Amritsar, October 28
After coming under pressure from agitating property dealers and the Congress, the Punjab Government today issued the notification to regularise properties in illegal colonies for another year. Consequently, the Punjab Majha Zone Property Dealers Association called off the strike in the evening.

Earlier, the Punjab Majha Zone Property Dealers Association, backed by the Congress, refused to call off the strike until it received a copy of the notification. The association called off the strike after getting the notification last evening.

An SDM-level official came to deliver the copy of the notification issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the Punjab Government to the agitating property dealers, but they refused to call off their strike. The official also assured them that the issuing of NOCs would resume at the offices of the Amritsar Development Authority (ADA) and the Municipal Town Planning Department from tomorrow.

The president of the property dealers association, Sanjeev Rampal, said former BJP minister Laxmikanta Chawla came in person and handed over to them the copy of the notification and they called off their strike immediately.

Earlier in the day, Chawla openly came out in support of the agitation against the government in which her party was also a coalition member. In doing so, she became the second BJP leader after the Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, backed them.

The sit-in dharna and the hunger strike was called off on the third day after the property dealers’ demand was met.

Later, members of the Property Dealers and Coloniser Developer Association led by Aman Aeri, a relative of the Local Bodies Minister, Anil Joshi, celebrated the issuance of the notification.

The state government had announced to extend the deadline for regularising properties in unauthorised colonies by another year on August 26.

The lapse of about two months in not issuing the notification irked the property owners, real estate investors and property dealers.

Consequently, the Municipal Corporation and the ADA were not issuing fresh NOCs, leading to no new registration.

The situation had left property dealers in the lurch as the Revenue Department did not issue registries without the NOCs.

Amritsar, October 28
The reader of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Baba Bakala, identified as head constable Harbhajan Singh, has been accused of demanding Rs 50,000 as bribe for arresting an accused, who was wanted in a fraud case. Even as the complainant, Mohinder Singh, had given him half of the amount, he reported the matter to the IG, Border Zone.

On the IG’s directions, an intensive investigation was conducted into the matter and the reader was found to be guilty of bribery. He was immediately taken into custody, produced before the court today and remanded for further interrogation.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, has been registered with the Beas police station.

Complainant Mohinder Singh, a resident of Buttar village, said his uncle, Sardara Singh, a resident of Kaloke village, had lodged a case of fraud under Section 420 against his brother Joginder Singh, with police station Khalchian on August 27.

“The case was being investigated by the DSP, Baba Bakala. I and my uncle had approached the DSP to arrest the accused. It was there that we came across his reader, Harbhajan Singh. Despite a clear-cut case of fraud, Harbhajan Singh told us to shell out Rs 50,000 for putting the accused, Joginder Singh, behind bars. After his repeated persuasion, we paid him Rs 25,000, but still the accused was at large. Then, we approached the Office of the IG, Border Zone, and lodged a complaint against him,” he said.

After the intervention of the IG Border Zone, the Superintendent of Police (Rural), Balbir Singh, investigated the matter and the bribery charges against the reader of the DSP were proved.

“We recorded the statement of the complainant, Mohinder Singh, about the whole episode. After interrogating the accused, head constable Harbhajan Singh, the latter confessed having asked for Rs 50,000 and that he got the part payment in advance to get the wanted person arrested. We instantly arrested him today and booked him under graft charges,” he said. 

Amritsar, October 28
Patients are not being able to use the dialysis facility at a subsidized cost at the Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Hospital these days as this is not working.

The hospital has two dialysis machines that can be used by patients at a cost of Rs 750. The cost of dialysis includes the cost of all accessories required for the procedure.

In comparison, private clinics charge much more. Doctors said private hospitals charged Rs 3,000 to 4,000 for the same.

Family members of a patient said, “The hospital staff said the machines are not working. The facility is costly at private clinics.” The dialysis facility was introduced at the hospital in 2012.

Thalassemic patients require dialysis at regular intervals. In the absence of the facility at the institute, the patients have been forced to spend more at private clinics.

While the well-to-do patients can afford the charges at private clinics, the poor have no such option.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Hardeep Singh Ghai said, “The machines are in working but the UPS has developed a snag. We have an annual maintenance contract with the supplier and it has been sent for repair.” 

Amritsar, October 28
Two labourers were killed while one was injured in separate incidents in the Jandiala Guru area today.

In the first incident, some construction work was going on in the godown of Satkartar Pipe Store when its common wall with the Jandiala Guru police post collapsed accidentally. Consequently, two labourers were buried under the debris. While one of them was pulled out safely, another labourer, Jodha (27), was not lucky enough. As he was pulled out, doctors present on the spot declared him dead.

