Ludhiana, July 25
The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation had allegedly favoured a Delhi-based agency in allotting a Rs 8.25-crore advertising contract.

Investigations by The Tribune and documents obtained by a city-based NGO - Anti-Corruption and Crime Investigation Cell - under the Right to Information Act have revealed how officials of the MC changed facts from what was presented before the Finance and Contracts Committee. The Rs 8.25-crore agreement signed between the civic body and the advertising agency is valid for four years.

The first catch of the agreement is that the MC has allowed installation of poles and billboards on the new GT Road in violation of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directions. Though the MC was aware of the HC directions, it went ahead with the agreement, reveal documents procured under the RTI Act.

Besides, the MC officials also took the members of the Finance and Contracts Committee for a ride as the draft presented before the committee members and the facts in annexure of the agreement differ.

According to the documents, Sarabha Nagar was not a part of the agreement, however, the legal document signed by Zonal Commissioner Vinod Sharda had the site in its annexure. Similarly, the documents available with the agenda branch do not have any size specifications for the poles and size of advertisements on pillars under the elevated road, while the agreement has specified them.

The legal document also states that the advertising agency can install four boards of equal size on Aarti Chowk, Jalandhar bypass Chowk, Sherpur Chowk, Fountain Chowk, Guru Nanak Stadium Chowk and Vishkarma Chowk. However, no such provision was there in the documents of agenda branch.

In a quick review of the dates, the MC had invited tenders for advertisement rights on June 23 without mentioning the exact number of sites. Due to some allegations at the time of submission of tenders, the matter went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Finally, a resolution was brought to the Finance and Contracts Committee, which was passed on February 24, 2009.

On March 18, an agreement was signed between the advertising agency and zonal commissioner Vinod Sharda on the behalf of the MC.

“The documents obtained from the civic body reveal that the advertisement agency is associated with someone close to the state government. The MC has gone out of way to help the company,” said Rohit Sabharwal, president of the NGO.

When contacted, municipal Commissioner GS Ghuman said: “I will be able to comment only after going through the documents.”

Ludhiana, July 25
Having been tested positive for H1N1, Morokavva Tomohiro (35), a Japanese national, is undergoing treatment at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana.

Three more associates of Tomohiro, hailing from Japan and Bangkok, have also been put on preventive medicine by the hospital authorities.

A team led by project coordinator for integrated disease surveillance programme and nodal officer for Swine Flu Deepak Bhatia from Chandigarh took the throat swabs of the three contacts, which have been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Deepak Bhatia said around 18 people from the hotel and Abhishek Industries had come in contact with the foreign nationals who had been identified and put on preventive medicine. "The rapid response team would personally administer the medicines to the contacts and would regularly monitor their symptoms," said the state nodal officer.

The hospital authorities have earmarked five super-deluxe rooms as isolation chambers, four for the patients and one for the doctors/paramedical staff. Two doctors, two nurses, one attendant and a sanitation worker are on round-the-clock duty.

Dr Kanwal Massih, medical superintendent, CMCH, said,"The confirmed case has been put on Tamiflu, while the contacts are being administered preventive medicine. We are strictly monitoring a complete isolation of the rooms and even the doctors and staff attending on the patients is on preventive medicine as a precautionary measure.”

He also said not even a hospital employee was allowed to enter the area without the prior permission of the medical superintendent. 

Ludhiana, July 25
As many as 40 inmates of Observation Home here are undergoing several “punishments” everyday for sustaining in Observation Home. They are beaten up by the staff, forced to cook, clean utensils and also the toilets. No arrangements have been made for them to play, study or indulge in recreational activities.

This came to light today when Human Rights Commission member Avinash Rai Khanna paid a surprise visit to the home today and listened to the problems being faced by the inmates.

Narrating their tales of woes, inmates revealed that inhuman treatment was being meted out to them. Sanjeev Kumar, an inmate, said he fractured his left arm and despite that he was forced to cook for 40 inmates. Showing an X-ray of his arm to Khanna, he said he was forced to knead the dough and do other chores everyday.

