Truckers indecisive, traders scared
Nationwide transporters' strike today
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 20 — Even as local truck operators' unions are indecisive about joining the nationwide transporters' strike in protest against the hike in diesel prices, entrepreneurs in this industrial hub of the state are keeping their fingers crossed regarding the expected impact of the transporters' action.

Entrepreneurs, including some of big business houses in the Indian industry which have their production units here, said the strike could mean a loss of revenue to the tune of crores of rupees.

Fearing the worst were the units producing consumer durables. Due to the ongoing festival season, such units have stepped up their production levels.

The day the price of diesel was hiked by the Central Government, the local Truck Operators Union had suspended its operations. It, however, resumed its operations after a compromise was worked out between industrialists and truck operators at a meeting convened by the Mohali Industries Association.

As per the agreement, said the President of the Mohali Industries Association, Mr S.S. Sandhu, entrepreneurs had agreed to hike the freight charges by 10 to 20 per cent, depending on the nature of the freight being handled. Some of the big business houses could not afford the outcome of the strike, he said.

The All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) and other national-level truck operators associations are adamant on going on a strike if the increase was not rolled back. Local transporters, though unwillingly, might have little option but to support the strike, said a truck operator.

Enquires revealed that at least 100 loaded trucks daily checked out from this industrial hub for destinations as far as Chennai, Guwahati, Mumbai

and Calcutta. Besides, trucks are also engaged in bringing raw material for the local industry.

Representatives of the some of the big business houses engaged in making picture tubes, refrigerators, paints and other consumer durables preferred to adopt a wait and watch policy on the impact of the strike in the first two or three days. They anticipate a lot of hardship as the strike could seriously hamper movement of their goods.

"The festival season is on and to boost sales, we offer different discount schemes which causes an increase in demand. To keep the production level up, regular supplies are essential. The strike during such a period can hit us badly," an entrepreneur said.

The General Secretary of the Truck Operators Union of Mohali, Mr Jagtar Singh said, "We do not want to go on strike, but, if a call is given, we will have to comply as the movement of trucks in other states may attract violent retaliation by the agitating transporters."

A similar view was expressed by Mr Sadhu Singh, General Secretary of the Mohali LCV Operators Union.

Meanwhile, the administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth supply of essential commodities in the district. Though the district administration has assured security to petrol stations for transportation of petroleum products, petroleum dealers in the district are undecided whether to join the strike or not, fearing retaliation by the agitating transporters.

CHANDIGARH: On the call of the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the local truckers have decided to go on strike from midnight tonight in protest against the hike in the price of diesel.

Two associations of transporters held separate meetings here today and decided to support the strike call given by the all-India body. Since a number of state transporters' bodies had decided the go on strike, the associations were left with no option but to keep trucks off the roads, it was felt.

Mr Subhash Chawla, President of the Tenant Transporters Welfare Association, said there would be no loading of trucks tomorrow. He urged the BJP-led Government to roll back the diesel price hike in the interest of the common man.

"Although booking parties had assured us of hike in transportation charges, we are left with no option but to go on strike. However, we will not resort to any demonstration", said Mr Krishan Abrol, President of the Chandigarh Transporters Association.

PANCHKULA: The President of the Transport Operators Union of Panchkula, Mr Dyal Singh, said the issue of participating in the strike was still undecided. "The headquarters of our organisation is in Rohtak. Office-bearers there are keenly following the developments in Delhi and are in contact with other associations. We cannot take a stand that is different from theirs but we have not received any intimation of whether we are party to the strike call or not.

A final decision will be taken once we get some intimation from them," he added.

Though an air of uncertainty prevailed among office-bearers of the organisation, most truck drivers said they would be compelled to participate in the strike irrespective of the order they receive from Rohtak. One of them stated, "Even if we start from here we are unlikely to go far with our goods. We will most likely be intercepted mid-way and forced to abandon the idea of going any further. So we might as well not begin the journey at all."

