Ludhiana, March 10
Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal today conducted a surprise check at several schools in the city. He found invigilators and examination staff had not been working properly during Class XII examination of the Punjab School Education Board.

The Deputy Commissioner said students should shun copying. "The marks obtained with hard work proved fruitful," he added.

Today, students appeared for the history and chemistry examinations. To curb copying, the Punjab School Education Board has constituted 12 teams. The teams constituted by the District Education Office also conducted raids at several schools but did not find any irregularities.

Meanwhile, during an inspection, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (East) Kuljeetpal Singh found students were forced to appear take the examination barefoot. The SDM warned the examination staff against treating students like this in the future.

Secretary, PSEB, GS Bath said: "According to the reports, the cases of cheating in the state have come down this year. The PSEB is serious about curbing copying and we will not tolerate any negligence on the part of examination staff".

Deputy District Education Officer Charanjit Singh said: "This year, the PSEB has shifted the open school examination centres from private schools to the government ones. The move of the board, which has been aimed at curbing copying, has proved successful". 

Ludhiana, March 10
With the Congress leader and sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Manish Tewari’s name not appearing on the first list of Lok Sabha candidates released by the party, speculations are again rife over the Congress candidate from Ludhiana. The party’s next Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting is slated for March 12.

The District Congress Committee (DCC), Ludhiana (Urban), chief, Pawan Dewan, and the DCC Ludhiana (Rural) chief, Malkit Singh Dakha, in a joint statement, have said Tewari will start his campaign after the party high command announces his nomination.

“No candidate, irrespective of his or her seniority, can jump the gun and start his campaigning without his name being announced by the party high command,” said Dewan.

The DCC chiefs, along with former DCC chief Krishan Kumar Bawa, are holding public meetings to laud the achievements of the MP. In the last meeting held on Saturday, they declared the MP had the leadership qualities to take Ludhiana on the path of development. “Tewari is a leader who does not make tall claims or empty promises. He fulfils the promises made to the electorate,” claimed Dakha during one such meeting.

During one of his campaigns in the city, SAD-BJP candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali, without naming Tewari, had said the Congress leader, who was the possible candidate of the party, was not interested in contesting from Ludhiana.

Today, a group of Shiv Sena activists raised slogans against Tewari, claiming that the Ludhiana MP is reluctant to contest from Ludhiana and that he is interested in contesting the poll either from Karnal or Chandigarh, with Ludhiana being third on his preference list. The activists also pasted a poster on the gate of the DCC Ludhiana (Rural) office. Later, the Congress workers removed the “offending” poster. The Congress leader, Parminder Mehta, while condemning the incident, said the law and order situation in the city was deteriorating.

Meanwhile, as the Ludhiana unit of the party is waiting for the nomination of the party candidate, it’s learnt the local Congress leaders are on a “wooing mission”. They are trying to win back the disgruntled party leaders and workers. Dewan, however, said the Congress was united and there was no groupism in the the party. 

Ludhiana, March 10
With the Model Code of Conduct being enforced in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, pictures of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the vehicles running under the 108 ambulance scheme have been covered by the state government.

The Centre had earlier advised the state government not to use the ambulances as a “publicity vehicle” and remove the CM’s pictures from the vehicles. The UPA government had, in fact, asked all the states to display the words National Ambulance Service on the vehicles.

"Earlier the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had asked all the states to display the logo of National Rural Health Mission on the ambulances running under the Central scheme. The ministry had also instructed states to get National Ambulance Service inscribed on the vehicles in English as well as the regional language. Although, the NRHM logo was inscribed, the words National Ambulance Service were left out,” said a source in the Health Department.

It was only the code of conduct that made the government cover the pictures of the Chief Minister, he said.

The Centre had provided 240 air-conditioned ambulances to Punjab in 2011, for taking patients to the nearest hospital for free.

Ludhiana, March 10
Shutting their eyes to the problems of the city residents, certain industrialists of dyeing industry at Rahon Road have conveniently joined their dyeing-discharge pipes (industrial waste) with the sewerage of the MC in an illegal manner.

