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City bus service on verge of closure
Pingalwara society follows Bhagat Puran Singh’s path
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Amritsar, August 4 The Vigilance Bureau today arrested a doctor posted in the Department of Forensic Science, Government Medical College here, on the charge of taking bribe for providind a medical report regarding a criminal case in which a youth had sustained a head injury. The doctor was caught red-handed.
Shots fired near Zila Parishad office
Eight held with contraband
Ram Tirath dispute: HC extends date of possession
Book clubs promote reading habits more
Children read and discuss books at the book club at One Up Library. A tribune photograph
Better
amritsar-depleting monetary
resources—II
Deadline for registration under FSS Act ends
ETT teachers sent to judicial custody
Guru Nanak varsity VC, teachers enter into dialogue
Two-day workshop under ‘Road to safety’ programme
Week-long bone & joint session concludes
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City bus service on verge of closure
Amritsar, August 4 It has been learnt that the company has given an ultimatum to the Municipal Corporation (MC) to withdraw from the service, as it has been running a loss of around Rs 50,000 every day. A fleet of 20 buses of the second phase of this first public transport in the holy city could not be put on Fatehgarh Churian and Majitha road route because of heavy running costs, sources said. A total of 150 low-floor AC, non-AC, mid- and mini-buses were proposed to be introduced in Amritsar under the JNNURM scheme, as the first public transport system for Amritsar. At present, only 40 buses are being run on different routes. Damodar, manager of the Karnataka company, said that a meeting had been fixed for August 6 with the MC to deliberate over the issue. “We have been running into losses under the present circumstances. We have already informed the MC about it,” he said. On the other hand, mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, who is also director of the Amritsar City Transport Service Ltd, denied receiving any complaint from the bus-operating company. “We have given them free buses and it was their liability to operate and maintain the buses. We cannot change the conditions, according to their wish. The service provider would have to abide by the terms of the agreement,” he said. Ticket prices manipulated
According to the contract for the non-AC buses, the least fare was Rs 2 (up to 5 km), Rs 5 (5-10 km) and Rs 10 (more than 10 km). The fare for AC buses was set as Rs 5 (up to 5 km), Rs 10 (5-10 km) and Rs 15 (more than 10 km). Looking at the “dismal” returns, the company on its own had abolished the least ticket fare slab of Rs 2, and then Rs 5, but this, too, could not cover up the losses. Besides, the company was also allowed to generate revenue by displaying advertisements on the buses, but it proved futile. These buses are being operated on the NCC (net-cost contract) mode. Under the contract, it was the liability of the company to employ the staff, operate and maintain the buses. In lieu, the company was also bound to pay the MC an amount of Rs 1,250 every month for each bus. This contract was valid for one year and further renewal will have increased this amount to Rs 2,000 for each bus per month. From the third year, there will have been an automatic increase of 7 per cent for another 10 years. Designated routes non-viable
The company contended that running the bus service within the city limits was not financially viable and it should be extended to the outskirts as well, a move which was opposed by private mini-bus operators.
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Pingalwara society follows Bhagat Puran Singh’s path
Amritsar, August 4 The successor to Bhagat Puran Singh, the incumbent president of the society, Dr Inderjit Kaur, along with a team of selfless servants, Dr Jagdeepak Singh and many others, is committed to the cause of service to humanity as is evident from around half a dozen shelter homes of Pingalwara in the state. The society has also set an example in preserving the environment besides caring for the destitute and the sick, discarded by society. The 35-acre organic farm of the society was initiated with this view in mind more than seven years ago. The organic produce from the farm is used to feed around 900 inmates at the shelter. Even this day, the excess produce from the farm is not sold in the market and instead it is offered for the langar at the Golden Temple. The society organised a blood donation camp today as part of its commemoration programme during which 215 units of blood were collected. Dr Inderjit Kaur said that the society was committed to the path shown by Bhagat Puran Singh. She said that the society was running Bhagat Puran Singh Adarsh School, School for Deaf and Dumb Children and a School for Special Education. She said that Pingalwara was more of a family than a shelter home where seven or eight new members were received on an average every month. She said that the society apart from its usual activities also helped in various skill development programmes of its inmates, so that they could live a respectable life.
