Amritsar, July 9
Finally, the municipal corporation has been successful in garnering a handsome amount by auctioning the much-talked about prime, historic land, located adjacent to the Hall Gate.

The proposed plan is to set up 23 commercial booths-cum-offices on the land. The MC has sternly directed the bidders that they could never damage the historic circular wall under any circumstances. Keeping in mind the congestion aspect, as was expressed by the residents, ample parking place has been kept vacant and a separate provision for toilets has been proposed in the plan.

The MC has auctioned its much-talked about prime historic site, known as the “faseel wall” (inner circular road from the Hall Gate to the Sikandari Gate, measuring around 2,100 sq yards) which rolls around the walled city.

Against the reserve price of 95,000 per sq yards, the MC today procured an average rate of over Rs 1.75 lakh per sq yard during the auction of 14 commercial plots held at Guru Nanak Bhawan. The whole auctioning process was conducted in the presence of Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, MC Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, Superintending Engineer PK Goyal and Senior Town Planner Hemant Batra.

According to information, the auctioning of some of the plots, which stood pending, included 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The shop No. 1 site went under the hammer at the rate of Rs 2.12 lakh per sq yard; No. 2 at Rs 1.78 lakh; No. 3 and 4 at Rs 1.60 lakh per sq yard each; No. 5 and 6 at Rs 1.71 lakh per sq yard each; No. 7 at Rs 1.75 lakh per sq yard; No. 8 at Rs 1.75 lakh per square yard; No. 9 at Rs 1.66 lakh per sq yard; No. 13 at Rs 1.74 lakh per sq yard; No.14 and 17 at Rs 1.73 lakh per square yard each and No. 18 and 19 at Rs 1.82 lakh per sq yard each.

This place is centrally located and was commercially viable as it was just 1 km away from the Golden Temple, the Durgiana Mandir, the Inter State Bus Terminus and railway

The proposal was to transform the land for commercial use by erecting SCOs (shops-cum-offices). There were a total of 23 commercial plots, measuring 45.37 sq yard on 1,043 sq yard land, whereas the rest of the land was to be utilised for public utility services.

The possession of the site will be given within 60 days from the date of issuance of the allotment letter.

The allottee will be bound to get the proposed building plans approved from the Municipal Town Planning Department, in accordance with the Model Building Bylaws 2010 besides the policy guidelines issued by the Department of Local Government.

Amritsar, July 9
With the state government’s announcement of e-stamp duty to do away with the use of stamp papers in registries, with real estate brokers and with deed writers, common people feel that it will lead to more transparent functioning. Amritsar Dealers and Colonisers Association president Surinder Vashisht welcomed the decision of the SAD-BJP coalition government. He said it would save precious time and energy of the people who procured properties. It would save people money in paying commission. He added that it would make the system transparent and end the fear of duplicate stamp papers.

He urged the government to revive the real estate sector in the state, which was undergoing severe recession. He held the change of rules and introduction of the new system responsible for the grim situation. He urged the authorities to revert to the old system. He also demanded that all kinds of development charges and NoCs must be submitted at the same place, time and department to minimise the inconvenience to property buyers. Mahinder Kumar said the decision was a good one for the profession of deed writers.

Amritsar, July 9
In a major setback, the court of Additional Sessions Judge Ashok Kapoor today rejected the regular bail application of BJP councillor Prabhjit Rataul, a close aide of Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi.

The Special Investigating Team formed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court had arrested him in connection with the advocate Vaneet Mahajan assault case on May 31.

He had applied for regular bail in the case which was rejected by the court today.

Mahajan and his younger brother were allegedly attacked by several armed assailants on May 10. Mahajan had alleged that the attack was masterminded by Cabinet Minister Joshi and his close aide Rataul. The police have booked around 10 persons, including Rataul, in the case.

Amritsar, July 9
A plea by a local RTI activist is set to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court over “illegal” chopping of trees in the city for various development projects. His RTI query to the MC revealed that the official concerned did not get the nod for cutting over 800 trees from the MC House, according to the norms.

In the backdrop of this, an RTI application was filed by Parbodh C Bali to the MC Amritsar seeking information about the total number of trees within Amritsar City since 2008, with all details of trees that were cut off and the existing trees up to date.

It was confirmed vide letter No. 15 dated December 31, 2013, that the Xen (Horticulture), Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, has granted an NoC to the Amritsar Improvement Trust to cut off 858 trees from Circular Road to Kitchlew Road without adopting any procedure or resolution of House of councillors, which is mandatory, claimed Bali.