The inmates said they were forced to clean the toilets. They were not allowed to meet their relatives, though they were allowed by the jail manual to meet them twice a week as long as they were undertrials and not convicts.

Moreover, they were not allowed to play, nor any classes were held for them to study. ‘‘We sit idle, fight with each other. Then we are beaten up by the staff. Nobody understands we are minors and it is yet to be decided whether we are criminals or not. Still we are treated like that, ’’ said an inmate.

After listening to the problems of the inmates, Khanna asked the staff not to beat them up, engage a cook, hold classes for them and to provide them with games to play.

He said he would submit a report regarding the home to the commission. He said he was shocked to know that several undertrials did not have a lawyer, though the government was bound to provide them with free legal aid.

Ludhiana, July 25
A CCTV camera installed in a jeweller shop in Chaura Bazaar has recorded an elderly woman accompanied by a comparatively young woman stealing two jewellery boxes from a shop on Friday.

The police has registered a case. Two women entered the Mahaluxmi Jewellery Store yesterday afternoon and pretended to make heavy purchases for some family function. The salesman was goaded into a conversation for query regarding the price of jewellery, police sources said.

Vikas Dhanda, owner of the jewellery store, said: “While the salesman while not looking at the customers, the elderly woman slipped the jewellery box under a cover she had draped around her body. When we were closing the shop in the evening, we detected that two jewellery boxes were missing. We had a close look at the CCTV camera recordings. On a closer inspection, we detected that two women had slipped the jewellery boxes under their clothes.”

The SHO, Kotwali, said: “We expect public response af]ter seeing the picture of the accused in newspapers. Any shopkeeper who comes to know of details about a theft at their shop should inform us.”

Ludhiana, July 25
Once again Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura failed to keep his word to Congress councillors of supplying them information sought by the latter during their three-day agitation.

On July 14, the mayor had assured the Congress councillors that they would be given files pertaining to the purchase of fancy lights, sanctioning of bills of Rs 5,000 and other documents till July 25, but till date the elected representatives have not received anything.

Talking to The Tribune, Congress councillors Sanjay Talwar and Rakesh Parashar alleged that it clearly shows that the mayor and MC officials are hand-in-glove, which is a reason why they have failed to provide us the bills and receipts demanded by us.

"The SAD-BJP councillors along with the MC officials talk about bringing about a transparency, but the backtracking of the mayor from his words clearly shows how safe is the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation in his hands," added municipal councillor Ravinder Kaur Chaddha.

A Congress councillor pleading anonymity said, "Everybody was aware that the meeting with the mayor on July 15 was a ruse, but still we fell prey to it. Besides, it has brought to fore weaknesses of the party."

The Congress elected representatives also alleged that the development work in their wards which was promised by the mayor too had not started till date.

Interestingly, the information which the Congress councillors have been seeking involves embezzlement of funds amounting to crores, which was brought to fore by media.

Ludhiana, July 24
Strange but true. The current transfer policy follows the same pattern as during the days of the British. In fact, it has become so ingrained in the psyche of the bureaucracy that the system of annual general transfers and All India Transfer Policy works in the British style to this day.

The same is being viewed as an unassailable part of the All India Services. Income Tax employees have called for a change in the transfer policy.

The Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association, in its report submitted to the committee on the transfer policy for Group "A" Officers of Indian Revenue Services, mentioned that the primary goal of the colonial ruler then was to prevent the executive officers (mainly of Indian origin) from developing any sort of nexus with the nationalist movement leaders. Hence, in the name of transfer policy, the executive officers were transferred to different stations across the country at regular intervals.

Citing the irrelevance of this policy in today's time, Ravi Bajaj, an association member, said there was an urgent need to bring forth the much-needed humaneness in the government, for which a good rapport between the public and public servant is a pre-requisite.

The report said the argument about public servants developing vested interests over a considerable period of time does not hold true, especially in the background of a strong vigilance mechanism under the CBI and the mechanism of RTI Act.

