Amritsar, June 3
With the talks between the brick-kiln owners and workers union failing today, the strike by the latter has started to affect the construction industry in the two districts of Tarn Taran and Amritsar.

A meeting of the Brick-Kiln Owners Federation and the Batha Mazdoor Union leaders yielded no results as the former expressed inability to yield to the demand for increased wages of workers.

Mukesh Nanda, district president, Brick-Kiln Owners Association, said, “According to the norms of minimum wages plus other facilities, the wages for a worker come to around Rs 542 per thousand bricks. The brick-kilns in Amritsar are already paying Rs 641 per thousand bricks, which is the highest in the state.” Nanda said that the local industry would not be able to compete with kilns of other districts if the wages are increased further.

Meanwhile, a clash between workers at the kiln outside the city at Dhand Kasel village was reported in which five persons were injured. The clash occurred when a few workers were transporting sun-baked bricks from the fields to the kiln premises.

Activists of the Batha Mazdoor Union reached the site and asked the workers to stop work in view of the strike. The vehicles used for ferrying the bricks were also damaged in the clash.

The brick-kiln owners and the Batha Mazdoor Union had a meeting with district officials yesterday too. The administration has summoned both the parties to resolve the matter on June 6.

Kulwant Singh Bawa of the Batha Mazdoor Union denied that their activists were forcing shut down on the kilns. “We are struggling to get better wages for the workers. The labour laws are blatantly violated in the brick-kiln industry compared to any other industry,” said Bawa.

Meanwhile, Arvinder Singh Chamak, president, All-India Bricks and Tile Manufacturers Federation said, “The administration has failed to tackle the situation even as the strike is illegal and no notice of 30 days was served to the owners as is required under labour laws before proceeding on a strike.”

The bricks industry, which is already said to be having a tough time in the state due to incessant rains during the winter months, may again get closed after a fortnight or more when monsoon hits the state.

Insiders of the industry said that as the strike was preventing the owners from getting enough bricks baked for the next season, it might also affect the future prices of the commodity.

According to the norms of minimum wages plus other facilities, the wages for a worker come to around Rs 542 per thousand bricks. The brick-kilns in Amritsar are already paying Rs 641 per thousand bricks

Mukesh Nanda, district president, Brick-Kiln Owners Association

The administration has failed to tackle the situation. The strike is illegal and no notice of 30 days was served to the owners as is required under labour laws before proceeding on a strike.

Arvinder Singh Chamak, president, All-India Bricks and Tile Manufacturers Federation

We are struggling to get better wages for the workers. The labour laws are blatantly violated in the brick-kiln industry compared to any other industry. We are not forcing shut down on the kilns.

Kulwant Singh Bawa of the Batha Mazdoor Union

Amritsar, June 3
The district administration plans to embark on a drive against begging, which is rampant in different parts of the city. Under the drive, the administration will form special teams for the identification of beggars and put them in a rehabilitation centre. The drive is being launched in collaboration with the Red Cross Society. Beggars will also be photographed during the drive

Elaborating further, DC Ravi Bhagat said special teams would capture beggars for different locations randomly. Those who are migrants will be sent to their native places while the local ones will be accommodated in the Raen Basera (shelter home). The Amritsar administration in collaboration with a Red Cross Society team runs a programme for the rehabilitation of beggars since February 2010. They are being accommodated in a portion of a building at Old Dr Karam Singh’s ward. Separate arrangements for women and children are made there. They are served three meals a day besides clothing and medicines. A television is provided to them.

“The problem is that they do not stay in the shelter home for long. After they are discharged, they return to the streets. To solve this problem, we have tried to devise a mechanism through which their record is kept with their pictures," The DC said.

Despite all these efforts, the problem of begging and looting continues to haunt the residents. A majority of the beggars are found near the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir, Dasehra Ground, Shiv Dev Mandir, Longawali Devi Mandir, Bhandari Pul, Lawrence Road, Crystal Chowk, Novelty Chowk and Customs Chowk. Each beggar chooses a specific time and place for begging.

