Amritsar, February 15
Tobacco vendors in city are not only flouting the norms by selling the products to minors; but some of them are even using minors to sell the products.

The minors are employed as vendors as they demand less salary as compared to adults.

The Health Department had recently issued challan to a cigarette vendor for employing a minor and f selling the products near Government ENT Hospital.

Health Department employee Jai Karan Singh, who had issued the challan said, "Minors cannot sell tobacco products. It has been noticed that most of the customers start smoking at vends only. This makes the vendors passive smokers. "

He said the department had also detected minors selling tobacco products near Springdale School. "These children said that their parents had gone for some work. But we have specific information that they are working regularly," he said adding that a warning has been issued to all such shop owners and strict action would be taken if such things persists in future.

The Mai Bagho College for Girls on Majitha Road has four cigarette vends, even as the law prohibits sale of cigarette and other tobacco products within a 100-yard periphery of any educational institution.

District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said, "In January this year we had issued 320 challans to violators for smoking at public places and cigarette vendors for not following the guidelines."

The department had collected Rs 13,940 as fine from the violators. They had also seized 12,410 packets of 'gutka'.

Dr Kahlon said, "Sale of 'gutka' is banned in state as it is a cancer causing agent. We are continuously issuing challans to the smokers and vendors. The campaign has started yielding results." 

Amritsar, February 15
Punjab School Education Board's open schools' Class X and XII students were harassed today while appearing for their final practical examination as the venue of the exam was changed.

The students learnt the change in practical exam centres when they reached their respective venues. It was no less than a shock to majority of the students.

A student from Harsha Chhina village said she came all the way after commuting 15 km at BBK DAV Collegiate School only to learn that her practical examination centre has been shifted to DAV School, Hathi Gate, which was further 3 km away. "I rang up my school teacher who expressed ignorance and shifted the responsibility on the Board", she said.

Another student from Kukkadawala said he reached the venue of at a private college near Gumtala bypass after covering a distance of about 14 km. It was shocking to learn that the centre was shifted to Government Senior Secondary Saragarhi Memorial School, Maal Road. He has to commute around 8 km more to reach the changed venue.

District Science Supervisor Sudeep Kaur, who looks into the process of the allotment of examination centres of open schools in the district, said, she had conveyed the change in practical examination centres to the administrators of open schools well in advance. She said it was the duty of open schools to inform their students.

"I received the register containing information of practical examination centres on February 7. However, inquiries revealed that many of these institutions do not have adequate infrastructure to conduct the practical examinations. It prompted me to change the centres and I duly intimated Open schools on February 11," she said.

It was for the first time that the Board shifted the examination centres for students of open schools to government-run schools and other institutes run by the educational societies. ]Earlier, examination centres of the open school students used to be at their study centres. Many schools were not happy with this arrangement. 

Amritsar, February 15
Allottees and plot holders of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, popularly known as Maal Mandi locality, developed by the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT), alleged that basic civic amenities were not provided in the locality despite assurances by Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi. They today once again met the minister to remind him of his promises.

The Local Bodies Minister in a meeting with members of the Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar Welfare Forum October 10, 2013 promised them to provide basic amenities within the next two months.

Besides, he also ordered an inquiry to nail the officials responsible for making faulty 211-acre Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar Scheme, also known as the Mall Mandi Scheme, and paved way for amendment in its layout plan.

"What seemed to have suggested strict and swift move of Joshi soon came out to be tempest in a tea cup as it failed to bring reprieve to thousands of suffering plot and flat holders," said the forum president Prem Sagar.

"About eight years have lapsed since the locality was allotted. During these years children who may have enjoyed organised life of a locality equipped with green parks and swings have progressed into adolescent while many teenagers are now about to get married," said forum vice-president Dr Kavipal Singh.

Forum general secretary Parminder Singh said the Trust jumped many earlier assurances and now their hope rests upon the local Bodies Minister, who happens to be a local resident. Earlier, assurance of the AIT to complete the development works by February 28, 2013, could not be met. The then Deputy Commissioner, Rajat Aggarwal, during his stint as the head of the AIT had announced to provide all basic amenities last year to plot holders and flat owners under the scheme. The deadline ended about a year ago and they were still awaiting the basic amenities.

Under the scheme, about 700 plots were allotted in 2006 and around 500 were given in 2009, besides over 600 flats for the economic weaker section (EWS) were also allotted.

Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) Superintendent Engineer (SE) Bharat Bhusan Sharma, who represented the trust in the meeting with the minister, said digital survey of the entire scheme has been carried out by hiring a private agency and the amended layout plan of the scheme would be readied soon. He said as per the Punjab Town Improvement Trust Act-1922 any amendment to the layout plan of the already approved scheme must be ratified under Section 43. Besides the technical sanction from the Director Town Planner was required to amend the same for which the report of digital survey would be sent to head office at Chandigarh soon.

