Punjab Diary: Cat among the pigeons

Chandigarh: The arrest of former Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Divisional Forest Officer Guramanpreet Singh by the Vigilance Bureau has set the cat among the pigeons in the Forest Department. Some of the senior functionaries in the department have proceeded on leave, apprehending being summoned by the Vigilance sleuths. With more skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard, anxiety has gripped officers said to be close to the minister and his close aides. A senior officer of the department admitted the functioning of the department had been affected.

Cop with a cause

Amritsar: Head Constable Salwant Singh is a cop with a difference. Posted in the Traffic wing of the city police, Salwant is popularly referred to as ‘Reflector Singh’ by people and his colleagues, for he pays from his pocket to fix reflectors at the rear end of vehicles, including tractor-trailers. He has been doing this for the past several years, especially during the winter when fog reduces the visibility, causing mishaps. He says seeing fatalities in road accidents owing to poor visibility during the winter season prompted him to do his bit by fixing reflectors behind vehicles.

Drawing attention

Amritsar: A creative sculpture on the Novelty Chowk intersection showcasing pencils stacked one over the other capped by a rectangular book has caught the fancy of residents. Often passersby, especially children, are seen taking selfies with the sculpture, reflecting contemporary art. Children are happy at the sight of the pencils, something they can easily relate to. Standing on the slip road connecting the Mall Road with the MM Malviya Road, this creative piece has been attracting tourists, visiting the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama and Museum situated in its backdrop, as well.

Anti-drug drive hits roadblock

Gurdaspur: The government’s much hyped anti-drug drive hit a roadblock when ASHA workers refused to identify addicts in villages. A Health Department letter addressed to volunteers had asked them to go to villages and report which hamlet has how many addicts along with their names and addresses. These poorly paid workers rejected the letter. Needless to say, word reached DC Mohammad Ishfaq who, in turn, withdrew the letter and instead formed village-level committees. As things now stand, even these committees have refused to do the job.