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Power cuts irk city residents
Elderly woman murdered
3 nabbed for drug smuggling, 2.25 kg of heroin recovered
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Police raids: Chemists to observe strike today
Members of the Wholesale Chemists Organisation address mediapersons in Jalandhar on Wednesday. A Tribune Photograph
Under-training PCS officers visit Seechewal village
Youth prefer armed forces over going abroad
NRI scientist running from pillar to post to save property
Solid Waste Management Project
PGSC director for attracting youth towards science
Hepatitis-C patient in need of financial help
Seminar on blood donation awareness
Faculty development programme
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Power cuts irk city residents
Jalandhar, June 11 The power situation was equally bad during the day. The worst hit areas include Urban Estate Phase 1 and 2, Guru Nanak Pura, Dashmesh Nagar, Bhagat Singh Colony, Basti Shekh and Basti Bawa Khel. There is a section of people who can afford power inverters and generators but the problem is with the poor majority, who doesn’t have resources to buy them. Gurdeep Singh of Dashmesh Nagar said the situation was horrible last night. The claims made by the Punjab Government to provide 24-hour power supply had been proven wrong, he said. “I cannot afford an inverter. Therefore, last night was a nightmare for me and my family,” he added. A private employee from Urban Estate, Rahul Kumar, who is living in a rented accommodation, said, “The situation was like power supply was switched to on and off mode. “I have come to work but I am feeling drowsy. It is going to be the worst day ever at work,” he added. Deputy chief engineer Gopal Sharma said the power cuts were unscheduled due minor faults. “As the summer is season going on, minor problems are anticipated. In order to avert some major problem, the on-off procedure was adopted. It normally happens in the summer season,” he said. “Last night, we landed into some problem at Jamsher substation, which led to this situation,” he added.
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Elderly woman murdered
Jalandhar, June 11 The police said the women was murdered with the sole motive of robbery. — TNS |
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3 nabbed for drug smuggling, 2.25 kg of heroin recovered
Jalandhar, June 11
Superintendent of Police (Detective), HPS Khakh, who supervised the entire operation, said the Maqsudan police was on a routine patrol at Bidipur village when they stopped a Skoda car for checking. During the search, the police recovered one kg heroin. He said the contraband was concealed in the dash board of the car. The smugglers were identified as Kuldip Singh alias Benja and Surinder Singh, resident of Bakarkhan Sawan colony, Kapurthala. Khakh said they were both brothers and with a criminal record. They were released from jail on bail a few days ago. After coming out on bail, the accused again indulged in smuggling activities. In the second recovery, the police nabbed Mumtaz, a resident of Rampur city in Uttar Pradesh. Acting on a tip off, sub-inspector Shiv Kumar, along with a police party, cornered a canter stationed in the grain market of Mehatpur. During the search, the police recovered 1.250 kg heroin. The narcotic was concealed in two mustard seed crushers. “Our officials suspected that these crushers might have been used to conceal narcotics. Heroin was recovered when the canter driver opened the crusher,” the SP said. SP Khakh said during preliminary questioning, Mumtaz had revealed that the consignment was of some Bachu Miya, who is politically active in the Rampur district of UP. Mumtaz also revealed that Bachu’s uncle had also remained the mayor of Rampur in the past. The SP claimed that the police had already issued arrest warrants for Bachu and police teams would soon be sent to apprehend the accused. Once Bachu is nabbed and his role is confirmed, then the police will finally crack the heroin recovery case, he said. Bachu was using Punjab as a transit route to supply the narcotics to Jammu and Kashmir.
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Police raids: Chemists to observe strike today
Jalandhar, June 11 In a meeting, Rakesh Gupta, president of the organisation, said as per the guidelines of Food and Drug Authority, only a drug inspector can raid chemist shops. He can take a police team along with him if he needs, he said. “Chemists in the state are being harassed in the name of curbing the drug menace. We are here to sell prescribed medicines only. We have all the medicines that are licensed,” he added. He said the government must stop giving licences for medicines that they think are being misused. As many as five chemist shops in Goraya were sealed by the police, which were later allowed to open due to insufficient proof. Rakesh said the police had no right to raid chemist shops as they don’t have any knowledge about medicines. “We have no problem at all if a drug inspector comes for inspection. We will cooperate if our shops are raided by the authority concerned, as we have always done,” he added.
