4 booked for firing at student leader
Amritsar, September 23
Dejected by his election as the president of ITI institute, several of Joravar Singh’s fellow mates and their supporters allegedly opened fire at him during a scuffle between the two groups at Ajnala yesterday and later fled from the spot.

Amritsar, September 23
Suspended Municipal and Town Planner (MTP) Des Raj today levelled charges against Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, claiming that the Minister’s nephew, Amandeep Aerry, who is also the MC councillor from Ward No. 8, was favoured by the authorities in the allotment of a petrol pump site in the city, thereby denting the state exchequer.

He also alleged that defying the Municipal Corporation Act norms, vehicles of the MC were also procuring fuel from this pump, namely Dabur Filling Station on plot no. 8 in the Damgunj area, Amritsar, under the TP scheme No. 11.

Incidentally, it was Joshi who had suspended Des Raj on graft charges.

Despite repeated attempts, Joshi could not be contacted.

On the other hand, defying all allegations Aerry said all allegations were frivolous as neither he nor any member of his family owned the said petrol pump. “The Indian Oil agency was allotted originally in the name of Sakshi Arora and Tanuj Arora, who owned land measuring around 1,100 sq yard. But the petrol pump agency was later transferred in the name of Ashish Mahajan. I have nothing to do with it. It is true, however, that I and members of my family owned a portion of the land, which was just adjacent to this petrol pump. That plot, too, was later sold off. Other allegations, too, stand null and void, when I or any of my family members never owned the said petrol pump,” he said.

Aerry said that Des Raj was suspended on the allegations of demanding a bribe to the tune of Rs 30,000 from one of my relatives to facilitate official processing of a property. “Due to this, Des Raj was put under suspension. His allegations sprung out of frustration only,” he said.

Nonetheless, showing the land-deed documents, Des Raj claimed that the petrol pump, which was originally allotted in the name of Sakhi Arora and Tanuj Arora, daughter and son of Raj Arora, was owned by the Aerry family only. The licence for the petrol pump was granted exclusively for two and three-wheeler vehicles only, under the Public Liability Insurance Act 1991, on lease till 2035.

Des Raj claimed that this property, at present, is in the name of Joshi’s nephew, Amandeep Aerry’s wife, Mitika, his brother Vikramdeep Aerry’s wife, Neha, and their business partner, Ravi Gupta.

He also alleged that the property which commands a commercial market value of around Rs 23,000 per sq yard amounting to around Rs 4 crore, was grabbed by Aerry family for just Rs 9.69 lakh.

“This petrol pump was set up on a residential plot which was converted for commercial use. Breaking all norms, Aerry and his partners had furnished registration fee of Rs 2,350 per square yard, according to the domestic rate. Three cheques of Rs 3.23 lakh each were deposited with the MC, whereas it was a commercial site with petrol pump and had to be registered, according to the commercial rate of Rs 23,000 per square yard,” he said.

Further, the Municipal Act 1976 clearly says that no employee of the MC or councillor can be partner in any kind of business accords directly or indirectly with the MC, but this petrol pump site catered to the MC vehicles.

“A resolution to this effect was passed in the MC House that the fuel for the MC vehicles will be arranged through private fuel pumps. Here, Aerry’s pump was engaged for the purpose,” said Des Raj. 

Amritsar, September 23
In a new development, the Civil Lines police has registered a fresh case against Prabhjit Singh Rataul, a BJP councillor, under the IT Act for putting advocate Vineet Mahajan’s photo along with his son’s on Facebook, allegedly to create a sense of fear.

Rataul, a confidant of Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, is in the jail since May 31in judicial custody for brutally assaulting Vineet and his brother Aneesh, along with nine others with sharp-edged weapons on May 10 at around 4 pm on the Batala road.

Meanwhile, the bail plea of Rataul, was once again rejected by the Punjab and Haryana High Court during a hearing today.

Rataul was booked under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) while others were booked on charges of attempt to murder. In his statement to the police, Mahajan had claimed that he recognised Rataul among his attackers.

