Jalandhar, September 23
After senior deputy mayor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia raised the issue on inaction on illegal constructions across the city, town planning officials of the Municipal Corporation (MC) today got into a full-fledged action mode by pulling down 11 buildings in various areas here.

A team, led by assistant town planners Ramesh Chhabra, Param Pal Singh and Lakhbir Singh, started action around 9 am which continued till the evening. The team first pulled down two shops which had come up at Central Town without any approval of the building plan.

The team then marched onto Green Park where they razed two commercial buildings which had actually been approved as residential ones. The MC team noted that while the owner Dr Pritpal Singh had got the plan approved for the construction of his two-storeyed house, he had, instead, constructed halls on the three floors for commercial use. The plot had been further divided into two with a small shop coming up at the corner that, too, without permission. The owner kept defending that he had been constructing a house only, but the team refused to accept his arguments.

The team then went to Urban Estate Phase-II, where Congress leader Kamaljit Kaur Multani reportedly tried to thwart the action of the MC team by defending the four owners of illegal shops there. Since the team was not armed with any woman police force, the newly appointed MC Town Planning Department inspector Varinder Kaur confronted her and tried to pacify her till the staff took action.

Jalandhar, September 23
An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) posted at the Subhanpur police station in Kapurthala, Raguvir Singh, was suspended today for allegedly torturing two women of Lakhan Kholey village in the Subhanpur area.

The ASI allegedly tortured the women for extracting information regarding a burglary at the women’s house.

Although villagers alleged that the ASI was suspended by the police because he gave third-degree torture to the women, the police claimed that he was suspended on the complaint of misbehaviour only.

The women who were tortured by the ASI were identified as Jeet Kaur and her mother-in-law Sham Kaur.

After the burglary of over Rs 15 lakh was reported from their house, some kin of the women, suspecting their role in the incident, had filed a complaint at the Subhanpur police station.

Suspecting the role of the women, the police reportedly called them for questioning at the Subhanpur police station.

Former sarpanch of Lakhan Kholey village, Inderjit Kaur, told mediapersons that the ASI who, while questioning the women, started torturing them. ASI Raguvir severely tortured them and even gave them electric shocks. When I, along with villagers, reached the police station, I found the women in a serious state and they were not even able to talk. They were immediately rushed them to a nearby private hospital, where they revealed the ghastly story of the torture,” Kaur added.

After the incident came to the fore, the former sarpanch, along with several villagers, staged a dharna in front of the police and raised anti-police slogans. The villagers demanded the suspension of the ASI.

Acting on the complaint of the villagers, the police suspended the ASI and sent him to the police lines.

DSP, Bhulath, Mukesh Kumar, confirmed that the ASI was suspended after receiving a complaint from the villagers. “We had received a complaint from the villagers that the ASI had misbehaved with them. Considering the allegations to be serious, ASI Raguvir was placed under immediate suspension.

The DSP, however, denied the allegations of electric shocks being given to the women and claimed that the villagers had only levelled allegation of misbehaviour against the policeman.

Jalandhar, September 23
Traffic chaos continues outside the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) here, but the traffic police is apparently doing little in improving the scene at the place.

Despite deploying several traffic cops outside the ISBT, the problem has not seen a permanent solution for the past several months.

Sources said the chaos was prevailing due to the lackadaisical attitude of the traffic police and the Municipal Corporation (MC), Jalandhar. The MC has failed to remove the illegal encroachments outside the ISBT, while the traffic police has kept its eyes shut towards the illegal parking near the bus stand.

Recently, the traffic police had started a campaign to improve the plight of traffic scene outside the ISBT and had deployed special traffic cops. For the initial few days, the traffic situation had improved, but after a few days, traffic plight was back to square one.

Unscheduled stoppage of buses, parking of auto-rickshaws and broken roads are some of the reasons affecting traffic scene outside the ISBT.

Despite the glaring violations by buses and auto-rickshaws, traffic cops hardly bother to challan them.

A traffic cop, deployed outside the ISBT, said many a time, they had issued warnings to buses and auto-rickshaws that they would be challaned if they resorted to unscheduled stoppages or parked vehicles wrongly on road, but nobody listened to them.

Whenever we start challaning auto-rickshaws for wrong parking, auto-rickshaw unions often resort to protest against the police. Until and unless our seniors do not take a strict action against buses and auto-rickshaws or give us more powers, the situation cannot be improved, he added.