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Under-training PCS officers visit Seechewal village
Jalandhar, June 11 Speaking on water sanitation, Seechewal mentioned the villages in Doaba and Malwa where arrangements had been made to drain the used water in the villages for irrigation. Seechewal was one such village where even a drop of used water wasn’t being wasted and it was all being used for irrigation, he added. Due to this, the ground water level has not receded below the normal level, he said. He congratulated the officers and emphasised that reforms in the administrative set up were the need of the day. Rather than laying stress on paperwork, it is important to meet the people at the grass root level and understand their problems, he added. The officers also enquired about the administrative problems faced by the environmentalist during the ‘kar sewa’ for the Holy Bein and the means by which things were being managed in a systematic manner at Seechewal. The environmentalist honoured all the officers. Village sarpanch Rajwant Kaur, Mahila Mandal president Gurbaksh Kaur, panch Surjit Singh Shanti, panch Fakir Singh, and Ram Asra among others were present on the occasion.
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Youth prefer armed forces over going abroad
Jalandhar, June 11
A good salary coupled with a number of facilities and job security is attracting the youths towards the armed forces. The fact was corroborated by Brigadier Udai Yadav, Deputy Director, General Recruiting (Punjab and J&K). He was here to oversee the ongoing Army recruitment rally that commenced yesterday at Dogra Ground. Today, as many as 3,200 candidates from Hoshiarpur and Dasuya appeared for the physical test, of which 631 cleared the test. Yadav said more youths wanted to join the Army these days. As compared to the last recruitment rally in Punjab, there is a considerable increase in the number of youngsters vying for the olive green. “Youngsters, who, otherwise wanted to earn a living in foreign countries, are interested in joining the Army. It shows that youngsters no longer dream to go to foreign countries,” Yadav said, adding that the credit for this went to the Army. “Now the situation in foreign countries is not favourable for the Punjabi youth. They face innumerable problems in getting employment and many a time duped by unscrupulous travel agents. They can earn well in the armed forces that provide job security as well,” said Yadav. He said youngsters in the state didn’t lack physical fitness. "They have enough stamina to clear all physical tests," he said. With drug addiction being a major issue in the state, the Army has started conducting dope tests of suspected candidates. “I have been reading news regarding the rising drug menace in Punjab for some time. So, to prevent the entry of drug addicts into the armed forces, we have started conducting dope tests. Though none of the youths was found positive, we will continue the practice to prevent the entry of drug addicts into the Army,” Yadav said. Several youths, while talking to Jalandhar Tribune, said they were no more interested in going abroad and had decided to join the Army to serve the motherland. Many youngsters said they had witnessed several cases in which their relatives were duped by travel agents. Sukhraj, a 19-year-old candidate, said, “I am not interested in going abroad. When the Army is offering me a better living, then there is no need to go abroad”. Another candidate Gurprit Singh said, "Recently, my uncle was duped by a travel agent. Now, after several months, we are waiting to get back Rs 3 lakh that we gave to the agent." Navi, an 18-year-old youth from Dasuya, said, "After completing my schooling, I nurtured the dream of going abroad. Later, I came to know about the plight of my friends. They failed to secure jobs and are forced to sleep on footpaths. Then I thought that joining the Army was a better option than going abroad."
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NRI scientist running from pillar to post to save property
Jalandhar, June 11 Claiming that there have been several attempts by land grabbers to sell the land jointly owned by him and his three brothers on the basis of fake power of attorneys, he said he had come to the city two weeks ago to take up the matter personally and has been running around to get support from the police, lawyers, Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) officials and NRI Sabha officials. The NRI had got the gate area of his high boundary wall plastered to close the access from the roadside before leaving for the US during his last visit. “I had especially got it done for the security of my house and anyone wanting to enter my house number 209 had to first enter house number 208 and use a gate in the common wall to have an access,” he said. Dr Mohindar Singh said it was his neighbours who had now come under constant threat. “My cousin Paramjit Singh and his family members are feeling threatened and intimidated by seven to eight land grabbers. They come to his house and ask him to open the gate of my property and surrender it to them on the basis of fake power of attorney,” he said in a copy of memorandum that he has submitted to SHO NRI police station and chairman NRI Sabha here. “I got an FIR registered against them in December 2008 under Sections 420, 465, 467, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code for which they are being tried in the NRI court. They are now out on bail and are trying to grab my house by making fake affidavits. My house, which has a market price of Rs 6 crore, needs police protection from these criminals,” he said. The NRI regrets that he had also suffered mental harassment as the former Jalandhar Improvement Trust chairman Baljit Singh Neelamahal had sent him a memorandum on October 27, 2010 at his California address asking him to deposit Rs 33,63,818 with no returning address, email ID or phone number mentioned for a response. “However, I replied to the trust on December 14, 2010 saying that a three-bedroom dwelling existed in his plot for more than 40 years and the demand for non-construction charges was not justified. But I got no response to my request of dropping any such penalty for my property,” he said. The NRI said when he went to the office of JIT, he got a strange reply that no file of his property existed in their record. “If it is so, how come they calculated any penalty against me,” he said suspecting a foul play. He has further alleged that every time he visits the city, he finds his house ransacked. “We keep informing the local police about the stolen windows, doors and even bricks but they have failed to apprehend anyone,” he has written in his representation to the NRI Sabha. Chairman, NRI Sabha, Jasvir Singh Gill, said, “I am yet to discuss the matter with him.”
