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Have money, will travel
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High-tech innovations: An Army officer explains the working of Simputer
Educators scarce for
specially-abled children
Buses have encroached upon the park in Mota Singh Nagar
Market Buzz
Weekly Round-up
From the Schools
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Have money, will travel
Nearby holiday resorts no longer attract the city residents. Encouraged by the inexpensive packages marketed by various airlines, travel agencies, Jalandharites are now keen to fly off to foreign shores to beat the heat during summers.
The city children are also savvier to visit foreign tourist spots to do adventure sports — scuba diving, joy rides, water sports. The huge potential of customers visiting foreign lands has resulted in Jalandhar, known as the NRI hub of Doaba region, becoming as the major centre for airline and travel companies of the world repute during the past two decades. The European and the North American destinations, including Las Vegas, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Switzerland and Paris, happen to be the favourites among the elites. Those who are unable to secure the visa for these places opt for South East Asian countries, which include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Of late, Mauritius, one of the most expensive tourist destinations in the world, has emerged as the favourite spot among the city residents, who are interested in spending holidays at some secluded place. A survey conducted by Jalandhar Plus revealed that the airline traffic for European destinations witnessed 30 to 40 per cent increase, while that for South East Asian destinations showed 50 per cent increase during the period from June 15 to July 31. For Ms Ameet, Executive Manger, Radisson Windsor Hotel, visiting Bamfs in Vancouver has always been a great experience. “I love natural lakes and mountains and Bamfs is the best place to soothe your nerves by being close to nature. Besides, my family is in Vancouver and I love to visit them to share and relish old memories of childhood,” reveals Ms Ameet, who is planning to visit world famous Disneyland this summer to quench her thirst for joy rides. Mr Pankaj Shoor, a businessman, has been off to the USA and England many times with his family, unmindful of expenses. “I love to move to Las Vegas during summers. Casinos, naturally, continue to draw tourists to Las Vegas. From penny slots to high stakes table games in private salons, you’ll find it all there. But there’s much more to Las Vegas than gambling. The weekend itinerary highlights attractions of a different sort, from the choreographed fountains at Bellagio to the Elvis-A-Rama Museum,” he explains. Mr Shoor, who has been holidaying abroad for the past over five years, reveals, “Las Vegas is also surprisingly family-friendly. In an attempt to appeal to kids, the hotels have spent millions of dollars to develop technically sophisticated indoor amusement rides like the Race for Atlantis. It’s a city which never sleeps and I love it.” Mr Jatinder Walia, Manager, Lufthansa City Centre, reveals, “The air traffic for European destinations witnesses a boom during summers even as the airlines offer several travel packages like companion offers to attract the customers. The fare for any European destination ranges between Rs 30000 and Rs 40000 for economy class, which is almost equal to the fare for travelling to Coimbatore from Delhi. Besides, most of the city businessmen plan the tours in tune with their overseas business commitments.” Mr Jasdeep Singh Boparai, who has passion for sea and beaches, loves to visit Hong Kong and Singapore along with his mother Jaswant Kaur every year. “I love to board Star Cruises, the third largest cruise line in the world. It’s really a rich experience for me. At least I forget about my hectic life for some time during the trip to again refresh myself. I love ‘snorkelling’ in deep seas, surfing, rolling in snow and sands,” he says. He also visits Bangkok every year for shopping. Cruise control Star Cruises, the leading Cruise Line in Asia-Pacific, has recently announced the introduction of two new fly-cruise packages from Singapore to Bangkok and Hong Kong with strategic partner Valuair. The five-night Bangkok/Ko Samui fly-cruise package includes an air connection from Singapore to Bangkok on Valuair with a two-night stay in the popular seaside resort of Pattaya on the east coast of Thailand, before embarking SuperStar Virgo for a three-night cruise to Ko Samui and Singapore. Two departures have been planned for June 19 and September 25 this year. The Hong Kong fly-cruise package incorporates a two-night stay on the island and a night’s cruise on Star Pisces with return air transfers on Valuair from Singapore. Myanmar’s middle path Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, is a favourite destination for the middle class here. It is fast emerging on the international tourist map as the hub of gems, jewellery and precious stones, says Mr Jatinder Walia, adding that the return economy class ticket from Delhi to Yangon cost just Rs 11000 per person.
