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Whiff of honorarium scam
Ludhiana, May 15 They even staged a dharna outside his office and alleged that there was no attendance register made available to them. They were even not provided with a place to sit. Several employees in at least 10 polling parties on duty in Atam School even reported that they were forced to sign on a receipt mentioning Rs 900 while they were actually paid Rs 700 by the supervisor. They shot off letters to the Election Commission also today making her abreast of the irregularities in making payments. The reserved polling staff in the Ludhiana-West constituency also alleged that they were not compensated but were told that there was no rule that provided for remuneration for the reserved staff. ‘‘I argued with the supervisor also but to no avail. We were made to sit on the entire poll day. I even skipped my promotion classes due to poll duty but were not compensated,’’ said Ashok Dhir, a bank official, in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner. ‘‘I even approached my ARO but he also humiliated me. It seems they are all out to grab money meant for employees,’’ said Dhir. There were many reports from other employees also who claimed they were either not paid money or were paid lesser. The reserved employees of Dakha said their attendance was taken on a piece of paper in a haphazard manner and they were not allowed to sign on the paper. ‘‘We waited for the attendance register. They locked their offices and went back. Now there is not a single penny for 100 employees, including 20 presiding officers and 80 polling officers. It comes out to be nearly Rs 1 lakh at the rate of Rs 1,200 each for a presiding officer and Rs 900 each for a polling officer, ’’ said an employee.
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Infighting comes to fore in Congress
Ludhiana, May 15 Councillor Parminder Mehta accused former MLA Surinder Dawar and two other leaders, including Ashok Thapar and Ajay Walia, of having published posters in his name that asked the electorate to vote for SAD-BJP instead of the Congress on the election day. SSP Sukhchain Gill marked an inquiry into the allegations to SP-City-I, Harsh Bansal. The report will be submitted to the SSP soon. Demanding a criminal case against the trio, Parminder said they were jealous of his political career and were trying to defame him in the eyes of the Congress top leadership. They had stooped to such a low and even signed on his behalf on the pamphelets. Pointing a finger at all of them directly in a complaint to the SSP, Mehta said he had suspected that the pamphlet was published by them. Walia and Thapar were defeated by Mehta in municipal elections in 2007 and they wanted to settle a score with him, he alleged, adding Dawar was patronising them. Dawar too did not want him to contest MC elections and was venting his ire in this way. ‘‘Their act has lowered my prestige in the eyes of the party and public. Even the SAD-BJP combine made use of the pamphlets for their benefit,’’ he said. He added that the pamphlets bore his signatures in Hindi while he always signed in English. Moreover, the signatures did not belong to him and a forensic report could prove it easily. Dawar on the other hand said he was not scared of such allegations. The allegations were baseless and false.
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BSF to man inner ring
Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 15 Besides the Punjab police personnel who will man the outer wing of the counting centres, the local police will have two companies of the BSF at their disposal. The police is also utilising the services of five companies of the Punjab police, from outside the city. “Combining the personnel from both forces, we have at least 525 additional cops to man the gates. This is more than sufficient,” he added. The city will witness counting of nine Assembly segments at Punjab Agricultural University and SCD Government College. Counting for the Ludhiana Central, West, North, Gill, Dakha and Jagraon Assembly segments will be carried out at the PAU. Whereas those of the East, South and Atam Nagar will be carried out at Government College. The security has been tightened in front of the gates of the counting centres like gymnasium, examination hall and Sukhdev Bhawan at the PAU and in front of the library, common room and PG building at Government College. Gurcharan Galib, SAD candidate, seemed to be satisfied with the entire poll process. Manish Tewari, Congress candidate, said: “I have made a sincere attempt to convince my voters about my conviction and sincerity in workings towards public welfare, in general and a special package for upliftment of the collapsing infrastructure of the city, in particular. I am only waiting for the results and will respect the public verdict.”