Apart from the direct and measurable costs relating to the actual passage of the officials concerned, their dependants and personal effects, there is a huge hidden cost with respect to fall in efficiency due to the divided attention of the official between the place of posting and the place where the family of the official is putting up.

An association member said if at all there had to be a policy, it must be termed as Placement Policy. Proposing amendments to the extant Transfer Policy, the association suggested that the transfer policy in respect of Group "A" officials treats both a promotee and direct recruit officers on the same footing. The association has termed it discriminatory, as the circumstances of a promotee officer vis-à-vis direct recruit is not similar.

Doraha, July 25
Morning walkers and all those health conscious residents who are in a habit of exercising or jogging early in the morning are forced to hold their breathe due to heaps of garbage gathered near the adjoining wall of the park especially constructed by the Municipal Council for the general health and well-being of the public.

“Due to rains, the sight and smell has become unbearable to the extent that the residents have stopped visiting the park. Despite reminders, the place has not been cleaned. Rather more filth and dirt is being added every now and then. The adjoining meat shops, where stray dogs enjoy their feast and later have a nap in the park has made the situation all the more intolerable,” rued one of the residents.

The residents complain that collected heaps of garbage is a nuisance, which needs to be attended to at the earliest but the authorities show least concern. This has proved to be a congenial breeding ground for mosquitoes and other flies. “With gastro cases on the rise, the administration should wake up towards its responsibilities rather than giving a deaf ear to the pleas of the residents,” a resident opined.

At other places, too, the situation is no better. “The council has so far failed to find any proper dumping ground for the daily garbage which remains collected either on the main market road or at other times on Boparai road,” complained another resident.

The residents complain that garbage is first allowed to accumulate and then cleared temporarily. “The heaps are not only a blot on the town but can also complicate the health and sanitation problems of the residents,” they complained.

“The sweepers easily overlook the ever-growing heaps of garbage and filth. No drums are available for collection of garbage.

If at all they are there, they are not used properly, as most of the garbage is seen littered all over the place adding to the woes of the residents.”

Ludhiana, July 25
The department of veterinary and animal husbandry extension, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, organised an animal welfare camp at its animal centre, Gureh, yesterday in collaboration with the Indian Farmers Fertilisers’ Cooperative (IFFCO).

The camp received a good response from the adopted village as well as the neighbouring villages. A total of 156 cases were presented at the camp out of which 109 were of medicine, 31 of gynaecology and 10 of surgery.

The team consisted of Dr HK Verma, head, veterinary extension, Dr MP Gupta, head, preventive medicine, Dr RS Sahota, Dr S.K. Kansal, Dr Navdeep Singh, Dr Jaswinder Singh and Dr Rajesh Kasrija.

An interactive seminar was also organised in which Dr HK Verma detailed various university programmes for the farmers. Dr MP Gupta talked about preventive measures for animals in rainy season and Dr RS Sahota highlighted the importance of balanced feeding.

A team from the department of epidemiology and veterinary preventive medicine collected the blood, fecal and skin samples of the animals presented at the camp for disease diagnosis.

Senior area manager of IFFCO Dharamjit Singh and Sukhpal Singh gave details of projects being run by the co-operative sector for the benefit of farmers.

Harmesh Kumar, DDM, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Ludhiana, gave details of loan availability for dairy farmers and subsidies given by the bank. NABARD declared that Kisan Club would be opened in the village, after observing the interest and response of the people.

Farmers requested the IFFCO for soil and water testing of the area. Livestock farmers also highlighted the problems faced by them.

Progressive farmers hoped that such events will be held in future also. The animals were given free medicines. On the request of the farmers next camp on vaccination of dogs against rabies will be held soon. 

Amloh, July 25
A protest march was organised in the main bazaar here by the joint action committee last evening against the alleged supply of old and damaged books to 13 lakh Scheduled Caste students of government schools in the state.

