The Border story

Varinder Walia and Ashok Sethi report on the sweeping changes the Wagah border has seen since the end of the hostilities between India and Pakistan

No one could have imagined that a small gesture of Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, founded by the noted journalist, Kuldip Nayyar, and Satnam Manak in 1996 would ultimately dispel darkness on both sides of the hostile terrains of Wagah. It was the Candlelight Vigil on the midnight of August 14 that had launched the Hind- Pak Dosti Manch.

The initiative

The unimaginable happened on February 20, 1999, when the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee went across the border at Wagah and received a warm welcome in Pakistan. Mr Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India to visit Lahore when he came here in 1960 to sign the Indus Water Treaty. Mr Rajiv Gandhi visited Islamabad in 1988 and 1989. This makes Mr Vajpayee the second Prime Minister of India to visit Lahore and the third to visit Pakistan. Of course, Mr Vajpayee did not light candles at Wagah, as did his predecessor Inder Kumar Gujral, who was among those forced out of Lahore in 1947, thanks to the decisive stroke of the Radcliff Line.

People-to-people contact

Now, Lahore-Amritsar and Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus services have heralded a new dimension to the “people-to -people contact”. These gestures have resulted in skyrocketing of the property prices in Amritsar and Lahore. This augurs well for the economy of the Punjabis (East and West Punjab) that represented the composite culture of the united Punjab before Partition of the country.

Prosperous Punjabis

Judging by the recent euphoria generated by the interaction between the two Punjabs, it is easy to see that both India and Pakistan will now find it difficult to contain the rising aspirations of the Punjabis for more substantial contacts with one another.

The overriding feature of the “people-to-people contact” is the huge pressure on both governments to ‘open the borders’ and permit free movement.

It is a fact that the people and traders of both countries want a slice of the prosperity of each other’s region, but it seems a distant dream as of now. The conceptual plans, prepared by both countries, continue to remain on the drawing boards. The Wagah border that has lately emerged as the major gateway for the “people-to- people” contact has yet to be translated into the “Gate to prosperity”. As of now, it allows only four hours for actual clearance of cargo between both countries.

Smugglers’ haven

Earlier, the Punjab border was infamous for smuggling of contrabands. ‘Att’ was the codeword for a site where smugglers used to exchange contrabands, especially gold. The land border between India and Pakistan witnessed huge smuggling worth crores from the year 1960 to 1984.

This revelation was made by Nirmal Singh Nimma (Langah), a journalist-turned- novelist, in his biographical novel “Bordernama”.

Interestingly, the author who had crossed over to the border illegally was caught by the Pakistan police and tortured in illegal custody.

However, he managed to escape from the clutches of the Pakistani Army with the help of smugglers in Pakistan. The novel begins from Guru Nanak Dev University’s hostel room number 22 B in the year 1982.

The novel is a unique documentation of smuggling and the methods used by the smugglers in connivance with the enforcement agencies.

Opium, gold and other contrabands would come from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia via the Kotal Frontier, from where the consignments would be sent to Pathans of Lahore and Sialkot as per their demand. Then the smugglers would send the contrabands into India. This was the scenario before the plugging of the Punjab border through fencing.

Porous border

The flourishing illegal trade through the land route, however, continues to cast its shadow on the present liberal scenario. Despite the plugging of the 533-kilometre porous border, the trade through the legal way has not been promoted to the desired level even after the implementation of SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Agreement) from this year.

Earlier, the smuggling of gold from Pakistan used to determine the bullion rates across the country, especially in markets in Mumbai and Delhi! Now Wagah is awaiting the legal trade. While barriers all across the world are being broken, the Wagah border continues to suffer due to the lack of farsightedness of the present- day rulers. SAFTA is yet to be ratified by Pakistan.

Locked destiny

Member Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu describes the present land route as “locked destiny” due to the indifferent attitude of the Central government.

“Is Beating the Retreat ceremony more important than trade that is the actual key to prosperity? Why can’t working hours be increased to clear stranded trucks loaded with cargo worth more than Rs 50 crore? When the Benopal Port on the Indo-Bangladesh border remains open from 6 am to 10 pm to clear the entire cargo, why this restricted time for this border post? I will raise this issue in Lok Sabha, apart from taking up the matter with Prime Minister,” he said.

VVIP traffic

The increased frequency of VVIPs on the border, following the peace process, has almost spelt doom for cross-border trade between India and Afghanistan/Pakistan. This has resulted in total dislocation of cargo, since neither India nor Pakistan has enough infrastructure to cope up with the increased trade potential.

