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J A L A N D H A R

Powerless for 7 years
Lambra residents stage demonstration
Jalandhar, December 4
Living without power for the past seven years, residents of Lambra Colony in Lambra village, supported by the BJP Yuva Morcha, staged a dharna outside the office of PSEB here this morning.

Residents of Lambra Colony hold a protest demanding power supply that has been snapped in their area for the past seven years in front of the office of Punjab State Electricity Board in Jalandhar on Monday. Photo by S.S. Chopra

Corporation manager held
Kapurthala, December 4
The Vigilance Bureau today booked a district manager of the SC Land Development and Finance Corporation for allegedly taking bribe from a resident.

Sarpanch, son booked for fraud
Land transferred in the name of dead man
Phagwara, December 4
The state Intelligence Department booked three persons, including a former Sarpanch and his son, for getting a sale deed registered in the name of a ‘dead man’.

EARLIER STORIES

	Euphoria triggers ‘dhoom’ in Jalandhar December 4, 2006
	Military Hospital to get cardiac lab soon December 3, 2006
	Rallies, contests mark World AIDS Day December 2, 2006
	Ex-servicemen to burn medals if arrears not paid December 1, 2006
	Demolition of 155-yr-old school building begins November 30, 2006
	Sidhu blasts Amarinder on Vikas Yatra November 29, 2006
	Protesters set two vehicles on fire November 28, 2006
	Winged visitors at Kanjli wetlands November 27, 2006
	Malta boat tragedy on screen November 26, 2006
	Fest: Participants allege partiality November 25, 2006
	Two cops suspended November 24, 2006

Mr Rajinder Bhandari (right), state general secretary, BJP, addresses a press conference along with Mr Shiv Dyal Chugh , district president BJP, in Jalandhar on Monday. They said that a massive rally would be organised on December 8 in Moga. Photo by S.S. Chopra

Doctors observe strike
Kapurthala, December 4
Doctors and paramedical staff of the Kapurthala Civil Hospital observed strike against the misbehaviour of the family of a patient last night. The strike that began in the morning affected outdoor patients. The staff was protesting against misbehaviour with a nurse by the family of Khushwant Singh (45), a jail inmate, who was admitted to the hospital.

Row over naming Phagwara candidate
Phagwara, December 4
Even as the SAD and the BJP have yet to decided on allocation of seats, differences among party leaders further deepened when Capt Kanwaljit Singh announced the name of former MLA Swarna Ram as candidate from the Phagwara seat at a rally of the BJP on the Hargobind Nagar grounds here this afternoon. The BJP has been demanding a greater share in seat-allocation.

Drunk dies on road of cold
Jalandhar, December 4
Sudden dip in the temperature took the toll of a middle-aged man this morning on the Jalandhar-Amritsar highway near Lidran village here.

Mattoo Left candidate
Hoshiarpur, December 4
Mr Darshan Singh Mattoo has been declared joint candidate of the CPM, the CPI and the Lok Bhalai Party from Garhshankar seat for the coming Assembly elections.

Govt to monitor cable programmes
Phagwara, December 4
Taking exception to telecast of certain programmes by cable operators in the state, the Punjab Government has issued directions to the District Public Relations Officers to monitor the contents of these programmes.

Shuttlers meet concludes
Nawanshahr, December 4
A three-day open badminton tournament organised by the District Badminton Association at Indoor Stadium here concluded yesterday.

Army fitness test tough

Jalandhar, December 4
A three-day Army camp for the recruitment of education havildars saw only 23 candidates from across the state appearing for fitness test on the first day today.

Candidates from Punjab attend a recruitment camp for the post of education havildar organised at Jalandhar Cantonment on Monday. Photo :by S.S. Chopra

Candidates from Punjab attend a recruitment camp for the post of education havildar organised at Jalandhar Cantonment on Monday.

Powerless for 7 years
Lambra residents stage demonstration
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 4
Living without power for the past seven years, residents of Lambra Colony in Lambra village, supported by the BJP Yuva Morcha, staged a dharna outside the office of PSEB here this morning.
The residents locked the room of a superintending engineer. They said they finding it difficult to live without light, especially these days when the day time is short. The colony has 40 houses.
Mr Mandeep Bakshi, one of the residents, said they were forced to live life in the primitive style. They said their children could not study long and the household chores had to be winded up fast. For the rest of the day, they were burning lanterns and candles.
The Circle Engineer of the PSEB said the board could not give them supply owing to status quo ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He said a complaint in this regard had been lodged by a resident at the time when the board had completed 70 per cent of its work of installing power lines. He added that the complainant did not want the lines to pass over his fields. The board could not continue with the work as it could have amounted to the contempt of court.