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Honeymoon over, power cuts back
Ludhiana, May 15 The government’s claim as also the top officials of the PSEB about the power situation in the state being comfortable and no power cuts being imposed till end of June fell flat as unscheduled power cuts for two to three hours becoming a routine affair during the past three days. PSEB sources revealed that with the rise in the day temperature, the demand for power had increased considerable and the gap between its availability and demand as on Thursday was hovering between 70 to 100 lakh unit. Not that the demand for power had suddenly gone up on May 13 after the polling was over, but the PSEB top brass was said to be under strict orders to meet the demand from whatever sources without resorting to any power cut till the Lok Sabha elections. During the past three days, residents of a few localities like Haibowal, Durgapuri, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Textile Colony, Industrial Area B, Basti Jodhewal, Shimlapuri, Civil Lines, Jeewanpreet Nagar and many other areas along both sides of the Ferozepur Road complained of unscheduled power cuts of about half-an-hour or more with regular intervals during the day and the night. There have been angry protests by affected residents, traders and members of industry in different parts of the city against the power cuts without any prior intimation with the people feeling cheated by the government claims of the power situation being comfortable. “It was an election gimmick and a brazen deception on the part of the government which made false claims of providing round-the-clock power supply to the people before the elections. And the unfortunate part is that the PSEB officials also became a party to this fraud,” said Parveen Goyal, owner of a small-scale industrial unit in the Industrial Estate. With unscheduled power cuts being imposed at regular intervals all over the city even as the election results are yet to come in, the residents apprehend tougher days, and nights ahead when there would be a huge rise in demand from the agriculture sector once the paddy sowing operations begins next month. |
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Industry grappling with acute labour shortage
Ludhiana, May 15 Confirming this, BB Arora, labour adviser to over 1,300 local industrial units, said, "There is an acute shortage of work force in the industries at present. One of the biggest reasons behind this is the ongoing harvesting season. Most of the unorganised labour and daily wagers have gone to their native places where they have small holdings of agricultural lands to look after harvesting and sowing for the next season." He added that various state governments, including those of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, had introduced numerous labour welfare policies, which enabled them to earn wages on a par with those that they get in states like Punjab and Haryana. Usually, around this time of the year, the region faces the acute labour shortage as migrant labourers return home for a couple of months. Nageshwar Singh, district president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, said, "This is marriage season for them and also harvesting time. Thus, the labourers return home for a month or so every year, creating the acute labour shortage in the industries here." He further said this year, the scenario was worse as a huge number of migrants had already gone home with major lay offs happening in numerous industries in the wake of global economic meltdown. Vinod Thapar, a well-known industrialist of the city and president, Knitwear Club, said, "Labour shortage is a grave issue that the local industry is facing at the moment. There is at least 35-40 per cent shortage of work force at present as compared to the last year." He, too, cited the worker-friendly policies of other state governments and Pradhan Mantri Rozgaar Yogna as the main reasons for the dipping inflow of the migrants to Punjab. Avtar Singh, general secretary, Medium Industries Development Board, said in agreement, "Migrant inflow to Punjab has been constantly declining over the past two-three years with major industrial projects shifting out to other states and with more worker-oriented policies of other states. The times ahead are going to be tough for Punjab industry if things remain the same." He suggested the state government should
introduce newer policies for migrants and provide them with better facilities and incentives so as to sustain the state's industrial growth.