Further, the MC had conveyed to the AIT to sell the tree trunks only to get the amount deposited in the MC’s coffers. In addition to this, the AIT will have to plant as many as 4,290 saplings in the MC area to cover up the loss of chopped off trees.

“Nothing was being done so far even as close to 250 trees have already been chopped off. MC officials were on the wrong side of law in the whole procedure and our endeavour was to stall the slaughtering of left over trees. The MC agreed and submitted in writing that the Xen had granted permission after taking the then MC Commissioner into confidence,” said an official.

An MC clause clearly says that the Commissioner, MC, has powers to dispose of any of the corporation’s moveable property by sale or otherwise, the value of which should not exceed Rs 5,000. Here, the Commissioner and his subordinate staff had over exercised his legal authority and had made serious contravention against the law as laid in the Punjab Municipal Act 1976.

The environment-friendly NGOs demand that according to the conditions of the sanction letter, it was the MC’s liability to collect the proceeds of trees so auctioned by the AIT along with the cost of tree guards. “Failing which, we will be compelled to initiate a protest in Amritsar to shake the slumber of Amritsar administration and legislature,” he said.

Amritsar, July 9
Harbans Singh, a resident of Rania village, was allegedly hacked to death by two persons of his village over a minor dispute of playing music loudly.

Those booked were identified as Gopi and Pala. A case under Section 302 and other relevant sections of the IPC has been registered against them at Lopoke police station, falling under Amritsar rural police area.

Simar Kaur, wife of the deceased, stated to the police that Gopi was playing vulgar songs loudly while standing outside their house. She alleged that when her husband stopped them from playing songs and that, too, at a very high pitch, Gopi and Pala entered into a verbal duel with him. It took an ugly turn when the two attacked him. She alleged Pala went inside his house and brought out an axe and hacked her husband brutally. He was immediately taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries last evening. The incident occurred on July 6.

The police authorities said that following the death of the injured Harbans, a case of murder had been registered against the two accused who had been on the run since the incident. He said raids were continually being conducted to arrest the culprits. — TNS

Amritsar, July 9
From a state-level kabaddi player, he is now fighting a battle with drugs, which have ruined many youths in the border state of Punjab in the past couple of decades.

The 26-year-old Amritsar-based kabaddi player, who preferred not to disclose his identity while discussing his woe, said that the people who were once proud of him were now shying away due to his addiction. He is now under treatment at the local Opiate Substitute Therapy (OST) Centre, located on the premises of Government Medical College here. The centre is being run in collaboration with the Punjab AIDS Control Society.

Narrating his tale, he said that about four years ago, he dreamt of scaling the heights in the field of kabaddi. Selection into the state kabaddi team was just a step towards that direction. His name used to arouse fear in the minds of his opponents, but the euphoria did not last long after his friends introduced him to the ‘white powder’.

Thrill and curiosity overpowered his rational faculty. He took the first snuff which pushed him into a dark pit. There was no turning back — heroin, smack and then the injections. U-turn seemed impossible.

With the tightening of noose around the drug peddlers, the local drug supply network has been smashed. Availability of drugs has become difficult and an expensive affair, which forced him to get himself detoxified.

Dr Ravneet Kaur, in charge, OST Centre, said that he had been taking treatment for the past couple of months and his will power coupled with family support and treatment had pulled him out of the vicious circle of drugs. He was now feeling mentally and physically stronger, she added. She said that the OST Centre at Amritsar was started by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society in October 2010 and the centre had treated 1,251 patients so far. Nearly 500 patients come for follow-up treatment daily.

Amritsar, July 9
The beneficiaries of Mata Kaushalya Kalyan Yojna (MKKY), a scheme to give monetary incentive to pregnant women opting for delivery of child at government health institutions, have been left high and dry as the funds for the scheme have been exhausted.

Sources in the department stated that funds were exhausted in the month of May, and since then, the beneficiaries have not received any money. Mata Kaushalya Kalyan Yonjna, was initiated by the state government to bring more BPL families under the ambit on the lines of Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSK) initiated under the NRHM.

Under the MKKY, the pregnant women are paid Rs 1,000 and under JSK, Rs 600 is paid. As the JSK had identified BPL families on the basis of the 2001 census report, the department was finding it difficult to reach out to the listed families as many of them had changed places.

To extend benefit to all the BPL families, the state government had initiated the scheme wherein an incentive of Rs 1,000 was assured. The officials said more than 1,000 women had availed of child delivery services at government health institutions in the district, most of whom belong to the BPL category.

