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Wheat procurement
Govt College for Boys stays in city
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Journey of PBN Senior Secondary School Traced
Hit by permission blues
Teachers allege discriminatory transfers
Rs 4 lakh looted in broad daylight
Price rise: CPM activists gherao DC office
63 students get past campus interviews
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Wheat procurement
Amritsar, March 30 While officials claim it to be otherwise, storing the overall expected yield of 6.52 lakh tonnes would be a challenge for the Amritsar administration. During the last season, Amritsar received about 5.94 lakh tonnes and this season the crop is estimated to cross the figure of nearly 6.5 lakh tonnes. But looking at the available space in godowns, which have a capacity to procure not more than 4.5 lakh tonnes, the room for storing the enhanced yield of about 1.9 lakh tonne paddy has to be created. State government agencies like Food Corporation of India (FCI), Punjab Agro, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, PUNSUP, Markfed and PUNGRAIN have been entrusted with the task of procuring the crop. While visiting the storage plants, it was revealed that two types of godowns are available in Amritsar. Type one would be covered with roofs while type two would have fencing but no roofs. If the government godowns are anything to go by, only 50 to 70 per cent godowns of FCI and Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, have roofs, the rest being open. Experts believe that the government is least bothered to take sufficient precautionary steps to protect the crop from discolouration or getting brittle. Fact is that the nutritious value of the crop, which is stored in the open, can be preserved only for a year. “It takes lot of effort to preserve the crop for quite sometime. The crop, which is kept in the open, gets destroyed either by rain or by other elements like rats or damage-causing reptiles. Thus, the chances for its being rejected afterwards, increase”, said an expert, preferring anonymity. According to an estimate, around 119 lakh tonne of crop would be expected this season for the Punjab region. Indeed, it would be a testing time for the government to maintain and preserve the crop with its nutritious contents. It has been learnt that the total storing space available with the state is only for 76.56 lakh tonne crop and efforts are on to make space for another 41.40 lakh tonne of wheat in different pockets of the state. This was also observed by government officials, during their recent visit to Punjab, especially conducted for the purpose.
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Govt College for Boys stays in city
Amritsar, March 30 Resenting the move, activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had resorted to asking for alms to generate funds for setting up a government college (for boys)
in Amritsar. Started in the Red Cross building in 1999 near the bus stand, the Government College for Boys was closed due to the continuous apathy of the then government, as it failed
to provide any building, infrastructure and staff to the college. The college was a boon for students of the middle class and lower strata of the society, who could not afford the high fee of
private colleges for their higher education. Former Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh had also declared to establish the Boys College in Verka during the Congress regime. The residents of the historic township had donated over 10 acres of land for the same. The SAD-BJP government had also promised to set up the college, besides providing 18 acres of land. However, the project could not see light of the day. Meanwhile, hailing the decision, Anil Joshi, MLA said it was a project that everyone looked forward to and which, it seems, would materialise soon. He said during the budget session, the Chief Minister personally assured to revive the college in the holy city, adding that the construction of the college would start this year. He said after Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur failed to give a satisfactory answer, the issue was raised again during the pre-budget session. Other issues which were raised by the MLA during the session include common playgrounds for children, who, in the absence of adequate playgrounds, were forced to play on streets and congested lanes. He also took up the issue of lack of development works in the peripheral wards of the city. |
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Journey of PBN Senior Secondary School Traced