In his FIR, he had categorically named Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi while alleging that the attack was carried out at his behest. The police had booked Rataul along along with nine others in the case.

SHO of Civil Lines police station Sukhwinder Singh said a case under section 66-D of the IT Act 2000 had been registered against Rataul. “The case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Vineet Mahajan that Rataul had put his (Mahajan’s) picture on his Facebook account without his consent a few months ago. The matter is under investigation,” he said.

Vineet Mahajan said a complaint was submitted to the Police Commissioner after he discovered that his picture along with his minor son’s was put on Facebook through Rataul’s account.

“This move was attempted to create a sense of terror, so that we may be discouraged to withdraw all cases registered against Joshi. I wonder how Rataul, who is under constant vigil, had access to his Facebook account. It could be through some mobile phone. It also pointed towards the lax attitude of the authorities,” he said

City-based advocates Vineet and Sandeep Gorsi had unearthed the dual vote scam pertaining to Minister Joshi and members of his family. They were allegedly having votes made in their names in Amritsar and Tarn Taran as well. The case is still under progress in the district court.

Gorsi said that they, too, had received threatening and anonymous letters often. “The contents of these letters showed that the senders knew about the particulars of our family members, especially the children. In a way, all these attempts were made to discourage us from proceeding in the Joshi case further. We have brought it to the notice of the Police Commissioner as well,” he said. 

Amritsar, September 23
The internal tussle between the Akalis and the BJP has delayed the notification of the NOC for the sale and purchase of residential/commercial properties, alleged Congress leader GS Aujala.

In a press note issued here, he said the NOC for the sale and purchase of residential and commercial properties had become the key to business in Punjab. However, the internal tussle between the Akalis and the BJP had dashed the hopes of the residents and the traders. The Cabinet had approved the issuing of the NOCs over a month ago, but due to petty politics indulged in by an Amritsar-based BJP leader, the Badals had imposed a dictatorial ban on the notification.

Trading of land had become one of the most flourishing trades in Punjab for decades, but due to the self- styled progressive reign of the Badals, the traders were forced to commit suicide under a huge burden of debt.

“The personal rivalry between the SAD elite and the BJP leader arose when the BJP leader put up hoardings in the city, claiming the entire credit for the passing of the NOC issue in the Cabinet and didn’t highlight even a single Akali leader. As a result, publicity-hungry Akalis tightened the noose around the neck of the traders and the businessmen and held back the notification,” Aujla said.

He said that SAD-BJP combine had become a “calamity” for Punjab in the nature of the J&K calamity. Badal’s dictatorial policy had proved to be a “havoc” for Punjab and Punjabis, similarly.

He demanded that the SAD-BJP combine must forget their tussle now and provide relief to Punjabis by implementing the notification of the NOC; otherwise the Congress would be forced to launch statewide protests and agitations, beginning from Amritsar.

Amritsar, September 23
The agricultural produce from farms has started arriving in local markets, but the government agencies have not yet started the procurement process. This has forced farmers to sell their crop at lower prices to private players.

Farmers stated that private players were offering less than the minimum support price (MSP) announced by the government. “When the crop has been harvested, most farmers do not have resources to store it till the agencies become active. Farmers have to sell it at any cost,” said Balkar Singh of Attari.

Private players are reportedly buying rice varieties at Rs 1,200 to1,250 per quintal against the MSP of Rs 1,400 announced by the government. The farmers said the delay in beginning of procurement would result in loss to them.

Officials of the Mandi Board said the procurement process in all markets in the district would begin after October 1. As the farmers have started bringing rice and basmati varieties to the markets, they are at the mercy of private players.

The basmati variety 1509, which started arriving in local markets is also fetching a lower price this year. The price offered for this variety hovers around Rs 2,200 to 2,400 per quintal. However, during the last paddy season, farmers had managed to sell it for over Rs 3,000 per quintal.

A visit to various grain markets around the city showed that most of them did not have adequate facilities to help farmers. Farmers had stocked their produce under the open sky at the grain market in Attari as the place does not have any shed.

The farmers complained that Mandi Board officials too were not available as they would come only after government procurement agencies became active. 

