Speed thrills but kills

n August 14, 2013: Munish Kumar (24), a police constable and resident of Shanti Nagar at Ferozepur, was killed and his three colleagues were injured after they were hit by a car at a checkpoint.

n March 15, 2014: Akshit Kharbanda (26) was killed in a car crash while his friend suffered critical injuries. The accident took place near MBD Neopolis Mall.

Speed limit in city

LTV 50km

Cars 60km

Ludhiana, July 24
While the City Bus Service remained suspended today, thousands of commuters once again had to bear the brunt of the ongoing “tussle” among the drivers, Prassana Group (private company) and the Municipal Corporation. To defuse the “ongoing crisis”, the officials of the Municipal Corporation have convened a meeting with the company officials on Saturday.

Commuters were disappointed to know that the buses would not be plied for an indefinite period. “As usual, I came to take a bus from near Metro, Jalandhar bypass. When no bus reached for a long time, some passerby informed me that buses would not be plied today. I had to hire an auto-rickshaw to reach the Civil Lines, where I work at a showroom as salesman. The bus route was very convenient and the timings also suited me,” said the commuter.

The “sacked” president of the City Bus Drivers’ Union, Parijit Singh, said he was today called by the Manager, City Bus Service. “The MC officials want to meet us. It is expected that we meet tomorrow,” he said.

Service started in 2011

The city bus service was started on December 17, 2011. The contract to run it was given to a private company in October, 2013. As long as it was under the MC, it had remained in profits of about Rs 3 crore annually. The MC had been incurring losses worth about Rs 2 lakh daily since the service was given on contract. More than 32,000 passengers use the city bus service daily.

Issue figures on F&CC meeting agenda

The City Bus Service was to be discussed at length during a meeting of the Finance and Contract Committee, which was postponed today.

According to sources, Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited has asked the Municipal Corporation to pay about Rs 13.03 crore. The amount includes operational losses, cost of new tyres, new batteries for buses, insurance cover, registration fees, printing of advertisement material, professional consultation charges, salaries of drivers/conductors, etc.

The spokesperson for the Congress councilors, Parminder Mehta, said the present contract should be scrapped as it had caused the MC huge financial losses. “When the Amritsar MC can run a City Bus Service successfully, why can not we do so? Why are we watching the interests of the company,” asked Mehta.

Ludhiana, July 24
The absence of stringent action by law enforcing agencies and interference by politicians in the removal of illegal water connections lead to the outbreak of diseases in this industrial city every year. Refusing to learn from the past, the authorities swing into action only when the disease has taken its toll on humans.

Two children and a man died of diarrhoea at Prakash Nagar, near Jawaddi, yesterday. Teams from the Health Department and the Municipal Corporation have been camping there since last night. While the MC officials maintain contaminated water was not the reason for the deaths, the Health Department officials say the opposite. The MC officials said the residents had illegally connected old and damaged pipes with the main supply line.

The Additional Commissioner, Ghansham Thori, said the Joint Commissioner had been sent to the area. “The area residents will be supplied water through water tankers of the Municipal Corporation. Besides, the teams of the Health Department have been camping there,” said Thori.

Commenting on the “illegal” connections in the area, the Zonal Commissioner (Operations and Maintenance), Kamlesh Bansal, said it was a matter of concern. He said property surveys were on and it would be easy to detect “illegal” water connections.

Having an illegal water connection is an offense. An FIR could be lodged against the guilty. But the MC has not taken strict action even against one violator for the simple reason residents get “support” from the area councillors and politicians.

“A large numbers of slum dwellers have illegal water
connections. Since they constitute a good vote bank, politicians protect them,” said an official.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said a survey of the area had been started by the Health Department teams.

Ludhiana, July 24
The police have booked six persons of an immigration agency for assaulting a couple and their seven-year-old son, who visited its office for receiving Rs 2 lakh they have given to the company to facilitate their permanent immigration to Canada.

The accused have been identified as Jaspreet Singh and his father Rachpal Singh, who runs the immigration agency at BRS Nagar. The four employees, namely Surinder Singh, Hardeep Singh, Azad Singh and an unidentified person, have been also booked for the same offence.

