Amritsar, January 5
In absence of alternative local commuting transport system other than auto-rickshaws, the traveling in the city remained a nightmarish experience for daily commuters.

While the much-hyped city bus service project still hanging fire, the auto-rickshaws and rickshaw pullers, who hardly follow any traffic rules, are playing havoc as they become the major cause of traffic bottlenecks and accidents.

According to estimates, more than 1 lakh vehicle including two wheelers and four wheelers, thanks to the easy financing facilities by banks, added to the traffic annually while the road infrastructure remained the same, the city has been witnessing severe traffic congestions with no reprieve in near future.

“I and my two grandchildren narrowly escaped when an auto-rickshaw speedily overtook my scooter from the wrong side in order to cross the chowk with green signal,” said Paramjit Singh Bhatia, a local resident.

Even the passengers in the auto-rickshaw virtually shouted and rebuked the driver, however, he seemed least bothered about this, Bhatia added.

The ambitious project of city bus service died its own death due Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict over restricting to the LPG or CNG driven vehicles while discouraging the diesel driven ones.

Ironically, the Punjab Government after furnishing all the formalities was on the verge of finalising the orders for the new vehicle for the city commuting when this verdict was delivered. The city administration too found itself helpless because of the non-feasibility of CNG and LPG filling stations.

Admitting it, D.P.S Kharbanda, Commissioner Municipal Corporation, said even the trial run for the city buses were conducted and routes were finalised but all has to be scrapped in the wake of the high court orders for transportation.

He said the state government was in talks with the Gas Authority of India Limited for setting up LPG and CNG filling stations in the three metro cities of Punjab, which also include Ludhiana and Amritsar, but it is definitely a time consuming exercise and no light can be seen in immediate future in this direction.

Tarn Taran, January 5
Short circuit in power supply last evening caused heavy damage in 10 houses in Deep Avenue. Though there were no injuries reported, the short circuit left electronic meters, wiring and several electronic appliances of all the houses completely burnt, causing damage of lakhs of rupees. The reason for the short circuit is said to be 132 KV power lines crossing near these houses.

The damaged appliances included TVs, refrigerators, submersible pumps and computers.

The houses of Karam Singh, Sardool Singh, Sandeep Singh, Darshan Singh, Narinder Kaur were the worst affected. Kulwant Kaur, wife of Karam Singh had a narrow escape in the incident.

She said she had gone to the rooftop when heard a sound of something bursting. “When I came down, I saw the wires of house burning,” she said.

It has been learnt that the house owners brought the matter to the notice of the PSEB authorities at the Chauk Bohri complaint centre, but the officials refused to register their complaint. No higher official came to the spot even after 24 hours of the incident. The people have demanded the shifting of the 132 KV lines from the residential areas to avoid any untoward incident in future. When contacted, PSEB Senior Executive Engineer Gursharan Singh Khehra said the cause of the incident would be probed. 

Amritsar, January 5
The offices of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), meant to collect power bills, do not have the facility of alternate source of power in case of power cuts, which have drastically increased recently.

It sounds quite shocking that the power department itself does not have alternate power arrangement in case of electricity failure. The absence of alternate power arrangement becomes more glaring since these offices are meant to have direct public dealing.

The tall claims of the PSEB authorities of offering public convenience services notwithstanding, the people, including aged, women and working coming from far off places to deposit their bills found the offices awfully lacking in facilities.

A consumer of the electricity board, Sanjay Sen, said he took time out of his busy schedule to clear the power dues. He firstly went to the automatic computerised machine on the M.M Malviya road to pay the power bill. Since electricity remains off from morning to noon these days, he found it non-functioning. He went to the PSEB office located opposite Hall Gate. However, to his utter surprise computer terminals were off for want of electricity there as well.

Another consumer, Swarnjit Singh, standing in one of the queues to pay power bill, gesturing towards a number of queues said all people came here specially to clear the dues. He said the dingy hall offered a dismal look and it had not been whitewashed for a long time. Besides, its inside look conveyed that its dusting and cleaning were not done properly and even regularly.

Undoubtedly, power shutdowns have become rampant from the past week.

Consumers of the PSEB said the board must provide basic amenities like potable water and toilets at its offices. On last dates of paying the bills, swollen queues are seen in front of these windows.

He said the lack of facilities sometimes led to altercation and bad blood among the assembled people. The absence of toilets in these offices sometimes led to closely located vacant spaces becoming open urinals. The same was the case with the narrow street along the PSEB office opposite Hall Gate. Constant urination by people in the street, which is close to over a century-old PBN School, had turned it into a stinking lane. For this reason it was hardly used by commuters.

