Slowdown keeping NRIs away from elections

Jalandhar, December 29
Economic slowdown all around the world is keeping NRIs away from swarming Punjab in large numbers on the poll eve to extend their support and monetary contributions to their choicest political parties and candidates.
Though the Central government had accepted the NRIs’ demand of giving them voting rights, they have hardly displayed any interest to take part in the electoral process as only 165 NRIs have got themselves registered as voters in Punjab so far.
Punjab elections have always remained a centre of attraction for politically aware and sensitive Punjabi NRIs who have been flocking to their home state in hordes in the past to vote and support their favourite candidates and parties.
It is for the first time that NRIs have decided to stay away from the poll process, thanks to near-recession in the West, particularly in Canada, the US, the UK, euro zone countries, besides Australia and New Zealand.
Just one delegation of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), led by its chairman Dalwinder Dhoot and president Satnam Chahal, has landed in Punjab so far.
“Many NRIs have decided to contribute to political funds in the range of $2000 to $3000 by staying back in North America instead of spending double the amount on air-tickets for visiting the state along with their families,” said Dhoot and Chahal.
Meanwhile, the annual NRI convention to be held in Jalandhar in January may be postponed due to elections.
Money wise
n Only 165 NRIs get themselves registered as voters so far
n Most NRIs have preferred to cling to their jobs/businesses in the wake of economic slowdown world over
n Instead of flying to Punjab, NRIs are preferring to donate money to political parties/candidates

Shaheedi Jor Mela concludes with religious ceremonies

Devotees take part in the Palki procession at the Shaheedi Jor Mela
 in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Fatehgarh Sahib, Dec. 28

The three-day annual Shaheedi Jor Mela, which is organised in memory of younger Sahibjadas of Guru Gobind Singh, who were bricked alive by Mughals for not embracing Islam, concluded here today with religious ceremonies.

A scene from ‘Mein Tera Banda’ at the Shaheedi Jor Mela in Fatehgarh Sahib. Tribune photo

To mark the concluding ceremony, a Nagar Kirtan was taken out from Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib to Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup Sahib after performing the "ardas" by Tarlochan Singh, head priest, Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib.

Lakhs of devotees accompanied the Nagar Kirtan led by Panj Piaras. School bands, Gatka teams, Nihangs, Kirtani Jathas, Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Societies and various other social, religious and political leaders accompanied the Nagar Kirtan. The main attraction during the Nagar Kirtan was martial arts displaced by Nihangs and Gatka teams.

The palanquin carrying Guru Granth Sahib was placed on a well decorated four-wheeler. Akal Takhat Jathedar Gurbachan Singh performed the duty of "Chor Sahib", whereas Tarlochan Singh, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Jathedar Damdama Sahib, Jaswinder Singh, head priest, Darbar Sahib and Harnam Singh Dhuma, head, Damdami Taksal accompanied the Guru Granth Sahib.

The palanquin was escorted by Avtar Singh Makkar, president, SGPC, Prem Singh Chandumajra general secretary, SAD, Dr Harbans Lal, former minister, MLA Didar Singh Bhatti and other political leaders.

'Mein Tera Banda' staged

The main attraction during the mela was the "Mein Tera Banda", a light and sound programme, organised by the district administration and the SGPC. The programme, which was based on the life Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, was directed by Harpal Tiwana. 

Police grappled with spate of murders, snatchings and thefts

Chandigarh, December 28
Sensational murders, increased cases of assault, ruckus at discotheques, snatchings, robberies and thefts - the Chandigarh police remained on its toes throughout 2011, with the city witnessing a spurt in crime.
The year that began with the murder of a five-year-old boy, Khushpreet, after being kidnapped ended with the gruesome murder of two siblings in Sector 41.
Incidents of daylight snatchings, fatal accidents and kidnappings were the highlight of the year and the UT police invited wrath from the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) for its failure to provide justice to complainants.
The year also saw the joining of Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) from Punjab and Haryana on deputation with the UT police.
While on the one hand, their joining resulted in factionalism within the force, on the other, the demand of the police to fill vacancies was finally catered to. In addition, 1,200 constables joined the UT police force this year.
The year also saw the revival of “Mashaal Parade” after a gap of several decades during the Chandigarh police week. Moreover, a mobile police van was launched to provide on-the-spot services to the residents.

The UT police also upgraded its weaponry and purchased an armoured troops carrier. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) costing several lakhs of rupees was inducted into the force and put to use during a rally by BSP leader Mayawati.