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Meeting of project on vegetable production held
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 15 Dr ML Chadha, director, AVRDC, said the country is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world. The availability of vegetables is about 200 g per capita per day, which is less than dietary requirement of 300 g per capita per day, said Dr Chadha, adding that due to pressure of population, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, land available for cultivation is squeezing that necessitates hi-tech production under net-house. Dr Chadha shared progress of vegetable growing under protected conditions in the country and China and emphasised well-planned approaches for recommending sustainable and economical technologies for vegetable production. Dr PS Minhas, director of research, while inaugurating the meeting, said the PAU had developed hybrids of various vegetables and passed on hybrid technology to growers through training programmes. He said PAU had recommended net-house technology for vegetables such as tomato, capsicum and brinjal that had been well received by farmers. He appreciated the role of AVRDC in promoting vegetable crops globally. Dr DS Dhillon, officiating director of extension education, said home gardening could be one of the ways of increasing production of vegetables. He cautioned that due to the frequent use of pesticides, the problems of residue retention in edible produce needed to be addressed. He said vegetables could play a great role in nutritional security and agricultural diversification. Baldev Singh, director of horticulture, Punjab, said in Punjab, vegetables were grown on an area of 1.68 lakh hectare producing 2.54 million tons with an average productivity of 15.1 tonne per hectare. Dr GS Chahal, executive director, RGR Cell, SRTT, highlighted the programmes of the trust in his remarks. Book released
PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang will release a book, "Agriculture Model of Bhagat Dhanna”, authored by Lal Singh, on May 18 at Vice-Chancellor's committee room. The author has prepared the agriculture model proposed in the book on the basis of eco-friendliness and wisdom of saints like Bhagat Dhanna from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He has interpreted the ideas in the modern context and has evolved a complete model on agriculture. The book will be discussed by scholars, farmers and bankers in light of its relevance to contemporary agriculture. Student brings laurels
Navita Viveki, a student of College of Home Science at PAU, has won second position in the North Zone Inter-Agricultural University elocution contest. The contest was held at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu. Navita is doing her PhD in Foods and Nutrition at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). A three-member team from PAU participated in the contest. The university has qualified for the All-India Inter-Agriculture Universities elocution contest to be held at SKUAST, Srinagar, from June 22 to 24. National
Technology Day
The PAU Centre for Communication and International Linkages, in collaboration with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), will organise national Technology Day on May 21. PAU deputy director of public relations Dr Nirmal Jaura said the programme would have a variety of events such as declamation contest and poster competitions for students from schools and colleges of the state. PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang would distribute prizes and certificates to the winners and participants. Dr Neelam Gulati Sharma, additional director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, would preside over the function. A lead paper on the role of science and technology for the better society would be delivered by Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman, additional director of communication. Dr DS Dhillon, officiating director of extension education, would also speak on the occasion.
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GADVASU to upgrade B Tech facilities
Ludhiana, May 15 The university has also decided to increase the total number of seats in the next session and also introduce diploma and postgraduate programmes. This was stated by Dr VK Taneja, Vice-Chancellor, while addressing a meeting of senior faculty members here today. He said there was a wide gap in the demand and supply of the dairy technology graduates both in Punjab as well as at the national level. In addition to the domestic requirement, there is a great demand for the dairy technology graduates in other countries like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Middle East countries. The milk processing industry is a growing industry having more opportunities for employment as compared to other industries, including IT, which is facing recession, leading to lower production and job cuts. Dr Taneja informed that Punjab was the leading milk producing state in India with annual milk production of about 9.1 million tonnes. The milk utilisation pattern indicates that about 45 per cent of the total milk is consumed as liquid milk, 25 to 30 per cent as ghee and remaining as butter, paneer and channa, khoa and dahi. The Vice-Chancellor said although India was the world's highest milk producing country but still it was lagging behind in terms of value addition to milk as compared to its western counterparts. There has been a slow progress in the dairy sector in Punjab due to the non-availability of readily available technologies and paucity of properly trained human resources in the field of dairy science and technology.
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Woman staff upset over counting duties
Ludhiana, May 15 “We were yet to come to terms with the tough time we had on the day of election,” rued a female employee. This fresh deployment has again come as a shock for majority of the female staff for they are being directed to reach early in the morning for they can be required for the performance of counting duty tomorrow. On the day of election too, the lady staff had to encounter a number of difficulties. Although at some places, arrangements had been made for their transportation, but this was not the case at majority of the booths. The female staff had to board the buses at night and the harassment they had to face could not be easily overlooked. Female employees were deployed for receiving the EVMs at the collection centres as well, which could not begin in any case before 6 pm at most of the collection
centres. These ladies were free only after 8 pm. A woman employee, on the condition of anonymity, complained, “I am a widow staying with my kids at a village 40 km away from my collection
centre. I got free at 9 pm, but there was nobody to help me out. I reached home by a bus at 11 pm,” she said. Female staff engaged in the rehearsal of poll duties here said in some of the departments, male staff had been allowed to go scot free, while the female staff had been deployed on election duty, thus caring a fig for the guidelines issued by the election commission, which state that the ladies be engaged only in case of serious shortage of male staff. Some ladies from a local department complained that duties had been assigned in a casual manner and that the inconvenience caused to female staff during the rehearsals as well as on the day of elections had been entirely overlooked.