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Solid Waste Management Project Project may be forcibly started on June 14; safai karamcharis up in arms Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, June 11
While usually there are only two police constables on duty in the compound, over 15 cops have been deployed to check any untoward incident. The union leaders have been pressurising the government on not starting the Solid Waste Management Project. But senior officials of the police and the Local Bodies Department, in a meeting held on Tuesday in Chandigarh, had been reportedly directed to get the project forcibly started on June 14 in Jalandhar. It is against this move that the safai karamcharis are all geared up. ADCP-1 Naresh Dogra said while today the vigil in the MC office had been strengthened, adequate arrangements for deployment of force had been made for tomorrow. He, however, said he did not have any further orders on the actual implementation of the project. MC Commissioner Manpreet Singh Chattwal was not available for comments. Timeline
July 27, 2011: Finance and Contracts Committee approves the tender for JITF Urban Infrastructure Ltd. August 18, 2011: Two-day strike by safai karamcharis called by union leaders. October 3, 2011: Indefinite strike by safai karamcharis begins again. Goes on for a week with no garbage lifting done. January 24, 2012: Agreement signed between MC and the company July 13, 2012: Residents of 10 villages hold protest at Jamsher against setting up of an incineration plant July 15, 2012: Date initially finalised for execution of the project, company staff fails to turn up and respond to calls and mails. August 28, 2012: JITF lists out pre-conditions for getting work started. These included identification of secondary waste lifting points, creating Rs 78 lakh tipping fund, appointment of independent engineers, allotting Rs 2 crore tender for the relaying of approach road and shifting of dairies by getting constructed new dairies at a cost of Rs 1.91 crore. New deadline set for November 15, 2012 November 15, 2012: Project again put off. January 29, 2013: JITF moves court seeking intervention on MC’s plan to encash a bank guarantee of Rs 5 crore February 27, 2013: F&CC committee of MC mulls plan to cancel contract with JITF and handing over contract to the second highest bidder A2Z company, working on a similar project in Ludhiana. Plan, however, was withdrawn and deadline extended to April 15. The company readies its staff and infrastructure to implement the plan. October 3, 2013: Garbage strewn in the office of Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia by the protesting safai karamcharis. January 15, 2014: Indefinite strike by MC staff begins again. Goes on for 10 days with no garbage lifted from door to door or any collection point in the city. February 10, 2014: Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal visited the residence of Safai Mazdoor Union leader Chandan Grewal to pacify him on the issue. March 24, 2014: Safai karamcharis lodge a protest during an MC House meeting. Hold talks with Mayor Sunil Jyoti separately in his room June 9, 2014: Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi gheraoed by safai karamcharis who browbeat him telling him not to get the project started. June 10: 2014: Owner of Punjab Grow More Fertilisers having a 10-year-old tie up with Jalandhar MC for manufacturing of manure from refuse. June 11, 2014: Security beefed up at MC office. |
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PGSC director for attracting youth towards science
Jalandhar, June 11 Besides serving as an Executive Director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, she is also holding the post of chairperson of State Expert Appraisal Committee for Environmental Clearance of Large Construction Industrial Projects. She is also the founder Member Secretary of the Punjab Biodiversity Board. Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, she said a proposal was being prepared for further improvement of the Science City, for which an amount of Rs 34 crore would be required from the government. The first phase of the PGSC development is over. “As the science city is based on on 70: 30 funding system, in which the Centre and the state governments share the funding. Further funding will also be provided under the same system,” she added. Neelima said projects on nanotechnology and gene sequencing are needed. Theseare considered to be the future of technology. A proposal was also being prepared to install 5D technology projects. “The ongoing projects will continue including a van for the awareness campaign, which is being prepared in collaboration with the Punjab Technical University,” said Jerath. She said attracting the younger generation of Punjab towards science would be her aim. When asked about how would she handle both the institutes, including the PGSC and the PSCST, she said she doesn’t mind working overtime. “I look after the working of PGSC in the afternoon every day since my induction here,” she added. Dr Neelima has authored 27 books, nine technical reports and 16 papers in peer reviewed journals relating to science, technology and environment. Besides in 2008, NASA awarded her an appreciation certificate for initiating Cloudsat Education Network project in India. She has also worked as an Associate Editor of ‘Indian Journal of Ecology’ for three years.
