Jalandhar, November 25
As a major relief to NRIs, the Department of Revenue, Punjab, has issued orders to establish special NRI courts at the level of tehsildars and naib tehsildars. These courts would provide speedy justice to the NRIs facing revenue problems.

Circulars in this regard have been issued to Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and SDMs, directing them to ensure that such cases be disposed of within a specified period. It has been stated that the cases related to demarcation be disposed of within a month. The circular specifies that the uncontested mutation shall be decided by Revenue Officer within a month’s time, while the time for disposal of contested mutation must not exceed three months.

The directive also specifies that in such courts, the cases of the NRIs should bear a special flag of distinctive colour carrying printed words “Court case of NRI”. The directive has also entitled the NRIs to file cases through special power of attorney, which may also bear a special logo of the NRI Sabha. Such cases will be heard as fast track court cases.

Similarly, instructions have been issued with regards to demarcation of agricultural land. The directive says that a kanungo must demarcate the land within one month, the application for which must be presented to the Revenue Officer concerned on a judicial paper with court fee of Rs 1.25. Even where the police help was required, the cases shall be disposed of within a month.

The department has directed SDMs, DCs and Divisional Commissioners to monitor the progress of the cases. It has also warned the officials concerned of disciplinary action in case of failure to comply with the instructions.

Jalandhar, November 25
This can be an example of sorts. When Municipal Corporation cannot do much to dispose too much garbage, it can always call the army.

This was what the Corporation here did today in Wariana village on the Kapurthala Road where wastes have been piling up for decades; it pulled in the Vajra Corps to pull out the garbage in a month-long drive, and also providing a sigh of relief to the inhabitants of the area.

In this unique exercise in Army-civil liaison, two army bulldozers were deployed to push the garbage to one side, cover it with a new layer of earth and develop a park in the area around the MC’s Solid Waste Disposal Treatment Plant.

And as every initiative, this too had its ceremony with the Chief Engineer of the Vajra Corps, Brig Pradeep Yadu, the Municipal Commissioner, Mr S.S. Johl, and Mayor, Mr Surinder Mahey, all getting together to flag off the clean-up process tentatively named Op Sadbhavna.

The trio also discussed the proposed plan for the park and the operational modalities that needed to be worked out.

Soon, two masked army personnel climbed on to two 180-HP bulldozers and started pushing off the garbage.

When The Tribune team reached the site this morning, piles of uprooted garbage 12 feet high could be seen. The rubbish, literally, composed of untreated waste material, organic and inorganic waste and plastics was spreading a foul smell all around the village. The piles, in fact had become too large to balance themselves, and spilled on to the path leading to the plant.

Rag Pickers, numbering over 15, could be seen rummaging through the garbage, proving that nothing goes to waste after all. A few toddlers, unmindful of the filth and stench, followed their parents on to the garbage piles, and tried to do their bit.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Commissioner said the corporation had been planning the clean-up operation for a long time but things became easier with officials of the Vajra Corps joining hands. Mr Johl said the bulldozers would be deployed for eight hours a day for the whole month till the exercise was completed. “The project will be a relief to the residents and farmers around the village who have long been demanding its implementation.”

And making sure that history is not repeated, there are plans to make the plant more efficient so that it can treat three tonne of garbage everyday, leaving no such piles thereby.

Jalandhar, November 25
Poetry is all about transcending barriers. And social, regional and gender differences all pale into insignificance on a poet’s canvas. This is what the acclaimed Punjabi author and Sahitya Akademi Award winner, Dr Dalip Kaur Tiwana, feels. “I think there are only two categories of poets — great poets and ordinary poets,” she contends.

She believes that great literary personalities steer clear of “isms”. “These tags are redundant, as the poet Amrita Pritam showed through her writings. In fact, her writings embraced life itself. Her world view was sans any parochialism,” says Tiwana, adding that she had known Amrita to be a warm and affable person.

“Wherever Amrita found something good, she imbibed it. Many a time, I used to take issue with those who criticised her way of life. My answer to those critics used to be that we should look at Amrita’s spiritual journey and her progress as a writer, and not harp on her other choices.”

