Phagwara, December 28
If everything goes according to the plan, within a fortnight, coming to Jalandhar from Chandigarh or Nawanshahr side would become less taxing. A flyover and underway passage, being constructed by National Authority of India (NHAI) around 2 km from Phagwara city on national highway number 1, is likely to be opened for traffic, thereby eliminating the need to take a 3 km-long U-turn.

The Rs 16-crore flyover, which has a span of 1 km and is being constructed on contract basis, would considerably streamline the Jalandhar-Ludhiana traffic. While the minor work of recarpeting of lower parts of approach roads is expected to be completed soon, the underway passage is still to be constructed. A surveyor of the Mumbai-based company, Valecha Engineering Ltd, was on Friday seen marking the arc of the yet-to-be-constructed road in the underway passage. A company official revealed that all the pending work would be over completed in less than 10 days.

It’s not yet clear that who will inaugurate the flyover. Deputy speaker Lok Sabha and MP Charanjit Singh Atwal is said to have been taking keen interest in getting the flyover completed in the shortest possible time. Atwal said he was planning to invite union minister for transport and highways T R Balu for the inauguration. “I will be in Delhi on January 5 and try to get in touch with him,” said Atwal. Balu had been invited even for laying the foundation stone of the road but he could not make it and instead union minister of state for transport and highways K H Maniyappa was called to do the honours. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other dignitaries from the state too are also expected to make it to the inauguration, the MP informed. The flyover had been a major requirement by the commuters at the T-junction.  

Jalandhar, December 28
Temperatures plunged below zero degree Celcius at Adampur today as the Air Force station here recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.6 degree Celsius. According to the Met Section at the Air force station Adampur, temperatures here plunged to minimum in the plains because of its topography. 

The day recorded minimum temperature of the season at a minus 0.6 degree Celsius while Amritsar recorded a minimum of 0.6 degree Celsius.

Adampur and Amritsar are the lowest in the plains in Punjab, according to the Met section at the Adampur Air Force station. “The mean sea level altitude of both Amritsar and Adampur is lowest in the plains of Punjab. Adampur is also adjacent to the Shivalik ranges which are a part of the Himalyan ranges,” adds
the officer.

“The western disturbances are blocked out because of the Shivalik ranges and the chill is accumulated here. In the morning the wind remains calm and variable thus minimum temperatures recorded here is often the lowest. The air force station is vast open space surrounded with great vegetation further leading to a dip in temperature,” says Army PRO, Naresh Vig.

Amritsar too recorded minimum of 0.6 degree Celcius, Halwara 2.8, Chandigarh 7.2, Pathankot 3.6, Ambala 4, Bathinda 5.4, Jammu 6.6, Udhampur 0, while Srinagar was the coldest at a minus 7 degree Celcius. Fog, mist and haze are likely in the morning tomorrow.  

Nawanshahr, December 28
Unmoved by the teachers’ protest against holding of seminars during vacations, district education officer Piara Singh on Friday delivered them lessons on duty. 

He visited seminar centres at Pojewal, Sahib, Bakapur, Jadla and Nawanshahr today and was accompanied by the DIET officials Kulwant Singh and Charanjit Singh.

Singh asked the agitating teachers to observe two minute silence to mourn former Pak PM Benazir Bhutto’s death. He also interacted with the teachers afterwards.

“Besides, equipping the students with the latest know how to enable them to face the challenges of the present era of globalisation, the teachers should also exert their nerves to inculcate the glorious social, cultural and moral traditions and values of our society, with a view to check the menace of growing influence of western culture,” said the DEO.

The teachers, however, continued to boycott seminar classes. Bhupinder Singh Warraich, state president, Democratic Teachers Front, Balbir Singh Bains, senior vice-president, Punjab State General Category Welfare Federation and Prem Rakker, district president, Government Teachers Union, claimed that there was no panic among teachers over the suspension of a few teachers belonging to Mohali district. Such deterrent actions of the state government are a desperate attempt by the government to sabotage the unity of the teachers’ unions,” the union leaders 
said. They reiterated their resolve to oppose the education policies of the state government.  

Jalandhar, December 28
This family has created history in the 132nd Harballabh Sangeet Samelan by three generations of it performing on the same stage. The Sabri Parivar, well-known, for playing sarangi, was in the city to spell its magic on the audience here on Friday.

Ustad Sabri Khan has performed innumerable times in Harballabh. Talking about his experience and association with the festival, he said, “I had performed in Harballabh when the artistes here were paid very less. But being one of the greatest platforms for promoting classical music, this event has always attracted the best talent and that is the reason I am always here.”