HIGHS

Tanishq robbery

The UT police solved the biggest-ever heist case in Chandigarh - the Tanishq robbery at Mani Majra - with the arrest of all gang members within a week of the robbery of Rs 10 crore was reported in January this year. The police arrested Paras Soni as the mastermind who had 15 cases registered against him with the police of different states. The entire jewellery was recovered.
Top police officers inpect the Tanishq showroom at Mani Majra where Chandigarh’s biggest robbery took place. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

Bapu Dham kidnapping

Learning a lesson from the Khushpreet murder case, the UT police solved a case of kidnapping for ransom within hours after the first ransom call. The police was swift to act and launched an intensive operation at Siswan village to arrest the kidnappers, as they came to collect the ransom. The child, Prince, was kidnapped by his uncle, who was his neighbour in Bapu Dham Colony, on February 8.

Healthyway fraud

By forming a special team to crack the whip on fraudulent immigration firms, the UT police arrested Amit Kakkar, owner of Healthyway Immigration, and slapped 11 cases of cheating on him. Hundreds of complainants had approached the police complaining of fraud.

Largest recovery of vehicles

The UT police recovered as many as 42 vehicles from an inter-state gang of vehicle lifters, comprising scrap dealers, insurance company surveyors and second-hand car dealers, who adopted a peculiar modus operandi of selling off stolen vehicles with the original documents of vehicles damaged in accidents. The police recovered 42 vehicles, including high-end cars and SUVs worth over Rs 2 crore following the arrest of five of an unknown number of gang members.

Facebook page

The UT traffic police launched a special page on Facebook, inviting residents to post pictures of traffic violations. The page has been a success, with over 800 challans having been issued by the police in response to the pictures.

LOWS

Khushpreet murder

On January 5, the strangulated body of five-year-old Khushpreet, who was kidnapped for ransom on December 21 last year, was recovered from a pit in Mohali. Residents of Burial village erupted and staged a protest, hurling stones at the police. The victim’s family blamed the police for the killing, as they had failed to arrest the kidnappers who fled right under the nose of the police. Even though the case was solved in March, the case will go into the history as one of the biggest failures of the police in saving the child.

Rising crime graph

The city witnessed 841 vehicle thefts, 201 snatchings, 65 robberies and 261 burglaries this year. The recovery rate remained low and residents had sleepless nights, with the police failing to control the rising crime.

PCA orders

The Police Complaint Authority (PCA) passed 20 orders against police officers of various ranks, including a DSP, for their negligence in handling a case. The UT police failed to implement the orders in most cases, rendering the PCA a toothless tiger.

Tao, Voodoo ruckus

The police failed to keep a check on discotheques as they operated at late night hours beyond the permissible time. A ruckus was created at Tao in September when over 15 armed assailants barged into the disco and attacked the guests and staff. The police arrested some of the assailants. A similar ruckus and a shootout incident that took place at Voodoo is still unsolved.

Inspector suspended

An inspector and former SHO of the Sector 17 police station, Jaswinder Singh, was suspended after he was found creating a ruckus at Score discotheque. A departmental inquiry was marked and the inspector was soon reinstated even as the probe is pending.

High Court’s wrath

The police invited the wrath of the Punjab and Haryana High Court twice this year, as it passed strictures against the police for failing to file their replies in court. In one case, the police was fined Rs 10,000, holding a sub-inspector responsible, while in another case, the police was fined Rs 5,000 last month, holding a woman inspector responsible.

Neha murder case

The police conducted narco tests of suspects this year but failed to solve the sensational case of the murder of an MBA student, Neha, in Sector 38 West last year.

