Ludhiana, August 14
At last, there is glimmer of hope for 114 allottees of residential plots in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Colony, who have been waiting to get the possession of the plots for two years.

The draw of lots was conducted by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) in October 2012.

The Directorate of Local Government (DLG), Punjab, had called for records pertaining to the draw of lots and a resolution (no 59) adopted by LIT for confirmation of allotment of residential plots (each measuring 125 square yards).

LIT Executive Officer Jiwan Bansal confirmed that the relevant record was produced before the DLG in Chandigarh today as desired by the senior officials of the department. “The final decision on the approval of the pending resolution has to be taken by the department and further action for grant of possession of the plots to the allottees will be taken only after the resolution gets a nod from the government,” he added.

The harassed allottees said applications were invited by LIT for allotment of residential plots in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Colony in 1982 and the plots were allotted to the applicants in 1999. However, physical possession of the plots was not given to them as the land in question had come under the “jinxed” City Centre project which stood abandoned now.

“We waited for several years to get alternative plots and finally moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court which directed LIT authorities to allot alternative plots to us. On the directions of the court, two draw of lots were conducted by the authorities in September and October 2012 for the purpose,” said the allottees.

The allottees said their hope of getting plots turned out to be short-lived as the resolution adopted by the LIT in October 2013 for the confirmation of the draw of lots and granting possession to the allottees was still awaiting approval from the government. The allottees had also held meetings with senior government functionaries, including Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, Local Bodies Minister Punjab Anil Joshi, Chief Secretary, Punjab, Sarvesh Kaushal and Principal Secretary, Local Government, Punjab Ashok Kumar Gupta. Rajinder Singh, RK Chawla, Devinder Rehan, Veena Rani, Ranjit Singh and Rajinder Pal, allottees, said after a meeting of LIT officials with the DLG in Chandigarh today, their hope of getting possession of the plots had been revived. “We are keeping our fingers crossed,” they said.

Ludhiana, August 14
Drenched in colours of patriotism, residents are set to celebrate the 68th Independence day tomorrow.

In the past two days, the sale of the National Flag has picked up.

Be it houses, restaurants or offices, one can see the flag atop every roof. Shambhu Kumar, a salesman at Sardar Store, Ghumar Mandi, said, “Khadi flags are selling like hotcakes. They cost anything between Rs 10 and Rs 30. Many hotel and restaurant owners have bought these.”

The flags are brought from Nanded in Maharashtra. Gopal Krishan, manager, Satluj Khadi Bhandar, Chaura Bazar, said, “We get the flags from Satluj Khadi Bhandar, Nakodar. We have earned Rs 50,000 from the sale of the flags this year.”

He said inflation had hit them hard. “As the cotton prices have soared, the sales have witnessed a dip. The profit is not healthy. For the past four years, the graph has not seen an upward trend.”

Residents too are in an upbeat mood. Vimmi, a retired lecturer, said, “The day fills me with happiness. I have bought two flags. I am proud to be an Indian.”

Dr Ravinder Vatsayan, an ayurvedacharya, said, “”This time, I bought four National Flags from Gandhi Khadi Bhandar, Delhi. With freedom, comes responsibility. It is sad that the youth is not aware of the importance of the day. For me, the flags are a prized possession. These remind me of the freedom struggle.”

Ludhiana, August 14
The district administration has completed all arrangements for the 68th Independence Day celebrations at Guru Nanak Stadium tomorrow.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal will be the chief guest. He will unfurl the national flag take the salute at the parade. Three contingents of the Punjab Police, one of Home Guards, one each of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides besides that of the traffic police and the police band will march past the dignitaries.

As many as 700 children from different schools will take part in cultural items including dumbbells, lazium and PT show.

Ludhiana, August 14
A girl committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance at Guru Amardas Nagar last night. The deceased was identified as Simarjit Kaur.

Ludhiana, August 14
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed the writ petition of Sanjay Sharma versus State of Punjab following the MC’s assurance that it would not regularise the building at Kakowal as it was still under construction.

Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Pradeep Aggarwal, along with Assistant Town Planner (Headquarters) Kamaljit Kaur and other officials, had appeared in the court.

Sanjay Sharma, the petitioner, heaved a sigh of relief. The building, spread over 140 square yards, was constructed in Heera Nagar, Kakowal Road. It was constructed in a residential area and the petitioner had moved the High Court questioning its “regularisation”.