The husband of a beneficiary said, “I have visited the hospital concerned three times in the past two weeks hoping that the official concerned will deliver the cheque. However, they said it would be delivered when they receive funds.”

He said the cheques should be issued at the time of discharging them.

Meanwhile, the officials in the department stated that money would be disbursed soon. The officials stated that sometimes, money is delayed due to technical reasons, but each and every beneficiary would be paid the money.

official speak
The officials at the department stated that money would be disbursed soon. The officials stated that sometimes, the money is delayed due to technical formalities, but each and every beneficiary would be paid the money.

Sources in the department stated that funds had been exhausted in the month of May. Since then, the beneficiaries have not received the money. Under Mata Kaushalya Kalyan Yojna, pregnant women are paid Rs 1,000 and under Janani Suraksha Yojna, Rs 600 is paid. The state government had initiated the scheme wherein an incentive of Rs 1,000 was assured to all the BPL families.

Amritsar, July 9
Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat held a meeting with the officials of Health Department and heads of various other departments to review the preparations made by them to check the spread of dengue.

Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat instructed officials of the municipal corporation to conduct fogging to kill the mosquitoes. He also instructed the Sewerage and Water Supply Department to initiate repair of leaking pipes. He also issued instructions for the proper disposal of waste around the city.

Bhagat instructed local bodies officials to initiate efforts through panchayats and Nagar Councils for pouring oil in common ponds so that mosquitoes cannot breed at these places. The Education Department was instructed to educate students about the causes and prevention of dengue in the morning prayer sessions.

“Fifteen anti-larva teams of the Health Department are working in the city to prevent dengue by spraying anti-larva medicines at water logged places. The hospitals have been instructed to set up special wards for the patients suffering from dengue.” said Civil Surgeon Dr Rajiv Bhalla.

Amritsar, July 9
Prof AS Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanank Dev University, constituted anti-ragging squads and anti-ragging committees to curb ragging.

These committees have been constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court.

“The objective of these squads and committees is to address the new-comers about the infrastructure of the university. They would also educate the senior students about the evils of ragging and apprise them about the punishment, if they indulge in ragging, and also suggest punishment to the defaulters,” said Dr Inderjit Singh, Registrar

“The anti-ragging squads for departments include the head of the departments and two faculty members (one female and one male). In case of non-availability of both members, the department may co-opt members from other departments of the same faculty. The anti-ragging squads for hostels would have the Dean, Student Welfare, Warden, of the hostel concerned, head of the department concerned, Prof Gurcharan Kaur, Department of Biotechnology (nominee of the Vice-Chancellor) and Security Officer.

Similarly, the anti-ragging committee includes Dean, Academic Affairs, Dean, Student Welfare, warden of the hostel concerned, Head of the department concerned, Prof Gurcharan Kaur, Department of Biotechnology (nominee of the Vice-Chancellor) and security officer as members.

Amritsar, July 9
The gang, involved in ‘stealing vehicles on demand’, was selling the same to the drug traffickers lodged in Faridkot jail.

This has came to light during the interrogation of Amritpal SinghGoldy, a resident of Moga, who is at present lodged in the Faridkot jail and was the kingpin of the gang. He was brought on production warrant by the police.

It may be recalled that the Civil Lines police have busted a gang of robbers involved in stealing of luxury vehicles on demand placed by the Goldy. The police have arrested three youths in this regard around a week ago.

Among those arrested were Khushkaran Singh of Sarwan village, Faridkot, Santosh Kumar of Moga and Ravinder Singh of Haraz village, Ferozepur from the Ranjit Avenue area. The police had recovered 400 grams of narcotic powder from their possession while the car (PB-05-Q-3722) in which they were travelling in was also found to be a stolen one.

During the preliminary probe, they revealed that they used to steal cars after receiving instructions from Hargobind Singh, a heroin smuggler, and Goldy. Both are currently lodged in the Faridkot jail. Hargobind was nabbed by the State Special Operation Cell a few months ago. They used to get Rs 70,000 per car which they used to deliver at the place told by Hargobind over phone.

Vavinder Mahajan, SHO, Civil Line police station said while role of Hargobind Singh could not be ascertained during the probe, it was found that the gang has so far stolen around eight vehicles. Out of this, only one vehicle was lifted from Moga while the remaining were stolen from Amritsar.