Complainant Harinder Singh, a resident of Hassanpur village, said nearly a year ago, he, along with his wife, filed an application for permanent immigration to Canada.

“The agency assured us that the process would be completed within six months. I gave them Rs 4.5 lakh (Rs 4 lakh through cheques and Rs 50,000 cash) as file processing charges. After six months of filing the application, the immigration agency started making lame excuses,” said Harinder Singh, who works as a photographer at Ayali Chowk on the Ferozepur road.

He said the agency authorities, when pressed, returned Rs 2.5 lakh. “On Thursday, I visited the agency’s office at BRS Nagar along with my wife and child. Rachpal and Jaspreet were not in the office. When I asked for them, their employees, including Surinder Singh, Hardeep Singh, Azad Singh and an unidentified person, bolted the office from inside and thrashed us badly,” said Harinder Singh.

Harinder Singh said: “Fortunately Harpreet Singh and his wife Kirandeep Kaur called the police and we were saved.”

Harinder Singh alleged that the police were not giving them a copy of the statement in which Azad, an employee of Expert Canada Immigration Service, admitted to having attacked. The police were not providing them the footage of the close circuit television (CCTV) camera installed at the immigration agency office,” claimed Harinder.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, July 24
Residents of the worst-affected area of the locality have threatened to launch an agitation in case the needful is not done to improve the sewerage system here.

Authorities of the local civic body are still awaiting a visit by the team of experts who were supposed to plan a transitory remedial action to improve the sewerage system.

Responding to demand raised by legislator Iqbal Singh Jhoondan in the last assembly session over four months ago, the Local Bodies Minister, Punjab Government, Anil Joshi, had announced to send a team of experts to plan a transitory remedial action to improve the sewerage system till the sanctioned Rs 25.43 crore modernisation project is commissioned.

In a memorandum given to duty magistrate at local sub-registrar office, office-bearers and activists of organisations, led by the former president, Municipal Council, Jatinder Bhola, threatened to block traffic at Ludhiana Malerkotla Road at Pohir in case remedial action was not initiated to improve sewerage system at low-lying areas including Guru Nanak Nagar on Pohir Road, Jawahar Nagar, Amarpura, Dhulkot Road, Jandali Road and Dehliz Road.

Accusing successive governments of ignoring genuine demands of the residents, the activists accused political leaders of emotionally blackmailing residents during elections by making false promises and then forgetting their demands.

“Though leaders of the parties in regime at the state had promised that remedial measures would be taken before the onset of rainy season, but nothing concrete has been done so far. Overflowing sewerage has been posing threat to the health of residents,” rued activists, led by Bhola.

Officials in the Sanitation, Sewerage and Water Supply Departments of the local Municipal Council, on the other hand, put the blame on the damaged pipes in the disposal system as the major reason for the setback.

Former councilors, led by Ravinder Puri, former president, accused the Punjab Sewerage and Water Supply Board officials of delaying the work of laying main drains in the area. They claimed that the Municipal Council had taken up the issue with the officials concerned over a year ago, but the supplementary projects could not be undertaken due to the dissolution of the civic body.

The Tribune had carried a series of stories describing the plight of low-lying areas and protests held against the alleged government inaction.

Taking cognizance of the reports and after being approached by several office-bearers and activists of various organisations, the legislator of the segment, Iqbal Singh Jhoondan, had raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha during the last session.

The Local Bodies Minister, Punjab Government, Anil Joshi, had declared that a draft plan for Rs 25.43 crore sewerage plant had been sent to the Union Government for approval. A team of experts was then supposed to visit the town for exploring possibilities of solving the problem with present setup. 

Jagraon, July 24
Contrary to the tall claims of the state government and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited to provide uninterrupted power supply to all sections of electricity consumers during the summer season, residents of Jagraon and surrounding areas continue to grapple with the problem of scheduled and unscheduled power cuts. These prolonged power cuts have been taking a toll on the local residents.