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Govt Medical College doc held for taking bribe
Amritsar, August 4 Narinder Singh, a resident of Sandhu Colony, Majitha Road, had filed a complaint with the Vigilance Bureau in this connection. He stated to the police that his son sustained a serious head injury during a quarrel and was admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on July 22. He said the Forensic Department was to submit a report about the gravity of the injury, but the doctor did not submit his report. He said he approached Dr Gurshirat Singh of the Forensic Department and urged him to provide the report soon. He said Gurshirat Singh demanded Rs 10,000 as bribe for sending a report. But he did not submit it to the police even after taking the amount. He said on August 1, he again met Gurshirat Singh urging him to submit the report. However, he allegedly again demanded Rs 5,000 and this time he informed the Vigilance Bureau. Sukhminder Singh Maan, SSP, Vigilance, said that a team headed by DSP Manjit Singh was constituted, which laid a trap to nail the culprit after registering a case under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He said Gurshirat Singh was today arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 in the presence of government witnesses. He said further investigations were under progress. The victim stated to the police that his son sustained a serious head injury during a quarrel and was admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on July 22. He said the Forensic Department was to submit a report about the gravity of the injury, but the doctor did not submit his report. He said Dr Gurshirat Singh demanded Rs 10,000 as bribe for sending a report.
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Shots fired near Zila Parishad office
Amritsar, August 4 No one was injured in the incident. The police officials stated that a police vehicle had tried to chase the cars but they managed to slip away. ASI Nishan Singh, in charge of the Ranjit Avenue police chowki, said that none of the accused had been identified, but the police was trying to trace the owners of the vehicles by their registration numbers. He said that they were taking help from other police stations in the search for the accused. A case has been registered and investigations have been started, he said.
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Eight held with contraband
Amritsar, August 4 Sukhwinder and Hardeep were held with 100 gm and 80 gm of narcotic powder, respectively, while the police seized 10 gm and 40 gm of heroin from Bikar Singh and Ramesh Kumar. Dharminder Singh and Gurdeep were arrested with 60 gm and 50 gm heroin besides eight intoxicant injections. Gurwinder Singh and Kashal Duggal were arrested for possessing 100 gm of narcotic powder and 100 intoxicant tablets, respectively.
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Ram Tirath dispute: HC extends date of possession
Ram Tirath (Amritsar), August 4 SSP, Amritsar Rural, Gurpreet Singh Gill, and DSP Jagatpreet Singh appeared before the high court today and appealed that they were trying to find an amicable solution between the two groups to resolve the dispute and sought time for it. The next date of hearing is fixed for September 4. Mahant Baldev Giri said that the court had also rejected the appeal of the Valmiki community for staying the order of handing over the possession to him. He said the lower court had also fixed the next date of hearing in the contempt case as August 8. Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the shrine complex here today after the court bailiff arrived for taking the possession of the disputed portion of the shrine. A huge number of cops were deployed on the temple premises in order to thwart any untoward incident. A large number of members of the Valmiki community headed by Mahant Malkiat Nath and supported by SAD leader Om Parkash Gabbar were also present on the spot and opposed handing over of the possession of the shrine to the Mahant Baldev Giri faction. Several of them were armed with sharp-edged weapons and iron rods. They resorted to sloganeering and said that they would not hand over the possession at any cost. The district administration is trying to resolve the issue through talks between the two warring groups. Earlier, too, various attempts were made to hand over the disputed part to the Giri group amid tight security arrangements, but to no avail. Mahant Giri said that they had no confidence in the local police as it had repeatedly failed to “They did not want to hand over the possession as they first allowed them to gather at the spot and that, too, with sharp-edged and blunt weapons and later “enacted the whole drama” of a law and order problem,” said Mahant Giri. He said they would demand from the court to deploy paramilitary forces for handing over the possession to him.
