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Shops under Rama Mandi Bridge gutted
3 more suicides in city
50 per cent increase in air pollution on Diwali night
Activists expose wrongdoings in various departments
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Woman set herself ablaze, dies
Auto unions spar over uniform issue
Festive season spells trouble for people with respiratory diseases
Candle light march held against misuse of laws
161 donate blood in Phagwara
Parents allege police inaction in missing girl’s case
BJP leader’s house burgled
10 arrested for gambling in Phillaur
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Shops under Rama Mandi Bridge gutted
Jalandhar, October 24 No injury or loss of life was, however, reported from any of the 18 sites that reportedly caught fire due to crackers. Even as the cause of the fire could not be exactly established, it charred everything, including leather stuff, footwear and readymade garments, lying inside the shops completely. Nine fire tenders of the Municipal Corporation (MC) and those from the Air Force Station, Adampur, about 15 km from the site, were pressed into service. Even the Army personnel reached the site to provide assistance as the area falls very close to the cantonment. The shops, made partly of concrete and tin sheds, caught fire when the owners had left the site. It was about 10 pm when the fire started and it took the firemen about four hours to douse the flames. While initially water cannons were used, later foam extinguishers were also deployed for the purpose. Fire Officer Rajinder Sharma said it was perhaps due to the stocks of polish and lubricants kept in one of the shops that the fire went out of control. He said that the nine fire extinguishers had to make multiple rounds, filling up water and going back to the operation site. As all this was happening, commuters shuttling between Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur late in the night who failed to notice the danger, continued to move past the bridge. As vehicles kept passing over and the bridge had got heated up due to the fire, the cemented base and pillars of the bridge started falling out. Even the iron mesh that got exposed got heated up and started melting due to huge flames. Seeing the gravity of the situation, the traffic was diverted by the police, but was restored early this morning. ACP (Special Branch) Som Nath, too, reached the spot. Regarding the bridge, Kulwinder Singh, SE (B&R), Municipal Corporation, said the report regarding the damage to the bridge must have already come to the notice of officials of the National Highways Authority of India. We too will inform them from our end, he said. The point as to which authority was responsible for removing the illegal shops under the bridge is disputed. The MC officials have been saying that they were responsible for other illegal encroachments in the market area, but since these particular shops fell under the NHAI bridge and were part of their area, they were not directly responsible for any lapse.
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3 more suicides in city
Jalandhar, October 24 In the first incident, an owner of a furniture showroom, allegedly committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance at his residence in the Maqdumpura locality. The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Kuljit Singh. He reportedly committed suicide due to sudden loss in business. Kuljit is survived by three children and his wife. On October 22, Kuljit had consumed some poisonous substance and when her children went to see him in the room, they found him lying in an unconscious state. They immediately rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he died today. In the second incident, a 27-year-old woman, Sarabjit Kaur, a resident of the Aman Nagar locality, allegedly committed suicide after she consumed some poisonous substance. Kaur was a constable in the Punjab Police and was deployed at the police division No. 3 in the Jalandhar Commissionerate. The exact reason for taking the extreme step was unknown to the police. Her father said they were not aware why she took the extreme step. In the third incident, a 24-year-old youth, Anil Kumar, was found dead at his residence in Patorian Mohalla. After the information regarding the death of Anil spread in the locality, someone called the police and said that the youth had committed suicide at a house. Tarlochan Singh, sub-inspector, Bhargo Camp police station, said someone had spread rumour about the suicide and even informed the police, but, in reality, it was a natural death. When we reached the house, the youth was lying on a cot and preliminary investigation suggested that it was not a suicide attempt. Since family members were not interested in initiating any legal proceedings, the police did not initiate any inquest proceedings, Singh added. The mother of the deceased was a domestic help and his father was a security guard. They also suspected it to be a natural death. |
