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ABVP defies Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Heroin, pistol seized from gangster, held
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Snatchers caught by onlookers
Amritsar, November 11 With the active support of the people, the police held two snatchers, who were trying to escape after snatching a mobile from a Hoshiarpur resident and injuring him.
Man killed as bike hit by speeding car
Community parks turning eco-models with individual involvement
Garbage collection system collapses
Capt for setting up of waste mgmt plant
Rs 24.76 cr disbursed for cancer treatment
folk festival
Trust initiates adult education programme
Education Dept identifies 95 schools for merger
Relief package demanded for terrorism victims
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ABVP defies Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Amritsar, November 11 They painted private and public properties with slogans in view of their upcoming 60th National Conference on November 14. They did not even spare the boundary walls of the historic Ram Bagh garden, thus inviting criticism at the hands of local residents and heritage lovers. In its orders in 2002, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has banned the defacing of private and public properties because it distracts the attention of commuters, leading to road mishaps, sometimes fatal. It is an irony that the menace of defacement continues unabated in the holy city even as the civic authorities continue to turn a blind eye towards the problem. The authorities hardly initiate any step or action against the advertisers or other offenders, although it is not difficult to identify them. “It is very disappointing,” rues Brij Bedi, a social activist while adding that “these youth are the future of our country and it hurts when they break the law. Will they get more attention by pasting posters and defacing the holy city? What message are they giving to the coming generations?” he questioned. “It seems that the student outfit did not care a hoot about the campaign launched by their own Prime Minister. How will they carry forward his vision when they cannot even leave an area clean?” he rued. Balwinder Singh, a heritage lover, said the young generation should set an example. They should be torch- bearers of the campaign launched by Modi instead of indulging in such activities, which are contradictory in nature. Heritage buildings should be preserved rather that defaced, he pointed out. Prateek Kapoor, district secretary, ABVP, said though they had pasted posters and painted the walls, their volunteers would be the first to remove these posters and clean the areas once the convention comes to an end. Bakshi Ram Arora, mayor, said he had asked the student organisations to first take permission from the Deputy Commissioner in this connection. Moreover, he added, this was a general problem and in order to nail the offenders, they were going to depute an advocate who would click photographs and action would be taken against those indulging in such an activity. Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat said nobody had approached him for permission and according to the law, we could not give permission to paste posters, allowing defacement of public and government properties. He said they would ask the Municipal Corporation authorities to take appropriate action in this connection.
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Heroin, pistol seized from gangster, held
Amritsar, November 11
The police have confiscated around 300 gm of heroin besides a pistol with three cartridges from his house in Mehta. Jasdeep Singh, SSP, Amritsar rural police, said Pandit’s location was traced by the police during the interrogation of two of his accomplices, Malkeet Singh, alias Nawab, of Channanke village, and Ranjodh Singh of Udhonangal village. Ranjodh Singh used to provide weapons to the gang, said the SSP. Davinder Singh, SHO, Mehta police, said following his interrogation, the police confiscated contraband and arms from a store in his room. Investigations revealed that it was Jaggu who had given him the narcotics. A separate case under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act has been registered against him. He was remanded in judicial custody. He said Nawab and Ranjodh Singh had revealed that Pandit was the kingpin of their gang and the right hand of Jaggu. The accused was wanted in numerous criminal cases registered in Amritsar city, rural and the adjoining areas.
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Snatchers caught by onlookers
Amritsar, November 11 The victim, identified as Gobind Singh of Singhpura village in Hoshiarpur, was going from Amritsar railway station to the Golden Temple for paying obeisance. The incident occurred near the Gole Bagh area, just a few metres away from the Durgiana temple police chowki. The accused were identified as Harpreet Singh and Partap Singh of Fateh Nangal village in Gurdaspur. A case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 382 (robbery) and 34, IPC, has been registered at the Civil Lines police station here. According to the details, Gobind Singh came out of Amritsar railway station from the backside gate on the Gole Bagh road. He was going to the Golden Temple and at that time was answering a phone call. Suddenly, the accused, who were hidden inside the Gole Bagh, came out and tried to snatch his mobile. Gobind Singh resisted the attempt and entered into a scuffle with the culprits. They hit Gobind Singh with a sharp-edged ‘datar’ on his head, leaving him seriously injured. Hearing his shouts, people near the Durgiana Temple rushed towards them. The accused had snatched a silver chain besides the mobile phone from him. The accused were chased and overpowered by the onlookers. Meanwhile, policemen in the Durgiana police chowki, a few metres away from the spot, arrived there and arrested them. Investigating officer Satish Kumar, who is also the police chowki in charge, said though initial interrogation revealed nothing about the past record of the accused, the police would approach the Gurdaspur police to ascertain their credentials. Further investigations have been started after taking the police remand of the accused, he said.