Kamaljit Kaur, ATP (Headquarters) said that building was already under the civic body’s scanner and all records showed that it was regularised after the deadline while its construction was still on. “We had already submitted an affidavit in the court stating that we will cancel its regularisation and the change of land use as it was done in a wrong manner. The High Court today dismissed the case as we had already addressed the grievance of the petitioner,” said the ATP. The building was “regularised” in connivance with an ATP, who was recently transferred to Moga.

Jagraon, August 14
The police have arrested four persons for abducting a youth from his shop at Rasoolpur village today.

The accused came in a Toyota Innova and abducted Hardeep Singh (25), a resident of Rasoolpur village near Jagraon.

The police traced the accused to Sheikhdaulat village. Nakas were laid at all entry and exit points.

Ludhiana, August 14
The Progressive Dairy Farmers’ Association (PDFA) and Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Association (CLFMA) together organised a one-day seminar called ‘Dairy Business 2020’ at Guru Nanak Bhawan today.

Chief guest Kahan Singh Pannu, MD, Punjab Agro, awarded the farmers for the use of innovative techniques and technology in farming. Gurdev Singh, Surjit Singh, Avtar Singh Thapla, Ranjit Singh Rohle, Balveer Singh and Darshan Singh won the dairy farmers award for high productivity and performance.

Pannu said, “We plan on opening a food court in Ladowal, Ludhiana, where a wide variety of food will be available. Also, farmers must have far sightedness and should get themselves and their animals insured to combat any kind of crisis.”

The objective of the seminar was to align the efforts of farmers to reach the ‘Vision 2020’ of producing 180 million metric tons of milk.

Daljit Singh, president, PDFA, said, “Dairy farming today is fraught with a lot of challenges and shortcomings. Only by right knowledge and effective implementation of techniques and technology to improve the productivity, can the farmers reach the target of 180 million metric tons by 2020.”

He also called for the support of the government to introduce more incentive schemes to help put Punjab on the dairy farming map of the world.

Dr AK Shrivastav, director, National Dairy Research Institute, educated the farmers about the importance of right breeding, proper feeding and health management of the cattle to ensure nutritional milk for consumers.

Inderjit Singh, director, Punjab Dairy Development Board, motivated the farmers to take up dairy farming as a full time profession to meet the 2020 target.

Children celebrate Independence Day at Cherubs the Playway in Ludhiana on Thursday. Tribune photographs

At Bachpan Play School, Vikas Nagar, children sung patriotic songs. A number of activities were organised to mark the day at BCM School, Dugri. Students competed in inter-house group song and fancy dress competitions.

Tiny tots at Cherubs the Preschool, Dugri, sought blessings of the motherland by singing the national song. The school was decorated with Tricolour buntings, balloons and flags.

Patriotic dance performances and songs were the highlights at a cultural programme held at Guru Nanak International Public School, Model Town.

HVM Convent Senior Secondary School, Basti Jodhewal, was decorated with Tricolour balloons and flags. Students presented a cultural programme comprising speeches and dance performances. The children were told about sacrifices made by freedom fighters.

Ludhiana, August 14
Malls and markets across the city have been decorated for the Independence Day. Some of the malls have even chalked out special programmes for the day.

Khanna, August 14
Arrangements have been completed for tomorrow’s state-level function at Issru in memory of Shaheed Karnail Singh Issru who laid his life in the Goa freedom struggle.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal along with other Cabinet Ministers and SAD-BJP MLAs will attend the function at the Issru grain market, halka in charge, Khanna, Ranjit Singh Talwandi. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Khanna, Harsh Kumar Bansal, said all arrangements have been completed.

“Traffic diversions have been imposed to prevent chaos. Also, security has been strengthened in view of the visit of high profile leaders of various parties,” he said.

Around 1,200 police personnel from other districts besides 700 from Khanna police district have been deployed in and around Issru, said Bansal.

The Congress, too, will organise a conference. Senior leaders, however, will give it a miss, as they are busy with the byelections in the state, said Khanna MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli. The Aam Aadmi Party is also organising a political conference, in which MPs Harinder Singh Khalsa and Bhagwant Maan are expected to take part.

Ludhiana: While the nation is eagerly awaiting the 68th Independence Day celebrations, on its eve, a communication from local MP Ravneet Singh Bittu stated that the country is celebrating 67th Independence Day.

A press release issued on Thursday stated that the MP has “felicitated the people of Punjab on the occasion of the 67th Independence Day”. — TNS

Ludhiana, August 14
By making paintings on the theme of patriotism, children with special needs paid tributes to martyrs and showed their gratitude towards the nation during the Independence Day celebrations at the International Institute of Fashion Technology here today.