The transit of goods across the Radcliff Line continues to use primitive and outdated methodology of transporting goods. This wastes precious time and manpower.

End of hostilities

The hostilities of the last 58 years, it appeared, had come to stay. And when India conducted five nuclear tests at Pokhran last May, to which Pakistan replied with its own tests in the Chagai Hills of Baluchistan, the two neighbours seemed to have drifted further apart.

Given this backdrop of estrangement and five decades of unrestrained hostility, no one could have imagined that history would be made at the fag end of a seemingly uneventful winter.

Garbage dumps dot Holy City
Pawan Kumar

Even as the ambitious Waste Management-cum-Thermal Converter project seems to be a distant dream, the residents of Amritsar continue to face heaps of garbage dumps at every nook and corner.

The historic city has the notorious distinction of producing a large quantum of solid waste and garbage after Ludhiana— 600 metric tones daily. The unchecked garbage assumed alarming proportion in the absence of efficient handling, transportation and disposal system.

As per the data available with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in 2003 and later published in “Newsletter” sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, 3,017 tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generated daily in Punjab.

Out of this, Ludhiana alone generates 29 per cent of the waste, followed by Amritsar with 15 per cent. Solid waste is generally collected, transported and dumped in the outskirts of the cities in an unscientific manner creating mounds of garbage containing both, organic and inorganic materials, posing a serious health hazard.

According to Mr Amit Minhas, lecturer in the Department of Architecture, Guru Nanak Dev University, who conducted a study “Solid Waste Management Through Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System Techniques,” Amritsar has three authorised dumping points, including Bhagtanwala in the outskirts of the city and Nariangarh in Chheharta area, besides about 26 sites where the garbage is being dumped without authorisation.

Mr P. S. Randhawa, General Secretary of Pollution Control Committee, an NGO, said that as per a notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, solid waste management involved collection, segregation, transportation and disposal of solid waste in an environmentally compatible manner. Besides this, the necessary monitoring of the waste processing and the disposal facilities and identification of landfill sites for future use and making sites ready for operation were among the other steps that should be followed as part of solid waste management, he said.

The municipal waste management had to be dealt with deftly, he added. If it went unchecked, it would pose not only the health hazards, but also have environmental, social and economic impacts, Mr Randhawa said.

The 194 kanal Bhagtanwala dumping ground needs a special mention here, as the residents of the nearby area had held demonstrations and urged the authorities to shift the site after a number of diseases broke out recently. Mr Randhawa said the Central Pollution Control Board had rejected the proposal of the municipal authorities to dump the garbage at the site situated near the Bhagtanwala grain market.

Mr Randhawa also alleged that in several dumping sites, skins were removed from the bodies of dead animals in violations of the rules. The dumping of garbage has even started taking its toll on the environment with trees drying up.

These NRI sisters live a life less ordinary
Pawan Kumar

The three sisters from the Holy City have earned name and fame in three countries they have chosen to live and have made their parents and Amritsar proud by enriching the societies of the respective nations.

Ms Teena Dhillon (Canada), Ms Guninder Kaur (England) and Ms Kiran (Singapore) are destined to bring laurels for the country through their eventful and highly acclaimed careers in various fields they have excelled.

Ms Teena Dhillon is internal security manager at the Lashter B Pearson International Airport, Brampton, Toronto. She is one of the few persons who have the responsibility to open the airport, assign duties to the staff, besides imparting training to them.

Talking about her experiences, Ms Dhillon said it was a tough job to handle the internal security in the aftermath of 9/11, which has redefined terrorism across the globe. She said her job was not only to administer, but also to maintain an utmost vigil and keep the staff on the toes all the time. The pressure and stress have increased a lot with the responsibility.

Recalling her college education in Canada, she said she left India after completing her schooling to pursue her graduation in Canada. She said she also did a teacher’s diploma but opted to apply for a job in airport security. She is married to Prithipal Singh Dhillon, a Canadian resident and lives in a joint family.

Renowned Bollywood actors, including Dev Anand and Saeed Jaffery, offered Ms Teena lead roles in their films when they had visited Canada, she claims. However, she preferred family commitments rather than going for Bollywood.

She expressed her dismay over the fact that the present Indian generation was more influenced by the Western way of life than the NRIs, who occupy a place of great honour in Canada. She said a large number of NRIs had maintained their cultural tradition.

Her sister, Ms Guninder, is the first and only Indian woman working with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. She also worked for Dunkirk Fire Station. She has even worked as a Community Safety Advocate. Fire fighting system in England was much more advanced than here, she said. She kept her liaison with various agencies like police and fire fighters among others.

