Tarn Taran Diary: A deadly cocktail of drugs and corruption

Dr Dharambeer Agnihotri, Tarn Taran, MLA (Congress) deserves all praise for his courageous comments on drugs and the dreaded social evil corruption. The MLA said the issue of drugs was still prevailing in society and requisite steps have not been taken against corruption. Deaths due to drug overdose were often being reported in the area. Residents were lodging their complaints against the style of functioning of different departments and the undue delay in their work. The infamous drug trade grew manifold after Independence. When there was no deployment of para-military forces on the border, there were a number of persons who crossed over to the other side of the LOC (Line of Control) and used to bring opium for smuggling to other parts of the country. The slogan to check drugs with heavy hands and to make a corruption-free society played a remarkable role for the victory of the Congress in 2017. Recently, five cops were booked by the Tarn Taran city police who freed drug smugglers after taking bribe from them. The drugs and corruption are rampant. The involvement of the police in the drug trade is more questionable. Parampal Singh, SSP, VB, said, as the inquiry was still undergoing, nothing could be disclosed at this point. As many as 100 persons died after consuming spurious liquor last year.

A student with many feathers in her cap

Shehnazdeep Kaur, a student of Class XI of Dashmesh Privar International School (DPIS), Aima Kalan, has been adjudged the overall student by the Sahodaya School’s Complex on the Children’s Day. Jaswant Singh Khalsa, chairman of the DPIS, said, Shehnazdeep secured 82% marks in her Class X exam. She was the best player of the school and takes part in the curricular and takes active part in the cultural programmes organised in the area. She belongs to a very marginal farmer family and her father is an ad-hoc teacher in the SGPC-run school. Gurmeet Singh, father of Shehnazdeep Kaur, said he was proud of his daughter.

Beware! Transformer oil thieves on the prowl

The mystery of missing thousands of litres of oil from one of the transformers installed in the 66 KV Power Sub Station, Naushehra Pannunan, during the employees’ strike has raised many eyebrows. Harpreet Singh, official of the power sub-station, said, the stolen oil was worth lakhs of rupees. Meanwhile, a number of transformers supplying power to the tube-wells too were stolen from Gandiwind Dhattal, Ruriwala, Marhana, Chamba Kalan and other villages during the period when the employees were on the strike. Sukhdev Singh, Angrej Singh, Balwant Singh and other residents of these villages said days when the Powercom employees were on strike, proved to be the golden days for the thieves who took advantage of the blackout in the villages.

— Contributed by Gurbaxpuri

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