LOOKING AHEAD Functioning of the mobile police van, improved beat system, better servant verification system, increased police force and improved armory are on the agenda of the UT police. Crime graph shows upward trend  Police officials show stolen vehicles recovered in Mohali. file photo Mohali, December 28 Increase in the incidents of snatching and stealing of vehicles kept the Mohali police on its toes during the year. Due to the increase in the incidents of dacoit, burglary, rape and cheating, there was a marginal increase in the total number of cases registered during the year as compared to the previous year. Recent recoveries of stolen vehicles and snatched valuables did help the police in increasing its tally of traced cases. But the police was found groping in the dark to solve two cases of murder and at least six cases of vehicle snatching in the town. The year might be ending on a positive note, as the police has been able to bust several gangs of interstate car thieves. But it remained unsuccessful in cracking a mysterious murder of a property dealer at Nayagoan and that of an unidentified person at Kambali village. The percentage of detection in theft cases is still less than the number of vehicles stolen in the last one year. Of the roughly 125 burglary cases reported in the district, investigating officials managed to trace down the stolen property in 61 of the cases. Otherwise also, the changing economic profile of the district, especially Mohali town, is witnessing a sharp rise in the cases of cheating and forgery as compared to the previous year. Against 128 cases of snatching registered in 2010, 270 cases were registered this year. Hard pressed with VIP duties, the investigating officials do find it hard to exclusively work on the theft cases. As a result, the acquittal rate remains much higher than the conviction rate. Compared to the conviction rate of 48 per cent in 2010, the conviction rate this year is 36 per cent. Traffic Violations 16 motorists challaned a day  Zirakpur, December 28 At least 16 motorists, on an average, were challaned every day for violating the traffic rules during 2011 at Zirakpur. Of the total 5,750 offenders, at least 2,539 were challaned for riding without helmet. Traffic violations in the town were on the rise despite special drives conducted by the traffic police. The traffic police issued 5,750 challans to vehicles till December 27 this year and recovered Rs 14.93 lakh in penalty. In 2010, 4,886 vehicles were issued challans for various traffic offences. These included helmet-less riding, triple riding, vehicles in “no parking” zones, drunk driving and violations under the Motor Vehicles Act. Sources in the traffic police said the local traffic police challaned 2,539 helmet-less riders and 555 auto-rickshaws drivers for overloading. At least 203 challans were issued for using mobile phone while driving and 366 for triple riding. Other violations included tinted glasses, using pressure horn, flag rod, red and blue beacon and driving without documents. Besides, vehicles parked in “no parking” zones were impounded under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the sources added. The traffic in-charge, Naveen Pal Singh Lehal, claimed that the traffic police had been consistently punishing the violators. “We will conduct special drives in the coming days to curb violations in the township and raise awareness among school students, Tempo unions and auto-rickshaw drivers about traffic violations through camps.”

Students can use Aakash till March 31

Were supposed to return it after feedback

Chandigarh, December 28
The lucky ones who have got the world’s lowest priced touch-screen Aakash will have the chance to use the pocket-sized wonder tablet until March 31.

Students were supposed to return the device after giving feedback. However, project coordinators have decided that the students can use the tablet till the end of the academic session.

As a part of the project, 20 lucky city college students had got Aakash on a trial basis and after using the tablet, they had to submit a feedback of the device.

The students had to rate it on various parameters of hardware and software.

Dr Dalip Kumar, an associate professor at the Postgraduate Government for Girls, Sector 42, and one of the technical experts who handled the implementation of the project, said soon after the feedback on Aakash was sent, the IIT-Jodhpur asked us that the students should surrender the device, which should be sent back to the IIT-Jodhpur.

“We have sought an extension so that the students can use the device till the end of the academic session, as they have been using the devices for their projects,” Dr Kumar said.

After the trials, the students had highlighted some of the negative aspects, which included long charging time, generation of heat after 30 minutes of use and repeated hanging while working.

Based on the feedback, the company manufacturing the device was supposed to revamp the device under same cost.

Dr Kumar said they had not got any further communication, as when would be the device available for all students. “The device after modifications was supposed to be put on sale, however, its’ not yet decided as when will the students be getting their own 7-inch touch screen computing and Internet device,” he added.

Centre’s vegetable clusters scheme for Ludhiana

Chandigarh, December 28
Ludhiana will be the only city in Punjab to be included in the ambitious agriculture development scheme — Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters — announced by the Centre.

The scheme, which envisages the development of vegetable clusters for ensuring supply of good quality vegetables to any city having a population of one million and above, will also help in increasing vegetable production in peripheral areas.

In Punjab, Sangrur, Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala to ensure regular supply of vegetables to Ludhiana city and this would also increase production in these districts.

The state government has already received 50 per cent of the grant (Rs 6 crore), and is now in the process of forming farmer groups in the peripheral districts of Ludhiana.

Dr Lajwinder Singh Brar, Director, Horticulture, said that the scheme had been initiated under the aegis of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. "The scheme covers all aspects relating to vegetable production, from production and supply of planting material to marketing up to the retail level, formation of farmer groups, their linkage to aggregators/markets besides training and capacity building of vegetable growers in the identified clusters," Brar said.

"As a part of this scheme, we will be first forming self-help groups of farmers, named the Farmer Interest Groups and each group will grow vegetables on 20 hectares of land. These groups in one geographical location will be clustered as Farmer Producers' Organisation, which will be registered under the Societies Act. These organisations will directly market their produce to retailers with the help of a marketing aggregator, who will ensure that the farmers get a good price for their produce, and the role of middlemen will be minimised," he added.

Brar said that the department was in the final stage of identifying an NGO that would act as the market aggregator for vegetable producers’ organisations.

The total production of vegetables in Punjab is 36.45 lakh tonnes, with average yield of 19,344 kgs per hectare. So far, the total area on which vegetable crops are grown in the stare is estimated at 1.88 lakh hectares.

Brar said that the scheme would not only help in increasing the total vegetable production in the areas surrounding Ludhiana, but also help the farmers to set up state-of-art storage facilities in vegetable producing areas and buy refrigerated vans for transporting their produce.