 |
|
|
Lohri celebrations for girl child pick up
Lohri sales battle inflation
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Living under threat of electrocution
A view of one of the rooftops of a locality, with dozens of wires passing over and around it.
A Tribune photograph
Labourers of the leather industry reel under the age-old burden of illiteracy, exploitation and drug addiction
RTI activist gets award of appreciation
Bhatia has been working since 2005 with the tool provided under this Act to expose malpractices in the administration
Shot at property dealer names Sapra in the crime
Traffic strategy adds to chaos
Balwant Kapur hockey tourney from Jan 17
Chinese kites displayed at a shop in Jalandhar.
Recruitment in Territorial Army from Jan 18
Young World
Complainant alleges police inaction
Puducherry to honour 90-year plus citizens
Pensioners demand dues
Centre urged to check inflation
|
|
Lohri celebrations for girl child pick up
Jalandhar, January 12 She sings songs to celebrate Lohri and imparts a volume to these traditional songs to let the village know that all this is for a newborn brother. She invites everyone
and distributes gachak and groundnut, trying her best to make the function memorable. But she herself was never a reason for these celebrations. It took centuries for girls to ever become part of the ethos of Lohri celebrations and it may take a few decades more to see “kudiyan di Lohri” as a general phenomenon. However, there are some families and institutions which are taking steps forward, though small but symbolic ones, to ensure the trend of equal treatment to both male and female children. “Every year I celebrate Lohri of both of my daughters. Being a doctor, I feel that it is the duty of every family to celebrate Lohri of a girl child,” said Dr Lakhwinder Singh of Genesis Fertility Centre. “We call all the parents who deliver a baby girl in our hospital to us a day before Lohri and celebrate it with them. Not just institutes or educated families, even people from rural areas are toeing themselves to this way.” “Though we already have a son, we usually felt that without a daughter our family is incomplete. We always prayed to God for a daughter,” said Ritu and Raman, a couple from Amritsar, which came to the fertility centre to deliver their baby. “I always prayed for a girl child in my family. Being a woman, I became an obvious victim of gender discrimination, first at my parents’ home and then in the family of in-laws. I wanted a baby girl so that I can get them free of these feudal values,” said another working woman, who requested not to be named. |
Jalandhar, January 12 Shop owners are specifying the continually rising prices of raw materials like sugar as the major reason for the absence of warmth in the first festival of the year. Last year, the price of gachak remained around Rs 80 per kg. The prices of “til vali gachak” hovered around Rs 100 per kg. However, the prices of both the items shot up to Rs 100 and Rs 140 per kg, respectively, this year. Groundnut also witnessed a price difference of Rs 10 as compared to Rs 60 per kg last year. Though overall inflation in the economy is considered a major reason for the increase, traders feel that it is the price rise in substances like sugar and jaggery that led to a significant increase in the prices of these items. “Prices of sugar have nearly doubled this year as compared to last year. Similarly, the prices of gur have also risen up to Rs 45-50 per kg this year, which are again double as that of last year. Though tomorrow is the festival day, we are still waiting for buyers,” said a shopkeeper. “ Sale of items has witnessed a sharp decrease as purchase has been transformed into a symbolic custom,” he added. “In the age witnessing mushrooming of nuclear families, only festivals make us sit together and share some moments. With high prices , it seems circumstances are forcing us to keep ourselves to our homes and to put a check on the celebration of these festivals,” said a woman customer.