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Man killed as bike hit by speeding car
Amritsar, November 11 He along with his son, Vijay Singh, and daughter, Mansi, was going to Tole Nangal village on a motorcycle bearing number PB-02-CJ-5305 when the car hit him. Vijay Singh told the police that they were immediately taken to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital where his father, Harjit Singh, succumbed to his injuries. The police have booked the unidentified woman under Sections 304-A, 337, 338, 279 and 427, IPC, in this regard.
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Community parks turning eco-models with individual involvement
Amritsar, November 11 Turning wastelands into beautiful gardens and taking responsibility to build community gardens, some of the residents are leading by example — a significant achievement being the dumping ground near Freedom Industries at focal point being turned into a beautiful park. The area, which was used as a dumping ground for industrial waste sometime back, is now a sight of nature in full bloom. Initiated by the Eco Amritsar and supported by Freedom Industries, the transformation has helped the local residents get rid of the chemicals thrown in the open. The community park in Green Avenue, near the Verka booth, too, has seen some makeover. A patch of neglect that it once was, residents have turned it into a natural organic model, where no toxic fertilisers are being used to nurture specific varieties of plants suitable to any climate. A separate bird feed, too, has been developed by the residents and maintenance responsibility of the park lies with the residents association. Natural fertiliser is generated using a vermi-compost pit and dustbins are in place, too. The president of the residents association, Amarjit Singh Sandhu, has been constantly keeping tabs on the maintenance of the park. “The park has been specifically developed keeping in mid ecological concerns. It’s a small step in our journey towards a larger goal.” The park is one of the few model parks for the Zero Disposal Programme, supported by the WWF and the Eco Amritsar. “The compost pit converts green trash into liquid manure, used for growing plants,” said Harvinder Singh, one of residents heading the park committee. The added advantage is that the home, and the neighbourhood, is free of stink, flies, maggots and cockroaches, which are caused by putrefying garbage. The Thrive Earth Project, which is meant to develop and promote green kitchens and eco-bins, too, has been turned into a community drive. Creating garbage composter at home and recycling the waste into fertiliser is the target. “The city produces over 700 tonnes of waste, 70 per cent of which is kitchen waste. It’s the best we can do, converting the kitchen waste into organic fertiliser with minimal effort and a simple idea,” says Gunbir Singh, president, Eco Amritsar, who has created a sample vegetable garden in his home using the garbage composter. He is also promoting the concept of Waste to Vegetable programme, which makes use of community parks to generate natural fertilisers with a similar process.
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Garbage collection system collapses
Amritsar, November 11 Union leader Surinder Tona said, “The protestors have warned the safai karamcharis against dumping garbage. We fear that they may attack the employees.” Tona said they were not on strike but they had demanded that the matter should be resolved. Around two decades ago, the city had at least six garbage dumping sites. However, with the passage of time, Bhagatawala dump yard became the most prominent dumping site. The residents of localities near the dump yard have started an agitation against the use of the place for the garbage dumping. As the MC tried to divert the dumping vehicles towards Chabal Road dump yard, the residents, including the students of Chief Khalsa Diwan’s Nursing College, started opposing it. As the safai karamcharis employed by the MC refused to lift garbage, the 70 trolleys hired through private contractors lifted garbage from the city. However, as they too could not find a place to dispose it of, they were seen moving around in the city with the garbage laden vehicles. The private contractors are paid Rs 1,800 per trolley by the MC for the collection of garbage. Tona said, “Private contractors are concerned with their money and they will submit their bills even as they have practically failed to dispose of the garbage.” The Municipal Corporation Workers’ Union has also demanded from the MC to clarify as to which site was used by private contractors to dispose of garbage. “Had there been a place, we too would have happily disposed of the waste. But the private contractors are befooling people and the MC officials,” said Tona. Meanwhile, Congress has also accused the leaders of the ruling alliance of playing politics on the issue of dump yard. Raj Kanwal Preet Lucky, the leader of party councillors in MC, said, “The MC has failed to resolve the issue even as the UPA government had sanctioned money for the solid waste management project.” Commenting on today’s meeting of Deputy CM with leaders of alliance and officials on the issue, Lucky said, “The Local Bodies Minister, who belongs to the city, and the Mayor don’t have any moral right to be at their positions if they cannot find a solution to a local problem. Why is it so that every decision has to be taken by the Deputy CM.” District Congress (rural) president Gurjit Singh Aujla and Mandeep Singh Manna met the protestors today and criticised the government for not listening to the voice of the people. “The people are protesting against the dump yard because it has made life hell for them. The government must address their grievances,” said Aujla. BJP MLA and CPS Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu also criticised the state government for not taking the project of solid waste management plant in the city seriously. She said her husband and former MP Navjot Singh Sidhu had worked tirelessly for the project. Dumping garbage in a residential area is unethical and lethal, she added. She demanded an immediate solution to the problem.
