Ludhiana, April 20
A fresh police inquiry has once again upheld the claim of a migrant couple from Bihar on a plot in Sat Kartar Nagar, Basti Jodhewal. The couple had bought the plot by saving money after 22 years of hard toil but a coloniser, who has been claiming that the said plot was his property, has not been allowing them to construct their dream home there.

This has been the Nth police inquiry that has validated the couple’s claim over the said plot but none of these reports has enabled the couple to construct their house. Every time they plan to go ahead with the construction work the influential coloniser either uses muscle power or political pressure to threaten them not to go ahead with construction.

It is ironical that while earlier, the couple toiled hard to earn and save money to buy the plot, now for the past one year they are making rounds of the police and administrative offices in the hope of getting protection from the evil intentions of the influential coloniser.

Though Sumitra Devi and her husband Raj Nath had got possession of the land when they had bought it, the coloniser's might was proving stronger than the power of the police officials, who had found the couple's claim to be true.

The ADGP, Internal Vigilance Cell of the Punjab Police, had found the couple's claim true. Another inquiry by a former SP of the city found them to be legal owners of the plot. Revenue records too are in their favour. Even a former SSP of the city had told the coloniser in clear terms to stay away from the land, but nothing has helped the hapless couple.

A fresh inquiry conducted by the Basti Jodhewal police on the directions of the SSP, R.K Jaiswal, has found that they have all rights to take possession of the land and to construct a house on it. Sources revealed that the police would take help of the district administration in the matter so that no one was able to prevent the couple from starting the construction work.

Narrating their tale of woes the badly tired and harassed couple said,” we had come to the city virtually as paupers 22 years ago. We worked hard to give a better life to our five children. But instead our life is being spent in making rounds to the offices of the different police officials or the courts to seek justice.’’

Incidentally, the Basti Jodhewal police had already booked the two accused persons on the basis of a high level inquiry conducted by ADGP Internal Vigilance in the case. One of them was even arrested.

The inquiry reports state that the couple has been wronged. The plot was part of a land in Kulliewal village belonging to two brothers who had a dispute over certain areas of the land. The plot falling in that area was sold off to many persons before it was finally sold to the couple.

The couple had got it duly registered in their name. The inquiry also established their true credentials and neighbours also reported that the plot was theirs. The revenue records also support their claim. 

Ludhiana, April 20
The bad state of roads in the city has finally invited the ire of city residents, who have threatened that they would protest outside the office of the civic body if the roads were not recarpeted within 10 days.

The battle for want of good roads has been on in the city for quite some time. In fact, the roads had been in a bad state before the Assembly elections and the local body had been holding the Code of Conduct responsible for the delay in the work.

This time too, the Municipal Corporation authorities have ruled out recarpeting of any road till local body elections, the activists of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha today threatened that they would stage a dharna outside the office of MC on May 1, if Pakhowal Road was not recarpeted by April 30.

In a complaint to the city Mayor, Nahar Singh Gill, the BJYM president of Jwaddi Mandal, Sunil Sharma said the Pakhowal Road, starting from a five star hotel to Punjab Mata Nagar was in a bad shape. A number of complaints of residents had not yielded anything.

Sharma said that the recent rain had worsened the condition of the road. Huge craters were formed on the road and it was very difficult to drive safely. Many accidents were taking place everyday as many scooterists were slipping due to potholes.

‘‘So much so that the commuters were complaining of back pain. The vehicles were developing snags due to the road, ’’ added Sharma.

He said that they had written to the Secretary Local Bodies Department and Commissioner of MC also to remind them of the deadline given by them. ‘‘If a poor resident does not pay his house tax for some time, the MC humiliates them in the public by advertising to auction their house. And when they are not delivering, then who should be held responsible? It is a sad state of affairs that nobody is answerable to the people,’’ said Sharma.

He added that if the road was not recarpeted they would hold a dharna outside the Zone D office of MC at 11 am.

Ludhiana, April 20
Senior citizens have hailed the decision taken by the union finance minister for formulating a proposal in the budget 2007 for the social security of senior citizens.

However, how this much hyped forthcoming legislation, which provides them legal remedy against neglect by children, will be effectively implemented remains to be seen. R.R Katyal, a senior citizen and general secretary of the Kidwai Nagar Welfare Association, feels that the national policy on older persons had always made little impact.

He said the senior citizens who form about 50 per cent of the total population generally live in miserable conditions and die uncared for.

