Burnt woman dies, kin allege police inaction, block Majitha road
Amritsar, September 12
A 20-year-old married woman died of burn injuries she had sustained after her in-laws allegedly set her ablaze early this month at Bal Kalan village. She had received 80 per cent burns on September 1 and was under treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. Two days ago, she was shifted to a private clinic.

J&K floods endanger returns on merchandise worth crores of rupees
Amritsar, September 12
Devastating floods in the Kashmir Valley have endangered return of merchandise amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees of the city-based businessmen, manufacturers and traders.

Amritsar, September 12
Though the state government is yet to spare a thought about the flood-hit people in Jammu and Kashmir, a city-based NGO has set the ball rolling by collecting relief material for the flood-stricken people of the Valley.

Around 36 articles, which included ready to eat food and other items of daily use, were arranged out of resources. The material was today dispatched in Army trucks up to Jammu and from there, it would be air- lifted to the crisis-hit places in Kashmir.

Despite the regular relief material, according to the Army feedback, the NGO, Khudai Khidmatgaran, had spared special thought for women and children, who have been stranded in different pockets of the Valley with scant resources.

President of the Khudai Khidmatgaran, Parkash Singh Bhatti, said that young girls and women, around 2,400 packet of sanitary napkins, 2,400 pieces of panties, pain-killers, sterilised cotton in small packings and long clothes cut into pieces had been sent for their convenience during such a calamity.

Similarly, baby feed for children like dry milk and condensed milk, clothing, small blankets, sweaters, too, were arranged, weighing around 1 quintal. Apart from this, five quintal each of biscuits and rusks were sent.

For the aged, soft food was sent which included oats, cooked dalia, cornflakes, sweetened semi-solid food articles and around 1,000 packets of glucose powder.

Bhatti’s family members, too, participated in the mission. His NRI children, who included his son, Vikram, and daughters, Sonal and Kanwalpreet, had sent US $1000 each for this noble cause.

“All the missionaries of the Khudai Khidmatgaran were alerted three days ago and were asked to find out means and resources to collect relief material for the flood-stricken people in the Valley, including sugar and soaps of all types,” he said.

Within three days, two truckloads of articles were collected and the Army authorities were requested to transport them to the designated places.

“We were in touch with the Army officials who gave us feedback about the articles that were required. We were told that mosquito repellents were required, so we have sent 200 tubes of Odomos. Similarly, around 6,000 candles and some matchboxes, too, were sent in the consignment. Besides ready-to-eat food articles, we specifically got prepared ‘mathis’, three quintals of namkeen, two quintals of roasted grams and also procured one tonne of sugar,” he said.

The chief contributors to the consignment included Dr Daljit Singh, Sudha Bhandari, Dr US Dhaliwal, Kusum Bhatti, Dilbagh Singh, Harjinder Singh, Ajay Kumar and Dr Narinder Kaur. 

Amritsar, September 12
Sukhraj Singh, (20), who worked as a conductor in a mini-bus, was brutally killed by three unidentified persons near Behalwal village, falling under the Lopoke police station, in the Amritsar rural police area here late last night.

He along with Rajinder Singh, who is the driver of same bus, was returning home on a motorcycle after duty hours. Rajinder Singh had a narrow escape. He saved himself by running away from the spot. Though the accused chased him also, they failed to do so and Rajinder Singh managed to escape from the spot.

He stated to the police that they were returning home in Kohala village. He said three motorcycle-borne accused came from behind and hit Sukhraj, who was riding pillion, with a hockey. Another youth riding with the group inflicted sharp-edged weapon injuries on Sukhraj Singh, which led to his instant death.

Harminder Singh, SHO, Lopoke police station, said a case had been registered against unidentified persons and further investigations were under progress.

Amritsar, September 12
Four persons were killed when their car turned turtle after colliding with a road divider near the Jandiala-Tarn Taran bypass on National Highway-1.

The victims were coming to Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport, Rajasansi, from Jalandhar. While two of them were killed on the spot, the remaining two persons succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

Those killed were identified as Gurwinder Singh (24), his brother, Amarbir Singh (21), their father, Jasbir Singh, and Amarbir’s friend, identified as Charanjit Singh, all residents of Nawa Pind Jatta village, Jalandhar.

The police authorities said that the victims were coming to drop Gurwinder Singh, who was going to a foreign country. The incident occurred around 11.30 pm.

Amandeep Kaur, DSP, Jandiala, said that according to a preliminary probe, speeding was the cause behind the accident. It seemed that the car was being driven at around 130 kmph.