Fuel price variation affects sale patterns
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 20 — The hike in sales tax on petrol in Punjab has resulted in a substantial fall in the sale of petrol at filling stations in parts of Ropar and Patiala districts adjoining Chandigarh. The sale of diesel has also registered a substantial fall here.

The worst hit are filling stations in Patiala district located along the Chandigarh-Ambala highway and along the Chandigarh-Manali national highway in Ropar district. Consumers of SAS Nagar and Zirakpur are preferring to get tanks of vehicles filled in Chandigarh.

A petrol station owner in Kharar said: "Against a daily sale of around 10,000 litres, he was now able to sell around 2000 litres.Vehicles plying on the Chandigarh-Manali highway get their vehicles filled either in Chandigarh or Haryana".

A similar picture was presented by another owner of a petrol station at SAS Nagar. He said petrol station owners in the township had always been at the receiving end as the prices in Punjab had been more, compared to Chandigarh.

Though the increase in the sales tax on petrol and the surcharge on it might cause a marginal revenue loss generated from the petrol stations located around Chandigarh, the worst hit were the petroleum dealers. " First blow came with the increase in the diesel prices and then came the increase in sales tax on petrol by the Punjab Government. We urge the state government to roll back the increased sales tax", said a petroleum dealer in Zirakpur.

A petrol pump in Zirakpur, which was selling around 38,000 litres of diesel daily last month now sells around 13,000 litres in a day.

Further variation in the prices of petrol and diesel within the municipal limits of SAS Nagar, Kharar and Zirakpur and outside has also added to the crisis for the petroleum dealers.

ZIRAKPUR: Petroleum product outlets here have witnessed a fall of more than 30 per cent in diesel and petrol since the recent hike in their prices.

Prices of diesel and petrol are higher in Zirakpur than the neighbouring states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. There is a difference in rates of petrol and diesel in Zirakpur, due to differences imposition of octroi in few areas of Zirakpur.

Petrol at an outlet in Bhabhat, out of the jurisdiction of Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat, is sold at Rs 26.68 per litre, whereas under the panchayat it is priced at Rs 27.08 per litre. On the other hand, diesel is priced Rs 13.78 in former while at latter it is available at the rate of Rs 14.08 per litre.

At a petrol station in Dhakauli on the Zirakpur-Shimla road, a sharp decline in the sale of petrol as well as diesel has been reported. Average daily sale of diesel was 22,000 litres whereas it has drastically fallen to 9000 litres per day. Daily average sale of petrol at the pump had fallen to 1000 litres from 2000 litres.

Owner of another petrol pump on the Chandigarh-Ambala road said the average daily sale of petrol had reduced to 500 litres from 1000 litres. Similarly, the diesel sale has also reduced from 23,000 litres to 21,000 litres per day.

CHANDIGARH: The recent hike in the sales tax on petrol by the Punjab Government has come as a blessing in disguise for the petrol station owners of the city. With petrol available at over Rs 3 less in Chandigarh than in the neighbouring areas of Punjab, the local petrol stations owners had never it so good.

A random survey of the petrol stations of the city showed today that the petrol and diesel sales have registered an increase, particularly in the areas adjoining SAS Nagar and other Punjab areas.

According to a petrol station owner in Sector 49 here, petrol sales, which were about 400 kilolitres (KLs) per month in July before the Chandigarh Administration imposed a 5 per cent sales tax, came down to about 125 KLs. The sales have been been picking up since then and were at 250 KLs now.

He informed that a number of vehicle owners with registration numbers outside the city got their tanks topped up from the petrol pump. Similarly, diesel sales had also picked up since a large number of trucks passed through the area although there was marginal price difference.

A manager with another petrol station said the trucks which earlier preferred SAS Nagar and Zirakpur had started returning to the petrol station.

PANCHKULA: In Panchkula, petrol and diesel sales have shown a considerable rise after the recent hike in prices by Chandigarh and Punjab. The manager of a Sector 8 petrol pump says,"The average petrol sale, which hovered around 2500 litres per day went up to 5000 litres per day and is up to 6500 now. Also, the diesel which was around 1000 litres a day has improved to 3000 litres. Earlier, we used to have very few customers but with the hike in the adjoining city, most commuters prefer to get refuelling from us. Though the difference in prices is not significant, the customer is psychologically affected even by the slightest change.''

