Golden Temple plaza work finally begins

Amritsar, October 3
The construction work of the prestigious Golden Temple Entrance Plaza has finally begun and if all goes well, the project would be ready by the end of the next year.
Prior to this, the pre-construction activities like shifting of underground cables and pipelines from the construction area consumed a lot of time. However, the construction work has begun on a swift note with JCB machines and trucks being pressed into service for digging and shifting earth at the green belt right in front of the main gate of the Golden Temple.
The entire area where the work is on has been encircled with tin sheets. The agencies engaged in the work have also constructed two “jora ghars” (shoe keeping facility), one each on the either side of the shrine’s main gate to facilitate the devotees while the construction work is on.
Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said a deadline of 15 months, starting last week, had been set for construction work of the prestigious project, which means the plaza will take final shape by December 2012. In the upcoming plaza, apart from a spacious ‘jora ghar’, all amenities would be underground, including a state-of-the-art interpretation and information centre for tourists. As there is a lot of VVIP movement at the Golden Temple, the plaza will have a separate lounge to accommodate dignitaries and their entourage.
An auditorium with a seating capacity of 100-150 persons would be built so that a visiting dignitary could address the media.
A bank, ATM, airport and railway inquiry booth would also be set up. The plaza, spread over 1.75 acres, will have a flooring equipped with radiant cooling and heating system so that devotees could walk barefoot without any discomfort during extreme weather conditions. 

Immigration firm Scott Immigration & Education Services' office sealed in Chandigarh

Chandigarh October 3
The special investigation team (SIT) of the UT police, formed to crack down on illegal immigration firms, sealed the Sector 9-based office of Ms Scott Education and Immigration Service for allegedly duping two Mohali residents in the name of sending them abroad here today.
An FIR was registered against the immigration firm at the Sector 34 police station in August, after which the firm’s owner had closed down his office in Sector 34. He shifted his base to Sector 9.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Gyan Singh said a case had been registered against Jashjeet Singh Dhaliwal, owner of the company, on the complaint of Yaman Khan, a resident of Siswan village in Mohali district. He alleged that even after paying Rs 2.30 lakh, he was neither sent abroad nor his money returned. Khan had been promised a student visa trip to Singapore.
Savina, a resident of Mohali, had also filed a complaint against the firm, stating that even after paying Rs 25,000 she was not sent abroad on study visa. She, too, complained that her money had not been refunded.
“The complainant stated that despite repeated requests, her money was not refunded. She lodged a formal complaint, following which a case was registered on August 13, ” the police stated.
Gyan Singh said the firm owner, after duping the customers, shifted the office to SCO 28-29 (first floor) Sector 9. He was, however, running the firm under the same name. “During investigation, we got a tip-off that the accused, who was absconding, was running the immigration business from another premises in the city. We went ahead with the raid and have sealed the office,” Singh said.
No arrests were made by the police, as the owner of the firm who is a resident of Orbit Apartments in Zirakpur managed to escape from the police trap.
Police officials said the immigration fraud victims could submit their complaints at the Public Window of the police headquarters that would be forwarded to the immigration cell dealing with the cases of immigration fraud. 
District Magistrate’s order
DM Brijendra Singh has directed owners of immigration firms to provide their antecedents to thepolice at Public Window, Police Headquarters, within seven days. The order issued under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code makes it clear that before establishing such companies, it is mandatory for the owner of the company to provide the firms’ complete antecedents, and the offenders will be prosecuted. 
Another case
A case under Sections 420 and 120 of the IPC was registered against Ashwani Syal and his wife Reena Syal, residents of Scetor 7, Panchkula, on the complaint of Chand Handa, who alleged that the duo had duped his cousin and cousin’s wife of Rs 45 lakh for sending them abroad.

Axis Bank told to pay compensation

Mohali, October 3
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has penalised Axis Bank for failing to fulfil its promise of issuing return flight vouchers to two account holders under the ‘go East or West’ scheme. One of the complainants had made transactions of Rs 1 lakh and the other of Rs 50,000 through their debit cards.
Holding the bank responsible for deficiency in service, the forum, comprising its president BS Mehandiratta and members SS Dhaliwal and HK Ghuman, directed the bank to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation for harassment to Raja Abrol and Rs 50,000 to Rohit Guleria.
In their complaint to the forum, Abrol and Guleria of Sector 67 here stated that the bank had floated a promotional scheme through the TLC Agency in November, 2007.
Under the scheme, an account holder spending Rs1 lakh or more through his debit card was entitled to a return flight voucher from London, Paris, Zurich, Milan or Amsterdam.
Abrol had sent his form, also mentioning therein the name of his friend, who was also eligible to travel under an Asian flight voucher.
As per clause 13 of the terms and conditions, the bank was to contact the complainants within 30 days of receiving the vouchers to finalise the booking, but it did not do so.
When the complainants tried to contact the bank through its helpline number to enquire, they were assured that they would receive a phone call regarding the vouchers soon.
They only received repeated assurances for a few months that their request was being processed. During this time, not even once did any bank representative point out non-receipt or the invalidity of vouchers.
Abrol had further stated that he bought a one-year membership of Exotic Time Club for Rs 4,990 to stay at a hotel for four nights and five days worldwide. He had added that the one-year membership remained unused and lapsed on June 30, 2008, causing him financial loss and humiliation.
On being questioned, the bank denied any deficiency in service or negligence on its part. It stated that the offer in question was a promotional offer, made available to specific eligible customers who fulfilled all conditions.
It further said the offer was not a service given in the regular course of business to customers. After hearing the arguments of both parties, the forum held the bank guilty of deficiency in service.