“We need to intensify our drive. In the absence of any record of their antecedents, details concerning them will have to be examined thoroughly. We have roped in various NGOs. I also appeal to the residents and tourists to discourage them from begging. I have directed my team members to carry out raids, especially during the evening hours, and to record details concerning them. Those who want to return to their native places, will be provided fares for their journey and the local ones, who are physically fit, will be absorbed in some work," the DC added.

The problem is that they do not stay in the shelter home for long. After they are discharged, they return to the streets. To solve this problem, we have tried to devise a mechanism through which their record is kept along with their pictures.

We need to intensify our drive. We have roped in various NGOs. I also appeal to the residents and tourists to discourage them from begging. I have directed my team members to carry out raids, especially during the evening hours, and to record details concerning them. Those who want to return to their native places, will be provided fares for their journey and the local ones, who are physically fit, will be absorbed in some work.

Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner

Amritsar, June 3
Owners of commercial establishments inside historical gates in the city are in a tizzy after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered for their removal. A large number of the shops have been operating for decades.

Ashok Soni, a trader at Hall Gate, said his father RK Soni had taken the shop on lease for Rs 20 per month in 1963. Showing a copy of the resolution passed by the then municipal committee, he said it was later endorsed by the state government.

He said like all other shopkeepers, he was occupying less than 12-square yards. “The monthly rent has now reached Rs 300 per month," he said.

The MC acquired the space along the inner circular road from Hall Gate to Sikandari Gate, known as Faseel, sometimes ago. The Municipal Corporation had proposed to raise 46 shop-cum-offices (SCOs) there and shopkeepers can be suitably adjusted by offering these shops at a reserve price.

For septuagenarian Kanshi Ram, who is running a tea shop at Hathi Gate, said, the eviction orders were a severe. He was a major earning hand in the family.

“Once evicted, I am not able to set up a new shop," he said. His monthly rent is nearly Rs 200 per month. He said at such a low amount, he could not even get a small portion of land for his shop. He recalled that the present location was given to him as an alternative to his much bigger shop, which he had taken on rent from the MC. That shop was razed to widen the road along Hathi Gate.

At Gate Khazana, Raj Kumar, 56, along with his brother Sushil Kumar is running a fruits shop. He said his family had been running the shop since 1979. “The family of my brother, my married son and I depend on the shop as this is the only source of livelihood. The government can evict us but at the same time it must ensure that our livelihood was not lost," he said.

Similarly, another shopkeeper, Vijay Kumar, said his family was dependent upon his shop for the past 55 years. It was his father Vilayati Ram and his brother Madan Lal, who used to run the shop. Now, at the age of 62 years, Vijay Kumar is running the shop. He said the government should ensure that their occupation was not lost.

Amritsar, June 3
The Congress has demanded that the ruling SAD-BJP alliance take up the issue of the heritage status for the city before the Centre vociferously. The Congress councillors contended that the state government should raise the issue with the Centre as the NDA had returned to power in New Delhi. They said Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora should call a meeting of the MC House on the issue.

The demand to declare Amritsar as a heritage city was made by former MP Navjot Singh Sidhu. He was supported by all Punjab MPs .The Punjabi Cultural Council had even written to the Prime Minister in this regard. In the letter, the council had stated that as lakhs of devotees paid obeisance at the Golden temple everyday, so the city should be given the status.

Despite raising the issue many a time, the issue never reached its logical conclusion as, according to the state government, the Centre was not in its favour. The demand was rejected by the government as there was no legal provision to do so in India or under the UNESCO rules. Meanwhile, Congress councillors Raj Kanwal Preet Pal Singh Lucky and Gurinder Rishi said it seemed that no political party was interested in the issue.

Had the city acquired the status of a heritage city, it would have been eligible to get at least 80 per cent of grants under various schemes from the Centre, reducing the share of the state and local bodies to 20 per cent.

"Now, the state and local authorities arrange 50 per cent of the grants ( 20 per cent state and 30 per cent local municipal corporation) for various schemes. As the fiscal health of the state government and the local bodies is poor, the city has been deprived of many Central projects," said Lucky.

Lucky said SAD-BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha elections Arun Jaitley had promised that the city would get the status of a heritage city. " Now, Jaitely holds the most prominent portfolio at the Centre. It is his moral duty to live up to his saying," Lucky said .