Frequent power cuts have also exposed the tall claims of the state government which had been claiming of making Punjab a power surplus state since a long time. With the level of mercury reaching its peak, the number of scheduled and unscheduled power cuts being imposed in the Jagraon area has also increased.

In the town, power cuts varying from six to eight hours are being imposed every day. “We have to rush to the market to purchase ice,” said Rajesh Kumar Rana, a resident of College Road.

Similar is the situation in rural areas where power cuts are being imposed for more than eight hours every day. It is not only the consumers of domestic sector who are facing the problem, but farmers and industrialists too have been facing a lot of problems due to prolonged power cuts.

The authorities of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited said power cuts were being imposed to supply electricity to the farming community.

“Seven-eight hours power cuts are being imposed every day. It has become difficult for us to water paddy,” said Gurdial Singh, a farmer of Ramghar Bhullar village near Jagraon.

The farmers have to depend on generator sets. “Delayed monsoon and erratic power supply have aggravated our woes. We are dependent on generator sets but their use costs much more as compared to electricity. Our paddy crop will be destroyed in case the situation does not improve,” said Amarjit Singh of Janetpura village.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited Xen Gurpreet Mohinder Singh Sidhu said the power cuts were being imposed to meet the demand-supply gap. “Snags occurring due to overloading have also been affecting the power supply,” added Sidhu. 

Ludhiana, July 24
Teachers, working under Zila Parishad, held a protest at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, here today. Activists of ETT Teachers Union Punjab said Jaswinder Singh Sidhu, state president of ETT Adhiapak Union, has been sitting on hunger strike for the last five days in Chandigarh but the government has not responded to their demands so far.

The ETT teachers submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner to press their demands. The union is protesting from last several years and has been demanding the merger of Zilla Parishad schools with Education Department.

The schools running under Zilla Parishad have been deprived of several facilities and so the teachers have demanded merger with the Education Department.

Earlier there were two unions, i.e. ETT teachers Union and ETT Adhiapak Union, but now the both the unions are on one platform.

The district president of union, Paramjeet Singh Mann, said they will be forced to intensify their protest if the government does not address their demands.

Ludhiana, July 24
As many 114 students appeared for counselling of non-medical stream at the Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students.

Today, the number of girls was again more than the boys. As many as 82 girls and 32 boys appeared for the counselling session. About 223 applicants had applied for 300 seats in the non-medical stream in the school. According to the education officials, the counselling would continue for the next two days. Officials stated that in the coming day, more students are expected to take admission in the school.

Today, seven more students took admission in the commerce stream. The total number of commerce students is 25 while, eight more students have taken admission in the medical group. The total number of medical students is now 69.

There are total 500 seats for three streams in Class XI at the Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students. The number of students is almost double than the applicants.

As per the information, the Education Department will shift students from other schools to Ludhiana to fill the seats.

The department has issued an extensive list of things that students have been told to get along with them.

As per the list, students have been advised to come with two sets of uniform, shoes, sports uniform, six notebooks, all the books and practical books, school bag and a box.

The department has deputed 19 lecturers at the school.

During the counselling, parents of girl students raised concerns about the security of their wards at school and hostel. Paramjeet Kaur, District Education Officer (DEO), assured the safety and security of all the students at the meritorious school. 

Ludhiana, July 24
Four-year-old Ayush Walia has been diagnosed with Thalassemia major. He has a complete HLA matched with his sister. The ideal treatment for him is allogeneic stem cell transplant with his sister as the donor. The estimated expense for the same is approximately Rs 12 lakhs sans the untoward complications. 

Ludhiana, July 24
The Health Department has sprung into action following diarrhoea outbreak at Parkash Nagar, Jawwadi.

A round-the-clock medical camp has been set up at street number 3, where two children and an adult passed away due to diarrhoea, yesterday. Three patients, who were admitted to the Civil Hospital, were still undergoing treatment.

Last night, people residing in and around the street number 3 protested against the authorities for not paying heed to the supply of contaminated water.