Jodha, a resident of Dhotta village in Jandiala Guru, leaves behind his wife, two children and parents.

Residents were resentful that the Jandiala police team stood there as mute spectators and did little to save the labourers. It was with the help of other labourers and onlookers that a rescue operation was carried out.

It has been learnt that the DSP, Jandiala, Amandeep Kaur, and the SHO, Jandiala, Kanwaljit Singh, reached the spot after an hour. The victim’s brother, Joga Singh, resented that when the store owners and the contractor knew that the common wall of the store and the police post was weak, why did they not provide support to the wall?

A case was being registered at the time of filing the report and an investigation was on.

In another incident of an identical nature, a labourer working in a yarn factory in Jyotisar Colony was killed when a wall collapsed on him suddenly. He has been identified as Kuldeep Singh. He has left behind three children and wife. 

Amritsar, October 28
Rohit Bal’s Mughal style-inspired collection at WIFW spring summer 2015 was made grand by the resplendent set designed by Sumant Jayakrishnan with the Qutub Minar in the background. Designer Sabyasachi turned the ramp into a luxury train compartment for his Ferozabad collection at India Couture Week. And so many more such luxuriously stylish sets have made fashion into a surreal experience.

Amritsar, October 28
To ensure the participation of public in the Swachh Bharat campaign, the MC held a special meeting with representatives of the Education Department, schools, colleges, NGOs and traders.

The meeting was chaired by Municipal Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal. A list about the requisite machinery and infrastructure to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene in the vicinity was prepared. The list will be sent to the government for the final sanction.

Sabharwal assured to carry out the cleanliness drive on a regular basis but sought the cooperation of the public.

Interestingly, during the meeting, many educational institutions of the city volunteered to adopt roads for the drive. Similalry, traders of Ranjit Avenue volunteered to maintain hygiene in their blocks. NGO Nehru Yuva Kendra, in coordination with various clubs, announced to maintain cleanliness in 11 streets of the Maqboolpura area.

Health Officer Dr Charanjit Singh said there was a need to install more dustbins. It has been estimated that at least 125 dustbins will be needed at several locations in the city.

“We have prepared an action plan. Besides dustbins, which will be distributed area wise, the dumper placer system is a major requirement. We have identified the spots where dustbins can be placed for the convenience of the residents. The response from the schools and colleges has been encouraging,” he said.

DAV college volunteered to adopt the road from Novelty Chowk to Bhandari Bridge while DAV School, Police Lines will maintain cleanliness on the internal road leading to the Lawrence Road and Police Lines. GSSS, Mall Road, adopted Mall Road till Kichlew Chowk point. Four S School management offered to adopt the road from Four S Chowk to Ghala Mala Chowk point. Guru Ram Das Blood Bank Society will maintain the 100-foot road. 

Amritsar, October 28
On the 112th foundation day of the Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD), its members announced to promote education in the upcoming years.

CKD Institute of Management and Technology at Taran Tarn will be inaugurated on November 16 by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to mark the World Sikh Education Conference, which is expected to attract a large number of personalities from social and political spheres from all over the world.

Besides, a world-class Residential Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School at Shubam Enclave in Amritsar is scheduled to be opened shortly.

Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Sarai, situated at the campus of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, will be inaugurated on the birth anniversary of Bhai Veer Singh on December 5.

CKD president Charanjit Singh Chadha said as many as 3 adarsh schools in assocoiation with the Punjab Government had been set up at Ucha Pind (Kapurthala), Naushehra Pannuan (Tarn Taran), Dhandhra (Ludhiana) to impart quality education.

Narinder Singh Khurana, honrary secretary of the organisation, highlighted the forthcoming projects of the CKD.

On this occasion, the bhog of Shri Akhand Paath Sahib was also performed. Ragi jatha of Sri Harmandir Sahib and students of Sri Guru HarKrishan public School performed a soulful kirtan. 

Amritsar, October 28
A national seminar on the Komagata Maru incident was organised at the conference hall of Guru Nanak Dev University today. The seminar was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incident.

Eminent historians and scholars of the country expressed views over the incident. The grand daughters of Baba Gurdit Singh and the martyrs’ families were present on the occasion. Education Minister Dr D S Cheema inaugurated this seminar while Prof AS Brar, Vice-Chancellor, GNDU, presided over it.

Dr Parm Bakhshish Singh, a prominent historian and former Registrar, Punjabi University, Patiala, delivered the keynote address. Dr Joginder Singh, seminar co-ordinator and the head of the Namdhari Guru Ram Singh Chair, welcomed the chief guest and others. Dr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar, GNDU, presented the vote of thanks.