“It caught fire. However, the police team present at a nearby naka strived hard to douse the fire and later took out the bodies by breaking open the doors,” she said.

Amritsar, September 12
A 20-year-old married woman died of burn injuries she had sustained after her in-laws allegedly set her ablaze early this month at Bal Kalan village. She had received 80 per cent burns on September 1 and was under treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. Two days ago, she was shifted to a private clinic.

Her husband, Gopi, already in police custody, reportedly had illicit relations with his sister-in-law, which led to discord in the family.

Alleging police inaction, the kin of the victim, Jyoti, today blocked the Majitha road, outside the post-mortem centre, for around half an hour with her body placed on the road and ceased their protest only after the intervention of DSP (Attari) Daljit Singh.

Thereafter, the body was cremated this evening.

Sarmel Singh, father of the victim, alleged that the police had been defending the culprits, including his son-in-law, the latter’s mother Rani, father Chanan, brother Niku besides his sister-in-law, Sharanjit Kaur, with whom, they alleged, Gopi had illicit relations.

“It’s been over 10 days when the complaint was submitted with the Kamoh police, but no action has been taken against the accused, though Gopi, the main accused, was caught by us and handed over to the police. The rest of the accused have been roaming freely,” he said.

Gurdev Singh, brother-in-law of the victim, said he himself had helped the police in catching Gopi. He had been visiting his sister-in-law at a rented accommodation near a locality at the backside of the Escorts hospital.

“This house, too, was hired by Gopi. His illicit relations with his sister-in-law led to arguments between the husband and the wife. On September 1, when he returned home after spending two days out, a quarrel broke out between them,” he said.

“It was at around 9 pm the same day that Gopi and his parents, under a conspiracy, killed Jyoti by setting her on fire. We had lodged a complaint with the Heir Kamoh police station, but no action was taken by the police,” he alleged.

The SHO of Kamoh police station, Inspector Sukhdev Singh, denied any lapse on the part the of the police.

“We have lodged a case under Section 302, IPC, against the in-laws of the victim,” he said. 

Amritsar, September 12
Devastating floods in the Kashmir Valley have endangered return of merchandise amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees of the city-based businessmen, manufacturers and traders.

For centuries, the city-based markets have been transporting all kinds of material, including textiles, tweeds, blankets, hosiery goods, fruit, vegetables, mutton, chicken, spices, medicines, hardware and other items to Jammu and Kashmir.

Rough estimates from various business organisations suggest that roughly about Rs 500 crore worth of material of the traders of the city had been sent to the Kashmir Valley. Though individual traders refused to give details of their transactions, they hoped that the situation would turn normal once again and they may receive their returns on their investments subsequently.

A textile manufacturer and trader, on condition of anonymity, said textile items worth about Rs 25 crore were sent to the valley. He said his family was waiting with bated breath the turn of events and praying to the Almighty that the situation returned to normal.

Shawl Club of India president PL Seth said there was an estimated loss of about Rs 100-crore business to the local shawl industry. He added that shawls worth this amount were sold off to the markets of Jammu and Kashmir during this season every year. He said there was no hope for the sale to resume this year as the flood water was receding at a slow pace in the Valley due to its distinct geographical shape.

Many wholesale markets located in the walled city have been traditionally supplying material to the Valley. Apart from its advantageous geographical location, the city is well connected by train, bus and by air to the Kashmir Valley. The inhabitants of the Valley traditionally depend on the holy city to replenish their merchandise.

Focal Point Industries Welfare Association president Kamal Dalmia said the loss suffered by the local business community was immense. “In case of failure of returns, many of them may face a financial crunch.” He said business ties between the local traders with their counterparts in the Valley were centuries old. 

Amritsar, September 12
Opening a weekend of art experience for the city enthusiasts, the Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA) today inaugurated an exhibition of 21 top artists from all over Punjab. Exhibiting paintings and works of the artists, the three-day event started off with a good footfall.

The paintings had themes based on diverse subjects, including the landscape, subject paintings, portraits and countryside life, depicting every day life to abstract art. IAFA president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, who inaugurated the exhibition, said the IAFA always aspired to foster, cultivate and promote art in the region and the event organised today was a part of this programme.