|
|
Living under threat of electrocution
Jalandhar, January 12 The result many a time is a tragedy, but till a serious incident occurs, residents remain oblivious of the risks and the authorities rarely act in the interest of public safety. Locals claim that several cases of severe burns and deaths due to electrocution have been recorded in the past over two decades. The authorities, however, blame each other for the mess in the city and its periphery. The local civic body claims that it is the responsibility of the electricity board to regulate activity around high-tension wires by effectively enforcing provisions of the Electricity Act. The PSEB, on its part, alleges that the MC issues no-objection certificates (NOC), and even regularising these unauthorised colonies indiscriminately. Board officials allege that land developers and MC officials are hand in glove in allowing the illegal constructions near overhead high-tension cables. “Government officials are creating these deathtraps,” they allege. A survey by The Tribune revealed that high-tension cables, including 11 KV LT and HT cables have been endangering human life
in a majority of the residential areas. Unchecked construction has led to a situation where scores of residents have enclosed electricity poles on the premises of their houses and commercial buildings. As per the law, a clearance of at least 11 feet from the highest point of a building is mandatory in the case of an 11 KV overhead transmission line passing through a built-up area. Horizontally, a clearance of 4 feet on both sides is required. However, even a cursory inspection shows that the provisions have been violated blatantly in almost all areas. Deputy Chief Engineer (Operations), Jalandhar, N.K. Gandhi admitted that the residential colonies that had come up illegally and were later regularised by the government were main reason of the problem. Gandhi, however, said that the overhead high-tension cables could be changed to another sites if the affected residents are willing to bear the cost. A resident of Gurunanakpura (West), Harjap Singh, complained that during elections, politicians come and seek votes by assuring them of getting the wires shifted, but to no avail. Members of the Residents Welfare Association say that they have given repeated representations to area MLA Manoranjan Kalia, seeking solution to their problem but nothing has been done so far, said Hemraj, a resident of Gurunanakpura (East). |
||
|
Labourers of the leather industry reel under the age-old burden of illiteracy, exploitation and drug addiction Riva Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 12 While the younger generation wants to go along with the fast-moving world, it has far little resources and education. Merely 5 per cent of the community has been able to avail the benefits of reservation, or the opportunity to go abroad to work as labourers. Drug addiction is rampant among the youths as they do not find any way out of the mire their forefathers have been in. But even th work like flaying of animals has not bludgeoned the humaneness out of them. The drive to lead a life of dignity and respect sometimes pushes them to revolt against the powers that be. Bhargo Camp, the locality named after Gopi Chand Bhargava, a pre and post-Independence leader of the community, is usually peaceful outward, but simmers with rage internally. Though they have no complaints against the work which helps them earn a living, they commonly suffer from lung diseases, respiratory problems and skin infections caused due to constant exposure to glue, fumes and lime powder. “We have to dip the material in lime for days and regularly change its sides. Constant exposure to lime causes sores in our skin. But it is curable… oil massage works wonders,” defends labourer Deen Kumar. Exposed to neurotoxins and a risk of nasal cancer, they are devoid of any choices since it is the only work they know. “I cannot do anything else; can’t even work as a construction labourer. This is the work I have been doing from childhood. However, our children dislike this profession and call it dirty and degrading,” says Hem Raj, whose family has been in the trade for the past many generations. While the new generation, by choice or by fate, is losing its traditional occupation, entry into other occupations remains restricted because of their low levels of education and awareness. Interestingly, most of the traditional workers have some formal education. About 40 per cent have studied up to class VIII. None of the workers has any technical training. Although training institutes have been set up in different parts of the country exclusively for training such workers, the ones in the field are ignorant. While on one hand lack of support from the government in terms providing incentives to promote the domestic labour, tanning industry has led to their decline, on the other, liberalised market policies of the government have made them more vulnerable. “China-made cheaper, imported shoes have taken over the shoe market in India. It has given poor artisans like us and also the small-scale producers a major setback,” said Ramesh Lal. Those working in tanneries are in no better condition. Their salaries range from Rs 2,500 to 4,500, much lower than the minimum wages set by the government. Most of the workers are temporary and keep shifting from one tannery to another. Those who haven’t been laid off despite the economic crunches, consider themselves permanent. An overwhelming majority of the workers is deprived of social security benefits like gratuity, crèche, coverage under accident schemes, retrenchment benefits, etc. A small fraction of permanent workers get PF, ESI and bonus, but that is not guaranteed. “I was working as a regular employee in one of the tanneries in Phillaur, availing PF and ESI benefits. Once I fell ill and was admitted to the hospital. When I tried to claim the medical benefits after recovery, to my surprise, I was dismissed from job without any reason,” claimed Bheesham Nath. As per information, while most of the tanneries and exporters keep first aid and fire-fighting facilities in the units, workers feel that it is just an eyewash. “Are first-aid boxes sans medicines of any use? And who spends money to keep the fire extinguishers filled. The life of a worker is much cheaper…” rued Nath. Coming from traditional leather-making castes, a majority of them have faced social discrimination. “While the government’s policy for industry has catered to big business houses, other objectives, such as generation of employment, the quality of employment and the resilient development of the indigenous industry have almost been forgotten,” concluded an ex-trade union leader.