“The stolen vehicles were later sold to smugglers lodged in Faridkot jail for smuggling Bhukki (poppy husk). Five of the stolen vehicles have been traced while the remaining are yet to be recovered. Further investigations are under progress to recover the vehicles,” added Mahajan.

Amritsar, July 9
The shortage of Class IV workers at Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital has added to the problems of medical officials and other staff.

Medical officials at the hospital said due to heavy rush of patients, Class IV workers were required to manage queues. “There is a huge rush at the hospital. Each and every patient wants that a doctor should examine him immediately. Sometimes, patients jostle with each other and a doctor is just helpless,” said a medical official.

A visit to the hospital showed that corridors were filled to the brim with patients and attendants. Some of them were sitting on the ground as they could not find a chair. A large number of patients could be seen surrounding the doctor’s table in each OPD.

“The doctor-patient relation is very sensitive. A doctor needs a calm and friendly environment to listen to a patient’s problem. A patient hesitates to disclose his problems when people are sitting close by,” said another doctor, adding that Class IV workers could help by allowing patients into the room one at a time.

In the absence of workers and helpers, doctors have to often go out for refreshments during the OPD hours. “Doctors are gazetted officers in name only. They have not been provided helpers, whose requirement is a must at the OPD,” complained another doctor.

As per norms of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), a 200-bed hospital should have at least 50 Class IV workers. The Civil Hospital, on the other hand, has only a dozen Class IV workers. Most are on deputation from other departments.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Hardeep Singh Ghai said the shortage of Class IV workers had been reported to the higher-ups and they hoped to find a solution to the problem soon. 

Amritsar, July 9
A recent incident in which four youngsters were critically injured when they hit the dividers while racing their bikes near Tara Wala Pul, has once again brought to light the problem of rash and underage driving in city.

The accident had occurred late on Monday night as four youngsters on two bikes had indulged in a race. The high speed of the two-wheelers resulted in the collision.

The instances of youngsters racing bikes on the GT Road, especially near the elevated stretch, have been reported earlier also. Even as the racers pose a risk to their own lives, they are threat for other commuters as well.

There is a need to check underage driving, which is evident from the large number of children driving vehicles wearing school uniforms.

Drivers under the age of 18 can be found driving auto-rickshaws and other vehicles. The parents must stop them from driving.

Kuldeep Kaur, a private school teacher, said, “A large numbers of children are coming to school on motor bikes. The parents think that it helps save time, but it’s risky.”

The extent of underage driving in the city can be ascertained from the large number of vehicles parked outside tuition centers and schools in the city. Children fail to balance the vehicle in case they have to apply brakes in emergency.

The traffic wing of the police had earlier initiated a drive to check underage driving. The residents expressed that to stop underage driving, the traffic police needs to monitor the situation on regular basis. Besides there seems a need to sensitise the parents about the issue.

The instances of youngsters racing bikes on the GT Road, especially near the elevated stretch, have been reported earlier also. Even as the racers pose a risk to their own lives, they are a threat for other commuters as well. There is a need to check underage driving, which is evident from the large number of children driving vehicles wearing school uniform.

Amritsar, July 9
The Aided School Teachers Association flayed the decision of the government to hire teachers on contract in aided schools of the state.

In a press release issued here today, state president of the association Gurcharan Singh Chahal alleged that the decision was a conspiracy to upset the aided schools in the state.

Chahal alleged that the government’s decision of 5-year contract job as probation period would amount to violation of the Aided Schools Act. He said the association was exploring the possibility of taking recourse to court.

Chahal said the government wanted to fill 4,445 posts in four phases.

Gurcharan criticised the decision of the government for reducing the 95 per cent aid to 75 per cent. He added that already the aided schools were finding it tough to arrange for five per cent aid and it would be extremely tough for them to arrange the increased aid. 

Amritsar, July 9
The city police today claimed to have arrested two persons, including a woman, for allegedly indulging in drug trafficking while their third accomplice managed to escape the police dragnet.

Among those arrested were Varun of Kang village, Tarn Taran, now residing at Mohkampura area and Ranjit Kaur alias Rani of Jamarai village, Tarn Taran, who is now residing at Dashmesh Nagar. Narinder Kumar managed to flee. The police have recovered 50 gm of heroin and Rs 2.55 lakh, a .32 bore revolver with six cartridges. A case under Sections 21,25,61, and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered. The police have also impounded the car in which they were travelling.

The police said Varun had been brought on a two-day police remand while Ranjit Kaur had been sent to judicial custody.