Amritsar, October 14
The strike by the Auto-Rickshaw Union ended today as the Police Commissionerate gave auto drivers time till Diwali to complete documentation work and avail themselves of valid route permits to operate autos in the city.

Girls sit atop a bus as the demand for mass transport rose; and (right) Auto drivers wait for the release of their impounded autos at the Traffic Police office in Amritsar on Tuesday. Tribune photographs

ADCP (traffic) Dhruman Nimbale said the department facilitated the release of 200 autos not having valid route permits after each of these paid a fine of about Rs 2,500.

He stated that the union leaders maintained that since the festival of Diwali was round the corner, the police campaign would hit hard the auto drivers’ families.

Nimbale categorically said that the autos with over 15 years’ life would not be allowed to ply on the city roads. Similarly, autos permitted by the local transport office would only be allowed to ply. Autos registered in neighbouring towns like Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and others would not be allowed to ply here. He said about 300 autos were still in the custody of the Police Department.

Meanwhile, Auto Union leader Ramsharan Paul accepted that in the Civil Writ Petition (CWP) No. 13490 of 2008, the Punjab and Haryana High Court vide order dated July 23, 2009, banned registration of diesel auto-rickshaws within the limits of the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar.

However, he claimed that the state government failed to provide enough LPG and CNG-filling stations here to facilitate conversion of diesel autos to green energy.

Earlier, members of the Auto Union converged at the open ground on the Airport road and raised slogans against the government. Before they could proceed to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in procession and to hold protest at Bhandari Bridge, auto union leaders accepted the offer of talks with officials of the Amritsar Police Commissionerate.

The auto-rickshaw drivers were protesting against the recent police crackdown against the illegal autos plying on the city roads.

The conclusion of the strike provided relief to commuters and parents of schoolgoing children as they depend heavily on autos for their mobility.

Amritsar, October 14
While the auto-rickshaw drivers continued to pressurise the authorities by observing strikes and causing traffic jams, inconveniencing the commuters, they could not wrest immunity from observing the mandatory traffic norms.

Though, as part of an agreement with the Police Department, they managed to get back some of the impounded autos today, the cops are adamant to tighten the noose on them when it comes to observing traffic norms.

It has been observed that auto drivers violate the Motor Vehicles Act with impunity. Apart from not possessing valid documents, these autos carrying tourists are being run illegally on the Attari-Wagah route for the retreat ceremony at the Joint Check-Post.

According to the motor-vehicle norms, the autos can operate only within the municipal limits of a city where these have been registered.

The Attari-Wagah route being a highway, heavy vehicles, especially those carrying import and export products such as vegetables, meat and dry fruit across the border pass through this stretch. In view of the movement of these heavy vehicles, three-wheelers running on this track with a heavy load of passengers become vulnerable.

The low fare offered by auto-rickshaws as compared to the taxi charges attracts tourists. The auto-rickshaw drivers charge between Rs 70 and Rs 100 per person for the trip.

An auto-rickshaw registered in a particular district cannot be plied in another district. The Transport Department can impose a fine of Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 for this violation of the permit norm.

As for overloading of autos in violation of the norms, the Transport Department can impose a fine of Rs 2,500 for every violation.

ADCP (traffic) Dhruman Nimbale said that it was a risky affair to hire auto-rickshaws on the Attari-Wagah route. “For the present, we focussed on the violations being committed within the city. These auto drivers, however, commit a blunder by operating on the highways. We will check this practice.”

Violation of traffic norms by auto-rickshaws Auto-rickshaws cannot operate outside the municipal limits, but in Amritsar, auto-rickshaws are being run on the Attari-Wagah highway. An auto-rickshaw registered in a district cannot be plied in another district. The Transport Department can impose a fine of Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 for violating the permit norm. Ferrying eight to 10 persons in an auto-rickshaw is in blatant violation of the norms. To maximise their margins, they pack their vehicles, carrying as much as 10 persons

Amritsar, October 14
The Punjab Government has started a round-the-clock helpline number “104” to assist the people, particularly those living in the rural and interior areas, in getting information on health problems and giving them access to a qualified doctor.

The helpline will be manned by a team of doctors to offer medical assistance to callers, including immediate advice for simple ailments or directing them to the nearest and appropriate healthcare facility. In emergencies, the calls will be referred to the 108 emergency response service for 
transporting patients to hospitals.

Informing about this healthcare helpline, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Ravi Bhagat, said the Punjab Government’s primary objective in starting this helpline was to assist people in their health concerns.