A votary of equal rights for women, Tiwana believes that women aping men is not just ludicrous, it is also wrong. “Men and women are equal, but they are different. And this difference needs to be celebrated. There’s no need to be apologetic about it.”

The “middle path” holds a special fascination for this writer, who is not afraid to voice her views.

“We have to strive for the golden mean. For instance, the West has had a purely materialistic approach, while the East has been too concerned with the spiritual aspects. Both are equally rigid stances,” she says, adding, “My latest novel ‘Pauna di Jind Meri’ is about the quest for spiritual succour. To get feedback for this yet-to-be-published novel, I sent it to a woman who has renounced the world. She read it and told me that it seemed that I could see both spiritual and mundane worlds with an objective eye.”

Tiwana was in the city today in connection with a programme at a local college.

Jalandhar, November 25
The 97-year-old Jalandhar Central Cooperative Bank is all set to acquire a new look as the bank authorities have decided to upgrade the bank and most of its 72 branches across Jalandhar district. The authorities have also decided to install ATMs at prominent places with a view to making this one of the oldest cooperative ventures of the state compete with other public and private sector banks.

Apart from chalking out a plan to fill about 200 vacancies in different branches, the bank has also decided to provide maximum possible loans to weaker sections of the society. The step is likely to generate more employment for the downtrodden and educated unemployed through the self-help mode.

According to Mr Anil Dutta, the newly-elected Managing Director of the bank, the interior and the exterior of the bank and its branches would be improved. “I would be requesting Captain Amarinder Singh during his November 19 visit to Jalandhar to direct government and semi-government organisations, including the Improvement Trust and corporations, to keep their deposits with our bank,” he said.

About two hundred vacancies of clerks and class IV employees would also be filled as soon as possible. “Efforts would be made to bring loans offered by the bank within the reach of maximum number of needy persons, farmers, students, small-scale industries and manufacturers. To achieve this goal, the bank has planned to organise loan melas,” added Mr Dutta.

Jalandhar, November 25
With the timely intervention of some panchayat members today, a lid was put over a conflict that had started brewing between members of the Dalit community and some landlords in Tandoura village near Nakodar.

Tension erupted during a religious ceremony in the village and some anti-social elements fuelled it. Then rumours about a Dalit boycott spread around the village which made situation a bit more tense, leading to heated arguments between the two groups.

Following this, members of the panchayat arrived on the spot and pacified the rival groups. Members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union, some Akali leaders and representatives of Balmiki Society were also present during the peace move.

Jalandhar, November 25
A weeklong AIDS awareness programme organised under the aegis of the Citizens’ Welfare and Protection Council began here today.

A training camp was organised at the Conference Hall of the Administrative Complex in which 105 teachers from 45 schools of the district participated. Addressing the gathering, Dr R. Sharma, Civil Surgeon, dwelt on various precautionary measures to be taken to prevent AIDS. He said the AIDS Testing and Counselling Centre of the Civil Hospital had the facility for conducting the HIV test and this facility could be availed of by paying a nominal sum of Rs 10.

Mr Anoop K. Vatts, general secretary of the council, said that a mobile quiz would be conducted tomorrow, while a poster and pamphlet distribution drive would be organised on November 27. He said that on November 28, a special morning assembly to educate students about AIDS would be conducted in various schools. An inter-school poster-making contest had been planned to be held at KRM DAV College, Nakodar. A seminar on the AIDS Day would be held at the Red Cross Bhavan on December 1, he added.

Phagwara, November 25
The Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd (SHCIL) has opened its 142nd branch here.

It was inaugurated by the SDM, Mr Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, according to a press release issued today.

Mr V Subramanian, an eminent economist and Mr S Ramanathan, Advisor and Zonal Head, SHCIL, were also present on the occasion.

Promoted by leading financial institutions of the country, SHCIL has been providing custodial and depository services to its institutional and retail clients, added the release. SHCIL is promoted by the public financial institutions and insurance majors like IDBI, UTI, ICICI, LIC, GIC, the four public sector general insurance companies, IFCI and IIBI. — OC

Phagwara, November 25
Body of a pregnant woman was found on a roadside near Khangura village on the Phagwara bypass this afternoon. Sources said the deceased was in her thirties and seemed five to six months pregnant. The police has sent the body for post mortem.