The Municipal Corporation is spending over Rs 70 lakh on super-suction machines to get choked sewerages cleared as residents have been living in a pathetic situation in colonies along the Rahon Road area.

Thanks to the political leaders of the ruling party under whose patronage, the illegal works are being carried out openly and the city, which is already polluted, is being pushed towards more miserable condition. One of the officials with the Municipal Corporation said this was being done in an illegal manner but none could do anything.

"We know that the industry cannot throw their polluted, dyeing water within the MC limits, still they are doing it and we are watching everything as mute spectators. The violators have gathered guts because an Akali leader has given them his whole-hearted support," the official said.

"The main sewerage of the MC at Rahon Road is in a pathetic state and now, when the industry will start throwing their water discharge into the already choked MC sewerage, the civic body will not be able to tackle the issue and the residents will be at the receiving end", rued the official.

The dyeing Industry is supposed to throw their discharge outside the MC limits but for this, they will need a no objection certificate (NOC) from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and another clearance to throw the discharge out of the city limits.

"The process is not just cumbersome but seems impossible due to many technicalities. To avoid the botheration, the industry has found an easy way to get their sewer connected with the MC by taking into confidence the political leader. And the latter is helping industrialists for vested interests," alleged the official.

Area Councillor Tarsem Singh Bhinder first said certain villagers had approached that their sewerage lines be connected with the MC sewerage. When asked that it was the dyeing industry, which had joined their sewerage with the MC, Bhinder said: "They have done it again. Six years ago also they wanted to do the same and now if they have done it, I will complain to the authorities to disconnect their line".

The XEN O and M, Rajinder Singh, however, said they had disconnected the lines earlier but now if they have joined sewerage pipes again, these would be disconected again at the earliest. Sources said the Akali leader, who is encouraging the violators, was pretty close to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 10
Regular blood donors, who had to return disappointed without donating blood during a camp organised by the Social Welfare Organisation at the local Grain Market on Sunday, have urged the organiser to arrange a supplementary camp.

Some of such organisations have constituted teams of volunteers who would be available for donating blood in cases of emergency.

Acknowledging gesture of the volunteers and social organisations, Dr Rajinder Mittal, chairman, SWO, said a supplementary blood donation camp would be organised as per the convenience of the prospective donors.

Volunteers, led by former councillor Bimal Sharma Deepa and Deepak Sharma Deepa, said a large number of regular blood donors who had visited the camp organised on Sunday were disappointed when teams of blood banks showed their inability to collect more units due to shortage of transfusion bags.

Around 500 volunteers had to return disappointed without donating blood as the organisers of blood banks had shown their inability to collect more units.

Ludhiana, March 10
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) had issued orders to shut down schools running in less than 200 square yards, a few months back.

Nearly 700 schools were shut, but some of the schools had assured the board that they would fulfill the condition. The authorities of 27 schools in district had submitted their objection in this regard. As per the school authorities, the PSEB officials said the board would recheck the status of schools, but the same has not been done so far.

“The new academic session will start in schools after examination, but Punjab School Education Board has not given any feedback yet. We are in fix as to what sort of action will be taken by the board,” said a school principal.

Gurinderpal Singh Bath, secretary, Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), said, “Many schools have already been shut. Some schools did submit their appeal to reconsider the decision. We will recheck the status soon. A decision will be taken before the next session starts.”

Ludhiana, March 10
The Medical Council of India (MCI) is planning to set up a grading system for as many as 381 medical colleges across the country.

An accreditation council for medical colleges will also be set up if the grading system comes into force.

At present, only engineering colleges and other such institutes are graded by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), established by the University Grants Commission of India.

Parents and students have welcomed the move and said this will help them in selecting the best colleges. “There are so many medical colleges in different parts of the country that we lack the basic awareness of the system of education in a college of our choice. Grading will enable us select the best medical college,” said Shikha Sareen, an aspiring medical student.

According to the sources, the Medical Council of India will soon apprise the government of the need for a grading system for medical colleges and will forward their proposal to them. It will be like a NAAC inspection, wherein a three-member expert team will visit colleges and take note of the academic activities and research in medical colleges.