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Shocking neglect in Phagwara
People putting up on the fringes of the roadsides at Phagwara are under constant threat of high-tension wires hanging over their heads.
When The Tribune team visited the localities adjoining Banga Road, Sarai Road, Gaushala Road and Chadha Market, it was found that the wires were passing near several houses, and residents were not aware of the danger. At some places, telephone, cable and electricity wires were seen joined together. To add to the problem, the roadside vendors have put up their rehris under the lowly-installed transformers, knowing well that they are just four-foot away from death. Any short circuit or blast in the transformer can pose a threat to their life. Vegetable vendors have also encircled the transformer with their rehris at Sarai Road. The high-voltage wires are so close to the shop-cum-flats that they could pose a death threat to a person standing near the window of a flat with six-foot distance. The residents, however, blame the local administration and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for their woes. The department, on the other hand, says that some illegal structures have cropped up and the residents have not taken prior permission before constructing them. Phagwara, falling under district Kapurthala, has the maximum number of constructions where even palatial accommodations have come up near overhanging wires. Despite electrocution incidents being on the rise, the residents have been renovating houses and shops in haphazard manner, ignoring the basic regulations with regard to the presence of electricity poles and high-tension wires.
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Vajra Corps tests new
surveillance device
It was a moment of pride for the seven officers of the Signals Division of 11 Corps, as one of their latest innovations in surveillance techniques was not only exhibited but also put to test in the field during Vajra Shakti, a 10-day exercise conducted this week by the Indian Army for the first time after Operation Prakram.
The Signals Division has devised a communication system by which they can procure still images captured by a Ghatak Platoon on a palm top. While earlier the army men deployed in battlefield could communicate only verbally via a radio system with the officers at the transmission centre, the new device has been modified in such a way that these men can provide coloured pictures to their underground relay centre every minute. The technique is also being successfully tested for being used in border areas to check infiltration of the enemy troops. The pictures captured by the Ghatak Platoon can be relayed to the underground centres for being seen on a palm top or a computer monitor that can be further attached with it for a better view. The picture files can help the commanders take timely and rational decisions and apply their resources optimally during wartime operations. Explaining the functioning of the device, Lt Sarika Shinde, a lady army officer and member of the team, said that the unique device was being tested for various factors that could judge the effectiveness of the system. She said that the tests had shown that the camera fitted in the Simputer, a palm top carried by the troops, could take images up to a distance of 300 metre. She added that the system had proven to be successful even in case the troops were taking images from an area that could be 10 to 12 km away from the GI antenna that was used for communication purposes. Lt Shinde said that the technique was devised realising the need of a surveillance equipment that could help in harmonising battlefield information. She said that the Ghatak Platoon could be dropped in any strategic part of the war field using a helicopter for capturing photographs as wanted by the commanders in the information centres. She said that the system involved the use of two Simputers, one of which acted as an input device and was carried by the Ghatak Platoon to take different images and the other one that was used as output device fitted with the underground system to view those images. She said that both palm tops were equipped with a flash drive that could be used to store some pictures and bring them back in case the Ghatak Platoon went out of the coverage area.
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Sainik School receives grant for restoration
Sainik School, Kapurthala, which is housed in Jagatjeet Palace building, is one of the twenty Sainik Schools in India which were started under a scheme introduced in 1961 by the Ministry of Defence focusing at preparing boys academically, physically and mentally for entry into the National Defence Academy.