A petrol pump owner on the border of Haryana says,"My sales, prior to the hike, were meagre. Also, I was doubly disadvantaged since the petrol pump next door fell in Chandigarh. Why would anybody prefer my station if petrol was available at cheaper rates in the adjoining one? Now, owing to the hike in Punjab and Chandigarh, lady luck has started smiling on us and the sale of petrol has gone up from 800 litres a day to 4000 litres per day. Diesel sale has also increased from 800 to 3000 litres a day.''

Unemployment allowance for handicapped
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Chandigarh Administration has decided to grant unemployment allowance to the physically handicapped persons awaiting employment for long periods.

All educated unemployed persons belonging to the weaker sections and in the age group of 18 and 30 years with a total family income of Rs 60,000 per annum or less and who have been unable to get a job due to various reasons shall be eligible for the allowance.

The unemployed physically handicapped qualified persons should have a minimum of two years of registration in the special employment exchange of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

The Administration has also decided to give a grant of Rs 300 per month to blind, deaf and dumb and Rs 150 per month to other categories of handicapped persons who are matriculate and undergraduate. For graduate and postgraduate applicants, the grant would be Rs 400 per month for blind, deaf and dumb and Rs 200 for other categories.

The candidates can submit their applications to the Director, Social Welfare.

The Administration has also decided to give Rs 250 per month as transport allowance to children with disabilities.

India visitor in judicial custody
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — It was a harrowing experience for a British national, Sukhwinder Singh Purewal, whose first-ever visit to India and Chandigarh landed him behind the bars. It is ironic that this should happen to a visitor from abroad when the country is promoting tourism and celebrating the Visit India Year.

The 35-year-old professor in a British university got a first-hand experience of our local hospitability when he was "falsely charged" with allegedly manhandling an employee of a Sector 22 hotel. He is at present in judicial custody and will be presented before a magistrate tomorrow.

According to Mr Manjit Singh, a resident of Jagadhri and family friend, he was shocked to receive a call from Sukhwinder on his mobile phone informing him about his arrest and being in police custody. ''I dropped him in Chandigarh yesterday as he wanted to see the City Beautiful. He was very impressed with the city and wanted to stay here for a few days.''

Narrating the sequence of events, Mr Manjit Singh said Sukhwinder had booked a room in the hotel on October 18 and had paid the rent in advance. Last night when he returned at about midnight, after having some drinks and dinner, he found that the main door of the hotel was locked.

He knocked at the door for more than half an hour when a couple of hotel employees opened the door and reportedly assaulted him. He was allegedly manhandled, pushed into a room and locked inside. After some time, the police arrived and took him to the police station. Then he was taken to the General Hospital for a medical examination.

All his pleas that he was the affected party fell on deaf ears and he was charged under Sections 107 and 151, CrP C.

Since he had no relatives in India (he was born and bred in England), it was with great difficulty that he could recall his number and inform him. Otherwise, he would have been stuck and no one would have known what had happened to him, he added.

Mr Manjit Singh said he had informed the British High Commission.

City police to submit report to MHA
By Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The intelligence failure during the Kargil war has cast its shadow on the functioning of the intelligence network of the state police departments, which have been asked to give a detailed report on strengthening and revamping them.

The Chandigarh police is no exception and the report prepared by the authorities to be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is an eye-opener and a reflection of the state of affairs in the intelligence wing of the force. The report will be tabled in the meeting of Directors-General of Police conference, to be held shortly.

Mr Shiv Bhagat, Joint Secretary (IS-II), MHA, had written to the local authorities in this context. The latest agency to seek a report is the Bureau of Police Research and Development. According to police sources, the intelligence wing is the most important part of any police force but the local set-up is handicapped on account of shortage of manpower and ill-equipped to deal with exigencies. It does not have a vehicle to ferry men.

