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Ultimatum given by workers
Mumbai-based LPG company booked for fraud
Jet Airways to refund ticket amount, pay compensation
SAD-BJP govt anti-Dalit: Karimpuri
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2 die in fire mishap
Traditional diyas, clay lighting sell more than Chinese decorations
Car of ‘abduction’ victim recovered
Better amritsar — Managing fire, emergency services—I
IDH Market in Amritsar witnesses a spurt in footfall ahead of Diwali, but has no fire-fighting provision to tackle any mishap. PHOTO: RK SONI
22 benefit from victim compensation scheme
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Minister directs improvement trust to install dustbins at markets, complexes
New president of chemist assn
Students’ hunger strike enters 10th day
45 undergo eye surgery
Special kids celebrate Diwali
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MC employees poised to get salaries
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 19 The agitated employees were observing a two-hour strike for the past two days and had threatened to shun all public utility services from Monday onwards, if they were not paid salaries. The MC is facing a financial crunch primarily due to the fact that the VAT returns, which the Local Body Ministry owes to the MC, have not been released for the past three months in succession. Earlier, in July and August, too, the MC has received just Rs 7 crore each, against an amount of Rs 11 crore per month. With this, the MC had already suffered a dent of Rs 14 crore. Call it temporary relief, Joshi had announced that the MC employees would be getting their salaries before the advent of the festival of lights. At present, MC Commissioner was directed to utilise an amount of Rs 5.5 crore from the development funds to meet the crisis. Joshi also said that the deficiency on this head, too, would be compensated on priority, so that no work should suffer. He said for the past several months, there had been a drastic decline in the 11 per cent VAT recovery. On the other hand, the MC’s recovery, too, had gone down. Joshi appealed to the MC’s employees, particularly those associated with the revenue generation departments: “I appeal that the employees should show efficiency in the recovery process, so that the the MC’s income should increase and it is self-sufficient to run its internal affairs. Undue expenditure should be curtailed and income should rise to make the system efficient and smooth,” he said. The Sanjhi Sangharsh Committee, under whose banner various employees unions protested, spokesperson Harjinder Singh Walia said, “We were delighted that the authorities have at least spared a thought to releasing our salaries before Diwali, but the need of the hour was to streamline the release of VAT returns on time.”
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Mumbai-based LPG company booked for fraud
Amritsar, October 19 Among those booked include Ajay Kumar Tiwari, Nigas Deepak, Rakesh Kumar Verma, Dalip Kumar Verma, Pawan Kumar Verma, Vijay Kumar Verma and Deepak Chaudhary, all directors of Indus Fuel private limited company, operating from Moti Lal Nagar, Mumbai. The case was registered following complaints filed by Monty Ahuja of Lawrence Road and another victim identified as Gaurav Arora. Ahuja stated to the police that they were issued a licence of the gas agency after which they opened Sangam Gas Service here. He said in November 2013, he received the last supply from the company, whereas after that there was no supply, which suddenly stopped without assigning any reason. He said the company defrauded him of Rs 58.52 lakh. Similarly, Arora said he was cheated of Rs 8 lakh by the accused. The Civil Lines police have registered a case under Sections 420 and 406, IPC. Sohan Lal, investigating officer, said investigations were under progress.
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Jet Airways to refund ticket amount, pay compensation
Amritsar, October 19 Ealier Satwinder Kaur, a resident of Ranjit Avenue here, had filed a complaint alleging that she had booked tickets for herself and her grandson for travelling from Mumbai to Amritsar on a flight scheduled for November 25, 2012. She alleged that when she reached the airport, she was informed that the flight would not operate. She alleged that she had given her phone number while booking the ticket, but the airlines did not bother to inform her or make alternative arrangements for the journey. She stated that when she contacted the ticket-booking agency, they did not refund the amount of Rs 10,200 spend on the tickets. In its reply, Jet Airways submitted that they had operated another flight at the same time, but the complainant had failed to report at the check-in counter on time. The airways stated that they would process the refund case, after receiving a request from the booking agency. The airlines claimed that all passengers who reported at the check-in counter within the stipulated time as per their original itinerary were issued boarding passes and they undertook their journey as originally scheduled. The forum observed that the airlines could not produce any evidence to prove that the flight had operated. It further stated that the complainant and her grandson faced problems due to non-operation of the aforesaid flight of Jet Airways. The forum further stated that even the airlines had failed to inform the complainant about the change of flight and as such the passengers were harassed.