He said the report of the six-member multi-department committee on the realignment of the boundary wall of Government Senior Secondary Saragarhi Memorial School, which was allegedly obstructing the entry to the locality, was ready. He said a portion of the boundary wall would be demolished soon.

The multi-department committee comprised of the District Education Officer, school Principal, AIT Superintendent Engineer and Town Planner, Galiara Project Executive Engineer and Municipal Town Planner.

Amritsar, February 15
A city-based school for special children has been trying to make them creatively independent through theatre and performing arts. With the annual productions and cultural event planned for them, including professional training, their talent not disability has taken centre stage.

Ibadat, a school and an established centre for education and creative arts for special children in the city has been involving dance and theatre as therapies for their students. Its productions, including plays, craft shows and dance performances, involve differently abled children, right from the centre stage to backstage activities. "These opportunities are important for such children as it's a chance for them to show the world their talent and become equal to the normal ones, says Shilpi Ganguly, co-coordinator and teacher of the Ibadat.

The students respond more to creative instincts, she adds. Using mass media skills such as acting, physical performance and expressing through music and dance, the children have been involved in workshops with professional film makers like Ghazala Khan from Pakistan and local theatre persons. And making them learn isn't a task, says Sahil Arora. A musician from the city works with special children on musical productions. "They cover it up with enthusiasm.

Capabilities in these children is far better than normal ones. I have been associated with them since the past one year and never had seen any student missing a class. They learn better as they are eager to prove themselves and extend their limitations," he says. He runs a programme called Saaz for these children.

Activities and programmes like teaching them classical, fusion and gurmat sangeet along with theatre happen at these centre all the year. "The reason for such extensive programmes is to make them self reliant. With their skills set 
and talent it empowers them to be confident and build a future just like the ones being called 'normal," says Sahil.

Amritsar, February 15
Employees of a private company hired by the Municipal Corporation for mapping the properties in the city were found extorting money from the local residents.

The police have arrested three such employees who have been booked under Section 384 of the IPC at the Sadar police station. The police officials are trying to seek custody of the accused for further investigations.

Among those arrested include Surinder Yadav, Mantej Kumar and Dharminder Singh; all are the residents of Bihar.

Mukhtiar Singh, a resident of Majitha road, told the police that the three accused came to his house for the survey of the property. He alleged that the accused threatened him to and extorted Rs 1,500 as tax and went away.

Later, the accused were caught when they came to know that they were just surveyors hired by the Municipal Corporation.

The firm was engaged by the municipal authorities for Geographical Index Survey which started its work in October 2013.

The project was launched in order to map the properties, including water supply and building plans in the city for generating revenue by the way of thwarting tax evasion.

The MC authorities said the company along with the National Remote Sensing Centres with the help of Google map technology would collect the details of a particular property, including elevations of the property, number of floors, ownership and plot dimensions besides looking into veracity of the building plan.

Jasbir Singh, investigating officer, said Mukhtiar Singh runs a small grocery shop at his residence. The three accused told him that they would describe his property as commercial and he then would have to shell out more money as tax.

They later convinced him to give Rs 1,500 to them and they would not show his shop in the survey.

"We will investigate as to how many persons they have duped so far. Initial probe pointed out that they belonged to the Map My India Company hired by the Municipal Corporation," said a police official. 

Amritsar, February 15
The police have booked Sundar Singh of Kot Hayat, Baba Bakala, and his father Shingara Singh for fraudulently transferring a tube well connection in their name.

According to a complaint by Ajaib Singh, police official with Vigilance Bureau, said Fauja Singh, a resident of the village, sold some portion of his land to the two accused in 1992. Fauja Singh died around 10 years ago in Madhya Pradesh. The accused then further sold the land to Amar Singh of Baba Bakala in 1999.

He said the accused prepared fake affidavits in the name of Fauja Singh and changed the tube well connection in their name.

The police have registered a case under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC against them at the Civil Lines police station. No arrest has been made so far. 

Amritsar, February 15
The city police today arrested a notorious criminal, identified as Jagroop Singh, a resident of Kathunangal area.

He was wanted by the police in many cases registered in Amritsar and neighbouring districts.

Parampal Singh, ADCP City-I said Jagroop was arrested from near the Cantonment chowk and a Chinese pistol and 11 live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

He said Jagroop was a habitual offender. He was involved in drug peddling, besides several robberies and loot cases.

The ADCP said in 2012 he and his accomplice Harpal Singh were held by the Gurdaspur police. However, Harpal shot himself and died on the spot.

Parampal Singh said further investigations were under way to know the legality of the weapon. 

Amritsar, February 15
Even as the state government has issued clear directions to the police to shift the differently abled to the mental hospital, the cops here are least bothered about it. Many such persons are roaming on the Bhandari Road. A few days back an NGO had rescued a person, who was lying outside a police post, but the police did not bother about him.