“If the government comes up with such a system or council for the medical colleges, it will be of a great help to the students. While most of the government medical colleges have managed to maintain their standards, the same can't be said about private ones, as they lack qualified teachers. Infrastructure is also not up to the mark. Such a system will expose all these shortcomings,” said a senior doctor.

Ludhiana, March 10
For the safety of the midday meal workers, school students and staff, the Education Department has issued grants to schools to get the fire extinguishers refilled and the cooking equipment repaired.

The mid-day meal workers (cooks) had been urging the authorities concerned to repair the LPG furnaces for the safety of workers and students for a long time now. Activists of the Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Union had also raised the issue many a times saying that the poor condition of stoves and furnaces can result in an untoward incident anytime. Owing to this, the department released Rs 1,000 to every school so as to adopt proper safety measures.

The department officials have instructed schools to fulfill all the requirements with the amount sanctioned. According to the information, there are 1,526 government schools in district where mid-day meal is served to as many as 1.75 lakh students. The schools receive Rs 5 per student for upper primary classes and Rs 3.34 per student for primary classes as the meal cost. Every school has two gas furnaces to cook the food.

Tarsem Lal Banga, district in charge for mid-day meal said, “We have issued the grant to all the schools and have asked school heads to get the stoves repaired and get the refill work done. The amount is very much sufficient.”

On the occasion, the department did not show any concern over the low wages of mid-day meal workers. The workers get a salary of Rs 900 per month.

Charanjit Kaur, district president, Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Union said, “It is good that the furnaces are being repaired. But our main demand continues to be ignored. We want salaries as per the minimum wages fixed by the government. Government should also release funds to provide us with uniforms.”

Ludhiana, March 10
If any person is found carrying more than Rs 10 lakh, the police officer concerned must report to the Income Tax Department. However, any amount more than Rs 50,000 should only be seized if criminality is established and all the details about the cash are gathered.

These instructions were issued by Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal, who is also the District Electoral Officer, during a joint meeting of the police and civil officers at Bachat Bhawan today.

He also advised the officers to be polite while checking the belongings on any person, and that it should only be done in the presence of an Executive Magistrate.

Police Commissioner Paramjit Singh Gill, who was also present at the meeting, was told to ensure that his personnel had walkie-talkie sets for better communication with the civil officers.

Rajat Aggarwal said that to make the election process smoother, the police officers should interact with civil officers and keep reviewing the ground situation.

Aggarwal said as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, static surveillance teams would become functional after the notification on April 2, but flying squads, video-viewing teams and video surveillance teams had already started their work.

Rajat Aggarwal said, "Any officer or employee deputed on election duty in his or her own Lok Sabha constituency will be issued an election duty certificate, which can be shown for voting at the place of his duty. The employees deputed elsewhere will be issued the postal ballot paper as usual."

He said each candidate contesting the elections should be made aware of the instructions of the Election Commission of India regarding expenditure, and strict vigil should be kept on the money being spent by them.

Additional Deputy Commsisoner (Development) Isha Kalia said the expenditure being done by the candidates or their parties at present will be added to the account of the concerned parties. “However, the expenditure done after the filing the nominations will be added to the candidate’s account,” she said.

The meeting was also attended by SSP Ludhiana (Rural) Ashish Chadhary and SSP, Khanna, Harcharan Singh Bhullar.

Ludhiana, March 10
The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) today burnt the effigy of Punjab government during a protest at Aarti Steel in the Sherpur area. A large number of labourers, led by INTUC district president Swarn Singh, raised anti-government slogans. They demanded minimum wages of Rs 10,000 a month for the industrial labourers.

“Most industrialists do not follow the wages fixed by the government. Moreover, the industrialists do not have any attendance record of the labourers,” said Swarn Singh.

He also accused the government of not attending to their complaints against the ESI Hospitals’ failure to attend to them properly. He said the employers deducted ESI funds but never stood by them against the hospitals.

Union leader Jagjit Singh said anganwadi workers and mid-day meal workers, too, had been working on minimal wages. 