The demonstration was led by leaders of the Democratic Teachers Front Devinder Singh Punia, Sikhya Vikas Manch Chief Jagjit Singh Nohra, UCP's leader Charan Singh Gill, Punjab Students Union representative Beant Singh, International Democratic Party head Gurmeet Singh Thuhi from the Dihati Mazdoor Morcha Sher Singh, all India Khet Mazdoor Union's Ram Rakha, from SC-BC Teachers Union, Gurmukh Singh, Gurmeet Singh Bhunerhari, Government Teachers Union (Khatra) Rajesh Kumar, member Block Samiti Baljit Singh Anian, Sarpanch Subedar Sukhpal Singh Noorpura and many other sarpanches and panches of surrounding villages.

It was alleged in the pamphlet distributed among people that the government had spread hatred among the SC and BC students by supplying old and damaged textbooks to them. Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur was criticised for her silence to order the judicial probe into the misuse of Rs 17 crore grant by the Punjab School Education Board for the printing of books for the year 2009-2010. It was alleged that books were never printed and books of old editions (2003-2008) lying in the stock were provided to the students.

Earlier addressing the rally, union leaders stated that the district education officers in the meetings called by the Director-General School Education prefer to remain mum, calmly tolerate the “snubbing remarks” and “dare not suggest the ground realities in the education system in government schools”.

Ludhiana, July 25
A pioneer Punajbi broadcaster from Toronto visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here yesterday. While interacting with PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Manjit Singh Kang, he said he visited PAU every year, as he had a great respect for it for its contribution in feeding the masses through engineering green revolution and also for its role in promoting Punjabi culture.

He said, since 1972, he had highlighted the role of Dr MS Randhawa as an architect of modern Punjab through programmes aired on his “Vision of Punjab” radio in Toronto. He encouraged villagers to establish rural libraries to propagate knowledge not only for progressive agriculture but also for being a better citizen.

Renowned Punjabi singer, Dr Satinder Sartaj, recited his Sufi composition that was appreciated by Dr Kang who said Dr Sartaj should be invited to give a programme at PAU.

Additional director of communication, Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman, said PAU had a plan to organise Asian peace seminar during autumn.

Dr Kang said PAU always carried out activities relating to agriculture as well as Punjabi culture. He said Punjabi diaspora like Mahal could contribute constructively in this direction. He also presented a set of PAU publications to Mahal.

Ludhiana, July 25
Dr Neeraja Erraguntla, senior toxicologist at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, US, visited Punjab Agricultural University yesterday. She gave a lecture to the PAU faculty and students on "Health Effects of Arsenic in Drinking Water". The lecture was organised by the Society for Advancement of Academic, Sports and Cultural Activities (SAASCA).

Dr Neeraja described arsenic as a poisonous element which can cause health ailments like dermatitis, conjunctivitis, bronchitis, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and cardiovascular problems. A long-duration exposure to arsenic can even lead to cancer, she said.

Assistant director (TV/ radio) Dr Anil Kumar Sharma said the film screening had been made part of curriculum delivery and that students learn more from this type of activity that clears their doubts about the subject and prepares them for a meaningful interaction. He said the films had been prepared on the enactment of stage shows on pest-management strategies.

Additional director of communication Dr Jagtar Singh Dhiman said this activity would continue in the coming time for the benefit of students.

Ludhiana, July 25
Lack of facilities in government primary schools in the city has belied the claims of the Punjab government of being among the top states in providing quality infrastructure in such schools.

During a visit to a government primary school in the city, children were seen sitting on jute mats, braving the hot and humid conditions. Moreover, there were over 60 students crammed in one classroom. And due to power cut, fans were not working leave aside the provision of cold drinking water for the students.

There is no furniture in the school as one of the teachers said: “The Director-General School Education (DGSE) says, provide them with the atmosphere of Shantiniketan and hold the classes under the shade of the tree.”

The school does not even have a kitchen to prepare midday meal for the students despite Rs 60,000 being allocated for the same. The teachers, however, say even as the design and the map has been given by the DGSE, it was not possible to construct the kitchen for less than Rs 1 lakh as the cost of the labour and construction material is on the higher side.

