The Tribune – Jalandhar tragedy; Building was waiting to collapse

Plans not approved – Factory raised beyond prescribed 38ft

Ruchika M Khanna, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 23. Tragedy was waiting to happen at Shital Fibres in Jalandhar. The blanket-manufacturing unit — which collapsed like a pack of cards on the night of April 15 snuffing out lives of 23 workers and leaving many others injured, some even permanently disabled — had come up in gross violation of building norms and labour laws.

It has now come to light that against a sanctioned height of 38 feet, the building had been raised to approximately 42 feet, with the third floor having just a tin shed for a roof. The building plan was never approved nor did the owner ever submit the mandatory structural design plan.

Giving a complete go-by to norms for a zoning plan, the built-up area of the factory was 100 per cent of the size of the industrial plot.

The factory owner did not obtain a “building stability certificate” and no safety audit of the premises was carried out. These are some of the shocking findings of the departmental probe initiated by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) and the Labour Department after the accident. The two departments will submit their report to the probe panel headed by Lt Gen (retd) BS Dhaliwal, technical adviser to the Chief Minister.

Interestingly, the departmental inquiry also reveals that the industrial plot was originally allotted to one Gursharan Singh in 1992, but was later bought by Shital Vij to run his blanket unit.

The records reveal the transfer of the plot, measuring 2,500 square yards, was affected in 2007.

Though the zoning rules clearly specify that the factory construction could have been done only on 22, 500 square meters, the survivors say the factory had a 100 per cent built-up area. Many survivors have claimed that the factory had four storeys.

However, the officials say they have found evidence of three storeys, with the ground floor and first floor having a lintered roof. The third storey just had a tin-shed roof.

Official sources said it was still unclear if the machines placed on the first floor of the factory caused vibrations while running. In case the machines were too heavy and ran on power, it would again be a violation of rules, which do not permit placing of heavy machinery and machinery running on power on the first floor of an industrial unit.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120424/main3.htm

The Tribune – Won’t let Sarabjit be hanged: Burney

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 23. Noted human rights activist from Pakistan Ansar Burney today said he would not let Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row there, to be hanged to death till he (Burney) was in Pakistan.

Talking to mediapersons before returning to Pakistan, Burney said: “I feel anybody should not be punished twice for the same crime. He had been sentenced to 14 years in jail and then his term was extended to 25 years. Now, only three years of his sentence are left”.

He demanded that death penalty be abolished in both countries. “In a legal system where witnesses can be bought in lieu of cash, there should be no death penalty”. He said a fresh clemency petition had already been filed before the Pakistan President in Sarabjit’s case and he was hopeful of a positive outcome.

On the issue of Pakistan virologist Dr Khalil Chishti, Burney said the former was around 80 years of age and suffering from various ailments and therefore, he should be allowed to return to his country alive. “I guarantee that I will produce him whenever the Indian court wants him to appear for any hearing,” he said, adding that repatriating him to Pakistan would send a good message.

He said there were a large number of prisoners on both the sides who had completed their jail term, but were still languishing in prisons. “Both the countries are treating them less as prisoners and more as enemies,” he said, demanding that they should be released immediately.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120424/punjab.htm#12

The Hindu – Solution to all issues through dialogue, says Gilani

“Pakistan willing to discuss all matters with India — Kashmir, Siachen or terrorism”

Anita Joshua

Islamabad, 24 April 2012. Amid calls for the demilitarization of the Siachen glacier, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday reiterated his government’s belief in finding a solution to all issues through dialogue.

Addressing a conference in the capital, he said: “I strongly believe that better sense will prevail on both sides and we will resolve these issues through dialogue.”

Of the view that the “era of wars” is over, the premier said Pakistan was willing to sit with India and discuss all matters: be it Kashmir, Siachen or terrorism. It is in pursuit of this policy that he took the initiative and met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at an international conference, he pointed out.

In a related statement in Lahore on Sunday, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan called for demilitarization of Siachen but differed with political rival and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s contention that Pakistan should take the initiative in withdrawing troops from the glacier that is the world’s highest battlefield.

Ever since an avalanche buried 135 soldiers of the 6 Northern Light Infantry in the Gayari sector of Siachen on April 7, demands for demilitarization of Siachen have gained currency within Pakistan with even the Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Parvez Kayani weighing in. But the majority opinion is against a unilateral withdrawal by Pakistan with President Asif Ali Zardari himself speaking against it last Friday.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik — who is on a visit to Pakistan — said in Lahore that his organisation would step up efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue with or without Pakistan’s help.