The differently abled children from Nirdosh School, Bal Bhawan, Ashirwad, Ek Paryas, Ek Jot and the School for Deaf and Dumb showcased their creativity.

Vidhi, a special child, enthusiastically showed her creation. Another child sitting next to her explained her painting: “I made a scenery. It is having hills, trees and a house.”

Nitika Sharma stood first while Ishmeet Kaur and Kapil grabbed the second and third position respectively. Mandeep Kaur and Sahil Mehta got consolation prizes.

Ludhiana, August 14
The long weekend has brought cheers to government employees, although works of the general public are bound to suffer.

Sandeep Joshi

From August 15 to August 18, all state government departments will be closed, as the two-day weekend is sandwiched between Independence Day and Janamashtami this year. Taking benefit of the long weekend, many employees are planning to go out of town.

A government employee said: “With less staff and more workload, I feel much stressed. Finally, we are getting some holidays in this hot and humid weather.”

Another government official said, “Tomorrow, after the Independence Day function, I plan to go to Kasauli. Staying in the city, I always keep thinking about work.”

Working amid a long stack of files, a female clerk said: “I have to handle the work of three employees. This stressful work is taking its toll on my health. Now, I will be joining back on Wednesday.”

Works of general public bound to suffer

With government offices remaining closed for four days, works of the general public are bound to suffer.

Suresh Kumar, who has to apply for the high-security number plate, said: “Various government offices are already facing staff crunch. So, there should be no holiday on Saturday. On Tuesday, I will have to face long queues of applicants.”

Requesting anonymity, a senior officer said: “The government should provide more manpower in each department. Presently, a single employee has to handle the work of two to three persons. This is the reason that whenever there are consecutive holidays, employees feel more than happy.”

Ludhiana, August 14
Indian Medical Council (IMA), Punjab, in its state council meeting that held today, strongly condemned the incidence of violence and stone pelting at Arora Nursing Home, Ludhiana, on July 23 by relatives of a patient and the Active Anti-corruption Group and their associates.

State president Dr Sudhir Raj referred the matter to the chairman of ‘Assault on Doctors Committee’. A special meeting was held in this regard. Dr Naresh Sud, chairman of ‘Assault on Doctors Committee’, IMA Punjab, chaired the meeting called to take the stock of the situation arising out of this violent incidence and harassment of patients by sitting on dharna in front of the hospital for more than a week.

It was noted that, in spite of a written complaint to the police and various representations by Dr DP Singh Arora and IMA Ludhiana, the Police Commissioner, Ludhiana, has failed to yield any positive result.

IMA Punjab feels that the rising incidents of violence against doctors and hospitals were a matter of serious concern and in spite of the enacting of the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Persons and Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act 2008, the incidences of violence have continued.

IMA Punjab urges the Ludhiana Police Commissioner to book the culprits under the above mentioned Act immediately otherwise IMA Punjab will be forced to go for an agitation to get the law implemented in letter and spirit.

Ludhiana, August 14
The pharmacists working at rural dispensaries are agitated over the partial treatment given to them by the government. Many rural dispensaries are working without pharmacists and the medicines to the people visiting these dispensaries are being distributed by Auxiliary Nurse Mid-Wife (ANMs) and health workers meant for family planning.

Pharmacists have been demanding regularisation of jobs. A member of the Punjab Rural Health Pharmacists Association said the pharmacists appointed in 1,193 rural dispensaries were being given consolidated salary of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,250 per month while the regular pharmacists were getting more than Rs 14,000 as salary besides other allowances and benefits.

There are 107 health pharmacists working at rural dispensaries in Ludhiana district. These pharmacists claim to be getting very low salaries for the past several years. They blamed that despite getting assurances by state government, their demands were not completed.

Pharmacists further alleged that medical officers appointed at the rural dispensaries had virtually made the pharmacists their slaves due to the indifferent attitude of the state government towards them. The services of pharmacists are at the mercy of Medical Officers (MO) and they treat the pharmacists as per their requirements, they alleged.

Pharmacists demand regular appointment under the government with all other benefits at par with the paramedical staff of the Health Department.

Ludhiana, August 14
The Namdhari Panthak Ekta Committee’s hunger strike entered the 14th day today.

Seven devotees, who replaced the fasting protesters three days ago, are sitting on hunger strike outside the Mini-Secretariat. Members of the Namdhari Panthak Ekta Committee said a large number of devotees wanted to join them.