|
|
RTI activist gets award of appreciation
Jalandhar, January 12 The Public Cause Research Foundation founded by Magsaysay award winner Arvind Kejriwal conferred Bhatia with this award. Vice-President Hamid Ansari was the chief guest at the award ceremony held on December 4 last year in New Delhi. Talking to The Tribune, the RTI activist says most of the information officials of different departments act in such a way that the applicant under the Act does not get any encouragement. The RTI activist further says several State Information Commissioners also hesitate to exercise their right provided under the RTI Act to penalise the erring officials which encourages them to continue their lackadaisical behaviour in
providing information to the applicants. Bhatia has been working since 2005 with the tool provided under this Act to expose malpractices in the administration and acts of omission and commission which are in contravention of the law of the land and public interest. He used, and is using, this Act in this part of the country to promote transparency in the government machinery in the interest of the public. Recalling his first experience of getting information from the Department of Posts, he says the maturity, exceeding Rs 20,000, cannot be made in cash in post offices under Section 269 (T) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. If the same is made, the official can be penalised under section 271(E) of the Income Tax Act, with an equal amount of the transaction. So he gathered information under the Act regarding the payments made in the various post offices in Jalandhar Division, Department of Posts, and later in the state of Punjab and India. Subsequently, he furnished the information, thus collected, to the Income Tax Department. However, the Department of Income Tax failed to take action, therefore, he filed an application under the RTI Act in the office of the Commissioner, Income Tax, thus forcing them to take action against the erring officials of the Department of Posts. Then the post offices stopped making such payments. This was his first success under RTI Act. |
|
Shot at property dealer names Sapra in the crime
Phagwara, January 12 On his statement the police booked Davinder Sapra under sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act on the charges of attempt to murder. No arrest has been made so far. Phagwara DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said the police would investigate the matter before arresting the councillor. After Puri was shot at on January 8, he drove to the local Gandhi Hospital on his own. Dr Satnam Singh Parmar said Puri had critical bullet injuries on his head and chest. He was referred to the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, said Dr Parmar. Though Puri was not fit to give any statement till last night, doctors allowed him to give a statement before the police today and he alleged that councillor Sapra fired upon him when he was driving to the hospital with bullet injuries near his neck. DSP Khakh has expressed apprehension that the case was related with personal or professional enmity between two real estate dealers. |
|
Traffic strategy adds to chaos
Jalandhar, January 12 An otherwise wide passage, Garha Road has been reduced to just a few metres with huge boulders put up right in front of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences. While the traffic police tells that the passage had been made one-way to reduce the volume of vehicles from Garha side towards generally clogged Defence Colony and to divert it towards Cool Road but motorists argue that the idea is illogical. Surjit Singh, a resident of Urban Estate, asks, “Why should I have to take a 3-km longer route via Cool Road to go to a house in Defence Colony which is just 500 metres away?” There are many people like him who insist for taking the same route. The result is a long queue of vehicles on either side of the barricade waiting to cross the narrow passage. Many even argue as to why the vehicles of the VIPs are allowed to move towards the “wrong side” while they are given a red signal. Taking advantage of the blocked road, many private bus operators have started parking their buses in front of the blocked passage making the wide road appear like a parking lot. The passage is being used by thousands of residents living on the Garha side, including those from Urban Estates, Chhoti Baradari, Jaswant Nagar, Hardyal Nagar, Golden Avenue and the cantonment. Even students of schools on either side, including St Joseph’s Convent School and Cambridge International School, are affected because of the traffic bottleneck. SP (Traffic) S.K. Agnihotri says that he was helpless as the road would be blocked for at least another three months till the
construction of the ROB continues. |
|
Balwant Kapur hockey tourney from Jan 17
President of the tournament committee said the tournament would be held on league-cum-knockout basis. “The committee has decided a prize money of Rs 1 lakh for the winners while the runners-up will be given Rs 60,000. The team finishing third will be given Rs 40,000 as award,” the committee president added. Six best players of the tournament - best goalkeeper, best fullback, best halfback, best forward, highest scorers and most promising player - would be selected and given Rs 5,000 each as prize money. A selection committee, headed by Olympian Ajit Pal Singh, would spot talent for the selection of Indian
Team (under-17). “The list of the selected players would be sent to Hockey India for further consideration,” the committee president added. Twelve top teams of the country would participate in the tournament. The teams would be divided in four pools. Last year’s winner and runners-up Government Model School, Jalandhar, and Lyallpur Khalsa School, Jalandhar, would be seen in action. Two teams from each pool would qualify for the quarterfinal matches. |
|
Chinese kites capture Indian skies
Jalandhar, January 12 And now, China-made bright-coloured designer kites have flooded the Indian market, giving a setback to the traditional single-coloured domestic kites. Priced between Rs 50 and Rs 300, these are an eyesore to indigenous kite manufacturers. “Our business has witnessed a slump for the past some years owing to the popularity of Chinese products. Undoubtedly, their product is more attractive and better priced, but unrestricted market policies of the Indian government have hit us hard,” said Gurtej Singh, a kite manufacturer from Jalandhar. Though the exact figures are difficult to work out as it is an unorganised trade, the foreign products are estimated to make a business of over Rs 40 lakh in the state. Light-weight Chinese thread is selling like hot cake. Priced at Rs 450, a big reel of plastic string is enough to fly a kite as far as 80 km. These kites come in various sizes and shapes, including figures of he-man, batman, parachutes, birds and insects. “Though the kites are a bit costlier, they are durable and attractive. They capture the fantasy of the children and the youth,” claimed Surinder, a kite lover. Auto-thread winders, and battery operated kites can also be seen in the market, though they haven’t gained popularity owing to high prices. “There is 50:50 sale of Indian and Chinese products. While 30 per cent of our kites fail to make it to the sky, Chinese ones are more reliable and profit making. But some kite aficionados stick to the traditional ones,” said Suresh Kumar, who has been running this business for the past 20 years.