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SAD-BJP govt anti-Dalit: Karimpuri
Amritsar, October 19 He stated this while addressing party workers here today at a religious programme, organised to pay respects to Bhagwan Valmiki, whose Pargat Diwas was celebrated recently. He called upon members of the backward communities to come together to defeat the purpose of the government. He said the development of Bhagwan Valmiki’s hermitage at Ramtirath must only be done on religious lines and without mingling of politics. He lambasted the state government’s encouragement to the policy of recruiting employees on contract basis. He said it amounted to their exploitation.
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2 die in fire mishap
Amritsar, October 19 The victims were rescued by neighbours, who rushed the victims to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in 108 emergency ambulance service. Their condition is stated to be serious. The deceased were identified as Puran Kaur and her two-year-old daughter, Raavi, while her husband Nishan Singh, daughter Simran Kaur, alias Mannu (3), and nephew Bobby (4) were seriously injured. Electrical short circuit is said to be the reason behind the incident, police authorities said. According to the police authorities, the family went to sleep in a room of the house after having dinner. In the midnight, fire suddenly engulfed the whole house. The doors and windows of the house were shut due to which the victims could not come out in time. When the villagers came to know about this, they immediately reached the spot and took the victims out after breaking open the doors and windows. But by that time, they were seriously injured. Puran Kaur and Raavi died on the spot while the remaining three victims were seriously injured and taken to hospital. The police have initiated action.
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Traditional diyas, clay lighting sell more than Chinese decorations
Amritsar, October 19 Taking a cue from the Chinese Diwali items, local artisans have improved upon their art with attractive and long-lasting options. Incorporating decorative lights, LEDs and fancy designs in terracotta or clay murals and idols, the traditional Diwali decorations are selling high on the city streets. “Most people buy them as a decoration for Diwali. So, making them attractive, we have used lots of coloured clay infused with fibre and glass. Also, the lamps and diyas, too, have new designs like the
ones that come with fancy LED lighting,” says Subhash Kumariya, artisan and vendor on Race Course Road. While the humble clay diyas reflect the traditional crafts, a bit of fine touch with mirror work and gel fillings make the difference. Available in various shapes, these are much too appealing. Some creative ones have sharply cut edges, carved in beautiful shapes and filled with bright-coloured wax. While these are available for anything between Rs 20 to Rs 30, the more designer ones like crystal or glass-framed cost more. “Chinese lights and items are popular for being cheap and comprising different designs. But the local traditional stuff is picking up sales as people want to retain the traditions and cultural significance of the festival,” says Gulshan Kapoor, a shop owner inside the Hall bazaar. If you are looking for a ‘lalten’ (lantern) or interesting designs in lamps, then take your pick at any tuck-in shop at Lawrence Road or inside the walled city. Decorative lanterns in glass, clay and terracotta work as an effortless décor element for your home. On a bit of a luxurious end, jadau diyas and hangings will cost well over Rs 100. “Lighting a ‘diya’ symbolises positivity, happiness and prosperity and Diwali is the festival of lights, so I make sure to light at least 200 ‘diyas’ in my house on the day,” says Savita Mehra, a housewife from Kennedy Avenue. “I try to pick up the traditional ones, as they are eco-friendly and
pleasing for the guests as well,” she adds. Candles are another aspect of the Designer Diwali. There is a variety waiting to be explored with handmade, aroma candles in different shapes and sizes. The simpler ones are colourful while the trendy ones come with embellishments, laces and ribbons around them to make them look pretty. Some carved out in floral patterns, popular idols and some just artistically attractive. Gel candles set in petite glass pots, flower candles filled with colorful wax and sparkling candles are the most popular ones. “Sunflower candles are in hot trend. Other types of flower candles include roses, lilies and orchids. Flower candles are used for ornamental show pieces as well,” says Rajesh, a vendor at Lawrence Road.
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Car of ‘abduction’ victim recovered
Amritsar, October 19 Sharma, a resident of Katra Ahluwalia and manager of the HDFC bank in the Lopoke branch, had alleged that she was kidnapped by a couple of unidentified youths from the Kachehari chowk day before yesterday. She was later recovered from the Guruwali area in Tarn Taran by the police. Though the police have registered an abduction case, following a complaint lodged by her husband, the police authorities had found the incident suspicious. Initially, Sharma had hesitated from undergoing a medical examination and recording her statement to the police. Later, she gave a brief statement. Brar said investigations were under progress and it would be inappropriate to reach any conclusion at this stage. We are still investigating the matter, he added.