Sarpanch, son booked for fraud
Land transferred in the name of dead man
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, December 4
The state Intelligence Department booked three persons, including a former Sarpanch and his son, for getting a sale deed registered in the name of a ‘dead man’.
Late Amar Dass owned a piece measuring two kanals and four marlas in Paddi Jagir village. Tarsem Lal, a former Sarpanch of the village, near Goraya, presented somebody else, posing as Amar Dass, and got the land registered in the name of his son Dhanveer Lakha on June 2, 2006.
A nambardar and Tarsem Lal figured as witnesses in the deed registration. Sources said when the villagers protested against the fraud, the land was again registered on July 6, 2006, but in the name of the dead man, Amar Dass.

The sources said some revenue officials had also come under the scanner for their role in the fraud. However, an Intelligence Department inquiry cleared them.

Those who have been booked include Tarsem Lal, his son Dhanveer Lakha and deed writer Ashwini Kumar.

Travel firm dupes people

The police has booked Harpreet Singh, owner of Jeeva Consultancy Company in Mohali on the charges of duping people aspiring to go abroad of lakhs of rupees.

Kamal Kapur, who was having a franchise of the company at Phagwara, told the police that he gave seven consultancy cases to the company for sending persons abroad from Phagwara. But the company sent only one person. It returned the money to only three persons after repeated requests.

He said the company refused to return the money of the remaining three persons whom it had failed to send abroad.

Booked agitators not arrested

The police has failed to arrest the eight protesters even after 48 hours of registering a case against them. They allegedly stoned state government buses and tried to burn one of those at nearby Khatti village. The suspects were protesting against the removal of statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar from the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road on Saturday.

The town remained peaceful on Sunday after a compromise was reached between the local administration and Dalit leaders.

The Dalit leaders removed the statue from the site on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road on Saturday. But, some Dalits factions opposed the removal of the statue and stoned two roadways buses on the Palahi bypass.

A case under Sections 435 and 427 of the IPC has been registered at Sadar police station against the eight persons on the charges of damaging the government property. Police teams were dispatched to various locations to arrest them.

Phagwara ASP Sukhchain Singh Gill said we were trying to arrest the culprits.

Doctors observe strike
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, December 4
Doctors and paramedical staff of the Kapurthala Civil Hospital observed strike against the misbehaviour of the family of a patient last night. The strike that began in the morning affected outdoor patients. The staff was protesting against misbehaviour with a nurse by the family of Khushwant Singh (45), a jail inmate, who was admitted to the hospital.

Last night, the condition of the patient turned serious and he was referred to another hospital. While he was being shifted out, the relatives of the patient allegedly pushed the nurse into the ambulance and indulged into arguments.
The patient died on the way to another hospital. This infuriated the family members and the situation turned worse. The family started demanding the registration of a case of negligence against the doctors.

Row over naming Phagwara candidate
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, December 4
Even as the SAD and the BJP have yet to decided on allocation of seats, differences among party leaders further deepened when Capt Kanwaljit Singh announced the name of former MLA Swarna Ram as candidate from the Phagwara seat at a rally of the BJP on the Hargobind Nagar grounds here this afternoon. The BJP has been demanding a greater share in seat-allocation.
Capt Kanwaljit Singh reportedly claimed that Punjab BJP president Avinash Rai Khanna had consented to announcing the name of Swarna Ram. But Mr Khanna, on the sidelines of the rally, told newspersons that no decision had been taken on Swarna Ram’s candidature and discussion on all seats were under way.

Addressing the rally, both Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Mr Khanna lashed out at the Congress government for failing people. They alleged that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh did nothing for the common man, but remained busy to give benefits to 15 big industrial houses. The government acquired large chunks agricultural land for big industrial houses on low price.

They announced that their government, if came to power, would set up an inquiry commission to expose the corrupt practices of the Congress. They described the “Vikas Yatra” of the ruling party as misuse of government funds in propagating the achievements of the Congress.

The development of the state had been stalled whereas the Chief Minister was taking credit for all-round development of the state. They alleged that none of the unemployed youth could get employment during the Congress regime.

Both leaders, while condemning the Tarn Taran clash between activists of the SAD (A) and the Shiv Sena, alleged that the episode was the handiwork of the Congress.

Mr Khanna alleged that despite several reminders, he could not be able to get information about Ludhiana City Centre scam. Chief Information Commissioner Rajan Kashyap had recently assured him to give detailed information about the scam within 15 days.

Drunk dies on road of cold
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 4
Sudden dip in the temperature took the toll of a middle-aged man this morning on the Jalandhar-Amritsar highway near Lidran village here.
The SHO of Maqsudan, Mr Onkar Singh, said that the body was noticed on the roadside at 9 am. He said that the man was probably drunk and lied down on the road where he succumbed to cold. The body remained unidentified till this evening.
The temperature had been up from normal till Saturday. But owing to cloudy weather on Sunday and continuous drizzling all through the day today, the residents felt the first chill of the season. As the cold wave swept the region, the residents took out their jackets, mufflers and caps.