|
|
Recruitment in Territorial Army from Jan 18
Jalandhar, January 12 While recruitment for the candidates belonging to Haryana and Delhi will be held on January 18, the recruitment for candidates belonging to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir would be carried out on January 19. Medical examination and documentation would be conducted from January 20 to 24. The candidates should be between 18 and 42 years of age, 50 kg in weight, 160 cm height with 77-82 cm chest. The candidates for the soldier general duty category should have passed matric with 45 per cent marks and a minimum of 32 per cent in each subject for candidates belonging to Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. The candidates belonging to Jammu, Samba, Udhampur and Kathua districts should be class X pass without percentage and class VIII for the remaining districts of J&K. Candidates appearing for clerk GD/SD category should be class XII pass in any stream with 50 per cent marks in aggregate and 40 per cent in each subject. English, mathematics, account, book keeping at the class X and XII levels are compulsory. |
|
Students celebrate ‘Lohri kudiyan di’ Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 12 St Soldier group of schools and colleges organised “Lohri kudiyan di” at St Soldier Divine Public School, Mithu Basti, to motivate the people to celebrate the birth of the girl child in the family. The students sang Punjabi folk songs and lit a bonfire and distributed the customary Lohri delicacies. Lohri was also celebrated by members of the Commerce Forum of DAV College. Winners Sukhjinder Singh and Tajwinder Singh of Saffron Public School, Phagwara, won gold medals in th U-14 Indo-Nepal table soccer championship held at Virat Nagar, Nepal, from from December 28 to January 1. Tree plantation A tree plantation programme dedicated to gurpurb of Guru Gobind Singh was organised at the Paradise College of Education. Students as well as college staff planted saplings of amaltas, fycus, bottle palm and various types of flowers and shadow plants. The students held placards with the message “Each one plant one”. Saraswat samaroh The Kalidas Sanskrit Parishad of the Prem Chand Markanda SD College organised the 20th saraswat samaroh. Chief guest Rakesh Jaiswal from Dev Sanskriti University, Shantikunj, Hardwar, was the chief guest. He emphasised on personality development and its importance in life. The toppers of Sanskrit subject were awarded on this occasion. Similarly, a lecture on personality development was held at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya on January 8. in association with the Bharat Vikas Parishad “Gaurav” under the aegis of Gayatri Tirath Shanti Kunj, Hardwar. The lecture was part of a series of programmes organised with the purpose of “right thoughts and bright future for all”. Talk on drama The postgraduate department of English of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya organised an extension lecture on “understanding drama” on January 8. Dr Paramjit Kaur Chahal, Reader in English, Department of Distance Education, Punjabi University, Patiala, was the chief guest. During her lecture she spoke on drama as a social responsibility for awakening
and enlarging one’s consciousness. |
|
Complainant alleges police inaction
Jalandhar, January 12 The complainant alleged that the police was lingering the case as her in-laws had approached some police officials in this connection. She further alleged that the area DSP was trying to hush up the case. DSP Balkar Singh, when contacted, said he had already submitted an inquiry report to the SSP in this regard. The SSP had marked an inquiry to the DSP on the complaint. Neeta had moved an application seeking registration of a criminal case against her husband Jaswinder Singh and his father, mother, sister, brother (all residents of Nodia), besides two residents of Hoshiarpur. In the complaint Neeta has alleged that she was harassed by her in-laws for dowry soon after her marriage. She has also accused them of beating her and keeping her in illegal confinement, besides taking her jewellery in their possession. |
|
|
Puducherry to honour 90-year plus citizens
Phagwara, January 12 Talking to newsmen at the residence of former Congress minister Joginder Singh Maan here, Iqbal Singh said he had instructed the UT administration to identified such citizens as these citizens would be honoured with a gold coin each. He said that 54,000 such citizens out of a total 13 lakh population of the UT had been identified so far and the process was still on. He claimed that Puducherry is a
peaceful and crime-free area. — OC
|
|
|
Pensioners demand dues
Jalandhar, January 12 Association representative V.S. Jolly said their pensions had been revised from January 2006, but are yet to receive their dues. He said the members are aware of the financial constraints of the government but it should at least pay the amount to the older beneficiaries who were above 75 years.
|
|
|
Centre urged to check inflation
Jalandhar, January 12 In a press note, Tinu said the UPA government should make arrangements to provide food to the people,
especially the poor, at subsidised rates. — TNS
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Jalandhar, January 12
Having obtained different kinds of valuable information for the public from several government departments under the RTI Act, advocate Rajendra Bhatia has been honoured with the award of appreciation for his contribution to society through this Act.
Jalandhar, January 12