When contacted, the SE (HQ), Manjit Singh Marwaha, said he could not comment since the area did not fall in his jurisdiction. Otherwise, he said alternate power arrangements, like generator sets, were always installed at such places.

On the recent increased frequent power cuts, he said, they were being implemented due to gap in the demand and supply.

Amritsar, January 5
The phenomenal rise in the used car market, running in crores, has pushed the dealers to operate a weekly car bazaar on every Sunday on Queen Road.

It is a new phenomenon for residents to come across cars of different makes, parked under tents on either side of the posh commercial road.

The demand of cars in the price range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh is the highest and buyers, usually from the middle-income group, prefer to own vehicles for social status.

To flaunt a better social status, going in for the purchase of a vehicle right before the marriage of a ward, is also an emerging trend among buyers.

People who deal in selling used cars, charge 1 to 2 per cent commission on the sale of cars from both buyers and sellers, on the completion of a deal.

Besides, they also sell cars after procuring them directly from the seller and also from the markets of Ludhiana and Delhi.

Rise in the spending capacity of the middle and lower-middle class has given impetus to the sale of used cars.

Though a number of national and international automobile brands have thronged the market with cars of different makes and prices, the oldest and trusted Maruti Suzuki’s Maruti 800, Zen, WagonR and Alto are a hit among prospective buyers.

Kulwinder Singh, a commission agent dealing in used cars, said the demand of these cars was poised on their long-standing reputation, road worthiness, besides low cost repair and easy availability of spare parts.

Gradually, the demand for luxury and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) has also picked up. The car bazaar provides customers with an opportunity to exercise their choice at a place before arriving at the final decision, said car dealer Ramesh Kumar.

He said the concept of car bazaar was hardly six-week old here and would take some more time to translate into a success in a big way. Unlike districts in Malwa, which received used cars from Rajasthan, Haryana or even Delhi, the local market is replete with cars from Ludhiana, Delhi and even from Chandigarh. Here car dealers, in order to pocket fat profits, buy cars of different makes from the markets of Delhi at throwaway prices.

After refurbishing, they sell them at high prices. Glossy looks attract customers.

However, experts say before buying a car, a thorough checking of its engine is a must and ensures its prolonged relation with its new customers. In some cases, meter tampering cannot be ruled out to reverse meter-reading to fleece gullible customers.

Due to the easy availability of loans on lower interest from banks and financiers, people prefer purchasing new cars instead of old ones. This poses a huge challenge to the car bazaar. Apart from this, the number of commission agents is much more compared to buyers. 

Amritsar, January 5
The addition of yet another girl child in the cradle of the District Red Cross Society, within a span of just 15 days, gives an indication that the girl child is more prone to physical abandonment and this menace has been an understudied social phenomenon.

Nevertheless, with this, the total number of admissions under the ‘Pangura’ scheme, till date, rises to 15.

Out of 15 infants, there are 13 females. Though, all have now been handed over to the registered trust and are being looked after, it further stimulates interest in the issue of physical abandonment and its precursor, psychological child rejection, as forms of child abuse and neglect, which can and should be combated by proper intervention. It has been an act of parents since the earliest times, but even in our modern enlightened society, children are still ejected from their homes and physically abandoned in frightening numbers.

Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said though the state government has been initiating state-level programmes to honour the village panchayats where the sex ratio has been narrowed down, but it is the basic mindset of the people which has to be changed to achieve goals.

“We are doing our bit. Another state-level function at Fatehgarh Sahib is being held on January 25, where over 60 such panchayats would be honoured. But these efforts are of little use until the mindset of parents is changed. Punjab’s ratio stands at 838 girls against 1,000 boys, at present. It is being narrowed down but at some places warning bells still ring. The exorbitant social customs associated with girls are also responsible for restricting the vision of people,” she said.

In a bid to discourage female feticide and incidents of unwanted children being abandoned at public places, it is a commendable initiative of the District Red Cross Society, since January 1, 2008, which has proved to be helpful for these abandoned kids but the deplorable female foeticide figures still act as an indication to the state government, that a lot remains to be done.

Technically, the police register a case immediately whenever an infant or its body is found. But the investigation does not progress much as it is extremely difficult to trace the parents. “Yes, it’s true. It will be largely the girls who will be left in the cradle. Boys are abandoned in our society only if they are disabled or are born to single mothers. In a majority of the cases, the infants breathe their last before being found by some one”, opined KS Pannu.