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50 per cent increase in air pollution on Diwali night
Jalandhar, October 24 Despite the fact that many people took the cracker-free Diwali slogan quite seriously in the district, the pollution caused by both vehicles and crackers surpassed the limits of regular days’ pollution dramatically. There was an over 50 per cent increase in pollution this Diwali making residents – both the ones bursting crackers and the ones who didn’t – languish in a cloud of thick smog which enveloped the night skies on the Diwali night. Elements like nitrates, lead, copper and cadmium lay suspended in the night air. In addition, the greatly increased traffic flow on Diwali and the days preceding it were a substantial add-on to the pollutants. Cadmium and nitrates are both very poisonous and cause grave health problems if inhaled. Lead affects the brain and nervous system adversely and cadmium reduces the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen to the brain, in turn, giving rise to various health issues. Superintending Engineer, PPCB, Nazar Singh Manshahia, said, “Every year, we monitor the extent of pollutants in the air during Diwali and we did the same this year. There has been a 50 per cent increase in air pollution level on Diwali compared to previous days. The bursting of crackers, coupled with large commercial activity and resultant flow of traffic, is believed to be the reason for that. Moreover, the cleaning of homes that people take to on the festival is also often very irresponsible. There was a substantial rise in air pollution levels due to the release of a lot of dust as well.” While the suspended particulate matter in the air has been observed to be very high around Diwali, we shall also be preparing a detailed report on it soon, he added. Speaking about stricter measures to prevent pollution, Nazar Singh said, “We have been spreading awareness on the issue right before Diwali and also shall be doing it in the coming days. From abstaining from crackers to house cleaning, everything can be done in a responsible way, but people are hard to teach. Both wet and solid wastes at our homes are recyclable. If one disposes these of responsibly, there will be no pollution. However, it’s sad people mostly lack this basic sense.” Karamjit Singh, a resident of the city, said, “While we have totally abstained from bursting crackers for the past few years, many people in our locality still burst them. The greatest problem with people is the lack of a sense of responsibility for their street and locality. Garbage piles – even those including plastic and other toxic materials – are dropped outside other people’s houses overnight and you see these burning in the morning. As if a night full of loud cracker bursting isn’t enough, you wake up to another problem in the morning.” |
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Activists expose wrongdoings in various departments
Jalandhar, October 24 One of the biggest disclosures into the working of departments at the local level was initially made by Congress leader-cum-social activist Sanjay Sehgal, who found out that Apeejay School and the Apeejay College of Fine Arts site, measuring 42 kanals, 14 marlas and 37 sq feet, was actually a leased-out land given out by the Jalandhar Improvement Trust to Rajeshwari Kala Sangeet Academy since June 19, 1963, on a petty lease amount of just Re 1 per annum. The purpose mentioned in the lease was purely for imparting vocal, instrumental and allied knowledge of music, but the authorities went on to use the site, now worth over Rs 100 crore, for a fully commercial purpose making a good income from fee and other sources. Sehgal had further found that land measuring 82 kanals and 17 marlas had been given to MGN Public School in Adarsh Nagar on an annual lease of Rs 600 since 1950 and was charging heftily from the students. Sehgal had also used the RTI Act to expose how a cabinet minister had spent a whopping amount of Rs 27.8 crore from the state exchequer on road transport alone in just 18 months. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal topped the list, having an expenditure to the tune of Rs 8.22 crore to his credit alone. He had also exposed as to how eight tourist complexes of the state had been sold for a petty amount of just Rs 32.96 crore. These spots included those in Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Pathankot. Congress leader and RTI activist Anil Vashisht, too, has been using the RTI Act as a handy tool to expose the working of the Municipal Corporation (MC). He has managed to procure the documents from the O&M wing of the MC which clearly point to the engineering defects on part of the officials in laying down the sewage system. He found that some areas like bus stand were devoid of any sewage and others like the railway road had double lines in place which were not even connected with the main disposal. The RTI Act brought during the Congress regime has also been of help to the BJP leaders. RTI activist of the saffron party Manit Malhotra used the Act to expose the working of the District Congress Committee that illegally constructed shops outside Congress Bhawan and continued to earn a quick buck for over three decades. He found that the committee had been allotted 1 kanal 8 marla and 40 sq land meant for a social institution in the year 1973-74 and had illegally constructed shops and extended their boundary line. Despite the MC Commissioner’s order initiated after the expose, officials are yet to act on the matter. Nawanshahr-based activist Parvinder Singh Kitna, too, has done a yeoman’s job by exposing how the ministers’ recommendations were being formally accepted by the Education Department for influencing transfers of the teachers. The documents procured by him last month had the names of top SAD and BJP leaders of the state. |
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Woman set herself ablaze, dies
Jalandhar, October 24 The deceased was identified as Kulwant Kaur, a resident of Ram Pur village. The woman’s mother, Mala, said her daughter had married Mehatpur village-based person Bajir and her daughter used to have scuffle with her husband over his drinking habit. Woman added that couple was also mentally unwell. The woman said after the marriage, both had been living at her place in Ram Pur village. Last morning, when my son-in-law arrived home in an inebriated state, my daughter had a scuffle with him. Annoyed over the attitude of her husband, my daughter poured kerosene on her body and set herself ablaze, the woman said. Kulwant Kaur, who sustained over 70 per cent burns, was rushed to the Shahkot Civil Hospital from where doctors referred her to the Jalandhar Civil Hospital where she died today. SHO Shahkot Manjit Singh said since the woman was mentally upset, the police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC only.
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Auto unions spar over uniform issue
Jalandhar, October 24 The police had said auto drivers wearing their uniform would not be unnecessarily troubled by the traffic police during a routine checking but those without uniform would be checked thoroughly at police nakas. Notably, on October 11, as part of the move initiated by the traffic police, the auto-rickshaw drivers had been told to put on their uniform and wear identity cards around their neck while carrying passengers in the city. The then ADCP (Traffic) Baljit Singh Dhillon and ACP (Traffic) Dalbir Singh Buttar had launched the initiative amid great hype. The city has two prominent auto unions, namely, the Jalandhar Auto-Rickshaw Union and the United Auto-Rickshaw Union. Pritam Singh and Ravi Sabharwal are its respective presidents. During the launch of the initiative, the United Auto-rickshaw Union had agreed to the suggestion to introduce navy blue shirt as the uniform besides ID card and copper badges to be tied on the arms. The ID cards and copper badges would carry the unique serial number of each driver, the union name and logo. In addition, the ID card would also bear the driver's name and the phone number. Pritam Singh, president of the Jalandhar Auto-Rickshaw Union, said, "The traffic police had a meeting with two unions last month in which our union had not agreed to the police suggestions. We have told the police that our auto union members would only put stickers on their auto-rickshaws. Our members will not wear any specific uniform," Singh said while revealing that they had also assured the police that the auto driver with the union sticker would run only the legal autos. Singh, while terming the logic of wearing the uniform a mere joke, said the sticker was not the right criteria to identify which auto driver was plying an illegal auto or legal auto. The traffic police, during the launch, had given the logic that the auto driver who wear the uniform, will not face any stringent checking of documents while auto drivers without uniform will be challaned. The union president said he had already told the members of his union to follow traffic rules and drive vehicles safely. As of now, their union members would only carry the properly signed auto union stickers. ADCP Dhillon and ACP Dalbir Buttar didn't attend phone calls despite repeated attempts.