Suba Darshan Singh, president of the committee, alleged that Sant Jagtar Singh, one of the organisers at Bhaini Sahib (headquarter of the Namdhari sect), visited the Deputy Commisioner’s office but did not pay attention to the devotees of the sect.

The president of the committee alleged that Sant Jagtar Singh exposed that he was concerned for the property of sect and not the devotees of sect.

Ludhiana, August 14
Close on the heels of the state BJP chief, Kamal Sharma, expressing disagreement with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal over the mandate and scope of a six-member panel, senior BJP leader and panel member Prof Rajinder Bhandari said the main objective of the panel was to act as a bridge between the public and the state government. Earlier, the CM had stated that the panel had been constituted to “further streamline day-to-day functioning and strengthen cooperation between the alliance partners”.

Bhandari said the panel members would meet the public and leaders from various institutions and fields, including trade, industry and agriculture. “We will identify contentious issues. Besides, issues such as property tax, sand and gravel prices that came up during the Lok Sabha polls will be discussed.”

He said the panel would also work for strengthening cooperation between the alliance partners as desired by the Akali Dal supremo, Parkash Singh Badal. Bhandari added: “The panel’s endeavour will be to complete the assigned tasks within the stipulated time-frame.”

Machhiwara, August 14
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal said he would raise the issue of racist attacks on Sikhs in different countries in the proposed meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures to be held in the USA on August 19. He gave this information while talking to mediapersons at Machhiwara.

Atwal said he would participate from the Indian side and would raise some other issues and would demand strong steps to control the racist attacks for the safety of Sikhs. He gave information that the representatives of several countries will participate in this meeting to be held in Minnesota, the US, and will discuss several other issues including the betterment of education sector, traffic and energy and some other problems being faced by people of the several countries.

Ludhiana, August 14
Anurag Aggarwal, State Transport Commissioner, Punjab, today visited offices related to District Transport Office, Ludhiana. The officer visited these offices to have a ground assessment of staff shortage, infrastructure shortage, etc in the District Transport Offices of Ludhiana.

DC Rajat Aggarwal said, “District Transport Officer Anil Garg has already brought into his notice that there is acute shortage of staff. The DTO has to daily sign as many as 2,000 documents but he has only 4 employees under him. Similarly, the government approved agency which authorised to issue High Security Registration plates also have very less number of employees and more work to do. The work load is increasing day by day and the staff is decreasing. So, to know ground assessment of all this, Anurag Aggarwal visited the offices.” — TNS

Ludhiana, August 14
A senior extension specialist (Plant Pathology) of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Dr Chander Mohan has assumed the charge of additional director communication. He joined the University in 1984 as assistant plant pathologist and became plant pathologist in 1997 and senior plant pathologist in 2005.

Sourabh Srivastava, vice-president, sales at Fiat Chrusler India, said, “We are strengthening our product portfolio in India with cars that are designed and engineered keeping Indian conditions and need in mind.” — TNS

Ludhiana, August 14
A Class IV employee of a government school was arrested for attacking the school principal and staff here today.

The accused has been identified as Kulwant Singh, who was deputed as the watchman by the Parents Teachers Association at same school a few years ago and was living in a room allotted to him in the old building of the school.

According to the information, on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court the school authorities at Government Senior Secondary School, Gobind Nagar, have been demolishing the old building of the school.

When the labourers, started demolishing a wall of the old building, the accused started pelting stones on the school staff, who were present there for inspection of work.

According to the complainant staff, the accused ill-treated and abused them. The principal lodged a complaint at Division No. 8 police station in this regard. The accused managed to flee before the police reached on the spot.

The police have registered a case for interruption in government’s working against the alleged accused. Later, the police arrested him from the Gobind Nagar area late evening.

SHO, Division No. 8, Sukhdeep Singh said the accused was in the police custody. A case has been registered against him and we are investigating the matter, the SHO said.

Jagraon, August 14
A youth was electrocuted at Gorsian Makhan village near Sidhwan Bet. The deceased, identified as Inderpal Singh (25), was employed with Tata Garryson Motors, Ludhiana.

Inderpal’s neighbours called the police saying foul smell was emanating from his house. Following this, the police reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem. As per the autopsy report, the youth died due to electrocution. Investigating officer ASI Jagga Singh said the youth might have died three-four days ago.

A case under Section 174 of the CRPC has been registered.

Ludhiana: Nearly 200 students took part in a cross-country race organised by Desh Bhagat University. University Registrar Dr Virinder Singh flagged off the race.

Among boys, Ankush Rahar came first, while among girls, Lakhwinder stood first. — TNS