Ms Kiran has earlier worked with Singapore Airlines and has modeled for various advertisements, including for Maruti and Cannon Fax machine. She was offered lead roles in South Indian films, she claims.

Demand for Amritsar’s own FM radio station
Neeraj Bagga

The Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), an NGO, has urged the Central government to set up an FM radio station, a long-pending demand of the people here.

Mr Amrit Lal Manan and Prof Mohan Singh, office-bearers of the AVM, in their letters to the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, stated that “though an announcement was made in June last year for the setting up of 330 FM Radio stations in 90 cities, no proposal has been initiated for the Holy City”.

The radio station could provide the much-needed information on social, cultural, religious and political affairs, besides updating masses on district administration, Municipal Corporation and other important government departments.

They said the station would also provide wholesome entertainment.

They stressed that it must not be forgotten that it would provide a launching pad for the budding artistes. “In a way, local art, culture, folk songs and other related activities, which are threatened by the onslaught of satellite channels, would be preserved for posterity,” they said.

They pointed out that in the early 1960s MW radio station was set up in the city and a TV station was also established here in the early 1970s. The TV station was inaugurated by late Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, at local Khalsa College. However, they added, both MW radio station and TV station were subsequently shifted to Jalandhar.

They said the reason of shifting was said to be the threat of breaking out of war against Pakistan. “The threat of war has subsided and the relation between the two countries is most cordial now. Thus, efforts must be made to re-install at least the radio station,” they said.

Mr Sandeep Sharma, a lecturer in the local DAV College, said the city being a border district received clear signals over medium wave and FM radios from Pakistan. He said the majority of Pakistani programmes aired anti-India propaganda. There was an urgent need to have a local station, he added.

He said he had written a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting when Ms Sushma Swaraj was at the helm of the affairs.

He claimed that he had received a response from the ministry, which had stated that an FM Radio station would be set up here during the tenth five-year plan. But still there was no sign of it, he rued.

All’s not well with Medical College biochemistry lab
Neeraj Bagga

The number of pathological tests being conducted at the Biochemistry Laboratory in the Medical College has slipped to a negligible number in the past few months owing to an “indifferent” attitude of the authorities concerned. Once it had over 250 patients a day. Now it gets two to three patients a day.

The most affected are the people from the economically-weaker sections who come from far-flung areas to avail the benefit at cheaper rates.

Presently, the rules are strict. They have to submit samples before noon as the lab opens for a limited period only.

Dr J.S. Dalal, Principal, Medical College, accepting the deplorable state of affairs in the lab, said he had even received a letter from the Vigilance Department to look into the affairs of the Department of Biochemistry which runs the lab.

The reason behind the falling number of patients seemed to be a lack of cooperation, understanding and the presence of bickering among the staff, he added.

Meanwhile, the patients, majority of them from economically-weaker families, are forced to approach private laboratories where they have to shell out more money compared to the amount they would have had paid at the Medical College. The difference is 50 to 100 per cent.

Dr Dalal said the lab had all the required tools and infrastructure and had the facility to conduct a range of tests including blood sugar, blood urea, uric acid, cerium belrubin, SGOT SGPT (lever function test), sodium potassium and others.

The Department of Biochemistry has all the required staff including five doctors, four post-graduate medical students and 12 lab technicians.

Dr Dalal said he had directed the staff to open the lab for 24 hours and the results of the tests be made available at the earliest.

Through the camera lens
Rashmi Talwar

Tejbir Singh (left) and Sandeep Singh at an exhibition of their photographs in the city. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

The Indian Academy of Fine Arts hosted an exhibition of photographs in its central hall. The three-day exhibition presented the selected works of two amateur photographers, Dr Tejbir Singh, a veterinary officer, and Mr Sandeep Singh, a teacher.

Mr Avtar Singh, a renowned sculptor, inaugurated the exhibition that was aptly titled “Romance with light.”

As many as 43 works, including 22 by Dr Tejbir Singh, were displayed. Besides displaying the photographs of famous places captured from peculiar angles, Dr Tejbir also contributed floral photographs.

Talking to The Tribune, he said his special interest lay in portraits, cityscapes and varied architecture. His reflective image of the Golden Temple and the picturesque moon were most appreciated, besides the photographs showcasing curious angles of stairs of Trafalgar Square in London.

Mr Sandeep Singh’s photographs had hidden aspects and symbolically conveyed the message or completed the situation.