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Better amritsar — Managing fire, emergency services—I Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 19 Many markets witness a high footfall surpassing their capacity during the festive season. Fire stations, LPG godowns and distribution centres, bus stand, railways station, hospitals and many other areas are susceptible to fire outbreak. Fuel stations in the city are also open to fire mishaps. However, fire safety measures are not taken on priority at most of these places. The city has as many as 400 petrol pumps, for which it is mandatory to have ample fire safety equipment so as to tackle any mishap. According to the norms, a petrol pump should have two fire extinguishers for each fuel dispensing machine installed at the station. Most of the fuel stations do not have the required number of fire extinguishers. Attendants at these stations do not know how to operate fire extinguishers, which further compounds the problem. Workers at these stations said fire safety drills had never been held due to which they were not trained to handle the situation in case of any accident. Despite banning the usage of mobile phones, no such warnings are displayed at most of these petrol pumps. Prominent public places, which see huge rush of the people are bus stand and railway station. However, little precaution seem to be taken to tackle any fire incident at these spots. Every year many fire breakouts are reported at shops close to Diwali in the city, but it has taught a little lesson to shopkeepers to invest in fire fighting systems. Their sole dependence in case of such accident is government run fire brigade. However, the local Fire Department is also not in a good condition as it has outdated equipment, it is grappling with acute manpower shortage and inadequate fire stations. Astonishingly, for a population of around 15 lakh in Amritsar, there are only four fire stations with 20 firefighters and seven fire engines. The jurisdiction of the scant fire-fighting force also extends to Tarn Taran, Khem Karan, Baba Bakala, Patti, Ajnala Mehta and Beas, thus adding another 10 lakh residents. Against the 78 sanctioned posts of firemen, the Fire Department has been managing with just 20 personnel. Of the four fire stations in the city at Town Hall, Gilwali Gate, Civil Lines and near Beri Gate, there are only 14 officials on duty in each station. Against the requirement of at least 25 fire tenders, there are only seven. Out of these, two are of 2002, 2009 make and are outdated. These fire engines are pressed into service whenever need arises. The two Bolero-modified fire tenders cater to the interior narrow lanes of the walled city, which is not enough. The hose pipes reach the congested lanes, but firemen do not have wireless sets to communicate with driver, left behind in the vehicle, to monito r the water pressure. Multi-storey malls are coming up in the holy city, but the fire station has a ladder that reaches only 35 feet. Disaster management expert, Surjit Sharma, said, “Apparently vulnerability to fire accidents has risen manifold ahead of Diwali.” He said during the festive season it was necessary to detect and destroy combustible material at the earliest as any spark could lead to a major disaster. He along with police officials briefed fire cracker traders in the New Amritsar area today to follow the established norms to prevent any mishap. Sharma asked them not to permit parking of vehicles close to temporary cracker market. He said, “Shopkeepers must ensure that these vehicles are parked at the designated parking lot only.” He suggested shopkeepers to keep cardboard boxes and other combustible material away from their shops. He said, “In addition, shopkeepers must keep sand bags, water buckets, battery operated tubelights at their shops to tackle a breakout in time.”
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22 benefit from victim compensation scheme
Amritsar, October 19 This was stated by Arun Kumar Agarwal, secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), during a meeting of the DLSA held recently, which was headed by District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh. Victims of rape, murder, injury and accident cases were entitled to get the compensation under this scheme. The injured party can apply for the same in the office of the secretary, DLSA. Agarwal said the authority had provided free legal aid to 580 persons this year, including women, children, persons in custody, handicap person, victims’ of natural or industrial disaster, who were entitled to this facility. He said any person whose annual income did not exceed Rs 1.5 lakh per annum could also avail free legal aid from the DLSA. He said a National Lok Adalat would be held on December 6.