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Compartment policy for class VIII mooted
Ludhiana, May 15 Rajinder Sharma said more than 3,00,000 students, who appeared in the middle standard examination, failed due to the non-compartment policy of the board. He also suggested that the compartment system (in two subjects) for class VIII should be introduced to save career of the students. The association has also demanded that in the class VIII examination, the compartment system should be adopted. If the board does not give a benefit of compartment to the failed students in the class VIII examinations than the failed students would drop out or prefer to join other boards like
NIOS, CBSC, etc. Moreover, if the Punjab School Education Board introduced the compartment system for class VIII than it would increase the revenue of the board up to Rs 12
crore. The association has also decided to meet the Punjab Chief Minister, education minister, Punjab, and the chairman, Punjab School Education Board, regarding the failure of the students in classes V and VIII examination as early as possible. Total regular students appeared- 4,92,838: Pass- 2,63,664; Fail- 2,29,000; Private- 87,914; Pass- 50,542; Open school- 10,776; Pass- 4,960.
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Students suffer as forces camp at schools
Ludhiana, May 15 During a visit to a government school, this reporter found that all the furniture (benches and chairs) had been taken out and was lying in the courtyard of the school. Following the vacation of the rooms and stationing of the forces, the teaching work of senior classes had to be suspended for a weak. There was no teaching work for these classes in the town, where the paramilitary forces were put up. Similarly, some schools were asked to provide accomodation in rural areas as well. As the polling is over and the paramilitary forces have started returning to their regional places of posting, the schools have started setting the things in order. The normal functioning of the schools is likely to be held from Monday. The entire paramilitary force will be free after the counting tomorrow.
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DGM charged with assaulting BSNL staffer
Ludhiana, May 15 The official also called in the police in a bid to intimidate the agitating employees, according to activists of the BSNL Employees Union. Charging the BSNL official with highhandedness and oppressive behaviour, Madan Lal, branch secretary (indoor), and Malkiat Singh, president (outdoor) of the union, said the employees of Mata Rani telephone exchange were sitting on a peaceful dharna to register their protest against the alleged wrongful suspension of their colleague, Bhagwan Das, who was also the branch secretary (outdoor) of the union. They alleged that the suspension orders were issued by Mata Rani exchange deputy general manager Rakesh Kumar without any valid reason. "As the protesters were sitting peacefully outside the telephone exchange, the DGM arrived there, and without any provocation, dragged and assaulted Madan Lal, an activist of the union. He also called the police to intimidate us," the protesting employees said. In a memorandum submitted to the general manager, Telecom, the union activists demanded immediate transfer of Mata Rani telephone exchange DGM Rakesh Kumar and withdrawal of suspension orders of Bhagwan Das. The employees had also served a notice to the BSNL authorities that they would not perform duty under the said DGM till their demands were not conceded.
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Bhagat Singh’s look alike pays tribute to
Sukhdev
Ludhiana, May 15 On his mission to visit the places of patriotic significance in India, Jagdish Bhagat was disappointed at the way the state government had kept his house. He said he was disillusioned to see the condition of his house when he reached here today as it was littered with garbage and not even cleaned properly. ‘‘I was shocked to see how they treat a martyr. When I reached the spot, they started cleaning it and chanted the
havan. I was really dismayed, ’’ he said. He went on to add that the martyrs had laid down their lives for the country. And they were paid back in this manner. ‘‘We have skyscrapers in India but our martyrs houses are like any poor man’s, ’’ he said.
Jagdish Bhagat was so impressed with the ideology of martyrs that he started wearing clothes like him and even changed the style of his moustaches. He even suffixed his name with Bhagat after the martyr. He took part in the havan that was organised by Shaheed Sukhdev Memorial Trust today. Later in the day, Inqalabi Kender Punjab organised a chetna march to inculcate patriotic spirit among youths. They started the march from municipal office, which ended at the martyr’s house.