“Today 121 patients were examined till 5 pm and of these 82 cases of diarrhoea were reported. All patients are responding well to the treatment. Today, 734 houses were surveyed covering a population of 3,432 and 43 group meetings were conducted. As many as 1,004 ORS packets, 2,580 tablets of chlorine and pamphlets were also distributed in the area,” said district epidemiologist Dr Anil Verma. Dinesh, one of the city residents, said it was only after the deaths that the department visited the area and provided medical aid and fresh drinking water to residents. 

82 CASES OF DIARRHOEA REPORTED

“As many as 121 patients were examined till 5 pm on Thursday. Of them, 82 were diagnosed with diarrhoea. More than 734 houses were surveyed, covering a population of 3,432, and 43 group meetings were conducted. Around 1,004 ORS packets, 2,580 tablets of chlorine and pamphlets were distributed in the area,” said the District Epidemiologist, Dr Anil Verma.

Ludhiana, July 24
Fortis Hospital has come up with a school mental health programme. Under this programme, the hospital aims to provide extensive services in the school community.

“Through the medium of talks, seminars, workshops, and interactive sessions with students, teachers and parents, the programme will create awareness and promote positive psychology to foster positive mental health and well-being of all the human beings,” said Kamna Chhibber, head of mental health and consultant clinical psychologist.

First workshop was conducted today, under the programme, where students from nearly 80 schools participated.

“Students from schools across the city form a part of our student pro-social peer moderator community, promoting healthy and adaptive behaviours. Our counsellor’s forum acts as an avenue for skill building and knowledge acquisition for all its members. We will be holding workshop with students, teachers and parents and all three will collectively work together to work towards a positive and better future,” added Kamna.

Communication can solve all problems. Both parents and kids should listen to each other and have patience to under each other’s view point, she added.

Dr Samir Parikh, director of the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Science at Fortis Hospital, said the reason why more youth are engaging in the usage of substances can be varied.

“For some it can be experimentation, for others it may be due to peer pressure, yet others may want to try it for the risk and the thrill which they may have heard or seen others experience,” he said. 

Ludhiana, July 24
The District Transport Office organised a special camp for school bus drivers at DAV Public School, Pakhowal Road, today. The drivers were apprised of traffic rules. As many as 140 drivers and conductors attended the camp.

Anil Garg, District Transport Officer, said the drivers should follow the guidelines of the High Court. They should wear uniform. He asked the drivers and conductors to maintain their documents and other papers. “Negligence on the part of the drivers will not be tolerated,” said Garg.

Naresh Kaler, Motor Vehicle Inspector, checked the buses and told the drivers to follow the speed limit. Usha Chopra, instructor, First Aid Red Cross Society, said all buses should have first-aid boxes. She also gave tips to the drivers on administering first-aid. Raje Kumar, Fire Officer, explained them the working of fire extinguishers. Police officials asked drivers to keep away from drugs. 

Ludhiana, July 24
Kerala tourism generates more than Rs 22,000 crore. This was stated by Anil VS from the department of tourism of the state. He along with students of Kathakali School from Kerala were in the city for promoting tourism in the state. Another person from the team said they visited Ludhiana to tap the tourist market. He said the tourism in the state was growing at a healthy rate and the city was launching new projects to achieve greater heights. “There is this seaplane project which improves air connectivity and Project Muziris which aims at reinstating historical and cultural significance of the port of Muziris,” he added.

“Two-millennia-old spice route that links the south western coast of India to Europe is being revived,” another representative stated. Now, trekking, camping, rock climbing, jungle, wildlife safaris, bird watching, cycling, kayaking and paragliding will also be a part of the adventure holidays programme, Natventure.

They also presented kathakali, mohiniyattam, kalaripayattu, pootan thira and thiriuzhichal. 

Ludhiana, July 24
Aam Aadmi Party leader and senior advocate HS Phoolka said the threat issued by the BJP Government to invoke Article 356 was in violation of the principles laid down by the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court has held that every case where the directions of the Central Government are not followed by the state does not make out a case for dismissal of the state government and warrant action against the state government. It is only in a case of very serious nature where Article 356 needs to be invoked,” said Phoolka.