Jalandhar, September 23
A major fire incident was averted at a medical laboratory functioning at the basement of a building near the BMC chowk here today.

The fire reportedly broke out due to short circuiting from some machinery installed at Sardana Laboratory. As the news spread, fire extinguishers rushed to the site. Since there was a single small entry and exit point in contravention of the Fire Act at the place, the fire staff had to face a lot of problem in rushing in and taking their equipment along.

While the fire got doused quickly, there was a lot of smoke that gathered in the basement, for which the fire staff had to create a duct at the rear side of the building by doing little breaking for ventilation.

Fire officials, meanwhile, said since residents had been complaining of 101 number remaining engaged, they should also try making emergency calls on other five numbers including 2280344, 2280355, 2455957, 2297617 and 5080501. 

Jalandhar, September 23
With a view to preventing the occurrence of any crime in the city ahead of the festive season, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Naveen Singla, while using his powers vested to him under Section 144 of the CrPC, has issued orders to owners of hotels, motels and guest houses to take identity (ID) proof of every person before renting out rooms at their establishments.

Special directions have been issued to owners of such business establishments that apart from taking identity proof, hotel managers should also record other particulars of the visitor so that the same can be identified if he indulges in any sort of crime during his stay in hotels or guest houses.

The orders were issued today and would remain in effect for two months from the date of issue of the orders.

The DCP said these orders were issued as precautionary measures keeping in view the festive season ahead. Most of the tourists visited the city and hired rooms at city hotels and guest houses during this period, he added.

The DCP said anti-social elements and miscreants often took the benefit of relaxations by managers of hotels, which could create a law and order problem in the city.

As per the orders, if any hotel or guest house would not follow the orders, then legal action would be taken against them.

Jalandhar, September 23
Chartered Secretary R Sridharan, president, Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), today visited DAV College to attend a seminar.

At the seminar, he assured upcoming professionals that the future of this line was very bright in the light of the emerging changes in the corporate culture.

Students and members of the profession were present in a large number and they also participated in an interactive session.

Speaking on the occasion, R Sridharan said the institute would extend support for the growth of the chapter, its members and students.

The ICSI was constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980. It is the only recognised professional body to develop and regulate the profession of company secretaries in India. 

Jalandhar, September 23
As many as 36 persons from the district, who were involved in carrying out Census 2011, will be honoured with the President’s medal.

The ceremony is going to take place tomorrow at Panjab University in Chandigarh.

Providing a list of the 36 persons to The Tribune, Daljit Singh, Soil and Conservation Officer, Jalandhar, said he had been selected for the President’s medal and a certificate of honour in recognition of exemplary work done by him as an charge officer. 

Jalandhar, September 23
With a view to apprising farmers of the latest skills and making them to use new technology for the rabi crop, the local Agriculture Department will organise a training camp for farmers at Bhogpur on September 25 under an ATMA exhibition scheme.

In a statement, Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Suttantar Kumar said Chief Parliamentary Secretary Pawan Kumar Tinu would be the chief guest on the occasion and Dr Mangal Singh Sandhu, Director, Agriculture Department, Punjab, would inaugurate the event. 

Jalandhar, September 23
The Punjab Government nominated new Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and members to the seven market committees here today.

A spokesperson at the Chief Minister’s office said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal cleared the file to this effect and orders regarding the nomination of the Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and members of market committees of Jalandhar City, Nurmahal, Bilga, Gorayan, Phillaur, Jalandhar Cantt and Nakodar would be issued shortly. As per the orders, Gurjinder Singh had been nominated Chairman of the Market Committee of Jalandhar City, whereas Kuldeep Singh, Jasveer Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Sarwan Singh, Malkeet Singh, Dr Makhan Lal, Manohar Lal Bittu, Balwinder Kaur, Mangal Singh, Jeewan Kalyan, Mangal Das and the BDPO as members of the committee.

Likewise, Surtej Singh had been nominated Chairman of the Market Committee, Nurmahal, whereas Gurdev Singh, Joginder Singh, Lehamber Singh, Gurdavar Singh, Baljeet Singh, Gurnam Singh, Balwant Singh, Hussan Lal, Baljeet Kaur, Parwesh Bhardwaj, Tejinderjit Sing, Darshan Singh, Paramjit Singh, Gurnam Singh and the BDPO as members of the committee.