"The city deserves the status due to its great historic significance and cultural heritage. It must be bracketed in the Category C of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)," said Rishi. "The state Assembly must take up the matter before the Centre," he reiterated.

Amritsar, June 3
A massive fire broke out at the wholesale vegetable and fruit market at Vallah here in this morning. It took 13 fire tenders to contain the fire in nearly five hours. Though no loss of life has been reported, about 200 stalls of fruit and vegetables were destroyed.

Aided by hot winds, the fire suddenly engulfed the biggest shed and burnt nearly seven vehicles, including, two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

Alarmed by the spread of the fire, the district administration called fire tenders from the Army, the Air Force, Batala, Gurdaspur, Kartarpur and a local paper mill, said Fire Station Officer Krishan Kumar Kakkar.

The incident was reported at 1:10 pm at the local fire brigade office. Traders at the Sabji mandi said that it took about 30 minutes for the seven fire tenders to the reach the spot. Local fire brigade tenders and fire fighters returned to their office at nearly 6:30 pm.

Kakkar said jute bags and jute ropes were combustible material on the site as gushing hot winds resulted in a raging fire. He said as a precautionary measure, two fire tenders were left behind.

He said it was too early to comment on the reason of the breakout of the fire, but a leaking LPG cylinder was salvaged from a nearby tea shop running under a makeshift kiosk.

Amritsar, June 3
After reduction in the prices of cement imported from Pakistan, the domestic cement manufacturers, too, have slashed their prices, thus giving the much-needed respite to a commoner building a home.

The prices of Indian cement brands such as ACC and Ambuja have gone down by Rs 25. A 50-kg ACC cement bag is available for Rs 310 in the local market. The price stood at Rs 335 in the beginning of May.

Traders involved in the cement industry stated that cement prices had seen a increase of Rs 45 per bag in a few months recently as it was a cement bag available for merely Rs 290 per bag in December-January.

The prices of Indian brands have gone down to compete with Pakistani cement which has reportedly caused a glut in the market as it is being sold for Rs 220 per bag.

Insiders of the market said that prices may be expected to fall further as the pace of construction activity in the state would slow down during the next three months due to the paddy season as the labour would cost more.

“The prices may further go down by Rs 10-20,” said an insider as the prices of bricks have increased by Rs 400-500 per thousand during the past few months. It may result in lesser construction activity and consequently lesser demand for cement.

The construction activity in the state is at its peak from January to May when the labour force is generally free and weather conditions permit hard labour activity such as construction.

Subedar (retd) Baltej Singh, a leading construction contractor said, “It is during January to May that most of the buildings are erected. During the remaining months of the year, the focus shifts to interior jobs as plaster and flooring.” He said as construction of structures is a tough job, it is seldom undertaken in the summers.

Amritsar, June 3
The Shri Durgiana Committee (SDC) has decided to set up a state-of-the-art Laxmi Narayan Medical Centre equipped with a gynaecology medical centre, an ultrasound MRI and CT Scan facilities. This was decided at an annual meeting of the SDC held here recently under the leadership of its president, Satpal Mahajan, The SDC has made a provision of Rs 2 crore for setting up the centre. The committee intends to extend medical aid to the poor at a subsidised rate. The centre will have a host of other medical facilities too.

The committed stated that Rs 62.6 lakh would be spent on the beautification and gold plating of the ancient Bada Hanuman temple. According to mythological belief, this was the place where Lord Hanuman was kept after he lost the battle with Luv and Kush— TNS

Amritsar, June 3
Imported yarn and finished fabric from China, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Bangladesh have hit the local textile industry hard, especially those units which could not modernise their machinery.

Stressing on modernisation, keeping in view the changing world scenario, members of the Amritsar Yarn Agents Association (AYAA) celebrated its silver jubilee here recently.

The AYAA president, Kamal Dalmia, said the association which started with 60 members in 1989 has now 40 members. The number of agents dwindled after a majority of the obsolete units closed down. Besides, a large number of weaving units shifted to Ludhiana and Bhilwara (Rajasthan) due to objectionable policies of the government.