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Festive season spells trouble for people with respiratory diseases
Jalandhar, October 24 With 50 per cent rise in air pollution levels this Diwali, the increased number of irritants in the air spelled trouble for people suffering from bronchial and respiratory problems. Even on the very next day after Diwali, experts across the city reported a substantial Diwali fallout-increase in the cases of COPD, asthma and other respiratory ailments. While experts say patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are worst affected, doctors advise patients to stay indoors until the worst of the polluting festive season is over. City–based bronchoscopist Dr HJ Singh said, “Patients who were fine even until a week ago have developed complications recently. We had one COPD patient who developed pneumonia and died. He was fine until four days ago. The season spells trouble for those suffering with upper respiratory tract infections, asthmatics and COPD patients. There is reverse impact on those with respiratory infections of this sort of air. Unfortunately, those who do not burst crackers or participate in polluting the air are also equally affected.” “On the very first day after Diwali, we already have four COPD patients admitted with us. Two patients also have mild pneumonia. Even though people might not have played big crackers or bombs etc. like the previous seasons, very few people know that the smoke emitted by small crackers like ‘fuljharis’ etc. is as dangerous. The best thing to do for those suffering from respiratory troubles would be to stay indoors and ensure least exposure to air and smog.” Dr Singh also said the heavy early morning fog in the atmosphere as a result of pollution is also very dangerous for patients hence respiratory disease patients should avoid taking early morning walks for the coming few days. District TB officer, Dr Rajiv Sharma, said, “Given the rise in air pollution, it has a direct impact on asthmatics and COPD patients. Nitrates and cadmium are all irritants to the respiratory mucosa and any rise in them directly causes a rise in the symptoms of respiratory diseases. In severe cases it leads to attacks. There is a certain rise in patients of respiratory troubles post Diwali.” Meanwhile, even as injuries reported at various hospitals are lower as compared to previous years, doctors said there is certainly need for more caution among people still bursting crackers, especially children. Noted skin specialist Dr Vikram Sood said while the cases of injuries had seen a slight reduction, few cases were still coming in. “Many people did observe a cracker free Diwali this year so the cases are way lesser compared to previous times. Previously we got at least eight to 10 cases post Diwali but this year we only got two. While in one a cracker caused burns to the face of a child, in another, a kid’s hand was injured while bursting crackers. The children were nine and seven years old. Even though the cases are fewer, parents need to exercise extra caution around Diwali to prevent accidents.” Sources at the local civil hospital reported that there were just a few cases of minor burns reported at the hospital on Diwali.
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Candle light march held against misuse of laws
Jalandhar, October 24 The activists said under the cover of laws safeguarding the rights of women, innocent people including women were being wronged. Stating that the Anti-Dowry Act, section 498-A and other laws were causing legal terrorism, Joginder Jogi, state president of the organisation, lead a march to protest such laws. He said it was time the laws responsible for destroying the family structure were scrapped. Jogi said due to the misuse of such laws, every year, about 7,000 men were committing suicide which was a threat to the civilised society. The activists lead by Jogi raised slogans against the anti-dowry and domestic violence laws in the Model Town area and lit candles outside Gol Park to offer tributes to those who had fallen victims to the misuse of these laws. The activists held a rally and raised slogans for these laws on Diwali night and declared that they would be raising their voice against the misuse of these laws in future as well.
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161 donate blood in Phagwara
Phagwara,October 24 As many as 161 persons donated blood at the camp. Club president Vitin Puri and general secretary Harjinder Gogna honoured the donors. The blood donations camp was organised during the Vishvakarma Day celebrations. |
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Parents allege police inaction in missing girl’s case
Jalandhar, October 24 Shiwani is a Class X student of MGN School. “On September 18, my daughter had gone to school in an auto-rickshaw but she didn’t return home. Even the auto driver also confirmed that he had dropped Shivani at the school,” said Rani, the mother of the victim. “I have quoted the names of some suspected persons of the locality but the police have not registered a case against them,” said Rani. When contacted, the Station House Officer (SHO) of division number eight, Naresh Kumar Joshi, said Rani came to the police station today, and her statement was recorded. “The girl’s mother has given the names of some suspects and I have told police officials to inquire into their role . The police are likely to register a case under Section 363 and 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified persons, and if during investigation, the role of suspects comes to the fore, action will be taken accordingly” the SHO added.
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BJP leader’s house burgled
Phagwara, October 24 The burglars entered the house after breaking locks and decamped with gold ornaments which included five gold rings, two gold chains, three gold sets etc. The police have registered case. — TNS
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10 arrested for gambling in Phillaur
Phillaur, October 24 Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said the police had recoverd a sum of Rs 3.11 lakh from the accused.
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