Jagraon, March 10
More than 50 head of cattle, including a large number of cows, died under mysterious circumstances at Shri Krishna Gaushala, Disposal Road, here today. Hundreds other are sick. Poisonous fodder purchased by the gaushala is suspected to be the reason behind the cattle deaths.

At around 11 am, a “sewadar” of the gaushala noticed some head of cattle lying dead. He immediately informed the administrators of the gaushala, who called up the Veterinary Department.

Teams of veterinary doctors, led by Jagraon Veterinary Officer Baljit Singh, reached the gaushala and began the treatment of the sick cattle. The treatment was going on till the filing of the report in the evening.

"During the preliminary examination, we found particles of nitrate in the fodder. We have collected the samples of the fodder and other feed being given to the cattle at the gaushala. The exact cause of the deaths will be known after the receipt of the laboratory report," said Dr Baljit Singh.

The veterinary doctors said hundreds of cattle fell sick. Their condition is stable now.

Rajesh Bhandari, president of Shri Krishna Gaushala, put the number of dead cattle at 38. However, sources claimed more than 50 head of cattle had died. "The number of dead cattle has surpassed 50 till the evening. It could increase further as the condition of many cattle is still critical," said a member of the veterinary doctors' team. 

Ludhiana, March 10
A mobile phone, SIM card and two mobile batteries were recovered from a jail inmate during a routine checking at the entrance to the Central Jail here yesterday. The Division Number 7 police have registered a case against the jail inmate, identified as Satish Kumar.

Satish had returned to the jail after attending a hearing in the court.

The jail officials suspected these items were handed to Satish by his relatives after the court hearing.

The case was registered after Nachattar Singh, Deputy Superintendent, Central Jail, Ludhiana, lodged a complaint.

Meanwhile, a case under sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against another jail inmate, Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Noorpur Mandi, near Machhiwara, here. The staff had found 4.05 grams of narcotic powder on him when he returned after attending a court hearing on January 20. After an inquiry, the case was registered against Gurdeep Singh at the Division Number 7 police station.

Ludhiana, March 10
Police investigation has revealed that Harvinder Singh, alias Ghati (21), was murdered by three persons for only Rs 120. Harvinder was stabbed to death by three persons in the Khajur Chowk area of Salem Tabri here last night.

The arrested persons have been identified as Sonu, Shakti and Lovely, all hailing from Karnal in Haryana and at present residents of Amandeep Factory in the Khajur Chowk area.

The Salem Tabri police said there was a dispute between Harvinder, a resident of New Janakpuri, and the accused over a transaction of Rs 120. Harvinder was an auto-rickshaw driver. He was stabbed in full public view by the trio after they had a heated argument. "The trio had given Rs 120 to Harvinder to get them some drug, which they were to inhale using a cigarette. Harvinder neither provided them the drug nor returned the money," said the police.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Amrik Singh Powar said the trio had met Harvinder at a “dhaba” adjoining the factory where they worked. "During a general interaction, they shared a cigarette provided by Harvinder. They wanted Harvinder to get them the cigarette and pooled Rs 40 each and handed Rs 120 to him," said the ADCP.

But even after passing of around two weeks, Harvinder did not provide them the drug, which agitated the trio. Last evening, they again met at the same “dhaba” and entered into a heated argument, which soon turned ugly.

"The dhaba owner intervened and both the parties left the spot, only to enter into a scuffle a couple of hours later. Second time, both the parties were under the influence of liquor. The trio killed Harvinder with instruments which they use in the factory," said the ADCP.

Kewal Krishan, SHO of the Salem Tabri police station, said they had solved the case within about 12 hours. "A case under sections 302 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the trio," said the SHO.

Ludhiana, March 10
Notorious criminal Rajiv Raja once again escaped from police custody. Raja, apart from being involved in the murder of Rajesh, owner of Raghav Jewellers, had led a gang that killed another jeweller Darshan Singh and his wife Paramjit Kaur in their house on July 4, 2006. He was also involved in the murder of Jaswant Rai in July 2005.

He, along with his accomplices, was arrested on July 25, 2006. In January, 2009, he escaped from police custody at the Barnala bus stand after injuring two policemen. The notorious criminal, who is wanted in cases of murder and those registered under the Arms Act, was being brought to Ludhiana from Bathinda for a case hearing.