As compared to neighbouring states, the city does not have a separate cadre for officers, who are specially trained for the job, which is totally different from routine policing. Information gathering is a complex and demanding job and the personnel posted here are not suited for the job and a majority consider their stint here as a 'sideline' posting.

Of the sanctioned strength of 10 Inspectors and 26 Sub-Inspectors, the cell has two Inspectors and 13 Sub-Inspectors. Same is the case with ASIs, HCs and constables. Though the best men are supposed to be posted to this wing, it is 'dumping ground for chronic defaulters'. Their zest and inclination for information gathering can be well imagined.

A majority of the members of staff spend a considerable part of their time in initiating moves to get themselves posted out to other wings, the choice posting being in police stations. In the past, highly-qualified persons were sent here and were asked to serve for long spells. Now a person can be transferred in and out anytime.

Sources say lack of vehicles is a major handicap. Local personnel have to use their own vehicles or rely on motorcycles of the department, which are conspicuous and it is very hard to travel incognito.

There are no independent telephones and it is very hard to maintain contact with either the office or with informers. There is no provision for tape recorders. A lot of time is spent on scribbling rough notes, which are then rewritten before being submitted, and sometimes, some points are left out.

Though the wing has a video camera, its location is unknown. While computers have been provided, they are being used to do work of other wings, though operators draw their salaries from the wing.

The report states that the desired changes require a lot of finances. In view of the resource crunch, the police department should be provided with funds by the centre.

Department not clear about new mobile rates
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — Even as just 10 days are left for the much-awaited free incoming call service for mobile phones to start, a number of loose ends remain to be tied up.

The local unit of the Telecom Department has written a letter to the Ministry of Communications seeking clarifications regarding the implementation of the scheme that is also known as the ''calling party pays'' scheme. Under this, the subscribers of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) phones will have to pay at a pulse rate that will be charged on a per minute basis when dialling a mobile phone user. The latter will have to pay nothing.

At present, the mobile phone user has to pay even for receiving calls while the DoT subscriber pays only the charge of a local call. Besides, the mobile user also pays for all outgoing calls he makes. Now the Department of Telecom is considering if access to mobile phones should be allowed from all phones or not when the CPP scheme commences.

When users start dialling mobile phones, the bills will go up as the charges are not of a local call and this may result in excess metering complaints, is the opinion among the telecom officials. So, one of the options before the department is to create a new dialling ''group'' that will allow DoT users to access 98140 numbers besides the local number. But this, if permitted, will be only on demand, sources said.

The other option is to allow access from DoT phones to mobile phones only through STD phones. And the third option is to continue in the present mode, that is access to mobile phones is allowed from all DoT phones.

The first two options may lead to loss of revenue, besides forcing DoT subscribers to take STD facility or the subscribe to the new dialling group.

The DoT is also preparing to change the billing cycle. Senior officials admit that at the moment nothing is clear.

Meanwhile, DoT users in some small towns like Dera Bassi cannot dial a mobile number without having the STD facility. This has been done as the DoT has said that access of calls made from fixed lines phones to cellular phones will only be permitted if the point of interconnect (POI) is available in the adjacent short distance charging area (SDCA) of the same secondary switching area (SSA) .

In case of Dera Bassi, it falls in the Patiala SSA and calls have to be routed through Chandigarh so the call first goes to Patiala and then it is directed Chandigarh.

Sources in the telecom industry said DoT users are being forced to dial on STD.

Telecom officers oppose IAS secretary
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — As a protest against the reported move of the Government of India to appoint an IAS official Secretary of the newly created Department of Telecom Services, Indian Telecom Services officials based in Chandigarh have started wearing black badges. The officials also plan to go on mass casual leave on October 22, 1999.

A press release issued on behalf of all the officers of Telecommunication Service Association based at Chandigarh said the move of the government to appoint an IAS officer Secretary of the newly created department had come after the government separated the Department of Telecom Services from the earlier Department of Telecom wherein the latter will look after only the telecom policy matters.