“Those living in the remote areas find it difficult in having access to medical aid at the time of emergency. With this service, instant medical advice is given to the caller by providing basic tips and first-aid requirements through this helpline. It will be beneficial in counselling patients, especially the old, the women and the children, who spend most of their time at their homes in remote areas and tend to postpone their hospital visits to the city,” he said.

He also said that qualified paramedics, supported by full-time qualified medical practitioners and clinical psychologists, would be stationed at the Helpline centre for offering services to the people.

Besides, counselling service for alcohol, drugs, smoking, nutrition and mental ailments like anxiety, chronic diseases like cancer, etc, too, would be provided through this helpline.

“In a further extension, this helpline will also provide an effective platform for prompt redressal of complaints, AIDS/HIV, suicidal tendency besides the grievances of the general public against any government medical institution, service or an individual,” he said.

Amritsar, October 14
Members of the Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA) interacted with officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the Health Department at a meeting held here today.

Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon, District Health Officer and PPCB senior executive engineer Kuldeep Singh listened to their queries and answered these.

The DHO asked members of the AHARA to get licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act and said these licenses would be checked on a large scale in the city in the coming time.

Kuldeep Singh asked hoteliers to abide by pollution norms. He said high pollution levels impacted badly on the heritage building of the Golden Temple. He asked them to treat kitchen waste before disposing it of.

With festival season ahead, AHARA president APS Chatha said he would issue a circular directing the AHARA members to ensure checking of food being served in their establishments, so that high-quality of food was maintained.

He said there was no point in installing equipment for treatment of kitchen water in the hotels as there was no sewerage treatment plant in the city. Treating waste at hotels would be of no use when it would be released in the drains.

He insisted that the corporation must arrange for waste management in the city to make it clean. He added that the hotel industry must be relieved of multiple taxes, which were harming it internally.

Amritsar, October 14
Depicting socialist politics, exploitation of the working class by the established rule and the common man stuck in a class warfare, the play, “Qayeda”, opened to a full house at Punjab Natshala, in its second show. Directed by Rajendra Singh, NSD graduate and head of the Dastak Theatre Group, the play was a satire on the class differences and the dysfunctional political system of the country.

Bringing the Punjabi version of German playwright, Bertolt Brecht’s, “The Exception and The Rule”, the play highlights the struggle for existence and justice by the poor, where the one who doesn’t have money or power looses out to the one who has it all. Rajindra Singh, who is known for his play “Gubbare” amongst others, said, “The rich can commit any crime and get away with it while the poor have to suffer the consequences. Brecht wrote it as a ‘learning’ play, to educate the masses about the socialist politics,” he added.

Rajindra has earned a reputation for bringing contemporary techniques and style of a narrative in theatre in the region. For him, theatre has become more of a mission than work. He has been working through his theatre group, Dastak, to hone talent in the region by teaching mono acts, mimes, street plays and many other forms of theatre. Dastak, which aims at promoting theatre arts through committed activities, also finds a patron in Punjab Natshala’s Jatinder Brar.

Amritsar, October 14
Twentyseven-year-old Gursahib Singh of the Rashtriya Rifles was cremated with full state honours at his native village, Bhakna Kalan, near Attari today after he laid down his life for the country during an encounter with terrorists in Kashmir.

According to a press note issued here today, Gursahib attained martyrdom during an encounter with terrorists at Kupwara in Kashmir on Monday. His body was flown to Amritsar around 3 pm, following which he was cremated at his village in the evening. Local political leaders, Rashtriya Rifles officials and SDM Rajesh Sharma paid floral tributes to the martyr. He was recruited in the Rashtriya Rifles around six years back. He has left behind his wife, two brothers and three sisters. He had got married around three years back. His father and father-in-law, too, had served in the Army.

Amritsar, October 14
Volunteers of the NGO, Voice of Amritsar, participated in a cleanliness drive at the railway station and foot over bridge outside the station, held under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The campaign was lead by Seenu Arora, president of the NGO, members Dr Rakesh Sharma, Mandeep Singh, Indu Aurora and Shubhi Arora. It was the third time that Voice of Amritsar (VOA) had made an effort to clean the area along with the other members of the NGO.

Earlier this year, two such campaigns were launched on the railway station. Muck and garbage were removed from both sides of the rail track during these campaigns. The foot over bridge, which is often neglected when it comes to cleaning, was also cleaned during the recent drive. “The Municipal Corporation generates a lot of revenue from advertisement billboards hung on the foot over bridge, but not a penny is spent on its maintenance or cleanliness,” said Dr Rakesh Sharma of the VOA. “Our NGO has been knocking on the doors of railway authorities as well as Municipal Corporation to keep the railway station clean. Over one lakh people visit railway station every day. These commuters don’t carry a good impression of Amritsar when they find the railway station unclean,” added Mandeep Singh.