Giving information about the instrument, Ustad Sabri Khan said, “Sarangi is the only instrument which is very close to vocals. For beginner can learn the instrument through solo practice, but the real talent of the instrument comes by practicing with sangat.”

A disciple of the Senia Gharana of Rampur Moradabad, the Ustad reveals, “The audience in Punjab is very loving. Whenever I perform, they generally demand another performance. Their welcome always bring me back to this state.”

Ustad Sabri, who has even credit of introducing sarangi to the European world, has students from all over the nation. Speaking about his performances in abroad, Ustad Sabri said, “Les 24 heures du raga, a 24-hour concert in France, is a great experience as you have music all day and night and I really wish we have such an event in India too.”

Ustad Sabri Khan’s son Kamal Sabri, who is carrying forward the legacy of the Sania Gharana with dedication, is the seventh generation of the family who is playing the instrument.

Talking to The Tribune, Kamal said, “Every music has its own importance, but Indian classical is something which is immortal. Remixes and Jazz are short living, but Indian classical has been going on since ages.”

“I played with dad for the first time when I was 14-year-old. Playing saragni is not that easy because you need to press strings with nail cuticle and it really needs strength. But I am happy that the instrument is reviving and being used in jazz and music of various movies,” said Kamal.

They are not alone as Ghulam Sarvar Sabri on tabla would be there to give their music an upbeat. A teacher at Burmingham Conservatoire, he has come all the way from Burmingham to perform at Harballabh. Citing reason for adopting tabla as instrument, he said, “I didn’t have interest in playing sarangi, so my family told me to study. But as I belonged to a family of music, I inculcated interest in tabla and now feel it is my life. I have worked with tabla in classical, western and jazz.”

The seventh generation which is going to display its talent this year in the event is 19-year-old Sohail Yusuf Khan, who wants to pursue sarangi as a career and has a band “Advaita.”  

Hoshiarpur, December 28
On account of the failure of the state government in making new appointments of the additional deputy commissioners (general and development) at Hoshiarpur, the official work in the office of the deputy commissioner is suffering badly. 

According to official sources, Parmjit Singh, additional deputy commissioner (general) was transferred on 28th May, 2007. Since then the said post is lying vacant. However K. K. Yadav, additional deputy commissioner (development) had been given dual charge of the vacant post. Since the transfer of Yadav on 28th August, 2007, both these posts are lying vacant and no new appointments have been made.

Rajnish Tandon, general secretary of the District Congress Committee (DCC), Hoshiarpur, strongly criticised the SAD-BJP government for completely ignoring the Hoshiarpur district. He said though one cabinet minister and three chief parliamentary secretaries of Punjab belonged to this district, all of them had failed in getting additional deputy commissioners (general and development) appointed. He said people of Hoshiarpur were facing a lot of inconvenience in the absence of the above said officers.

However, he pointed out that additional deputy commissioner, Jalandhar had recently been assigned the dual charge of deputy commissioner Hoshiarpur during his leave for one week. — OC 

Hoshiarpur, December 28
Panic gripped Moranwali village in Garhshankar today as Amarjit Singh, his brother Sohan Singh, Gurdip Singh Sarpanch and 17 of their accomplices, equipped with fire arms and sharp edged weapons, fired at the haveli of Surinder Singh. 

The accused also fired at the residences of Surinder Singh and Gurmej Singh. They fled before arrival of the police.

SHO Lakhvir Singh said no casualties have been reported in the incident which took place this morning. The accused used two .12 bore guns and a revolver in the incident. The reason behind the incident is said to be that Harpinder Singh son of Surinder Singh used to call at the residence of Amarjit Singh, said the SHO. A case has been registered under section 307, 336, 427 of the IPC and 27/54/59 of the Arms Act against 19 persons. No arersts have been made so far. 

Jalandhar, December 28
Officials of the Doordarshan (DD) Jalandhar have brought laurels to the station. The DD’s assistant station director, Jaswant Deed, has bagged the coveted Sahit Akademy award for his poetic venture “Kamandal” and the DD’s programme executive, Manohar Bharaj, has been nominated for the Doordarshan national award for his telefilm, “Eh Tera Apmaan,” based on the theme of female foeticide.

Jaswant Deed, a noted poet, has figured among 23 literary personalities who have been selected by the Sahit Akademy. Apart from Bharaj, DD’s other programme executives, including Madan Prashar, Jasbir Singh, A.

Gurdip, from Jalandhar have also bagged the DD’s prestigious national awards. These awards will be presented to them at the annual national Doordarshan award function to be held in Mumbai on January 31. — TNS