Amritsar, September 23
Dejected by his election as the president of ITI institute, several of Joravar Singh’s fellow mates and their supporters allegedly opened fire at him during a scuffle between the two groups at Ajnala yesterday and later fled from the spot.

The victim identified as Joravar Singh received minor injuries. The Ajnala police has identified some of the accused and booked them under Sections 307, 148 and 149, IPC, and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. They are Arshdeep Singh, Raminder Singh, Bhupinder Singh and several others.

The victim’s brother, Jagatpreet Singh of Sudhar village, said that yesterday at around 11.30 am, the accused entered into arguments with his brother and later they opened fire at him before absconding. “My brother was studying in the ITI, Ajnala. During elections, he was chosen as president of the union. Out of jealousy, the accused entered into an altercation with him near the institute at Ajnala. Later, they fired three shots, which led to injuries on his toes,” he said.

The investigating officer, Baljit Singh, said a search was on to arrest the culprits, some of whom were Joravar Singh’s classmates. 

Amritsar, September 23
Adding glamour to something that is traditional and almost forgotten, fashion-designing students in the city are transforming local weaves into ramp collections. A bunch of students from the INIFD — all preparing to participate in the competitive categories of Lakme Fashion Week’s spring/summer 2015 edition — are proud of the fact.

Believing that the traditional works better when jazzed up with innovation, the young fashion designers have come up with 14 concepts, high on fusion. Working with local weavers in ‘aari’ or Indian zardozi work, blocks, tie n dye, dari and nala work, the designers have infused life into the struggling hand weaves. Srishti Sareen, one of the designers in-learning, has come up with a concept that uses a lot of mirror work and ‘aari’ work. “I am working on resort wear, with light fabrics and cool colours, embellished with mirror work and traditional motifs. I am using the mirror work for belts, strings, neck pieces and clutches as well,” says she.

Another young designer, Nikita Kapoor, working on a concept of tribal and gypsy art, has used a lot of blocks and dyes. “The concepts have to work on both the levels — aesthetics and economy. Working with local weavers is economical as we save on labour expenses. Also, it helps their skill to get noticed,” she says.

Traditional weaves have always found a creative space on ramp, some designers cashing in on the USP of workmanship. But the city has very limited fashion market, which makes sourcing difficult for the fashion- designing students. “Though we have a huge wholesale market for fabrics and readymade garments, sourcing raw material is a big problem. Either one has to travel to Delhi or Ludhiana to get the tiniest of things required to finish working on a concept,” said Minika Arora, who is working to infuse plastic and appliqué work in her designs.

Though the available options in the market offer nothing new, says Minika, working on their own designs with weavers help increase the market for them as well as the budding designers.

The students even work on learning a few techniques of making natural dyes and colours to create a riot of colourful clothes. “Weavers are highly skilled and working with them makes it an interesting, live experience,” says Srishti. Neelu Malik Gauri, head, INIFD, Amritsar, says, “We encourage our students to work with local weavers as it helps them understand the market and establish a local network of their own.”

As for their designs, their concepts offer futuristic fashion based on what’s trendy. Plastics as statement dresses, pastels pushing out neons and abstract art with tribal elements seem to be the fashion forecast for the coming year. 

Amritsar, September 23
Although gynaecologists at Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital are getting incentives for conducting caesarean surgeries under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), their counterparts at Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Care Centre of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here are not getting any benefits.

Under the National Rural Heath Mission, gynaecologists performing more than 15 caesarean surgeries while they are off duty are getting an incentive of Rs 1,000 per surgery. Gynaecologists at Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Care Centre too perform on-call emergency duties, but they do not get any such incentives.

These gynaecologists at Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Care Centre said both the hospitals were providing same facility to patients under the same scheme and so there should be no disparity while giving any incentives to doctors.

“We are doing the same duties as performed by the doctors at the Civil Hospital. Even patients are getting the same monetary benefits and free medicines, but when it comes to doctors, the National Rural Heath Mission does not provide incentives to us,” said a gynaecologist.