Moreover, there is no clerk in the primary schools and the teachers do all the clerical work. The grocery for mid-day meal, including vegetables, grinding of the wheat and porridge and purchasing of the fuel for cooking, everything is handled by the teachers. The strength of the school is 285 with six teachers, whereas in the middle school has seven teachers for 70 students.

Under the “Parrho Punjab” programme, the teachers are supposed to teach one sentence of spoken English to the students everyday. However, the students, mostly belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society and wards of migrant labourers, are unable to pick the language.

“When these children don't have the IQ, why impose English on them. Moreover, the admissions are on for the whole year. How can we cover the syllabus of a child who comes at the end of the year? It is very difficult to make the migrants complete the syllabus, as they go on 10-15 day leave and don't return for three months,” said a teacher, requesting anonymity. 

Raikot, July 25
A mentally challenged person jumped into a canal at the bridge of Dadahoor village on the Raikot-Barnala road yesterday but was saved by timely help from a tea vendor.

Nirmal Singh of Nihaluwal village, reportedly jumped into the canal of Bathinda branch while crossing the bridge. Though people were present on the spot, but none of them volunteered to save Nirmal.

However, Bikar Singh of Dadahoor village, a tea vender who has a ‘kiosk’ nearby, jumped into the canal and saved the mentally challenged man.

Nirman was admitted to the Raikot Civil Hospital where his condition is said to be stable. 

Ludhiana, July 25
The Federation of Tiny and Small Industries of India (FOTSII) has asked the government that as per the inter-ministerial group discussions, 6 per cent of priority sector lending should be reserved for the micro-sector.

Though the government has to take final decision in this regard, but the federation feels that seeing the problems of the small-scale industries, the decision should be announced in their favour.

Joginder Kumar, president of federation said though the small-scale industry played a pivotal role in the development of the nation, but unavailability of timely, adequate credit had added to their problems.

He said that at present, the commercial banks were required to give at least 40 per cent of their total loan disbursed to the priority sector, out of which 18 per cent for agriculture, 10 per cent for weaker sections of sector and 12 per cent for SSI, housing and personal loans etc. The credit during 2005-06 as per Dr KC Chakarbarty report had gone down from 1.94 per cent to 1.16 per cent, he added.

“We had met Dinsha J Patel, Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) (independent charge) and had demanded that the adequate credit to micro sector may be targeted which has been approved by the inter ministerial group. We want the target to be fixed as in other categories,” he said.

Moreover, the govt was giving 2 per cent subvention for advances to agriculture. Similarly, FOTSII should be given credit at par with agriculture, as Micro Sector was the 2nd largest employment generator, next to agriculture. "We also urge upon R M Mallah, CMD SIDBI to give credit to 50 lac new micro enterprises either directly or through its intermediaries, as per the package announced in 2007 and focus on Micro sector for which SIDBI was set up in 1990,” he said.

Samrala, July 25
A gift shop on Bhagwanpura road at Samrala was burnt in a major fire, causing a damage of Rs four to five lakh, here this morning. The shop owner alleged that his servant could be behind the incident, as he was found stealing gifts from the shop and was also shown the door a few days ago.

The shop owner also alleged that his servant, a resident of Bharthala village owed him Rs 30,000 and had left the job after he was found stealing goods from the shop.

The shopkeeper said nearby shops could have caught fire had the fire tenders not reached on time. He said the use of diesel was suspected, as the shop was stinking with the diesel oil. The police has taken the residue of the diesel oil from the shop.

Meanwhile, the police have rounded up the servant on the complaint of the shopkeeper. The police is investigating the matter.

Ludhiana, July 25
Lending support to the cause of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, local Member of Parliament Manish Tewari has written to the Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Tourism Kumari Selja and Minister for Urban Development, Jaipal Reddy, seeking an increased amount of Rs 43.93 crore for the completion of 4,832 dwelling units coming up under a project of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The MC now needs Rs 110.57 crore against the earlier sanctioned Rs 66.64 crore.