He said they provided a platform to different artists from all over the country to showcase their creations to the people of this

The exhibition is being arranged by the ANNEX Art Group in collaboration with the IAFA. An artist and the organiser of the group, Avinash Gaget, said more than 30 fine-art works were on display and the exhibition was aimed to promote the budding artists of Punjab among their own fraternity. ``There is a lot of innovative work being tried out as upcoming artists are giving art a new tangent,” he said, adding that on the first day they had got an overwhelming response.

During the inauguration, members of the art gallery, including Mohinderjit Singh, chairman, IAFA, Dr PS Grover, gen secretary, artist and sculptor Shivdev Singh, vice-president Narinder Singh, and many local artists and art lovers were present.

Amritsar, September 12
Two rival groups that reached an agreement over the ancient Ram Tirath temple controversy recently, today entered a minor scuffle over keeping a donation box at one of structures, Seeta Mata hut, on the premises of the disputed land.

Family members of Mahant Baldev Giri alleged that Mahant Balwant Nath, Kashmir Nath, Mukhtar Nath, Jassa, all disciples of Mahant Malkeet Nath, entered into a brawl with them after they tried to keep a donation box near the Seeta Mata hut where Luv and Kush were born. The structure is located on the premises of the Paathshala, adjoining Dhuna Sahib.

Mahant Baldev Giri had claimed that according to the compromise reached between both the groups and Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath (Ram Tirath) Vikas Board, the hut belonged to them. Jagtar, a relative of Mahant Baldev Giri said that according to the agreement, Dhuna Sahib was in possession of the board while the opposite group had deputed its men at the disputed shrine.

However, the opposite group, headed by Mahant Malkeet Nath, objected to this. This particular portion is in their occupation and they would not allow keeping of the donation box here by the Mahant Baldev Giri faction, he said. This led to creation of an unsavoury atmosphere on the temple premises. The police present in the Parikarma of the temple immediately reached the spot and intervened.

It has already deputed over 100 policemen in the Ram Tirath complex for security purpose and in order to meet any eventuality.

Jagatpreet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rajasansi, said that it was a minor scuffle and was resolved with immediate intervention by the police. He said the Seeta Mata Nivas Sathan was still a disputed site and the matter would be resolved soon.

He said for the time being, they had asked both the groups to maintain peace and restrain from any violence that may create a law and order problem. Mahant Baldev Giri, on the other hand, has demanded deployment of the Border Security Force on a permanent basis for several months to avoid such conflicts

Amritsar, September 12
The Punjab government has received a financial grant of around Rs 53 lakh from the Centre for setting up a physiotherapy unit at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here. The state government has asked the Government Medical College (GMC) authorities to send a proposal regarding the staff and machinery required for the new unit. According to reports, the Principal of the GMC has sent the requirement to the state government in this connection.

Sources at the GMC said they had proposed to create posts of assistant professor, resident doctor and qualified physiotherapist for the new physiotherapy centre. “If everything goes as per the plans, the physiotherapy centre will be established at the ground floor of the new building housing the office of Medical Superintendent of the hospital at present,” said the sources.

The sources claimed that setting up of physiotherapy centre would prove a boon for the hospital and patients with various orthopaedic problems. At present, patients visited private centres, where they paid exorbitant charges for the treatment.

Meanwhile, the hospital authorities are also contemplating to shift the Orthopaedic’s Outdoor Patient Department (OPD) to the ground floor. At present it is located on the first floor of the GNDH. Orthopaedic patients face a lot of problems as they have to climb stairs in order to reach the OPD on the first floor. There is no arrangement of lift in the building.

A patient with a spine problem, Rani, said she had to struggle to reach the OPD as it was difficult even to walk due to spine problem. Climbing stairs was an uphill task. She said it seemed the hospital authorities did not spare a thought for the orthopaedic patients while establishing an OPD on the first floor.

A doctor preferring anonymity said around 25 per cent of the patients arriving at the OPD faced similar problem. Some of them even had to go to ground floor again if he/she needed an X-ray examination.

In the recent arrangements, the GMC and the GNDH authorities are planning to shift the OPD where the present X-ray department is located. The X-ray unit will be shifted to the new building of the hospital. 

Amritsar, September 12
Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal today held a meeting with officials of the Muncipal Town Planning Department, including senior town planner Hemant Batra to discuss reasons behind decreasing revenue and corruption.

The Mayor said the purpose of the meeting was to issue an advisory to officials of the department to make efforts to increase the revenue and take action against the defaulters without fearing any political pressure.

“It is an irony that despite number of buildings coming up in the city and scores of residential complexes being converted to commercial units, the Municipal Town Planning Department has been suffering revenue losses. This implies that some one is hand in glove with the wrong doers. Initiate proceedings as per the law and charge the change of land use (CLU) fee without fearing any political pressure,” he said.