The school was inaugurated by the then Defence Minister Mr V.K. Krishana Menon on July 8, 1961. The Jagatjeet Palace was constructed by the erstwhile ruler of Kapurthala state in 1908 on the pattern of the Palace of Versailles built by Louis XIV of France. The school was given 150 acres of land required for playgrounds, drill squares and obstacle courses. In addition, the Punjab Government set up a separate water supply, gymnasium cum swimming pool and residential quarters for the staff. This fully residential school has produced more than 700 officers for the Indian armed forces through NDA out of which some have risen to the rank of Major General. The school can boast of the fact that a sizeable number of its alumni have made their mark in other respectable professions, too. "One can apply for the admission in the school from class VI onwards. The eligible age group is 10-11 years. Though one has to spend Rs 48,000 annually, including boarding, lodging and uniforms, every student is entitled to get an amount of Rs 9,640 from the Ministry of Defence. In addition to it, a student of Sainik School here can avail of the scholarship between Rs 7,500 and Rs 26,000 annually in case his annual family income is between Rs 96000 and Rs 180000," inform school authorities. The school admits about 80-90 students every year in class VI out of which 67 per cent seats are reserved for domicile of Punjab state. The principal of the school, Colonel Sandeep Kumar, who himself is a product of Sainik School, Kunjpura, has made arrangements for training in Yoga for the school staff with the liaison of the Sports Authority of India, Patiala, so that it can help the students to alleviate the stress of studies. The school authorities have recently got a grant of Rs 1.01 crore from the MoD for the structural restoration of the building. The restoration work will be started as soon as the Punjab Government releases the matching grant of Rs 96 lakh. After this, the second phase of restoring the valuables in the palace will be taken up, it is learnt.
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Educators scarce for
specially-abled children
The latest National Sample of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) suggests that two per cent of the population of the country is disabled. However, the number of professionals engaged in teaching disabled children is woefully short of the requirement.
"At least 40-50 lakh professionals are required to serve the educational requirements of the specially-abled population," says Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia, Chairman, RCI. There is yet another shocking fact. About 84 per cent of the disabled children in urban areas do not have access to schools, and about 94 per cent of specially-abled children in rural areas are unable to go to the schools. In such a scenario, the need for special educators is acutely felt. Major Ahluwalia says that the RCI offers courses in special education through its network of more than 185 government and non-government institutions spread across the country. The courses are aimed at developing attitude and skills in a student to impart education to children with various disabilities. The disabilities covered in the syllabi include hearing impairment, visual impairment, locomotor impairment, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and autism. The courses are suitable for Plus Two students and graduates. The RCI was set up by the Government of India under an act of Parliament in1992 to develop, standardise and regulate all training programmes and policies in the field of rehabilitation and special education all over the country. According to the RCI Chairman, the vision of the RCI is to reach the specially-abled children, particularly those in the rural areas. He adds that empathy, coupled with the right teaching method, is needed to educate these children. "Only the special educators who are well-qualified can teach the children with disabilities. The educators must be able to differentiate between different kinds of disabilities and also they must know how to deal with the emotional aspects of the problem," he explains.
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Park converted into parking lot
This is one of the shoddiest public parks in the city. There is no sign of landscaping, no flowers, no plantations, no benches, no pathways and no swings. The grounds of the park are marshy as they are more often used for dumping garbage and parking private buses.
Meant for the welfare of residents of the area, no family ever sends its children for playing in this park at Mota Singh Nagar in ward number 55 on the backside of the bus stand. Since many private bus operators have their offices around the area, the park always remains encroached upon by buses all along its sides, leaving no space for anyone to enter it. Drivers even park their buses inside the park. Of late, it has become a den for gamblers, who remain occupied with cards in different corners of the park. Late night bus passengers can also be seen taking their drinks near the park till their buses start from the area. The area near the park is also used to park cycle-rickshaws. Scores of rickshaw pullers chain their rickshaws together here during night, on the instructions of the owners of these rickshaws. Many vendors who have put up their stalls along the backside of the wall of the bus stand litter the park with waste material. The vegetable sellers, fruit sellers, barbers, meat shop owners and juice sellers throw away waste near the park. Such activities have been taking place in the area for the past several months, but no check has been made in this regard either by the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) or police authorities. Mr H.S. Bawa, councillor of the ward, admitted that he had been helpless in getting the area cleared off encroachments. He said that he had submitted his plea in writing to the MCJ to get encroachments removed but it had fallen on deaf ears. He said that he had even issued many reminders to the corporation in this regard. The councillor, however, added that an estimate of Rs 3.75 lakh had been prepared by the corporation for the beautification of the park and nearly Rs 30 lakh had been estimated as the cost of relaying and widening the Garha Road that passed across its side.
