Some hits, a few misses

Gurpreet Bhuller, SSP Rural
He too did not lag behind in getting a pat on his back from his top boss when the Ludhiana Rural police arrested five persons and seized over 58-kg explosives.On June 17, the police had arrested Gurbhej Singh and Manjit Singh and seized 24.5 kg of explosives along with 25 detonators and wires. Exactly 9 days later, the police seized 34.5 kg of explosive by arresting three men Amrik Singh, Daljit Singh and Sarabjit Singh alias Sokhu.

Hakam Singh Giaspura, Mayor
Much ado about nothing. This aptly suits the mayor who made tall promises in the general House meetings but shied away while implementing the orders in letter and spirit. Surrounded in controversies all through the year whether for flouting tender rules or favouring some contractors, he faced the wrath of everyone. The coming year is likely to usher in more difficulties for him as the ruling party councillors and leaders are up in arms against him.

GS Ghuman,
MC Commissioner
Yeh kahan aa gaya mein8230;8230;..It seems that Ghuman has been singing this song since he took the charge. He is busy doing rounds of city roads and flyovers to see the quality of work. With the city full of filth and encroachments, the commissioner will have a tough time getting work done from his subordinates.

Sumer Singh Gurjar, Deputy Commissioner
In the thick of controversy of cracker stall allottment in the last quarter of the year, the DC is trying to make up for this by delivering better results in his department. With all eyes on the inquiry report pending against him, Mr DC, please stay alert!

Sudesh Bajaj, DEO Secondary Ludhiana
Though she succeeded in curbing the menace of copying in examinations by taking necessary and strict preventive measures, controversy was not far behind. She was mired in controversy for allotting examination duties to a few teachers who were not in the list. Different teachers unions also raised voice against her when she transferred back a government teacher from Gurdaspur to Ludhiana.

Manjit Kang, PAU V-C
Like his first year in office, the second year was also a stormy one for Dr Manjit Singh Kang. While he still continues to battle some grave situations like PAU8217;s inability to pay its pensioners and a severe financial crunch which he says that he has 8216;inherited8217;, yet his second year in office saw everyone from students to non-teaching employees up their ante. As the V-C sums up, 8220;This is democracy and every one has a right to voice his or her opinion.8221; Unfazed, the man with a Yankee accent stood for his decisions which may not have gone down very well on the campus.

Hira Singh Gabria, Cabinet Minister
8220;I am the man of the masses, so I have to help them.8221; This is what Gabria told the world all the year long. In a row with an ASI for rebuking him and not allowing him to perform his duties, Gabria was in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

Darshan Singh Shivalik, Dakha MLA
This year Shivalik remained busy rummaging around files for his project file, which was allegedly misplaced by MC superintending engineer Dharam Singh. The MLA was busy in getting roadside encroachments removed and getting many other works done which otherwise are in the purview of the area councillor.

Harish Rai Dhanda, Chief Parliamentary Secretary
Citizen reporter! sounds good. Dhanda donned a social role to bring about certain changes in society. Be it sabzi mandi on MC land or checking MC records, Dhanda enjoyed his new job to the hilt. For him, MC is full of anarchy and chaos but Mr Dhanda feels much needs to be done to keep the system moving.

Sat Pal Gosain, Deputy Vidhan Sabha Speaker
He was embroiled in the controversy with DC Sumer Gurjar when the latter levelled allegations of nepotism in allotting cracker stalls.

Sharanjit Dhillon, MP
With SAD president Sukhbir Badal making it clear that he would not be given ticket to contest the upcoming general elections, he has kept a low profile this year as far as political activities are concerned.

SP Sharma, Civil Surgeon
Not only did the gastroenteritis and dengue outbreaks keep the Civil Surgeon Dr SP Sharma on his toes, the controversy with a politician who blamed him for Hepatitis-C deaths in a rural area of the district also made him one of the most written about in the Health department. However, Dr Sharma could not convincingly answer the questions of the team of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme that investigated the role of the Health department in the dengue outbreak as more than 70 per cent of the dengue cases in the state more than 2,300 were reported from the district.