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Hepatitis-C patient in need of financial help
Jalandhar, June 11 A back pain in 2000 started it all. A GAMS doctor, Rajinder Kumar was working as a general practitioner when a perpetual back pain began. By 2006, his body below the knees got weaker and he had difficulty sustaining his own weight. After being advised to go for surgery, he was operated upon at a local hospital in July 2008. He remained admitted to the hospital for 13 to 14 days. “During this time, I received a blood transfusion — once on the day I was operated upon and then 4-5 days later. I was put on heavy antibiotics, but after coming home, my stomach got upset and till date, I have to go to toilet four to five times daily. No medicine works no matter what I try. I consulted my doctors. In fact, I didn’t even know what disease I was suffering from until I went to a doctor again in 2012,” he says. But while he had walked for a few months in 2009 after the first surgery, by 2012, his condition worsened again. A second surgery took place in 2012. “After the tests, another local doctor told me that I had Hepatitis C. He said the first operation was wrong and the second would set things right. My family agreed. But after this, I even lost the ability to walk,” he says. “There is no one to lend a helping hand to me in the entire matter. My savings and a friend keep me going. I wait for financial help as we have no resources left,” he says. Since 2008, he has lost 33 kg weight and is unrecognisable compared to the stout, healthy man he was earlier. His wife died in 2007 and his only son (32) a matriculate, he says, is unemployed. Another child — a daughter — who is married abroad, he says, has never come to ask about his health. While family and friends say some Ayurvedic medicines he takes, now sustain him, they say may be natural medicines added some years to his life because formerly they had thought he wouldn’t last more than a couple of years. While a large chunk of his savings has been used up, a friend, Prem Parkash, sustains the family and says, “My own savings have gone tending to him. He is on bed, his son is unemployed. Who is going to care for him?” Kumar says he will not pursue the case officially. “I don’t have a documentary proof to support my case. Nor can I afford the energy or money for litigation. All I want is that since I got the infection due to no fault of mine and given my poor financial background, I may be given monetary help so that I receive proper treatment.” In December 2013, Rajinder had also written to the Deputy Commissioner, but so far he has not received any monetary help. |
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Seminar on blood donation awareness
Jalandhar, June
1 Commander PK Chaudhary wished to join PAHAL in this endeavour. Amongst the 120 CRPF officers, PK Chaudhary, Commander, CRPF Batallion, 114, SM Naveen Yadav, Inspector, Vaid Prakash, Sugna Ram, Inspector Surya Ram, Khushwant Singh Chahal and Anup Aryan from PAHAL, were present on the occasion.
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from colleges
Faculty members and research scholars of Lovely Professional University participated in a one-week faculty development programme (FDP).
The programme was designed to provide the latest research methodology skills and research proposals to all the participants. The research-oriented opportunity was organised under the guidance of Dr Chander K Shahi, Chair of HBSCF Programme, Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University Canada. On the concluding day of the programme, Vice-Chancellor Dr Ramesh Kanwar said the highly-innovative and interdisciplinary research community continued to drive ground breaking projects. Farewell party A farewell party was organised by the students of MCom (1st Year) on Monday at the PCM SD College for Women. The title of the party was ‘Sayonara’. Students performed modelling, dances, folk songs and games on the occasion. The modelling session was judged by Sangita Sharma, head of the Economics Department and Rajni Kapoor, Senior Lecturer, Commerce Department. In the modelling session, titles were given to the students. Principal Kiran Arora gave blessings to students for their bright future. — TNS
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On the call of Punjab Chemist Association, the Wholesale Chemists Organisation, Jalandhar, will observe a strike in the entire district tomorrow against the Punjab Government’s ordinance allowing police raids on chemist shops.
Sixty-two-year-old Dr Rajinder Kumar is suffering from Hepatitis C. Allegedly, a blood transfusion he got after a surgery went completely awry, giving him the disease.
He has been sitting on a dusty mattress on an old cot in a little room of his house for the past five years because he can’t walk without the help of a walker and that too, just a few steps.
