/owner and principal could be held responsible for other violations. He added that even private vehicles like vans, cabs, auto-rickshaws and rickshaws, ferrying school children were bound to follow the safety measures.

Meanwhile, the officials in the district transport office, shared that as per the transport department norms, drivers operating school buses or vans should possess 'heavy vehicle' licences with a minimum of 10 years' driving experience.

The guidelines emphasise that buses and vans should not be loaded with students, beyond the stipulated seating capacity, but these vehicles continue to ply with such loads, stated Swaran Singh, grandfather of a school going toddler.

Meanwhile, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), while granting approval for affiliation and category of associated schools, sought submission of affidavits containing 16 rules from the principals of these schools. However, sources in the department shared that officials hardly bother to keep a tab on these norms and only ensured that these schools submit the affidavit once in a year.

The PSEB norms maintain that those schools, which have any means of transportation, including van, auto, bus, then these vehicles must indicate their numbers and registration numbers over the vehicles. Fitness certificates of these vehicles that they are in drivable condition and valid permits have to be submitted. Besides, these vehicles must have conductors and drivers who must wear uniforms, must possess valid license, must have five years of driving experience, not have been challaned more than three times, names of school and routes must be displayed over these vehicles, besides availability of first aid box on the bus. 

Amritsar, December 28
Health Department has collected 41 food samples from various hotels and restaurants on the GT road here in the past two days. The team collected samples of curd, cheese, flour, sauces, samosa, cooked pulses, vegetables and common salt.

The team inspected Sindhi Vinayk Food Corner, Itraf Dhaba, Jaan Restaurant, Grover Dhaba, Chopra Dhaba, Jumbo Dhaba, Babby Dhaba, Gursharan Dhaba and many other eating places. District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said the team's focus was on dhabas and restaurants on the GT road.

He said many of the general stores selling food ingredients were also inspected. He said all the samples have been dispatched to Food Testing laboratory and the reports would be received soon.

Dr Kahlon said it has been found that many hoteliers have still not applied for the licenses or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act. He said even those whose licenses have expired must get these renewed as the department would soon launch a drive to check unregistered hotels and restaurants.

Dr Kahlon said the District Health Department has collected over 700 food samples from the district. He said till September this year, over 4,407 samples were collected from the entire state of which 514 were collected from Amritsar alone.

He said of all the samples collected in the current year, over 300 had failed on quality parameters and department has initiated action against all the shops whose samples were found to be of substandard quality. He said the district department has secured permission from the state authorities in filling court cases against 33 shops whose samples were categorised as unsafe for human consumption by food testing laboratory. 

Amritsar, December 28
The environment of confusion ended with the announcement of the long awaited list of the PPCC office bearers.

After taking over as the president of the District Congress Committee, Amritsar, (Rural), Gurjeet Singh Aujla viewed that his confusion had kept most of the Congressmen and workers away from the main stream politics.

"The command of the PPCC is now into the hands of young and witty politicians who are now in a mood to revive the Congress into Punjab and save the state and the party from the clutches of old crooks who had kept the party as their personal property".

After the announcement of Aujla as the new president of the District Congress Committee, a new wave of zeal was seen among the workers who kept visiting his office to congratulate him and also to assure their support for his working. —TNS

Amritsar, December 28
Of 16,600 candidates, about 95 per cent appeared in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) conducted at as many as 26 examination centers in the city today.

Candidates having done BEd and ETT have to pass the TET to be eligible for the teaching job in government and public schools, as per the guidelines issued under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The state government has implemented the guideline in its schools but the public schools are permitted to implement the same by 2015.

District Education Officer (Secondary) Satinder Bir Singh said flying squads from the State Council Education Research and Training (SCERT) and Vigilance Department visited the examination centers. Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat had appointed 26 observers. Besides, videography was also done. Over 350 invigilators were deployed at these centers. 

Amritsar, December 28
District Health Department has asked its employees, doctors and nurses to wear uniforms so as to make it easier for the general public to identify them at the health institutions.

Civil Surgeon Dr Usha Bansal said uniforms would help in identifying the employees, doctors and nurses on duty. This would help the public as to whom to approach.

Earlier, the local civil hospital had made it mandatory for the doctors to wear white coats so that people may distinguish them among others at the hospital. Dr Usha said she hopes that employees would do the needful in view of the services for the public. She said nurses too should wear uniforms as applicable to them.

The civil surgeon said, "The Health Department is doing everything to provide quality services to the patients at government hospitals. The new instructions are a part of the department's endeavour to better these services." 

Amritsar, December 28
A garbage dumping container near a school located in Khu Bambewala area has become a bone of contention between authorities concerned and the residents.