Yarn agents were the mainstay of the business as they wrok as a fulcrum between yarn manufacturers based in Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan.

Weaving is the oldest industry in the holy city as textile units here are manufacturing various kinds of fabrics, including suiting, shirting, tweed, blazer, blankets and women's dress material. Hence, the local industry uses various kinds of yarns, the most popular being polyster wiscose. Members of the AYAA assist these units to arrange quality yarns.

Dalmia anticipated good times ahead as some of the industrialists have modernised their machinery and technical know-how. These steps have salvaged the postion of Amritsar in textile industry. Despite this about 2,000 conventional looms are still in operation here.

Currently, the textile industry is going through a slump due to steep inflation, Dalmia claimed and reasoned that the textile fabric is no longer an essential commodity because fabric durability has increased.

Founder Secretary of the AYAA Arvind Jajoo, who is settled at Baroda, said that consumption of yarns had come down due to labour trouble, wrong government policies and failure of the manufacturers to modernise their units.

He further said that first, inflation must be reined in on the lines of China, banks here must also give loan at about 7 per cent rate of interst, income tax exemption must be raised from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.

Similarly, excise exemption limit for textile industry had been Rs 1.50 crore for the past eight years. Keeping in view the inflation, it must be raised to Rs 5 crore as cost of investment had increased. The capital investment limit of Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME) was enhanced in September 2006 from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore. This needed to be increased to Rs 10 crore now.

Introduction of Goods and Service tax had been hanging fire for the past many years due to a "non-cooperative" attitude of the state governments. It must be implemented soon. It would bring uniformity in tax structure across the country.

Amritsar, June 3
The police have arrested 20 persons for possessing narcotics and illicit liquor in different instances during the past 24 hours. Separate cases under Sections 22/61/85 of the NDPS Act and 61/1//14 of the Excise Act have been registered against them.

The A Division police arrested five persons, including a woman. Gurnam Kaur was arrested with 15 bottles of illicit liquor. Maninder Singh was held with seven grams of heroin while Harpal Singh was arrested with 40 bottles of illicit liquor. Sarwan Singh and Dinesh Kumar were nabbed with 400 grams and 200 grams of intoxicant powder, respectively.

The B Division police have arrested Vikram Sharma and Jasmit Singh. The police recovered 50 intoxicant capsules from Vikram and 40 from Jasmit Singh.

Similarly, the C Division police booked four persons under the NDPS Act. One of the them is still on the run. According to ASI Surjit Singh of the CIA staff, Ajay Kumar, Ramandeep and Rahul have been arrested for possessing 10 grams of heroin while their accomplice Karan Sharma absconded. The police also recovered a car from them.

In yet another instance, the C-Division police arrested Chand Pehalwan with 400 intoxicant capsules of Parvon Spas and an equal quantity of micron tablets.

The Chheharta police have arrested Jagat Ram and Ravinder Kumar with 200 grams of intoxicant powder and 23 bottles of liquor. Two unknown persons, too, have been booked in the case. The Maqboolpura police have arrested Sampuran Singh with 20 bottles of illicit liquor.

Similarly, the Civil Lines police arrested Inderjit Singh, Satnam Singh and Mandip Singh with 110 grams, 105 grams and 105 grams of intoxicant powder, respectively.

The Sultanwind police recovered 200 grams of intoxicant powder from Kanwaljit Singh. The Cantonment police nabbed Jatinder Singh and Hardik with 100 grams and 110 grams of intoxicant powder, respectively.

Amritsar, June 3
Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, today met Chuni Lal Bhagat, Minister of Forest and Wildlife Preservation, and handed over a memorandum to him to regarding saving the age-old trees along the city's Mall Road. She stated that these trees had been marked to be axed in the name of development. All roads are being widened to implement the BRTS (Bus Rapid Transport System). All trees in the city coming under the BRTS have been axed and for the present only Mall Road trees have been left out. People of the city are outraged at the prospect of these trees meeting the same fate.

Bhagat assured Sidhu that these trees would not be axed unnecessarily and that a separate path would be found. The footpath trees would not be axed. If at all trees had to be cut, these would be uprooted and replanted. Earlier, Sidhu had protested along with city NGOs against cutting of trees.