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Cleanliness drive intensifies on routes leading to Golden Temple
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 19
In the first phase, the trust took up two major routes leading to the Golden Temple and its vicinity. Councillor Manmohan Singh Titu, who initiated the process to form the Holy City Trust, said volunteers associated with them had started cleanliness drive on the Golden Temple routes, which included Ramsar Road, Chattiwind Gate, Laxmansar Chowk and another route from Shaheedan via Baba Atal to the Golden Temple. Volunteers have procured special garbage lifting trolleys and soon the residents would be provided with special collection bags, which could be dumped in these garbage lifting trolleys. Devotees from New Delhi have volunteered to provide special dustbins. Spokesperson of Bhai Bhurewala Sect, Ram Singh, said they were already making efforts to sensitise the residents about maintaining cleanliness around them. “We have already put into service around 16 persons, who sweep routes leading to the Golden Temple from 10 pm to 5 am. Another batch of volunteer does the job from 10 am to 5 pm. Devotees from New Delhi joined our campaign yesterday. We will shortly provide special dustbins and polythene bags to the residents. Our main focus is on the area around the holy Sikh shrine,” said Ram Singh.
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Minister directs improvement trust to install dustbins at markets, complexes
Amritsar, October 19 He urged representatives of various market associations to ensure that the refuse was disposed off in dustbins so that safai karamcharis could easily lift it and prevent littering on roads. He requested their cooperation to send across the message to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in surroundings. The market association of Ranjit Avenue took up the issue of raising the surface level of double parking, separate for two and four wheelers, to prevent accumulation of rainwater. Representatives of the association also demanded installation of rainwater harvesting system. The Local Body Minister directed trust officials to look into their demand. Each of the six tractor-trailers flagged off today were accompanied by eight safai karamcharis. Four of these tractor-trailers were permanently assigned to the job of maintaining daily cleanliness at the District Shopping Complex, besides C, D and E blocks of Ranjit Avenue.
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Amritsar, October 19 Manmohan Singh was elected as general secretary of the association. He defeated Manjit Sood by 41 votes. Suri said the newly elected body would take up the matter of harassment of chemists on the pretext of checking shops for habit forming drugs. He said most of the time, chemists were unnecessarily harassed. However, he added that the association would not support any chemist, who was selling habit forming drugs or indulging in any other illegal activity. Chemists were also facing a number of problems with the Sales Tax Department, he said adding that a delegation of the association would soon meet officials to apprise them about the problems faced by chemists. — TNS
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Students’ hunger strike enters 10th day Amritsar, October 19 Rajya Sabha member and BSP leader Avtar Singh Karimpuri visited the students today to express solidarity with their cause. The protesting students said they would continue their protest on Diwali also, if the government failed to issue orders by then. The students have so far met various leaders, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, BJP leaders Shanta Kumar and Vinod Khanna, Governor Shiv Raj Patil, all of whom had assured to get the matter sorted out. However, the students have failed to get the desired results till now. — TNS
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45 undergo eye surgery
Amritsar, October 19 Association president Shamsher Singh Kohri said all the patients were ferried to the hospital from villages around Isapur, where they had organised a free camp earlier. He said during the camp, experts had shortlisted 45 patients, who required surgery. The surgeries were conducted by a team comprising Dr Chander Mohan, Dr Mona Chatrath, Dr Jaswinder Pal Singh, Dr Vijay Kumar, Dr Agyapal Singh, Dr Rakesh Sharma and Dr Surinder Sharma.
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Special kids celebrate Diwali
Amritsar, October 19 The event is a regular feature in the school’s calender for which students prepare around the year. “The programme is designed to bring out the talent of children in extra-curricular activities. This ensures that their creative skills are explored and brought in the open,” said Shilpi Gangully, Principal of Ibadat School. The programme also pledged audience support for children. A special stall displaying handmade candles, diyas and Diwali goodies by children was also put up during the function. It is an exercise to make children self-reliant. The special Diwali items sold out within an hour. “This is a regular activity we teach our students to keep them involved and independent. Some of our students have made a career out of the creative talent,” said Shilpi. The exhibition-cum-sale will also be put up at Alpha One. “All the profit from the sales of Diwali exhibition go to children and utilised for their support. We ensure that students have an idea of how to make a living,” added Mohit Kapoor, president, Ibadat School.
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Diwali is around the corner, but there are many areas vulnerable to fire accidents. Ill-equipped fire-fighting equipment to tackle any disaster in the city has further aggravated the problem.
Many markets witness a high footfall surpassing their capacity during the festive season. Fire stations, LPG godowns and distribution
centres, bus stand, railways station, hospitals and many other areas are susceptible to fire outbreak.