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Book clubs promote reading habits more
Amritsar, August 4 While the libraries in the city are struggling to find readers, the concept of book clubs comes in handy in spreading the word. Inculcating and encouraging reading habits as a lifestyle choice, these book clubs may be limited in their target readership and number, but are more than enough for the while. One Up library and learning centre is running three book clubs on its premises, covering young readers. “We have a book club for young mothers and toddlers, another one for adolescents and for teenagers. We assign two books in a month, cover most genres and try to encourage imagination and language skils through reading, “ explains Dalbir Kaur Madaan, owner, One Up. The members of the book club, who are mostly children and parents, members of the library, meet every Sunday to discuss current reads. Also running a small thinkers’ group is “Akhar” magazine’s Parminderjit Singh. Noted Punjabi poet and publisher of “Akhar” magazine, meets occassionaly at the magazine’s office at Virsa Vihar to discuss books with fellow book lovers. “We do not have a concept of a book club, despite having Dhani Ram Chatrik library, but we organise sessions every once in a while. There isn’t a healthy reading culture in the city and having book clubs might just help,” he says. Agrees Dalbir, “We have various programmes with a purpose of promoting reading habits not just among children but adults. Modern concepts like e-books come a bit later, first it’s important to pick up a book.” There are also summer programmes running in the city that promote reading through book clubs and discussions. Schools initiate book clubs for academic learning as well as reading specific literature. But state-run libraries need to add the concept to their must-do list to make more of their over 100-something collections.
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Better
amritsar-depleting monetary
resources—II GS Paul Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 4 The Municipal Corporation has adopted a new mantra of selling off its properties to generate funds, but this move too could provide only a temporary solution to the financial crisis. The permanent solution for the Municipal Corporation to bail itself out of the financial mess lies in streamlining tax collection and reviving departments, which generate maximum revenue. The city residents put forth their viewpoint as to what measures the Municipal Corporation should take to give a quality life to the people or initiate steps to generate revenue and bring its functioning back on the track to pave the way for development works, which have been stopped due to the paucity of funds. Under assessing taxes
It is a pity that the Municipal Corporation has been under assessing its tax structure. If reviewed then the MC can multiply its income. Over 90 per cent of the properties in Amritsar are paying low tax amount. If the assessment is done at the present rate, the MC can add Rs 50 lakh per month to its income. Similarly, according to the law, 10 per cent of the total VAT collected from local traders has to be paid back as a part of the municipal tax. Here, the assessment is made on the basis of 2007 octroi calculation, whereas, in present times, the VAT multiplies into many
crores. Political interference
It is the political interference in the Municipal Corporation’s working, which plays a spoilsport. There are thousands of residents who have political connections and enjoy immunity from paying taxes. When the MC adopts strict measures to recover its dues their political ‘akaas’ jump into the fray to scuttle the move. Things cannot be set right, until and unless the legislature stops overpowering the bureaucracy. Inefficient staff
There is no dearth of infrastructure in the present times. It is the inefficiency of the Municipal Corporation staff for which the residents have been paying a heavy price. If we just streamline the service quotient, the residents will not complain. Actually, when there is no will, there is no way. Despite having mammoth staff on rolls, the MC has been a worst service provider. There are scores of XENs, SDOs and hundreds of their supporting regular staff, which is seldom ready to plug in the loopholes. Due to inactive participation of MC officials, contractors’ compromise on the material, which results in broken roads. Make officials accountable
The ‘corporation’ should be run on a corporate pattern. It should formulate a policy and hold its officials accountable for results. Tax collection officials should be a given target and if they fail to achieve it, disciplinary action should be taken against them. They can be denied further increments and promotions as a punishment. The black sheep has to be tackled sternly. Stop auctioning properties
I am totally against the idea of auctioning public properties. For how long, can it work? The Municipal Corporation, instead, should transform those land or properties into some public friendly venture like constructing paid multi-storey parking, opening food joints or shopping complexes, which can be lent to traders. This can add to the income of the MC. Also, why doesn’t the MC impose hefty penalty on illegal construction and encroachments. Besides this, those who litter at public place can also be penalised.
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Deadline for registration under FSS Act ends
Amritsar, August 4 District Health Officer, Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon, said the response to the instructions was encouraging. He said the registration would help the government in monitoring the food quality. The registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act was started in the state after August 8, 2011. The state government had set various deadlines for registration, which were extended to give people more time for registeration. Dr Kahlon said it was mandatory for any food business with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh to get registered while those with a bigger turnover were required to get licences. He said over 500 applications were in the processing stage and registration numbers and licences would be issued in the due course of time. The Health Department had organised various camps at different places in the district to make the process easier for the food business. Kahlon said various associations of food merchants were also involved to reach out to a maximum number of businesses in the city. Firms engaged in manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution, import and catering of foods were registered. He said additionally karyana shops, liquor vends, government warehouses and agencies too were required to get registered under the Act. The act does have provisions for imposing penalty on businesses, which had not registered till the last date, added Kahlon.