Cleanliness campaigns have been undertaken aggressively by various NGOs in the city and under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Hall Bazaar was cleaned by members of the VOA two years back. “We are not going to let this effort of our Prime Minister go in vain because India needs cleanliness and it is rare to see the customary head of a state getting involved in such campaigns.

We stand by the slogan for a “Swachh Bharat” and pledge to keep our city that way,” said Shubhi Arora, another volunteer of the VOA.

Amritsar, October 14
Approval to various appointments, ordinances for new courses, extension in the service of retired teachers and approval to various PhD theses in various faculties were the main agenda of the meeting of the Syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), which was held today.

Prof Ajaib Singh Brar, Vice-Chancellor of the GNDU, presided over the meeting while Dr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar, presented the agenda.

The Syndicate accorded its approval to the appointment of Prof Paramjit Singh as Dean, academic affairs, Dr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon as Registrar and Dr Paramjit Nanda as head of Punjab School of Economics.

The Syndicate approved the ordinances and other terms and conditions for vocational courses being run by affiliated colleges of the university at bachelor’s level and also approved the late admission of some students.

Apart from this, as many as 12 PhD theses under various faculties were also approved by the Syndicate.

Prof Brar gave details about the achievements of the university to the House, which included information about Rs 3 crore spent on the installation of transmission electronics microscope in Emerging Life Sciences Centre and organising of various seminars, workshops, symposium and refresher courses.

The VC said 379 students of 2014 batch and 361 students from 2015 batch from various departments and regional campuses of Guru Nanak Dev University had got placement in Indian and multinational IT companies. He also apprised the House about the cultural and sports achievements.

Amritsar, October 14
The Amritsar Police have extended a helping hand to victims of the flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir valley.

Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said an amount of Rs 5, 01, 600 lakh had been contributed to the relief fund through a cheque by Amritsar police officials.

All DSP level officers have contributed Rs 1,000 each; inspectors Rs 500 each; sub-inspectors Rs 400 each; ASIs Rs 300 each, senior clerk Rs 200 each and head constables/constables Rs 100 each.

Amritsar, October 14
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) held agitation against alleged government apathy towards higher education today.

Teachers of various affiliated colleges of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts ceased work after the second period and assembled outside Guru Nanak Dev University.

The rally was part of the two month long action programme chalked out by the state executive of the PCCTU, which started with district rallies in Amritsar, Batala and Pathankot today.

Addressing the rally, Prof HS Walia said the entire education system in the state was going haywire due to visionless and directionless policies of the state government. He said due to non-release of the pending grant meant for the payment of salaries for the last five quarters, teachers were hard pressed as their salaries had not been released for the last five to 15 months. Moreover, due to financial crunch faced by colleges, around 60 per cent institutions were on the brink of closure.

He said their other demands included inter alia, provision of security of service of teachers working against unaided posts, streamlining the academic performance indicators (API) system of promotion under career advancement scheme (CAS), implementation of UGC guidelines regarding relaxation in refresher courses, pension and gratuity scheme for teachers, creation of the post of professors in colleges, enhancement in retirement age to 65 years.

The district president of the PCCTU, Prof Malkiat Singh, criticised the anti-higher education and anti-teachers’ policies of the state government.

The PCCTU would hold district rallies throughout the state up to November 5. Thereafter, a state level rally will be organised in Chandigarh on November 20.

Amritsar, October 14
The hosts, Amritsar, won the team events in Under-14 and Under-17 categories of silambam game on the second day of the Punjab School Games, held at PBN School, here today. In both categories, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran stood second and third, respectively.

Meanwhile Gurdaspur trounced Ferozepur 2-1 in Under-17 category hockey match. In other Under-17 contests held at different venues in the city, Jalandhar and Malwa Academy were declared tied as both the teams scored two goals each. Sangrur and Barnala were tied at zero each. Muktsar Sahib and Barnala were also tied at two each. In another match Tarn Taran beat Sangrur wing 2-0 and Amritsar beat underdog Ropar 9-0.

In the Under-17 category (boys), hockey matches will be played tomorrow between Tarn Taran and Jarkhar village; Jalandhar and Muktsar; Patiala will play with Cheharta Wing; and Sports School with Amritsar.