DoTS, the newly created department, would be responsible for all operation and development in the country and it was in the fitness of things that the seniormost officer of the cadre was appointed against this post instead of an IAS officer. Moreover, the present seniormost officer is holding the Padam Shree award for the services rendered for the telecom development in the country.

The association said that the ITS officers had brought the state of telecommunication to the present level wherein growth had been constantly maintained for the past two years or more than 20 per cent which was not there in any of the sectors. There were countless examples of the departments headed by IAS officers both at the state and central levels which had shown losses or negligible profits.

DoT had brought in all the modern technology and had spread it to far-flung corners of the country with its managerial, technical and organisational skills. The ITS officers should be made responsible to steer the newly created DOTS and their presence in sufficient numbers should be ensured in the DOTP.

It is learnt that the Ministry of Information and Technology would be responsible for bringing in new concepts. the ITS officers are of the opinion that this should also be looked after by the Ministry of Communication and suggest that a separate department of information and technology should be created within the ministry. This will ensure feeding of different positions from the basic ITS cadre who are all well conversant with these new technologies.

If at all the government still likes to go ahead with the formation of the Ministry of Information and Technology, then representation of telecom officers should not only be at the apex level but also at the field level.

The other engineering organisations of the department have also joined in this move and have sent their protests to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Communication and other functionaries concerned, the release adds.

SNIPPETS

Bajrang Dal claim ridiculed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — The Vicar General of Catholic Church of Sector 19-A here, Father Thomas Anchanical, today reacted sharply to the claims and allegations made by the Bajrang Dal on the eve of the visit of Pope John Paul II to India next month.

Father Anchanical said that claims of the Bajrang dal or the VHP regarding the Pope were frivolous. The so-called five demands were nothing but a ridicule of democracy. "The teaching of Vatican II on other religions regards with great reverence those ways of conduct and life.

"Who is the Bajrang Dal or the VHP to put its demands before the Pope as a prelude to his visit?," he said, maintaining that the church was not involved in any forced conversions anywhere in the country.

MC to collect octroi
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, Oct 20 — The Dera Bassi Municipal Council (MC) has taken over the task of collecting octroi at all the posts as the contractor has fled.

The contractor had reportedly left because of the losses that he has suffered. A contract of Rs 2.87 crore was struck between the Municipal Council and the contractor this year. Last year the contract had been given for Rs 1.81 crore.

Mr Jagjit Singh Dalli, President of the Municipal Council, said the contract would now be given to someone else. Till then the municipality would collect octroi.

Eye care seminar on October 23
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — A public seminar on ‘Eye care and eye donation’ will be held at Rock Garden, Phase-III, on October 23. The seminar is being jointly organised by the Eye Care and Research Foundation’ Lions Club International, District blindness and Control Society and the Eye Bank Association of India.

The focus of the seminar will be to help promote awareness on issues concerning prevention of eye diseases, and to encourage eye donation. Mr A.R Talwar, Managing Director, Punjab Agro Corporation Ltd, will be the chief guest at the function.

The winners of the All- Chandigarh ‘Eye donation awareness quiz’ will be awarded prizes. As many as 500 students will participate in a ‘Cycle Run for Eye donation’ on the morning of October 23. Carrying posters and banners they will come to Rock Garden from different parts of the city. A technical exhibition has also been organised at the venue. Prominent doctors of the city will address the seminar and a slide show will also be organised on the occasion.

Road recarpeting hits traffic
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 20 — Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for more than two hours on the Chandigarh-Patiala national highway on account of ongoing recarpeting of the road near Banur this evening.

Vehicles were seen lined up in a 2-km-long queue starting from Banur towards Rajpura. Even as some policemen were deployed to regulate the traffic, the scene remained chaotic with heavy vehicles and those belonging to VIPs jumping the queue, creating problems for others. The intensity of traffic, however, came down after 5 p.m. when the officials and workers left for the day. According to sources, such traffic snarls have become a routine for the past two weeks.