Similarly, Jasjeet Singh and Kamaljeet Singh had been nominated Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Market Committee, Bilga, whereas Sukhwinder Singh, Jagdish Singh, Harkamal Singh, Devinder Singh, Harkanwal Singh, Harmesh Lal, Jagtar Singh, Baljinder Kaur, Kundan Singh, Piara Singh, Mohan Singh and Amarjeet Singh and the BDPO concerned as members of the committee. For the Market Committee of Gorayan, Amarjeet Singh had been nominated Chairman, whereas Kulveer Singh, Daljeet Singh, Ranjeet Singh, Harphool Sood, Manjit Singh, Satnam Singh, Vijay Kumar, Manohar Lal, Jagjeet Kaur, Kulwinder Singh, Gurvinder Singh Pandori, Joginder Singh, Sewa Singh and the BDPO as members of the committee.

Saroop Singh had been nominated Chairman of the Market Committee, Phillaur, whereas Sukhdev Singh, Lakhveer Singh, Malkeet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Harminder Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Balwant Singh, Vidya, Chatinder Kumar, Gurdawar Singh, Amarjeet Singh and the BDPO as members of the committee. Jaspal Singh had been nominated Chairman of the Market Committee, Jalandhar Cantt, whereas Lakhbir Singh Johal, Tirath Singh, Balveer Singh, Joginder Singh, Satnam Singh, Kulwinder Kaur, Balveer Singh, Sarjeevan Singh, Sukhraj, Baljinder Singh Dhaliwal and the BDPO as members of the committee.

Apinder Singh and Nirmal Singh had been nominated Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the Market Committee, Nakodar, whereas Tarsem Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Tarsem Singh, Kulbir Singh, Gulwinder Singh, Manraj Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Balwinder, Amarjeet Kaur, Jatinder Kumar, Jagjeet Singh, Mahesh Kamal, Jaswant Singh and the BDPO as members of the committee.

Jalandhar, September 23
As part of Himalaya’s efforts to deepen engagement between doctors and mothers, the company’s baby care division held an interactive session for mothers in Jalandhar.

Talking about the initiative, Mukesh Patney, business head, pharmaceutical division, The Himalaya Drug Company, said, “The initiative ‘My Baby & Me’ is a platform for mothers to engage in discussions with doctors and to address their own health issues as well as concerns about their baby’s health. The programme has been very well received by doctors and mothers, and we are excited to bring it to the city where the acceptance and understanding of ayurveda is high.”

Patney said it was equally important for parents to consult their doctors when it came to choosing personal care products for their babies.

During the event, about 25 participating mothers were addressed by Dr Sushma Chawala, a gynaecologist from the city, and Dr CP Shukla, manager (scientific services) of the company, who is also an ayurveda expert. Besides, noted physiotherapist Varun Wasil was also present who demonstrated the techniques of massaging infants.

Dr Shukla highlighted the role of ayurveda in caring for infants and mothers alike. “Pregnant women feel that giving birth is the most difficult bit, but the real test for mothers begins after that. It’s important for mothers to take due care of themselves as they are the primary caregivers for their little ones. Ayurveda has several effective health solutions for mothers and babies.”

He elaborated on the importance of baby massage for healthy growth of the child. “Regular oil massage fortifies and regulates the respiratory, digestive and circulatory system of the baby and protects the skin against dryness. Massage plays an important role in the growth and development of baby’s bones.”

Himalaya’s ‘My Baby & Me’ has been held in various cities across India, including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Madurai, Mysore, Mangalore, Surat, Vadodara, Vijaywada and Varanasi.

Jalandhar, September 23
Almost three days after the Delhi-based trader was looted by certain miscreants near the city railway station, the police today claimed to have solved the case and arrested two persons in this regard.

Although as per the police, three persons were involved in the crime, sources confirmed that five persons had orchestrated the crime. The main conspirator was also rounded up by the police, while one of the accused in the case is reportedly still at large.

The police said the accused were nabbed on the disclosures of the already apprehended accused Suraj. The mobile phones of the accused were put on surveillance which helped the police in locating their hideouts, adding that the two accused were nabbed from Jalandhar only.

The accused had looted around Rs 2.70 lakh from trader Parveen Gupta of Delhi, who was supplying electrical wires to his clients in Phagwara Gate. “On September 20, Parveen had made cash collection from a trader in Phagwara Gate and while he was heading towards the railway station, he was cornered by three miscreants, who after injuring the trader with sharp-edged weapons, robbed him of his bag containing cash. As of now, we have recovered Rs 2.50 lakh from the accused. The remaining Rs 20,000 was spent by the miscreants on shopping, the police said.