The dusk arrived early and it was pitch dark by 5:30 pm. While not many people were seen outside in the evening, there was some rush outside the shops with people ordering pakoras , chicken and fish to be washed down with hot beverages. Hawkers selling groundnuts and boiled sweet potato also had a good day.
“For me it’s a good time. Earlier, I used to sell nearly 100 cups of tea but today I sold more than 200 cups,” said Ram Singh, a tea vendor outside the Administrative Complex.
Labourers and rickshaw-pullers wrapped up in shawls were also huddled by the roadsides and warming themselves around fire.

Doctors are advising the residents not to venture out without proper clothing. As the weather is changing fast, it’s better to take necessary precautions, they warned.

Mattoo Left candidate
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 4
Mr Darshan Singh Mattoo has been declared joint candidate of the CPM, the CPI and the Lok Bhalai Party from Garhshankar seat for the coming Assembly elections.

His name was announced at a convention of the CPM workers at Bora village, near Garhshankar, about 48 km from here, today.

Addressing the convention, Mr Gurmesh Singh, secretary of the district unit of the party, Mr Darshan Mattoo, Mr Bhagat Singh Jhuggian criticised the UPA government for its failure to check the spiraling prices of essential commodities.

They appealed to the people to dislodge the Congress regime in the coming elections to save the Punjab from ruin.

Jail for drug peddler

Mr Balbir Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, has convicted Gejo, wife of Mohinder Singh of Mahilpur, under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act today. The Judge has sentenced her to three years' imprisonment and a fined of Rs 1,000. In case of default on payment of fine she would further undergo imprisonment of three months.

Govt to monitor cable programmes
Tribune News Service

Phagwara, December 4
Taking exception to telecast of certain programmes by cable operators in the state, the Punjab Government has issued directions to the District Public Relations Officers to monitor the contents of these programmes.

A spokesman for the government said the government had launched a campaign to check violation of the terms and conditions of running cable network.

He said several cable operators, who were allegedly telecasting objectionable contents, pirated movies and news programmes, which were strictly prohibited, would face penal action and their licences would be cancelled.

Shuttlers meet concludes
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, December 4
A three-day open badminton tournament organised by the District Badminton Association at Indoor Stadium here concluded yesterday.

Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, and his wife gave away prizes to the winners in men and women categories.

Results are: U-10: Jigar Nath and Sahil Toor (boys) and Harsimran and Shagufta (girls); U-13: Chandan Gulati and Harcharan Singh (boys) and Amandip Kaur (girls); U-16: Akshit Bedi and Gurdip (boys singles) and Akshit Bedi and Asfaq and Gurdip and Kunal (doubles); U-19: Sahil Kataria and Prabhjit (boys singles), Prabhjit and Abhishek and Sahil and Parmod (boys doubles), Neelam Kumari and Renu Bala (girls singles) and Neelam and Renu and Harneet and Roohi (girls doubles). Senior singles (boys): Abhishek Bedi and Akshit Bedi; senior doubles (boys): Sahil and Parmod and Abhishek Bedi and Akshit Bedi; above 35 (men singles) Narinder Kanchan and Nirmal; above 35 (doubles) Nirmal and Narinder Kanchan and Manoranjan Kalia and Chopra; above 45 (singles) Ramesh Nayyar and Jia Lal; above 45 (doubles) Jia Lal and Ramesh Nayyar and Didar Singh and Harblas.

Army fitness test tough
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 4
A three-day Army camp for the recruitment of education havildars saw only 23 candidates from across the state appearing for fitness test on the first day today. While the qualification required for the post was graduation (arts or science) with BEd, 46 candidates had applied for the post. These candidates, with a majority of them from Hoshiarpur, found it extremely difficult to clear the fitness test. The candidates were asked to finish a round of 1.6 km in 6 minutes and 20 seconds. Most of the candidates failed to make it in time. Those who managed to clear it were then asked to cross a zig-zag beam in one go. In the last they were asked to cross a 9-metre ditch.

Only five boys could clear the fitness test. They were then asked to submit their original certificates and appear for a written test, which would be held later on. The officers, supervising the camp, said since the Army had strict rules on age, height, fitness and other parameters, there could not have been many applicants. It was also strict about taking only those candidates who had done their degrees from recognised colleges and universities.

Asked why only half of the applicants appeared for the fitness test today, they said the remaining candidates might not have received letters in time. “It is only the first day. The camp will continue tomorrow and day after”, they added.