He said it was surprising that the Akali Dal had all of a sudden changed its decades old stand. The Akali Dal, throughout, has been protesting against the misuse of Article 356. “The Akali Dal has been demanding implementation of the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission. According to the Sarkaria Commission, Article 356 should be used rarely and in extreme cases as a last resort when all alternative correctives have failed.”

The issue of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is related to the interpretation of law. “By no stretch of imagination it can be said that such a situation has arisen “in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.”

Phoolka said organisations such as Sant Samaj should not side with any particular Sikh group and rather, they should use their influence to bring about a settlement between the two groups of the Sikh Panth.

“The Akali Dal has declared that the conclave called by them is not for the whole Sikh Panth, but only for the people whom they have invited. The Sant Samaj should reconsider its decision and should play the role of a mediator, rather than aligning with any particular Sikh group,” he said. 

Ludhiana, July 24
The last date for filing VAT quarterly returns has been extended to August 20. However, dates for tax payment will remain unchanged. Taxpayers can submit the worksheet in this quarter or can do it in the next quarter.

Lawyers and trade bodies had submitted representations to the department saying they would not be able to fill in worksheet 7 as their balance sheets were yet to be readied, stated a public notice issued by the Excise and Taxation Commissioner today.

Jatinder Khurana, executive member of the Indian Taxation Advocates Association, said they were unable to upload the returns and now they would get time to solve their problem.

Arun Kanwal, president of the District Taxation Bar Association, hailed the 
decision. He added that new VAT-15 forms would be available on the department’s website, www.pextax.com from tomorrow.

Ludhiana, July 24
This is the best time of the year for bird lovers and watchers to catch a glimpse of the winged creatures. They make nests and feed their chicks during the rainy season.

Dr Tejdeep Kaur, ornithologist, PAU, said: “Monsoon coincides with the hatching of eggs and feeding of birds. The time for pairing and nesting also advances as the monsoon advances from South to North,” she said.

“The nests are also the most beautiful at this time of the year,” she stated.

She said trimming of plants and felling of trees should not be done during the rainy season as it disturbed the winged creatures. She said the pruning of trees exposed the nests to predators. Pesticides and chemical sprays near the nests should not be done. “Artificial nests should be created and installed to provide artificial nesting sites to the birds,” she said.

Small birds nest at fruit and flowering trees, so they should be protected from pets. Children should also be advised not to disturb them.

Bird lovers should not get too excited about seeing birds. Dr Kler said the nests should not be exposed to avian and terrestrial predators. Sarabjit, a wildlife photographer, said going too close to the birds to click pictures not only distressed and disturbed them, but also jeopardised their lives. “Photographers should only use telephoto lenses and click photographs from a long distance without disturbing the birds,” he said. 

Ludhiana, July 24
Neeru Katyal Gupta, PCS, Additional Deputy Commissioner (G), has been posted as the Additional Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana. She has also been given the charge of ADC, Jagraon.

Amrit Kaur Gill has replaced Neeru Katyal Gupta as ADC (G). Ghansham Thori, IAS, Rishipal Singh, PCS, and Devinder Singh, PCS, are already serving as the Additional Commissioners. — TNS

Ludhiana, July 24
The Vigilant Citizens’ Forum has written a letter to Sarvesh Kaushal, Chief Secretary, highlighting the systematic flaws and harassment caused to patients visiting the Civil Hospital for getting medico-legal reports (MLRs) made.

“A patient coming to the hospital for the MLR is asked to put signatures on the MLR register after noting down their particulars only and without recording medical examination and prescription which is done later on. This way, the victim remains at the mercy of the Emergency Medical Officer. Neither the victim nor his attendant is informed whether all injuries or pains complained by the patient have been recorded in the MLR. The MLR is not shown to the victim or his/her attendant. It is sent to police officials. Since the victim or the attendant is not aware of the contents of the MLR, the statement given to the police differs, the prosecution story fails and the case falls flat,” said Kuldeep Singh Khaira from the Vigilant Citizens’ Forum.