“Arms outstretched by beggars” and “Burn for knowledge” had a lighted candle casting light on verses of Guru Granth Sahib.

However, his photographs of villages, with a police officer standing outside the police station’s high gallery to receive blessings of an ornately-dressed cow symbolising ‘Nandi’— the cow of Lord Shiva, were striking.

The highlights of the exhibition were the “Gujjar” series and the “Lahore” series of Mr Sandeep.

His lens had caught the ordinary life in the streets of Lahore that included people lazing in sun. Another interesting photograph was the one titled “Last naming”, with a man selling grave stones on a roadside in Lahore with a ‘smile’ on his face.

Residents up in arms against poor water supply
Pawan Kumar

Residents of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Kabir Park areas in front of Guru Nanak Dev University are up in arms against the poor water supply in their localities. They have now decided to stage a dharna in front of the offices of the Improvement Trust and the Municipal Corporation if the authorities failed to provide them proper water supply.

Lieut-Col J.S. Mand (Retd), president of the Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Kabir Park Welfare Society, said the society had decided not to pay the water bills in case the Municipal Corporation failed to provide adequate water supply to the colonies by February 15. He said there were about 210 houses in the whole colony and all were forced to install submersible pumps to get water, while authorities were indifferent to their problem.

Besides making numerous representations to the civic authorities, he said he had personally met the Mayor and the Chairman of the Improvement Trust apprising them of their problems. However, no action had been taken to improve the situation, he added.

He said the residents were facing the problems for the past more than two years, as the Corporation had diverted the water from the tubewells of their area to other neighbouring areas.

Lieutenant-Colonel Mand said the society had also provided land for installing new tubewells for the colonies. He said the Mayor had assured them that their problem would be solved by February 15 by establishing new water supply tube well. He said if the authorities failed to do so they would be forced to hold demonstrations and dharna in front of the offices of the MC and the Improvement Trust. He said they would also not submit the water bills. 

International seminar on terrorism starts on Feb 18
Neeraj Bagga

The Indian Defence Minister, Mr Parnab Mukerjee, would be the chief guest at in the inaugural session of the two-day seminar on “Terrorism in South Asia” to be held at the auditorium of the Thakur Singh Art Gallery from February 18.

Mr Ramesh Yadav, President, Folklore Research Academy (FRA), which is organising the event, said an array of eminent personalities, including leaders of various political parties, editors, scholars and intellectuals from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would be participating in the seminar.

He said that the programme would be conducted in four sessions. In the inaugural session, Mr Mukerjee, Mr Sita Ram Yechuri, the CPI (M) leader, and Ms Nirmala Deshpande, MP, would be speaking.

The next session would see Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, and Mr Abdul Shaheen, MP, Jammu and Kashmir, on the dais

In the third session, Dr Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir, would be the chief guest, while Capt Kanwaljit Singh, former Finance Minister, Punjab, would preside over the session.

In the concluding session, Mr Surinder Singla, Finance Minister, Punjab, would be the chief guest, while Mr Joginder Dayal of CPI, would preside over the session.

Senior Indian and foreign journalists would also read their papers during the seminar.

Pensioners stage demonstration
Rashmi Talwar

Hundreds of pensioners recently staged demonstrations at the Company Garden and in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here in protest against the state government.

On the call of the Punjab Government Pensioners’ Joint Front comprising three main pensioners organisations, including the Punjab State Pensioners’ Confederation, the Punjab State Pensioners Association and the Punjab State Mahasang of Pensioners, the demonstrators raised slogans against the government and demanded urgent fulfillment of their demands.

The front’s demands include fixed medical allowance up to Rs 1,000 per month, restoration of the old commutation formula, restoration of travel concessions, house maintenance allowance, clearance of medical re-imbursement up to 25,000 at district level , DA merger and setting-up of a Pay Commission among others.

Handing over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Avtar Singh Afat, Chairman of the confederation, alleged that the government had backed out on many of its promises.

He said that according to a written notification, a bi-annual Pensioners Advisory Committee was required to meet at Chandigarh to discuss the demands of pensioners area-wise. But the meeting had only been held once despite a lapse of 16 months, he added.

He also alleged that the government was “deliberately” creating desperate situation for pensioners in various categories, including widows, senior citizens and physically-disabled, who were similarly being meted out “step-motherly treatment”.

Biotech institute likely at Dera Bassi
Pawan Kumar

Experts who participated in the two-day UGC-sponsored national seminar on “Chemistry and Environment” organised by the Post Graduate Department of Chemistry of Khalsa College have recommended the introduction of environmental issues in the school curriculum. They also suggested that a National Institute on Clean Chemical Processes and Product Development be set up in Punjab.