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Capt for setting up of waste mgmt plant
Amritsar, November 11 As per a release issued here today, Amarinder said, “Currently, all the municipal and household waste was being dumped at Bhagtanwala, which had turned into a huge mound about 16 feet in height.” He said the garbage dump had been emitting foul smell and harmful gases, which have made the life of the residents in the surrounding areas very difficult. Amarinder reminded the Akali-BJP government about the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan of the Prime Minister saying, “They should feel ashamed about the huge mound of garbage in the holy city.” He said disposal of garbage in the city needed a permanent solution and that can be possible only with setting up of a waste disposal and management plant. — TNS
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Rs 24.76 cr disbursed for cancer treatment Amritsar, November 11 Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat, in a press statement issued here today, said the administration in association with the Health Department had launched a special awareness programme against the fatal disease in rural, semi-urban and urban areas. The administration conducted a door-to-door survey and identified as many as 1,934 persons suffering from the disease. He claimed there was no file of the patients seeking financial help from the government that is pending with the administration. He said a three-member board of medical officers has been constituted by the Health Department to clear genuine cases after thoroughly verifying the documents. He appealed to the people to approach the Civil Surgeon in case of any difficulty in filing their applications for financial help. The Punjab Government has arranged ultra-modern machines for the treatment of cancer in Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot, and Bathinda will get state-of-the-art cancer treatment centre soon, he added. — TNS
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Artistes from Slovakia, Czech Republic to perform today
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, November 11 The event is being organised by Punjab Cultural Promotion Council (PCPC), headed by Davinder Singh Chhina. Chhina said a performance involving fusion of Slovak and Czeck Republic will entertain the audience during the festival tomorrow. “Apart from the Slovakian folk artistes, the Czech group named Mini Fortunae will also perform. Punjabi artistes will display gatka, bhangra, gidda and folk dance,” he said. Khalsa College Governing Council honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina would be the chief guest on the occasion and he would honour the special guests and the artistes, said KCE principal Dr JS Dhillon. He said the folk festival was an annual affair for the institution. Apart from PCPC, Ghungroo Group will be actively involved in the event.
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Trust initiates adult education programme Amritsar, November 11 The trust has already procured 4 acres at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. The new school will start functioning from the next year. The school will be from Class 1 to Class 12. Only children from the weaker sections of society will be admitted for free education. —TNS
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Education Dept identifies 95 schools for merger
Amritsar, November 11 These schools could be merged with other schools and the students would be lucky to continue their studies. These 91 schools have 273 teachers. A resident of Sultanwind area, Surjit Singh, said the low strength of students at government schools exposed their poor management. “As long as quality of classroom teaching is not upgraded to contemporary global standards, the decline will continue,” he said. The merger may improve the efficiency of many schools, which have been grappling with the problem of staff crunch. Many government schools in the border district continue to face shortage of teaching and other staff. Several schools are running from unsafe buildings. Many schools have just one teacher. In most of these schools, students are forced to sit in the open to study. There are as many as 1,213 government schools, including 834 elementary and 40 aided schools, in the district. The situation in the elementary wing is far from being satisfactory as 50 per cent of posts are lying vacant. District Education Officer (Elementary) Jugraj Singh said merger of these 91 schools would be carried out in case the local department received orders from the head office.
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Relief package demanded for terrorism victims
Amritsar, November 11 In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Dr Chawla has said a number Hindu and Sikh families in Punjab had been affected by terrorism. He said they should be compensated for loss of the lives of their family members and property. Chawla has demanded release of Rs 781 crore package recommended by the Punjab Government for terrorism affected families in 2006.
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Amritsar, November 11