The gynaecologists said they had to attend each and every emergency call ethically as well as by law. “Sometimes a gynaecologist has to work all through the night even when the duty hours are over. So there should not be disparity in incentives,” said another gynaecologist.

Senior officials of the department said incentives to doctors were given as per the guidelines laid under the NRHM, which was not in their preview. “It is true that gynaecologists at Bebe Nanki Centre are not getting the same incentives. But the issue is concerned with the policy and not with administration,” said a local health official. 

Amritsar, September 23
The recent flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir have delayed the supply of saffron and walnuts in the city’s wholesale market. President of the Indo Foreign Chamber of Commerce BK Bajaj said prices of these products were likely to go up this season. He said a kilogram of walnut kernel, which was available between Rs 900 to Rs 1,000 last season was now being sold at Rs 1,400 in the retail market. He said the prices were likely to go up in October when fresh supplies were expected to start.

Presently, saffron is being sold at Rs 1.25 lakh per kg in the local market. A small number of traders dealing in the costly product said they anticipated prices to go up when fresh supply starts this season.

Notably, September is the month when supply of these products is received from the Valley, which is not expected to commence in mid October.

Local traders said ravaging floods in the Valley had hit the crop, damaged infrastructure and processing industry. They said processing units for walnuts were situated in the Valley and Jammu.

Presently, the stocks of these products have been exhausted in the wholesale market and were needed to be replenished when the natural calamity struck.

Though local market receives other dry fruits directly from Central Asia and Afghanistan via Attari-Wagah land route, it primarily depends on Kashmir for the supply of saffron and walnut. 

Amritsar, September 23
The Health Department administered polio drops to 1,14,365 children below 5 years during the three-day polio drive, which concluded here today. District immunisation officer, Dr Jaspal Kaur, said health teams visited 1,77,996 houses during the drive.

The department had earlier identified 1,15,255 children aged below five years for immunisation. A total of 663 teams constituted for the drive were managed by 128 supervisors.

Dr Jaspal Kaur said the country had already been declared a polio-free nation by the World Health Organisation. “Though no case of polio has been reported for a long time, still it is necessary for the people to get their children immunised against the virus,” she added. She said during the migratory round, the teams had focused on families living on factory premises, brick kilns, farm houses and slums. 

Amritsar, September 23
A three-day Zonal Youth Festival of educational colleges affiliated with Guru Nanak Dev University was inaugurated here today at Dashmesh Auditorium. As many as 400 students-artistes are participating in the 15 items of music, theatre, dance, literary and fine arts. This festival will conclude on Thurday.

Dr Saravjit Kaur Brar inaugurated the festival by lighting a candle. Dr Anish Dua from the Department of Zoology and Professor, in charge (PR), was the guest of honour on the occasion. Dr Jagjit Kaur, director, youth welfare, welcomed the chief guest and student-artistes. She gave details of the activities of the youth festival.

Dr Brar said the scholastic and co-scholastic activities were equally important for a balanced and complete personality development. Students should participate more and more in such activities, she added. She lauded the rendering of shabads and bhajans by students in the morning today. Young participants sang shabads from Gurbani and Meera bhajans which filled the atmosphere with serenity, calmness and devotion.

While addressing students Prof Dua highlighted the importance of music and art and the way it influenced one’s conduct and behaviour.

Dr Jagjit Kaur also honoured Dr Brar and Prof Dua with mementos. The festival started with the rendering of shabads/ bhajans by students followed by group song (Indian), folk song, geet/ghazal and fine arts events.

The competitions for costume exhibition, skit, mimicry, poetical symposium, rangoli and phulkari will be held on Wednesday. Quiz, competition in giddha and debate will be held on Thursday, the last day of the youth festival.

Amritsar, September 23
The Punjab Students Federation and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujwan Sabha demanded uniform education, health and employment opportunities for youth in the state. Members of both the organisations submitted a memorandum addressed to the SAD-BJP coalition government in this regard at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today.