He then formed a gang and started committing robberies. They pulled off the sensational robbery at a prominent jewellery store in Panchkula. He was again arrested in April 2013. Rajiv Raja of Taj Ganj, Ludhiana, his paramour Pooja, alias Neeru Sharma, from Haibowal Kalan, are among four persons who have been sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment on charge of murdering Darshan Singh (45) and his wife in their house opposite Sahara Hospital, Civil Lines.

Today, when the Bathinda police were taking him for a court hearing in Patiala, he, with the help of his accomplices, fled from police custody near Bhai Bakhtaur village in Bathinda.

Ludhiana, March 10
A thief stole a bag containing about Rs 12 lakh and some important documents from a car parked near the Miller Ganj police post this morning. The car was parked outside the Punjab and Sind Bank branch.

Though the police suspect the theft angle, they have started investigation into the matter.

A Khanna resident, Nishant Aggarwal, had come to the city for some work. His driver parked the car outside the Miller Ganj branch of Punjab and Sind Bank. Nishant alighted from the car to do his work while his driver stayed in the vehicle. When the driver, Gurwinder Singh, came to know that the bag containing cash and documents was missing, he informed Nishant. Soon the police was informed.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Deepak Hilori, SHO of the Division Number 2 police station and the CIA 1 in-charge reached the spot. The police rounded up the driver for questioning.

The driver told the police that an unknown person knocked at the windowpane. The person told him that a tyre was flat. As the driver alighted from the car to check the tyre, the unknown person allegedly stole the bag and fled the spot.

Meanwhile, the police are scanning the footage of the close-circuit television cameras installed in the area. No case had been registered till the filing of the report.

Samrala, March 10
The Samrala police claimed to have recovered 15 gm of smack from a woman and 8.5 kg of poppy husk from another woman in separate incidents and arrested them.

Two youths were also nabbed with heroin in the area as vigil has been maintained in view of elections.

Addressing a press conference today, DSP, Samrala, Jaswinder Singh, and SHO Pawandeep said in the first incident, a police party, led by ASI Nachattar Singh, set up a naka near Baghour village.

During the naka, the police party stopped a woman, a resident of Baghour village, who was walking down the road. During the search, about 15gm of smack was recovered from her possession. The woman was arrested by the police. A case has been registered.

In the second incident, a woman, a resident of Bhairomunna, was arrested with 8.5kg of poppy husk near Neelon.

The DSP said the accused was on bail for the past one year in a murder case and another case of drugs was also pending against her in the Machhiwara Police Station.

In another incident, two youths were arrested with 70 gm of heroin during a naka near Todarpur village.

They were identified as Harpreet Singh (28) and Lakhwinder Singh (25), both residents of Ludhiana.

They were apprehended during a naka when they were going on a scooter. The DSP said the value of the recovered contraband was worth around Rs 35 lakh.

Ludhiana, March 10
The tehbazari wing of the MC impounded over half-a-dozen two-wheelers parked haphazardly outside Krishna Charitable Hospital, Model Town, here today.

The action was taken following a complaint against the hospital authorities, filed by an RTI activist Arvind Sharma. In his complaint, Sharma said a shed was constructed by the hospital authorities, adjoining its wall on the public road.

Following the complaint, officials of the building branch visited the spot and checked the status of the shed. In the absence of proper parking space, the roads are generally blocked with traffic and commuters find it difficult to pass through the stretch.

The officials inspected the site today. — TNS

Ludhiana, March 10
The body of an elderly person missing for the past 11 days was recovered from Budha Nullah in the Kundanpuri area today. The deceased, Gurdeep Singh (65), resided in the Peeru Banda area of Salem Tabri and ran a shop on a bridge over Buddha Nullah.

He reportedly went missing on February 27. His family filed a missing report at the Salem Tabri police station on March 1.

The Division Number 4 police said some residents spotted the body this afternoon. The body was recovered and Gurdeep Singh’s identity was established. The body was handed over to the family after postmortem.