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Market Buzz
Kala Mandir, an outlet for designer wear, was inaugurated at Model Town last Sunday.
The outlet offers a variety of patterns, weaves and ensembles created by renowned designers, including Satya Paul. It has in store a variety of works, including phulkaris of Patiala, venkatgiris of South, suchi zari from Banaras, kota work from Rajasthan, telia ikkat from Orissa, chikankari from Lucknow and patchwork from Kolkata. Chinese food fest To tickle the taste buds of Jalandharites, Hotel President is holding "Shanghai Nights", a Chinese food festival, at its Millennium Restaurant. The fest would conclude on May 15. The hotel manager, Mr Sunil Khera, said that the Chinese dishes are being served in authentic Chinese style with proper accompaniments and a variety of sauces like soy, oyster and sesame. New apartments The construction work of Silver Heights, multi-storey apartments, at Wadala Chowk, Nakodar Road, began on Wednesday. Mr Anil Chopra, proprietor of St Soldier Properties and Industries Ltd, said 200 apartments would be constructed. Consultancy meet Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS) held a seminar at Shingar Regency on Wednesday. People from all walks of life, including students, professionals, skilled workers and business persons, attended the seminar in which they were told about the point system that has to be followed for immigration purposes.
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Expressing gratitude for giving concessions in Value Added Tax, the Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders' Associations held a meeting with Mr Surinder Singla, Finance Minister, Punjab, on Monday.
Mr Gursharan Singh, president, said that they were told that the sale tax offices would not require any separate audit for sales above Rs 40 lakh, as audits already being made for filing income tax would be accepted. School renovation The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has renovated the building of a government school at Suchipind. The school has been donated two computers. The company has also provided cold drinking water and benches to the school. Nearly 207 students of the school were distributed uniforms by General Manager, Mr R. S. Rao, and Chief Regional Manager, Mr J.S. Saini. Dental course Over 25 dentists of the city attended a course on dental implants conducted by the Biolok Implant Forum on Friday. The course was conducted by Dr Rajesh Talwar, a prosthodontist from Delhi and Dr J. Nagaraj, oral and maxillofacial surgeon from Chandigarh. Computerisation Municipal Corporation Jalandhar has fully computerised its birth and death certificate branch. The certificates will be issued within two to three days. The corporation is also in the process of scanning the records of the last 20 years, and a certificate pertaining to the last two decades will now be issued in two to three days. (Compiled by Deepkamal Kaur)
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From the Schools
An inter-house general knowledge quiz contest was held at Sanskriti KMV School on Monday. There were various rounds in which students were asked questions on flora, fauna, personalities and sports. The team of Rahul Jain, Neha Singh, Anuraag Sharma, Tanya Sharma and Tarish Thakur won the first position. A fruit party was held for pre-primary wing in which kids came dressed like fruits. Eco-friendly trip On Saturday, Delhi Public School students went on an eco-friendly trip to Urban Estate Sabzi Mandi to educate vendors about polybags. The students placed colourful placards with a message "Say no to polybag" on every nook and corner of the city. The students went to McDonalds where they not only had fun eating ice creams, but also surprised grownups by offering them suggestions about disposing of trash correctly. In their own school, they checked washrooms and turned off the dripping taps. They even told gardeners to water plants in evenings to save water.
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