An association member, Baldev Singh Pandori, said redressal of these grievances would wean youth away from drugs. He said free education must be offered up to graduation, commercialisation of education should end, unemployment allowance must be given as per qualification, ability of candidates.—TNS 

Amritsar, September 23
A 21-day interaction programme for PhD scholars concluded at Academic Staff College of Guru Nanak Dev University here yesterday. As many as 29 research scholars from various departments of the university participated in the programme.

Registrar, Prof Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, was the chief guest on the occasion. In his valedictory address Prof Dhillon advised budding social scientists to realise their potential fully and engage themselves in carrying out authentic, genuine research, which was the need of the hour. He also interacted with the participants informally and answered their queries.

He exhorted young research scholars to put their heart and soul into their research work without bothering about the various administrative, financial constraints.

The programme coordinator, Prof Gurpreet Bal, from Department of Sociology, gave a brief account of the activities undertaken during three weeks of the course. She said the course must have given a new impetus to the ongoing research. She also discussed various challenges and issues faced by social scientists in the present era.

Prof Avinash Nagpal, director, Academic Staff College, felicitated research scholars on the successful completion of the programme. “I hope that the course might have rekindled their urge to excel in their respective field of research,” he said.

The participants also showed gratitude towards Academic Staff College for its endeavour. They said the programme had enhanced their knowledge considerably regarding the various research methodologies.

Earlier, Prof Avinash Kaur Nagpal and Prof Gurpreet Bal welcomed the chief guest. Certificates were given to the participants at the end of the programme. Dr Mohan Kumar formally proposed a vote of thanks.

Amritsar, September 23
The Amritsar traffic police has identified four vital spots to decongest these to smoothen the flow of vehicles.These spots are outside bus stand, Hall Gate, railway station and Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Shaheed.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Police (traffic) Dhruman Nimbale said, “According to our plan neither auto-rickshaw nor paddle rickshaw will be allowed to stand at these spots.” He said maximum public complaints regarding traffic problems were received for these spots.

It was the duty of the Municipal Corporation to designate places for parking of autos and rickshaws, he added. The traffic policemen would not allow these vehicles to be parked on roadside, he said.

The ADCP held a meeting today with shopkeepers running their business establishments from Hall Gate to the Golden Temple and then back to Sikandari Gate over decongesting these roads. He said parking of vehicles and encroachments were two biggest hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic.

The shopkeepers have suggested five to six spots, which could be utilised for parking of vehicles. Nimbale said utilisation of these spots as parking lots would be discussed with Municipal Corporation Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal and Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat.

On removal of encroachments on these roads, which had prominent business and trade markets, he said, a traffic policeman on a bike would be assigned the task of identifying encroachments. The policeman would announce removal of encroachment on the public address system mounted on the bike. In the course of his duty if he found the encroachment to be permanent in nature then a case under relevant sections would be filed against violators.

Meanwhile, no action has been taken on private buses which are regularly parked on the stretch between Hall Gate to Bhandari Bridge. A majority of private buses plying on the Amritsar-Chandigarh route pick up and drop off passengers near Hall Gate. Buses which ferry passengers to Delhi are parked daily outside the railway station in the evening.

Amritsar, September 23
The Amritsar Improvement Trust today demolished the building of Pracheen Bhairon Nath Temple and its eight shops while leaving the sanctum sanctorum untouched.

The trust took over the possession of the temple on June 11 and demolished a part of its building. However, temple caretaker Mahant Yogi Shiv Nath and his followers were resisting the demolition of the remaining portion of the building.

Improvement Trust Superintending Engineer Bharat Bhushan Sharma said the trust had sold off all structures, including the building of the temple, to a contractor for Rs 35 lakh. The contractor had been complaining to the trust that some people were not allowing him to pull down the remaining building for the past over two months.

Sharma said with the demolition of the structure, acquisition, possession and demolition of structures under the third phase of the Durgiana beautification scheme would be finished. He added that the Bhairon Nath temple would be part of the main Durgiana temple and devotees could easily visit it.

He said that the government had given an award of Rs 4.75 crore in lieu of the land to the Bhairo Nath temple management.

The third phase of the project envisaged beautification of the surroundings of the temple, widening of the approach road to the temple and buiding of an open-air theatre and an auditorium there. — TNS