Manish Tewari has followed up, with the ministers concerned, a reply from the Municipal Corporation on his query regarding different ongoing projects in the city. 

Quoting reply from the office of G.S.Ghumman, the Municipal Commissioner, he said “4,832 dwelling units under Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) were under construction in the city. An amount of Rs 22.35crore has already been spent and Rs 24.61 has yet to be released by the Central government”. He has sought that the remaining amount be released, immediately.

Tewari has also sought that “it would be appropriate if you could send a central government team to physically verify if these dwelling units have been actually constructed according to the standards and parameters laid down by your ministry and whether they are fit for human habitation”.

The office of the commissioner had also replied that “the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development had sanctioned Rs 66.64 crore for the construction of 4,832 dwelling units under the BSUP scheme of the JNNURM.

According to this scheme, 50 per cent share of the total sanctioned project has to be borne by the central government, 40 per cent of the matching grant has to be given by the state government and 10 per cent of the share has to be taken from the beneficiary. It is added here that the cost of project has risen to Rs 110.57 crore due to the increase in cost of construction".

The MP said, “The reply from the MC is a good beginning towards efforts in following up the projects in the city with the quarters concerned at the Centre. I had written to several other departments, including police and district administration, seeking various details, however, to no avail."

Interestingly, the MP in his letter to commissioner also said “May I first thank you, as you were the first office in Ludhiana district to acknowledge my letter. Others, probably, are too busy, presumably concentrating on the development of Ludhiana.”

In a separate communication to the district police chiefs, both rural and urban, Tewari had also sought details of crime in the district, particularly with regard to cases registered and convictions during the past five years. He said he had call from the concerned wing of the police, in Chandigarh, saying that the data will be soon provided.

Tewari has also written to the administrative quarters in the district and ministers concerned in Punjab and Centre, separately, asking for details of different schemes under which funds were announced for Ludhiana along with details of the figures and project implementation.

Ludhiana, July 25
After hoping against hope for prestigious Arjuna Award, former international athlete, Amandeep Kaur, who brought laurels for her performance during national and international meets, now awaits due recognition for her achievements.

International shot putter, Amandeep, who has applied for Dhyan Chand Life Achievement Award is waiting for a reply from the department, concerned.

During her illustrious career, spanning over 19 years (1982 to 2001), Amandeep brought fame to the state and the country by annexing a number of medals.

She won four gold medals in the World Police Games besides three gold medals in the SAF Games, 1991, in Sri Lanka, 1993 in Dhaka and 1995 in Chennai.

Additionally, Amandeep won silver medals in these games in 1989 at Islamabad and also in the Asian Track and Field Championship. She also bagged 12 gold medals in the All-India Police Games to stamp her authority.

For her achievements, Amandeep, currently posted as Deputy Superintendent of Police at Ludhiana, was given Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award by the Punjab Government. She was also given life achievement award by the Punjab Police. Several other state governments, too, have honoured Amandeep for her achievements.

Amandeep rued that sportspersons with less achievements than her have been given Arjuna award. "I have written to the Union Sports Minister, Dr Manohar Singh Gill, president of the Indian Olympics Association, Suresh Kalmadi and Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal to get justice," she added.

Ludhiana, July 25
The Universal Human Rights Organisation has demanded action against the Public Information Officer of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation under Section 20 of the RTI Act.

In a press note issued here today, organisation president Satnam Singh Dhaliwal said, "We had asked for information about road construction in city and details of contractor in an application dated November 25, 2008. However, the civic body failed to provide it within the stipulated time period of 30 days."

Under the application, we had sought details like what was the guarantee period of the road and money spent on re-metalling.

After the PIO failed to provide the same, we went to the first appellate authority, that is, municipal commissioner G.S. Ghuman. However, even he failed to give justice. Finally, a petition was moved to the Punjab State Information Commission and the next hearing for it is scheduled for July 27.

Dhaliwal alleged that the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation had been always been reluctant in providing information under the Act and an action against the PIO would help people to have faith in the RTI.