Dr N. S. Tiwana, Executive Director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, and Prof H. M. Chawla, teaching in the Chemistry Department of IIT Delhi, said new institutions focussing on biotechnology and nanotechnology should be set up in north India.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Tiwana said a Rs 300 crore biotechnology institution was likely to be established near Dera Bassi. He said talks on the project were going on with the Central government.

Such institutions, he added, were the need of the hour.

Addressing the seminar, Dr Tiwana rued that all government agencies set up for controlling pollution had “failed”. He asserted that efforts had to be made at the individual level now.

‘Political patronage to illegal constructions’
Rashmi Talwar

Applauding the anti-encroachment drive undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the BJP’s State Vice-President, Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, pointed out that the present condition of the Holy City was an apt example of “unbridled” encroachment.

She alleged that haphazard development of the city was due to the political patronage to the illegal construction activities.

She alleged that officials of the Municipal Corporation, along with politicians, were responsible for the present state of affairs.

20 couples tie knot at mass marriage ceremony
Ashok Sethi

As many as 20 couples tied the nuptial knot at a mass marriage function organised by the Rotary Club here on the campus of Bhavan S L Public School.

The function’s project director, Mr Sunil Kapur, said the couples were selected primarily from economically-weaker sections of the rural areas.

Mr Kapur said the club, through voluntary donation, had arranged more than Rs 3 lakh for the function.

“Each couple was given one almirah, one gold set, utensils and other household items, including some furniture,” he added.

Presiding over the function, the Rotary Governor, Mr S. P. Sethi, while lauding the efforts of the club for arranging mass marriages for the weaker sections of the society, urged the newly-weds to maintain marital harmony.

Pension camp for widows
Ashok Sethi

The district administration, in association with the Chinmaya Mission, organised a pension camp for widows here recently. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr K. D. S. Bhullar, directed the staff of the Social Security Wing to personally complete the application forms of the 200 widows. He also added that after due verification of their records, the pensions should be released to the widows with immediate effect.

The secretary of the Chinmaya Mission, Mr Avinash Mahindru, said it was the first time that the administration had acceded to their request to organise such a camp to give on-the-spot instructions to provide the widows with monthly pension.

Weekly Round-up

Mr Tarlochan Singh, MP and Chairman, National Commission of Minority, was accorded a warm welcome on the eve of his relinquishing the charge of the chairmanship by the staff and students of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tarlochan Singh said the Chief Khalsa Dewan should make earnest efforts to uplift and empower the Sikh community. “The Sikh institutions must come forward to protect the religion and stress on the need to spread the spirit of Sikhism,” he said. He also presented his two self-composed books to Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti.

Workshop

A three-day workshop on “Content Development on Science and Mathematics” for Class VIII was recently organised by the DEP-SSA Punjab, and the IGNOU, New Delhi, at DIET Verka. The programme officers, Dr Ashok Sharma and Dr Madhu Parihar, interacted with the participants and apprised them of various teaching strategies.

Craft exhibition

The Chairperson, Punjab State Social Welfare Board, Mrs Ratna, inaugurated the annual craft exhibition of Spring Blossoms School here. The theme of the exhibition was “Blossoms Mall”.

Valentine Day

To celebrate the Valentine Day, the VLCC offered three packages for slimming, beauty and fitness. According to the press note, the fitness centre offered a special 50 per cent discount on a package for two persons.

Annual award

The BBK DAV College for Women organised annual Awards Day function for Plus One and Plus Two students from Arts and Commerce stream. The college Principal, Mrs J Kackria, honoured 21 students who had excelled in academics and cultural activities.

Seminar

Angels Paradise, a school for the tiny tots, organised a seminar on “Joy of parenting” at the Art Gallery Auditorium here. The world secretary of “Children of Tomorrow”, Mrs Danial Brink from Holland, made an elaborate presentation, while the principal of the school spoke on “Know your child” during the workshop.

Sports Day

Vivek Public School here organised its annual Sports Day function. The students of the school participated in many sports events, besides holding a cultural function on the occasion. Mr Ashok Bhatia, Assistant Excise and Taxation Minister, inaugurated the function.

Discount

The diamond season sale at the local Tanishq show-room got off to a start with the company offering up to 25 per cent off on various diamond jewellery items. The shop offers a wide range of earrings, bracelets, neck wear and finger rings set in floral and geometric motifs.

(Compiled by Pawan Kumar)