Bajaj Allianz penalised Rs 20,000

Chandigarh, October 3
After failing to get any reprieve from the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Amar Nath Bansal, a resident of Sector 8 filed an appeal in the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Co Ltd for suffering mental agony and deficiency in service.
The commission directed the insurance company to pay a compensation of Rs 20,000 along with litigation costs of Rs 5,000 to the complainant.
The counsel for complainant Amar Nath Bansal contended that the affidavit along with annexure filed by the opposite parties clearly showed their deliberate intention to mislead the district forum. It was contended that the district forum gave an erroneous finding that the son of the complainant could have got the policy cancelled within 15 days free look period as the case of the complainant was that he paid the premium and the policy was to be issued to him and his son was to only get free insurance cover worth Rs 1 lakh as the age of the complainant crossed 60 years.
However, the complainant immediately informed the opposite parties and their agent came and crossed the name of the son of the complainant on the document. It was stated that the complainant filed the rejoinder and annexed the original photograph of his son and also stated that the signatures were not of his son. It was further stated that the opposite parties deliberately manipulated the documents to mislead the forum.
The counsel for the respondents contended that the policy was issued in the name of Som Nath Bansal and not in the name of Amar Nath Bansal. It was contended that the policy was issued on the basis of proposal form filled and signed by the proposer Som Nath Bansal and he was given 15 days ‘free look period’ to seek cancellation of the policy if the terms of the same were not acceptable to him, but he failed to exercise that option.
It was contended that the policy stood lapsed due to non-payment of the premium, therefore nothing could be paid to the life assured.
The state commission comprising its president Justice Sham Sunder and Member Neena Sandhu observed that it was evident that all these documents were received by the proposer within eight days of filling up of the proposal form and thereafter, if he was not satisfied with the policy then he could have cancelled the said policy within a ‘free look period’ but he did not exercise that option. Therefore, this contention of the complainant that the opposite parties issued the policy wrongly in the name of his son is not sustainable and hence rejected.
The commission further observed that the contention of the opposite parties that the complainant is not a consumer because the above said policy was in the name of his son and as such he did not avail their services is not sustainable because the complainant being a proposer paid the due consideration for purchasing the policy in the name of his son.

Awareness campaign to check stubble burning

20 lakh school students to take part in a march on October 13

Patiala, October 3
In one of the most required initiative to exhort the farmers not to burn paddy stubble, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) will kickstart an awareness campaign against paddy stubble burning from October 4 in the entire state. Brainchild of the PPCB chairman, KS Pannu, who is known for his efforts pertaining to the environment protection, the campaign will witness as many as 20 lakh school students taking out march in all the villages of Punjab on October 13 to educate the farmers to stop the unhealthy exercise of burning the paddy stubble, which leads to air pollution in the entire state.
Speaking to The Tribune, Pannu said: “Month of October witnesses high pollution in the entire state because of the paddy stubble burning. Hence, we have decided to spread awareness among farmers about the ill effects of burning the paddy stubble. With an aim to convey the farming community that burning of the paddy stubble pollutes the environment, the PPCB will undertake a campaign through print and electronic media, with eye catching couplets, exhorting the farmers to discard paddy stubble burning.”
Giving further details about the campaign, Pannu said he had already spoken to the state Education Department functionaries about the October 13 awareness rally and had got an assurance that the students from all the government schools of the state would take out the march in their respective villages, mentioning the adverse effects of the paddy stubble burning on the environment and subsequently on health. “I would also speak to the head of the CBSE Punjab region, so that students studying in the CBSE schools also do the same on October 13,” Pannu stated. The timings of the awareness rally would be from 11 am to 1 pm, he added.
Replying to a query that why only October 13 has been chosen for the awareness rally, Pannu said: “As per our data, the maximum pollution, like concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), on account of the paddy stubble burning is recorded on October 13. I am hopeful that the month-long campaign will yield desired results.”
Meanwhile, Pannu also said he had prepared a draft of the bill against paddy stubble burning and had sent the same to the state government for its consideration. Notably, it was Pannu who drafted the bill that paddy sowing should not be started before June 10, which was later enforced in the form of an Act by the then Punjab government in year 2008.