Amritsar, January 5
There is a New Year bonanza in store for veteran artistes and writers. The Virsa Vihar Society, Amritsar, has come up with a monthly pension scheme with a vision to keep the future of the artistes secure.

For the purpose, a welfare fund by the name of Virsa Vihar Artistes Writers Welfare Fund has been formed. The pension packages would be extended to old artistes and writers, who helped preserve and enrich the cultural heritage of Punjab.

In the first phase, a sum of Rs 1 lakh has been collected from different sources out of which the Amritsar administration contributed Rs 21,000.

The officials of the administration said the initiative was successful and further efforts would be made to make it more lucrative.

Kewal Dhaliwal, president of the Virsa Vihar Society, said, “Even the needy artistes or writers who face financial crisis or any physical ailment would be looked after under this scheme. Talks are on with city-based hospitals where these Punjabi artistes or writers would be provided free medical treatment”, he said.

Meanwhile, 80-year-old veteran writer Sarwan Kumar Verma became the first to receive the pension packet of Rs 2,500. Verma, the recipient of prestigious Shiromani Sahitkaar Award, was also awarded an additional monetary benefit of Rs 11,000.

Verma, who has various popular books related to literature and short stories to his credit, was going through financial crunch.

Kewal said the poor condition of Verma inspired us to start this scheme. “When we went to provide him financial help, an idea cropped up in our minds that a fund should be created to extend help to such people who have dedicated their lives to preserve the glory of Punjabi cultural heritage. Then we decided to form welfare fund to provide monthly pension and financial help”, he said.

Amritsar, January 5
Meet the exceptionally talented 12-year-old Hasandeep Singh and his brother Abhilakshdeep Singh, three years younger to him.

Both play musical instruments. Be it in any function or party, it takes them hardly any time to make a place in the hearts of the gathering.

The Tribune team came across these talented students of Lovedale Blossom School during a function held last week. Hasandeep, a student of Class V, plays violin, while Abhilaksh, studying in Class I, is proficient in tapping the tabla.

While interacting with them, it was revealed that talent runs in their family. Their father Harwinder Singh, a dental hygienist, has developed proficiency in making miniature articles. Their mother, Amarjeet Kaur, too, is into music.

Harwinder Singh never knew that his gift of a violin to Hasandeep on his ninth birthday would make him so passionate towards the instrument that he would be known in his circle by his son’s name and talent.

Hasandeep very humbly told about his passion: “My liking for this instrument just started by chance. When I got it as a birthday present, I tried to tap my fingers on it. Soon I realised that I can imitate the tunes almost same. Then I started taking it seriously. Now, when my father has engaged me a tutor, I am learning the finer nuances of the instrument on regularly.”

Hasandeep wants to be a doctor to serve the suffering humanity. “Since my father is into medicine line, I observe many people who cannot even pay petty fee. How would they spend loads of money on medicine. I would be their helping hand,” said Hasandeep.

On the other hand, Abhilaksh, is too young to set his “laksh” in life, but tabla is something which always excited him. “It just happened that I saw someone playing tabla on TV, which attracted my attention. I too wanted to earn name like my elder brother. Then my mother was there for it and I was facilitated with a tabla set and a trainer too,” he quipped.

Amarjeet Kaur had participated in many musical shows during her college days but could not continue her passion for music because of social obligations. “What I could not do due to my social commitments, I try to do by getting my kids’ dreams fulfilled,” she said.

Amritsar, January 5
Baba Pallah Sports Club and Majha Punjabi Sath jointly organised the "6th Mela Charkhe Da" at Butala village.

Active local social workers Sawarn Kaur Bal, Butala and her relative NRI Surjit Kaur Bal from Canada financed the fair.

Noted playwright, and proprietor of Punjab Naathshala, Jatinder Brar was honoured with a momento along with Rs 2,100.

Amritsar, January 5
Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla and Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike today paid floral tributes to martyrs of the Operation Parakram, launched by the Army following an attack on Parliament in 2001.

As many as 16 Defence personnel of 113 Engineers and Dogra Regiments and three civilians Pargat Singh, Saheb Singh and Gurjit Singh lost their lives when laying landmines in this border village a few hundred metres from the Radcliffe Line.

As a mark of respect, villagers of the area had constructed a gurdwara in the memory of those killed. The gurdwara, which has pictures of the martyrs, is managed by the villagers, and the Army too contributes for its upkeep.

The memorial situated beside the gurdwara has names of jawans and three civilians who sacrificed their lives for the country on January 5, 2002. The families of Pargat, Saheb and Gurjit were specially invited on this occasion.