At least six to seven differently abled persons could be seen regularly on the footpath of the road approaching the Bhandari Bridge coming from Hall Gate.

Being the busiest stretch and termed as the lifeline of the holy city, the policemen guard whole the time, but they are more busy in either bullying the auto-rickshaw drivers or having a cup of tea at a shop, located at the corner.

When questioned, a policeman on duty showed reluctance about the government’s initiative to provide treatment to the sick and mentally disturbed persons loitering on the roads.

“This is not our job to take care of these beggars. We are here to monitor the traffic only," he retorted.

Persons with mental disorder, who can be seen wandering on roads in the city, are often victimised and misbehaved by people. The lack of treatment and unsympathetic behaviour only worsen their mental condition.

Vinni Mahajan, Director, Health, had conducted a workshop in December, with the senior police officials, motivating them to bring homeless patients with mental disorder to the institute.

As per the guidelines, the police have to take such persons in protective custody and produce them before the CJM within 24 hours. The CJM can order their medical examination after which he may pass an order to send such persons to the institute for the treatment.

On January 15, the Vidya Sagar Institute of Mental Health has received its first batch of four patients with mental disorder with the help of police of neighbouring districts but the city police have failed to perform its duty.

A few days ago, another mentally disturbed person was found loitering near Kot Khalsa police station but could be rescued only when residents of the area approached the Akhil Bharatiya Human Rights Welfare Association. Dr Vaneet Sareen, state chief of the association, along with his team got him admitted to the All India Pingalwara Institute.

Police Commissioner Jatinder Aulakh said, "It is a grave issue. I am just directing police team concerned to monitor the spot and take them into protective custody." 

Amritsar, February 15
The threat of spreading leprosy has once again come to the fore with the Health Department detecting 5 new patients. Even as the department had previous year detected 68 patients of leprosy, what worries the department is the fact that all of them are migrants.

The Health Department had detected these new five patients during a check up drive initiated during the leprosy awareness week that concluded recently. Health Department officials claimed that all the newly detected patients are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Even as the department has a track record of curing most of the detected patients during the past two years, they said the detection of leprosy among migratory labourers is a worrisome fact as earlier leprosy was considered a disease of by-gone years.

“The detection is worrisome as the disease might spread out to other patients. We are taking all out measures to curtail the problem. The problem will be harmful if it aggravates,” said an official. The department officials revealed that leprosy was detected among people of localities which do not have proper cleanliness and hygienic conditions. Civil Surgeon Usha Bansal said the patients could be saved from physical disabilities if the disease was diagnosed at a earlier stage. 

Jalandhar, February 15
Corps of Signals of the Indian Army celebrated its 104th Raising Day by organising a number of events, here today. Wreaths were also laid on the War Memorial to pay homage to martyrs of the corps.

Keeping with tradition, a barakhana, was also organised for serving and retired JCOs/ORs and their families. Apart for this, voluntary blood donation, various sports, adventure, band display and cultural activities formed a part of the event.

A defence spokesperson in a statement said the corps had reached out to renew association with disabled soldiers, widows, Veer Naris and aged, needy veterans. Signal units across India had identified and adopted over 400 such members of their extended family, and the journey continues.

Raised in 1911, the Corps of Signals embarked on the 104th year of its glorious journey today. 

Amritsar, February 15
The lure of foreign land landed two brothers in the police net as they forged documents for preparing fake passport to go abroad.

One of them was deported from Hong Kong and he again tried to make fake passport by changing his identity.

The swindlers, identified as Rakesh Kumar and Hardeep Singh of Buban Basti, Batala road, have been booked under Section 420, 419, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, forgery, using forged documents as genuine for purpose of cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Investigating officer Varinder Mahajan said Rakesh Kumar and his brother Hardeep Singh approached the Passport Office for preparing a "Tatkal" passport in October last which he received in November. He said during this, the police received a tip-off that Rakesh Kumar had earlier went to Hong Kong on the basis of fake passport and was caught by the police there and sentenced to jail. He was later deported back to India.

Following this, an investigation was started to know the veracity of the documents which they produced before the police during checking his past record. To get a passport he changed his identity from Rakesh Kumar to Ramesh Kumar and also changed his father name from Balkar Singh to Balkar Chand. He said they also forged the voter identity card, on the basis of which they had opened a bank account.

Mahajan said the police were also trying to identify the persons who had helped them in preparing forged government documents. 

Amritsar, February 15
BBK DAV College for Women Principal Neelam Kamra and cricket coach Parkash Chand today felicitated international cricketer Sneh Rana. She brought laurels to her institute as she contributed in winning three ODI matches and three T-20 matches in the one day series between India and Sri Lanka, concluded recently at Vishakhapatnam.

She was the only cricketer from the city in the Indian Cricket team. She took 6 wickets for 45 runs in 24 overs.

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