The Mayor warned that officials indulging in corrupt practices would be taken to task. 

Amritsar, September 12
Members of the Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) expressed their condolences for the victims of the natural calamity in Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting here today.

President Charanjit Singh Chadha said the CKD would be donating 1,000 blankets, which had been purchased from Amritsar Swadeshi Mill at the cost of Rs 5 lakh. “These blankets will be dispatched to flood hit people through a special flight. The CKD will keep sending relief packages to Jammu and Kashmir in the form of financial assistance and other relief material,” added Chadha.

He also encouraged Principals of all schools under the CKD Society and other members to extend all possible assistance to victims in this hour of crises. He said, “Two responsible CKD members will be sent to the Valley.”

Resident president Nirmal Singh, honorary secreatry Narinder Singh Khurana, Inderpreet Singh Chadha, Dhanraj Singh, SP Singh Walia, Santokh Singh Sethi, Jaswinder Singh, Surjit Singh, Pritpal Singh Sethi, Sarabjit Singh, Dr Dharamveer Singh, and all Principals of schools functioning under the CKD society were also present on the occasion. 

Amritsar, September 12
A high-powered delegation of the Department of Industry, Promotion and Policy of the Union government, led by its Additional Secretary Shatrughan Singh, visited the holy city to carry out feasibility study of the Amritsar-Kolkatta Industrial Corridor (AKIC) today. Other members of the delegation include Deputy Secretary Gopal Prakash and Director, Industries, Punjab, Raminder Singh.

In today’s interaction with leading local industrialists and entrepreneurs on the scope of giving impetus to Punjab’s economy, the Focal Point Industries Welfare Association president Kamal Dalmia mooted the idea of extending the industrial corridor to the Attari-Wagah Joint Check post.

The UPA government had approved the AKIC project, for boosting the manufacturing sector in the country on January 20 this year. The project was proposed to be developed in a band of 150 to 200 km on either side of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in a phased manner. The project is the second of its kind on the lines of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. It will be spread across 20 cities in seven states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Gunbir Singh, ex-Chairman of the CII, Punjab, said, “The border region of Punjab has given maximum sacrifices during the Independence struggle, wars and militancy. They face a new battle as frustrated youth are taking to drugs due to lack of job opportunities in the state. It is unthinkable therefore to curtail the eastern freight corridor at Ludhiana. The corridors shall define the next generation of development in the country. Its reach to the Wagah border will ensure economic revival along the entire border belt.”

He said the corridor would enable movement of goods across the subcontinent, opening options into CIS and the Asian continent in the future. “It has importance as a defence corridor and shall form the lifeline for the movement of raw materials and commodities throughout the country. Punjab is nation’s granary, which can move its produce through the corridor, whereas the development along the corridor will provide an opportunity for economic revival of the region,” he added.

He said, “Punjab needs this break after all its sacrifices for the country and exodus of business due to decades of subsidies to its surrounding hill states. The shutdown of 18,000 medium and small industries in the state, out of which 8,000 are in the Amritsar belt, needs a renewed thrust to revive.” 

Amritsar, September 12
A special exhibition “Libas-e-Nisha” was held at Guru Nanak Bhawan of Guru Nanak Dev University here today. As many as 150 students participated in the exhibition, which was organised by the Department of Life Long Learning of the university. Deputy Commissioner (income tax), Dr Tarundeep Kaur, inaugurated the exhibition and Dr Saravjit Kaur Brar presided over the function.

Dr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar, Dr RK Majahan, Dean, College Development Council, Baljit Singh Sekhon, former director, Youth Welfare and Satnam Kaur Sekhon, founder director, Adult Education Department, Dr Gurpreet Bal, director hospitality and other faculty members were also present on the education.

Dr Tarundeep Kaur said, “In most sections of our society, girls have been facing huge discrimination and considered as burden.” She exhorted students to work hard, set their goals in life and aim to become self independent. She said, “Our prime concern should be to educate girls for creating a balanced society. Girls should be financially independent for leading a healthy and meaningful life. I think that vocational education here can play a vital role in it.”

Dr Brar said, “Vocational education helps girls in not only supporting their parents, but also live comfortably.”

She congratulated the department for organising the exhibition, which she said would enhance the confidence of students. Apart from the exhibition, a fashion show to showcase costumes made by students was also organised on the occasion.