Lying hardly 10 m away from the government-aided Arya Girls Senior Secondary School, Lahori Gate (Khu Bambewala), it stands in a filthy condition exposing the school staff, children and residents of the locality to various diseases.

Even as after persuasion of school authorities and the residents of nearby localities, this dumper was lifted from here some months ago, yet ironically, it was placed back to the same spot recently.

This issue became more contentious because of 'fake' political intervention. This was revealed after an RTI reply was received by a resident of the affected Katra Moti Ram area, Anil Khanna, recently.

Khanna had questioned the MC authorities that why this garbage container, which was shifted from school site some time ago, was placed back.

In reply, the MC denied having any such valid reasons but maintained that the residents of the area were divided over the issue of shifting the garbage dumper from its present site. The MC also provided Khanna copies of the 'signed' letters of residents who wanted the garbage dumper to be placed here only.

Astonishingly, there were two letters of recommendation by Senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh. In one letter, he had written to the Local Bodies ministry to remove this dumping container from the school site, whereas in another letter, recommendation from his side was to 'place it back'. The signatures of Chugh on both letters differed.

The MC officials, likewise, showed their helplessness in the matter. Later, it was found that the second recommendation letter was 'forged'one. When contacted, Tarun Chugh told that he had recommended removing the garbage dump container from school site only. Even as Chugh stated that he had brought the matter to the notice of an official concerned, yet on the other hand the same official denied having any knowledge about it.

The MC teams had failed to locate any other "suitable" alternative site for placing this garbage yard, other than the entrance gate of this school.

The solid waste of areas like Katra Sher Singh, the Telephone exchange, Katra Moti Ram Tikoni Park, Lohgarh Gate and upto the Guru Bazaar, is brought here, before getting it transported to its final destination to the solid waste management plant, in Bhagtanwala.

Despite repeated pleas by the school authorities as well as the residents, this garbage dumping site could not be shifted from here.

MC officials try to pass on buck to each other justify their inability to shift the dumping site with illogical reasoning while exposing the girl students as well as residents living nearby exposing to various diseases due to this garbage dumping site.

"It appears that someone has stolen my official letterhead and submitted the same with my forged signatures in the MC's records. I have intimated the Health Officer Dr Yogesh Arora to take cognizance of it. I insist that the garbage dumping container should be removed from its present location to somewhere else, at least not nearer to a school," said Tarun Chugh, senior BJP leader.

“We have received representations from lot of residents to place the dumper here only, but the recommendation letter of any leader in this matter is not in my knowledge. In the absence of any alternate site, this garbage trolley cannot be removed from its present location. Actually, it is the main collection point of the garbage of other localities around,” said MC Health Officer Dr Yogesh Arora.

Amritsar, December 28
The city police have nabbed three drug peddlers, identified as Asgar Ali of Bihar, Raj Kumar of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar and Akashdeep of Hargoind Avenue.

The police have confiscated 70, 100 and 200 capsules of habit forming drugs from their possession, respectively. They have been booked under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. 

I strongly feel about the problem of unabashed encroachment of public lanes, streets and roads. In most of the colonies and avenues in the Civil Lines area, the residents have installed huge steel gates which are kept locked supposedly to avoid burglaries and trespassing. But an important interest is to use the public roads for parking of vehicles. Probable reason for this being the lack of indoor parking space. Street parking won't be safe without gates which are guarded in most of the areas. The administration is usually not concerned about the public inconvenience caused by such unauthorised gates. The presence of so many gates also suggests that people don't have much faith in the law and order agencies.

While passing through any lane/road, one can see that a fencing of 6-8 feet road along the house wall is either used for parking or gardening. When one influential family encroaches upon the public road, the neighbours also feel that there is no check and a vicious chain of encroachment starts. Many influential and powerful people extend their house wall to occupy parts of the road and plant trees along the new wall overnight. They feel the administration will be helpless in axing the trees. Anybody can put a fruit or vegetable rehri on any road anywhere with impunity. Unauthorised installation of rehries becomes a traffic hazard when people park their vehicles to buy goods.

Another eyesore is the sight of elevated manhole covers and unauthorised speed-breakers constructed near the house of the influential. One fails to understand why when good roads are constructed spending so much of public money, can't the manholes be fixed in level with the surface!

Then you see cars with funny plates on the front bumper, varying from sarpanch, lambardar to various chairmen, all illegal but unchecked. There is not enough traffic police personnel to check unauthorised parking. I think the Punjab government should make a law stipulating that property owners have no right whatsoever on public road, street or lanes beyond their house wall. Local bodies can earn a lot by making paid parking on public roads, streets and lanes a routine affair. No government should wait for reforms till the “aam adami” is compelled to think of coming out on the road!