In his inaugural address, Dr Cheema explained the contribution of the Gadarites in the freedom struggle. He highlighted the significance of the Komagata Maru episode.

“Baba Gurdit Singh always talked about human rights and conveyed his message peacefully. However, the incident did not receive the deserving place in our history. Efforts should be made to highlight the historic event,” he said. Dr Cheema urged the university to establish a chair in the honour of the Ghadarites.

Prof Param Bakhshish Singh narrated the happenings during the incident. He rejected the colonial version of the Komagata Maru episode that led to the shooting of innocent passengers on the Budge-Budge seaport. He said that the movement was a protest against the colonial law.

Prof Brar announced to establish a chair in the honour of Gadarites for a period of five years starting from April 2015. He said there was a need to rewrite history. A book on the Ghadar Movement, edited by Dr Joginder Singh, was also released by the chief guest.

Prof Brar also honoured Dr Cheema and Prof Param Bakhshish Singh with mementos and shawls. The grand daughters of Baba Gurdit Singh and families of the Gadarites were also honoured by the university. 

Amritsar, October 28
Retired principal and director of the NGO Jan Kalyan Sangathan, Swaraj Grover will represent India as a special guest in the International Arya Conference scheduled to be held in Singapore on November 1 and 2 and at Bangkok on November 8 and 9. She said representatives of 32 countries will participate in the conference.

Grover will speak on the topics “Vedic Sanskars and it relevance in the Modern Age “ in Singapore, “Problems of Women & Solution” and “Women Empowerment” in Bangkok. Grover has participated in international seminars in China, Holland, Mauritius, South-America (Surinam, Guvana and Washington), Nepal, UK and Australia in the past.

She was also honored for her creative activities. She has reunited more than 2,800 estranged families, re-established widows and divorces, conducted marriages without dowry, worked against child marriages, domestic violence and female foeticide besides providing employment to people in slums and rural areas. 

Amritsar, October 28
The District Planning Committee will hold a 10-day-long block-level rural games tournament from November 1. Later, a two-day district-level rural games tournament will be held from November 19 at Mewa Singh Stadium, Lopoke.

District Planning Committee Chairman Veer Singh Lopoke today held a meeting in this regard at Bachchat Bhavan.

Lopoke directed officials to make elaborate arrangements for the games. He added that the government was committed to promote games among the youth to wean them away from drugs. He said the government was providing all kind of sports infrastructure to players in the rural areas.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Baldev Singh, District Development Panchayat Officer SP Angra were also present on the occasion. 

Amritsar, October 28
The Health Department collected samples of soft drinks from a shop near Khalsa College after some customers complained about algae found inside the bottles of a soft drink made by a multinational company.

A team led by Food Inspector Amit Joshi raided the shop and sealed the bottles. District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said the samples would be sent to the food testing laboratory at Chandigarh. The department also inspected the stock of soft drinks at the shop and asked the shopkeepers about the supplier of the bottles. Kahlon said the department would initiate a probe after receiving the test report. 

Amritsar, October 28
As many as 850 patients were examined at a homeopathic and ayurvedic camp at Fatehpur village. District Homeopathy Officer Dr Jugal Kishore said all patients were given free medicines.

He said the objective of the camp was to spread awareness about homeopathic and ayurvedic medicines. He said homeopathic and ayurvedic treatment was economical for the poor. Ayurvedic and homeopathic clinics were already running in the district and people could avail the facility, he added. He said the clinics charged Rs 5 as registration fee. — TNS

Amritsar, October 28
Two persons were caught red-handed while attempting to steal money from an ATM in the Khandwala area here today.

The accused have been identified as Sudesh Kumar, a resident of Khandwala Chheharta, and Ravi Kumar, a resident of Mohalla Rangarpur Dawaianwala Chheharta.

A case under sections 380/457/427/511 the Indian Penal Code has been registered against them. ASI Gulshal Lal of the Chheharta police station said they were arrested on a tip-off.

“Someone spotted them standing inside the ATM chamber of Axis Bank at Khandwala for long and contacted us. We immediately reached the spot. The accused were caught red-handed while they were trying to smash the CCTV camera installed in the ATM chamber. They wanted to break open the ATM machine,” he said. 

Amritsar, October 28
The two-day DAV National Sports Cluster Tournament came to an end with the DAV International School, Amritsar, becoming the overall champion. As many as 600 students participated in the event.

The closing ceremony, organised under the guidance of DAV International School principal Anjana Gupta, was presided over by Councillor Jarnail Singh Dhot. Regional director Dr Neelam Kamra welcomed the gathering. —TNS