Apprehensive that the Kashmir issue was being put on the backburner, he expressed disappointment with India and the international community for their apathy; warning that Kashmiris would be forced to take up arms again if the two countries failed to resolve the issue.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3346651.ece

Brussel, Senate, Turki Bazar, Vilvoorde Gurdwara, Ines Wouters, 28 March 2012

On 28 March Amarjit Kaur, Malkit Singh, Navdeep Kaur and I went to Brussel to meet with the chair and the director of GO! (Flemish community schools) and Senator Bert Anciaux in the morning and with lawyer Ines Wouters in the afternoon. I took no pictures in the Senate building. 

Brussel, Schaarbeek, Turki Bazar
Malkit Singh

Brussel, Schaarbeek, Turki Bazar

Brussel, Schaarbeek, Turki Bazar
Many different teas

Vilvoorde Gurdwara – Work in progress

Vilvoorde Gurdwara – Work in progress

Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Lange Molen Straat 14
B-1800 Vilvoorde, Vlaams Brabant

To see more Belgium (mostly Limburg) pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – 1984 anti-Sikh riots; Sajjan conspired with police: CBI

New Delhi, April 23. A Delhi court, hearing a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case involving senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, was today told by the CBI that there was a conspiracy of “terrifying proportion” between him and the police during riots.

“There was a conspiracy of terrifying proportion with the complicity of the police and patronage of local MP Sajjan Kumar,” CBI prosecutor RS Cheema told district judge JR Aryan.

Winding up the prosecution arguments, Cheema focused on the issue of conspiracy between the accused saying it was shown in the statement of the witnesses. “From the statement of the witnesses, it has been clearly shown that a large-scale violence took place during the riots and there was huge conspiracy between all the six accused, some unknown persons and also police officials,” he argued.

Arguing on the extent of killings in the Delhi cantonment area, the prosecutor said as per police records, not even a single killing took place from October 31, 1984 to November 6, 1984.

He said a former police constable, who is now a defence witness had deposed in the court that he was on duty in the area during the riots and he had not come across any report of any killing or rioting. “But, as per GT Nanavati Commission report, the official casualty figures shows that during the riots 341 persons were killed, while 385 houses, 110 shops and 45 vehicles were burnt in the area,” he said, adding that the attitude of the police was to minimise the magnitude of the crime.

Sajjan Kumar and five others are facing trial in the killings of six persons in the Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 carnage which broke after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

They are accused of instigating a mob to attack and kill the Sikhs. The prosecutor said the killings were committed on Sajjan Kumar’s directions. “In this case, the circumstances clearly show conspiracy and Sajjan Kumar is charged for the offence of conspiracy. The Delhi Police is also accused of conspiring with others but no official has been named,” he said. The CBI had earlier said the police acted in a pre-planned manner during the riots and kept its “eyes closed” to the widespread violence. It had said the police “deliberately” did not act the way it was supposed to do.

Sajjan Kumar and five others, Balwan Khokkar, Kishan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal are facing trial for allegedly killing six persons in the Delhi cantonment area during the riots. The case against Sajjan Kumar was registered on the recommendation by the GT Nanavati Commission. The CBI had filed two chargesheets against him and others in January 2010.

The trial court, in 2010, had framed charges against Sajjan Kumar and five others under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to cause damage to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of the IPC. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120424/nation.htm#1

BBC News – Congress Party leader quits over India tape row

Tuesday 24 April 2012. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has resigned as the party’s spokesman after a video allegedly showing him having sex with a woman was distributed on social networking sites.

Mr Singhvi, a top lawyer, has said the video was fabricated and denied news reports that he had offered to help the woman to become a judge.

He has also resigned from a powerful parliamentary law panel he headed.

The development is a fresh blow to the ruling Congress party.India

India’s ruling party is already dogged by a slowdown in economic growth and allegations of corruption.

Mr Singhvi had earlier obtained a court order to prevent the media from exhibiting and distributing the video.

“I have done this only to prevent even the slightest possible parliamentary disruption regarding the purported CDs being circulated about me,” he said about his resignation in a statement quoted by Reuters news agency.

“Specifically, some sections of the print and visual media are spreading a falsehood simply by repetition and hearsay that there is reference in the CD to the promise of any post. No one has heard any such reference in the CD. There is none simply because it does not exist.

“It is pure imagination, wishful thinking and sensationalism.”

The incident is likely to cause an uproar during the ongoing budget session of parliament, which reconvenes on Tuesday.

The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has said it planned to question Mr Singhvi’s resignation in parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17821832