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ETT teachers sent to judicial custody Amritsar, August 4 The union has been trying to gherao the residences of various Punjab cabinet ministers for last few days for the fulfillment of their demand of merging 5,752 schools in the state, being run under Zila Parishads, with the Education Department. Sixteen teachers were booked under Sections 353, 332, 333, 186, 148, 149, 160 and 427 of the IPC for assaulting and stopping a government servant from discharging his duties. Meanwhile, ETT teachers held a demonstration outside the Zila Parishad office to protest against the yesterday’s lathi charge. They burned an effigy of the Punjab government and raised slogans. They said the fast unto death of their activists, including state president, had entered the 16th day. They threatened not to allow political stages of SAD leaders in the upcoming bypolls at Patiala and Talwandi Sabo. — TNS
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Guru Nanak varsity VC, teachers enter into dialogue
Amritsar, August 4 A modalities committee, as per the UGC guidelines, has been constituted to monitor the progress of the mutually agreed terms related to increments for the PhD, MPhil and MTech, being pursued by new appointees as well as serving teachers. The committee will comprise Registrar, Dr Inderjit Singh, Dean, Academic Affairs HS Hundal, president of Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers’ Association (GNDUTA), Dr Davinder Singh and secretary, Dr Lakhwinder Singh. “As a law abiding body of the teachers we always wish to resolve issues through a dialogue. In the next phase of the meeting, we will discuss our pending demands. A modalities committee will watch the progress of the agreed issues,” he said. Certain other issues related to the promotion policy, defeating of norms while giving extension to retiring teachers as teachers demanded to form a uniform five-year policy for all retiring teachers, allowance for rural/border area regional college teachers and exemption from PhD entrance test to regular teachers etc would be deliberated in next meetings.
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Two-day workshop under ‘Road to safety’ programme
Amritsar, August 4 The workshop is being organised by Delhi-based Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) in association with DIAGEO under road safety programme, which aimed at reducing road mishaps, which occurred because of drunken driving. While speaking on the occasion, Dr Rohit Baluja, head of the IRTE, said, “Road accidents are one of the eight major reasons of deaths in the world.” Quoting the data of World Health Organisation, he said road accidents claimed around 12.4 lakh lives of innocent people all over the globe. Maximum number of casualties were between the age group of 15 to 29. He said 80 per cent of these mishaps occurred in developing countries. “In India, as per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report, over 1.37 lakh people lost their lives in 2013 while 26 lakh people suffered grievous injuries,” added Baluja. He said as per the records of the Department of Road Transport and State Highways around 7,835 people lost their lives due to drunken driving. The IRTE in association with DIAGEO and support of the Indian government had launched a programme ‘Road to safety’ under which the IRTE would educate cops and drivers of private vehicles on safe driving and efficient traffic management, added Baluja. He said as many as 50 cops and 60 drivers of private vehicles would be trained during the programme. Hundred policemen would be imparted training in traffic management, besides curbing the practices of drunken driving. The IRTE also donated two breath alcohol analysers to the Police Department on the occassion. Shailnder Singh, ADCP (traffic), said during the programme cops would be trained to handle breath alcohol analysers, besides being taught about rules of road regulation, understanding road traffic violations and recommended practice for stopping vehicles. They would be educated about drunken driving and its implications.
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Week-long bone & joint session concludes
Amritsar, August 4 In the special drive patients were today made aware about how to keep bones and joints strong and healthy. The experts stressed on the need for different types of regular exercises like walking and participation of growing children in sports activities. High intake of milk and milk products was strongly recommended by doctors for growing children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. The common orthopaedic problems of back pain and knee osteoarthritis were also discussed. Doctors also highlighted the importance of sunshine. Head of the department, Dr HS Sohal, said a 20 minute daily walk could keep bones in a good shape. Patients were given information of dreaded complications of osteoporosis (soft bones) caused by smoking, alcohol intake and steroid abuse. During the function, free calcium tablets were distributed among patients, said associate Professor Dr Rakesh Sharma.
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Amritsar, August 4
Amritsar, August 4