The trend of nuclear families has also affected the older people. The government must ensure that elders are not harassed by their own children so that they can live peacefully by engaging themselves in useful activities like working for the Red Cross and other social welfare organisations and fight against social evils.

Katyal said senior citizens should be given due respect at government offices, suitable protection should be provided to the aged couples living alone. He said there was a need to formulate a model legislation in this regard.

Ludhiana, April 20
From a President’s gold medal winner to now an accused in the alleged City Centre scam is what time has brought upon Ashwajit Singh, a director of Infrastructure Professionals Enterprises (IPE). He is one of the 19 accused in the case.

While applying for anticipatory bail, he disclosed in his petition that he was awarded the President’s gold medal for securing the first position in India in the company secretary examination. Earlier, he had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking bail, but his application was disposed of with the direction to him to file a bail plea before the Ludhiana court on April 17.

Taking cognisance of the his application, special judge Gurbir Singh today issued a notice to the Vigilance Bureau for April 24. The court also issued a notice for the same date to the Vigilance Bureau on the anticipatory bail application filed by Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, general manager (marketing and sales) of Today Homes Company.

Claiming himself to be innocent, the Director of IPE submitted that he did nothing wrong. The job of his company was advisory in nature. IPE company had successfully completed many assignments in over 10 states in the country. Even now the company’s project were undergoing in five countries. The alleged scam related to the sale/disposal of the property, whereas the company had nothing to do with the sales, said the petition.

Whereas, another accused Gupta submitted in his bail plea that he was associated with Today Homes company only for four months and 10 days from May 20, 2006, to September 30, 2006. His duty was regarding ‘publicity’ in Punjab and he had not done any sales.

It may be recalled that the court had earlier fixed the same date for hearing the bail application of former local bodies minister Jagjit Singh and one Sourav Gupta, an employee of Today Homes. 

Amloh, April 20
People should rise above casteism and provide relief to the needy, asserted Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, MLA and member of the All-India Congress Committee, while addressing a function, here, yesterday. The Brahman Sabha organised the function to celebrate Parshuram jayanti.

A few local residents were honoured on the occasion. They include advocate Ashwani Kumar, ETO Bharat Bhushan, chief vigilance officer Om Parkash, district attorney Ashok Kumar Sharma, senior medical officer Shashi Shukla, former vice-president of the municipal council Kishore Chand Sharma, former secretary of the market committee Kamlesh Chhiba and Punjabi poet Kailash Amlohi for their valuable services towards society.

A social worker, Dr Raghbir Shukla, the sabha chief, Dev Rattan Sharma, the BJP district vice-president, Rajpal Garg, and D.R. Sood also spoke on the occasion.
 — OC

Ludhiana, April 20
The tussle between two groups of anti-Sikh riot victims for the possession of flats in Dugri, Phase-II, took a serious turn when the police booked one Bobby, who leads a group, and his several unknown accomplices for allegedly outraging the modesty of a number of women in their bid to get the flats forcibly vacated and occupy the vacant ones.

The Model Town police today registered a case under sections 354, 323, 356, 506, 34 of the IPC against the accused on the complaint of the victim women. Police sources said no case need be registered on the complaint of the PUDA officials about their attempt to occupy the flats.

Meanwhile, president of the Danga Peerat Welfare Society Surjit Singh has in a press conference demanded action against the officials of PUDA for allegedly allowing many families of migrant labourers to live in the flats. He alleged that some officials were charging rent from the migrants.

However, executive officer of PUDA Jeet Ram denied the allegations. He said many riot victims were living illegally and PUDA was fighting a case for the vacation of flats in court.

Ludhiana, April 20
Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company, private life insurance joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and AXA, launched a new insurance policy ServSuraksha for rural population.

The first customers of the product are around 500 farmers spread across 50 villages in the Ludhiana region, including Barundi, Fatehpura, Gobindpura, Jogi Majra, Malakpur and Rasulpur.

"Our rural initiative in Ludhiana is an important addition to our product portfolio as it articulates our brand promise of helping diverse categories of Indian consumers," said Nitin Chopra, CEO, Bharti AXA Life.

He said ServSuraksha is a single premium, non-participating policy, which offers death benefit amounting to 25 times the single premium or assured maturity benefit of 110 per cent of the premium paid on survival. The policy term is five years, with a 'free-look' option.

"As a single premium policy with no requirement for medical underwriting, it affordable and easy to buy for the rural segments of the country," the company said.