He alleged that every EMO had his/her own MLR register and nobody was authorised to touch it. He said, “The EMOs remain overburdened as they have to attend to patients in the Emergency as well,” he alleged. “The MLR register must not be personalised,’ demanded Khaira. Senior Medical Officer Dr RK Karkara said care was taken while preparing the medico legal reports. “The reports are prepared by experts and given to the police after examining patients. During hearing of cases, the EMOs have to show the registers in the court,” he said.

Students’ meet

The Sikh Students’ Federation (Mehta) condemned the ‘divisionary politics’ of the Congress in a meeting on Thursday. In the meeting, the federation leaders demanded that the Hooda government should revoke the newly-passed act, related to the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The leaders said the supremacy of the SGPC should not be challenged.

Larvae found

Following the directions of Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Batta, coolers and containers were checked in many areas of Ludhiana by breeding checkers, under the supervision of District Epidemiologist Dr Anil Verma. Larvae of Aedes Egypti were found in two coolers in Janakpuri and one cooler in LIG flats, Chandigarh Road. The information regarding the same has been passed to the Municipal Corporation officials.

Protest held

The Active Anti-Corruption Group protested outside a nursing home and demanded arrest of erring doctor on Thursday. According to information, a woman lost her life on Wednesday and her kin alleged that she died due to doctor’s negligence. Members of the anti-corruption group accused the doctor of stopping the treatment of the patient in between as the family was unable to deposit the treatment fee. — TNS

Machhiwara, July 24
The Machhiwara police have registered a case against 10 persons for attacking a head constable. As per the information, a head constable of Machiwara Police was allegedly attacked by mining mafia men near Tandi village.

The police party had reached the spot after they received information about the illegal mining in Sutlej.

The Station House Officer, Machhiwara, Jarnail Singh, said when they reached the spot, some labourers fled the scene. “But about 12 persons were still there. About four to five tractor trolleys were also at the site. When we asked them to surrender, the persons started quarreling with the police party. It was then that they attacked head constable Ashwani Kumar with iron sticks. The Station House Officer took out the revolver but by that time the attackers had fled from the scene.”

The Machiwara Police, on the statement of Ashwani Kumar, have registered a case under Sections 353, 307,186, 148,149 of the IPC against four identified and some unidentified persons.

The SSP, Khanna, Harsh Kumar Bansal, said raids were on to arrest the alleged accused. “They will be put behind the bars soon,” said Bansal.

Ludhiana, July 24
Two motorcycle-borne youths snatched a purse from a college student at College Road yesterday.

Complainant Surinder Kaur said she was going to purchase books when the youths snatched her purse containing Rs 1,000, a mobile phone and other important documents. The Division No. 8 police have registered a case. — TNS

SPORTS

Cagers subjected to humiliation
Organisers draw flak from sports fraternity
Anil Datt

Ludhiana, July 24
The decision of organisers of the fifth FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, has left the sports fraternity fuming. Sikh cagers were not allowed to play wearing head gears in China recently. Two players from Punjab, Amritpal Singh from Amritsar district and Amjyot Singh from Chandigarh, were asked to take off their headgear by the organisers. They were told that it was a violation of the International Basketball Federation rules.

Teja Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary, Punjab Basketball Association, condemned the incident. “The boys did not wear anything which could harm players of the opposite side. They were subjected to humiliation. The International Sports Federations should respect all religions and ensure that someone’s sentiments are not hurt,” said Dhaliwal.

A similar situation arose during the Lusofonia Games in Goa early this year when officials from FIBA objected to Sikh players playing wearing head gear.

Balraj Sharma, vice-president of the Swimming Federation of India echoed similar views. He said countries organising such events ought to realise importance of social customs of other countries as such it was an issue of pride for India.

Dhaliwal and Sharma urged upon the Indian Olympic Association and the Union Sports Minister to take up the issue with the International Olympic Committee so that such ‘unfortunate incidents’ did not take place in future.