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Folk music soiree enchants audience
Ludhiana, May 15 The programme was organised by the Ludhiana chapter of SPIC MACAY, a society for promotion of Indian classical music and culture amongst youth. A group of nine artistes, including Khete Khan (Khartal), Anwar Khan (vocalist), Barakat Khan (vocalist), Dara Khan (Khamaicha), Aachar Khan (murli), Habib Khan (Surnai), Ghungar Khan (Dholak) along with two Kalbelia dancers, Khatu Devi and Rasal Devi, performed for students of Sat Paul Mittal School. Enthusing the love for folk music and dance amidst the youth, the artistes played music based on different ragas on the Rajasthani folk instruments. Adding to the element of eternity of Baba Bulle Shah, Anwar Khan with his versatile voice treated the spectators with a Sufi
kalam.
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Women outnumbered men in casting votes
Ludhiana, May 15 In all nine Assembly segments falling in this parliamentary constituency, including three in the rural areas, almost equal number of women came out of their homes for casting votes. The percentage of women, who turned out to vote was as much as that of men in the constituency. The Dakha segment recorded the maximum number of votes polled with 72.57 per cent of voters exercising their franchise. Out of these, 72 per cent were women and 74 per cent men. The Jagraon and Gill Assembly segments trailed behind with 69 and 68.54 per cent, respectively. In the latter 67.07 women and 69.86 men took part in the democratic process. The North segment, with a total poll percentage of 63.69 witnessed 60.94 per cent turnout of women and 66.13 per cent of men.
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Rly guard recovering at DMCH
Ludhiana, May
15 Kumar was able to recover and survive due to his timely transportation and surgical procedure undertaken by skilled surgeons at the Hero DMC Heart Institute. A few persons had stabbed him at around 2 pm on May 12. He was travelling in the Sialda Express at that time. He was rushed to DMCH emergency in critical condition. The doctors on initial examination found a stab wound of one inch on the right side of the chest. The echocardiogram showed blood clot around heart but even the chest cavity was full of the blood clot. It was a complicated procedure as the removal of the clot resulted in sudden gush of blood from a rent in pericardium, a covering around heart.
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Gurleen wins essay contest
Doraha, May 15 Topic for the competition was “Quality of Indian Currency Notes, Experience and Expectations.” Principal of the school S George said, “Gurleen, who comes from a rural background is a bright student. We are proud of her as she has always been good writing and analytical skills.” Dr J Sadakadulla, Regional Director, RBI, handed over a cash prize of Rs 3,000, shield and a certificate of merit to her at Hotel Mountview, Chandigarh.
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Cancer detection camp
Ludhiana, May 15 According to Dr RS
Maheshwari, president, Indian Cancer Relief Society, more than 2 million women died of breast cancer every year. Early diagnosis through breast self-examination and mammography can help a great deal in detection and prevention of the life-threatening disease.
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Rita emerges topper
Ludhiana, May 15 Rita Kumari topped with 83.25 per cent marks, Simranpreet and Jaswinder Kaur secured 82.25 per cent and 80.25 per cent marks and stood second and third, respectively. Sixteen students have got more than 70 per cent marks, while 43 students have secured first division. Family day
Family day was celebrated by the Articulators Club of BCM Senior Secondary School. A debate was held on “Nuclear versus joint family”. Principal DP Guleria congratulated the winners and distributed prizes.
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Activity camp for hearing-impaired
Ludhiana, May 15
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Workshop on fisheries
Ludhiana, May 15
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Plot row: Man stabbed
Ludhiana, May 15 The victim is identified as Randhir Singh. The incident took place when Randhir Singh was returning from his plot in Model Town that is the bone of contention between the two groups of Narish Dighan and Vijay Danav. When he reached near the bus stand, some armed assailants, who were carrying sharp-edged weapons, attacked him. The attacker stabbed Randhir and fled the spot. Commuters rushed him to the DMCH where his condition is stated to be serious. Gurjit Singh, SHO Division No 5, said the victim was not in condition to record his statement.
— TNS
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