Amritsar, March 30 Even as acclaimed educationist of his time, Baij Nath had started the school with only four students in 1887 but it was formally recognised by the then British government in 1893. A descendent of Mishr Mahabali, a courtier of legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Baij Nath was a renowned scholar of Persian and Sanskrit languages of his time. It is said that he died due to excessive hard work when he was just 45 in 1907. The school was dedicated to secular principals and free from caste, colour and creed. It was a courageous attempt on the part of its founders keeping in view the major educational societies of that time which were constituted with a declared aim of preserving the particular religious ideology while granting modern education. The mantle of running and managing the school fell on his son Ram Nath. He managed to elevate it to high school. He was able to get land for establishing school outside Hall Gate. The building was designed by Sardar Bahadur Sardar Ram Singh, the then Principal of Mayo School of Arts. However, his fame rests upon for preparing design of magnificent building of Khalsa College. Initially the school was equipped with boarding facility. However, subsequently it was done away with. Principal Ram Nath was a keen sportsperson and started scouting in the city in 1917. He along with other concerned citizens of the city had got a piece of land released from the then Municipal Council which was later named Gandhi ground. He also became the founder secretary of the Amritsar Games Association (AGA). The then British government in India had conferred him with the title of Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE) for his contribution in the field of sports and scouting. During his stint as Principal the school produced only test cricketer in India Vijay Mehra, who
played the Test matches while in School. He had remained Principal-cum-Manager of the School from 1907 to 1952. The school had provided asylum to hundreds of refugees coming from Pakistan following the Partition of the country. The school boasts of Air and Naval wings of NCC, NSS and Scouting. Present Principal Rajeev Kumaria said students were made to participate in seminars, declamation contests and other extra-curricular activities as it possesses a spacious hall with capacity for 450 persons. The school boasts of a swimming pool, basketball, volleyball and badminton courts, besides, a table tennis hall and gymnasium. Spread on 1.75 acres of prime land opposite Hall Gate, it attracted the attention of politicians with interest in real estate. However, after two-year long internal wrangling it managed to overcome it. Principal Rajeev Kumaria said the school had given cent per cent result in the recently concluded academic session.
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Hit by permission blues
Amritsar, March 30 Reason: The tubewell was constructed on a land adjoining UBDC canal due to which the Municipal Corporation could not carry out the work without the prior permission of the Irrigation Department. A room constructed for the tubewell was dismantled due to alleged apathy of the authorities concerned who failed to see the plight of the residents. They are now fed up of visiting their councillor and the MLA of the constituency urging them to solve their grievances. And guess what, the areas fall in Ward 38 belonging to ruling Shiromani Akali Dal Councillor and Senior Deputy Mayor Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa. The road that connects the above mentioned areas could not be constructed for the same reason. The corporation authorities expressed their helplessness as it falls in the vicinity of the Irrigation Department. The road has become accident prone as the soil has eroded from the edges. About a year back, a youth lost his life when his tractor turned turtle after slipping from eroded road. Nevertheless, it was the residents who are the main sufferers in the mêlée. “We met a number of times with the councillor and MLA who only made promises but did nothing to solve their problems,” said Sukhbir Singh, a resident of Baba Deep Singh Nagar. “It is lack of willingness on the part of our so-called elected representatives in getting the work done,” said Amarjit Kaur of Bagichi Lakha Singh. “If the government wants, they can order the Irrigation Department for giving permission to construct a road and start the tubewell to facilitate the general public,” she said. The other areas that fall in the ward include Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, Guru Arjun Dev Nagar, Mishara Singh Colony, Dashmesh Nagar, Kot Pala Singh, Eshwar Nagar, New Eshwar Nagar, Baba Deep Singh Colony, Uttam Nagar, Murabba wali gali and Baba Deep Singh Avenue. The residents of Baba Deep Singh Nagar have a different story to tell. Strongly criticising the MC, Gajjan Singh, an inhabitant of the locality, claimed that the several ends of water pipes laid by contractors were left open which has led to the caving in of streets due to erosion of earth. Remaining parts of the ward are somewhat better with cemented pacca roads and proper streetlights. CouncillorSpeak
Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa admitting the problem of tubewell said it would be operationalised within fortnight. He said they had fitted the motor system underground due to which there was not any need of the room. He said they were taking up the issue of road construction with the Irrigation Department. “I know the difficulty being faced by the residents and we are determined to solve the problem as soon as possible. We are in constant touch with the department in this regard,” he said. On open water pipe ends, he said there was a technical problem as they had to keep one end of the pipe open, which otherwise, would damage (the pipes) with the pressure. He said the streets which have caved in would be repaired soon. He said till now he had carried out development works worth Rs 2.5 crore while works were continued in several parts of the ward. He said he got three new tubewells installed at Ganda Singh Wala, Murabba Wali Gali and New Eshwar Nagar besides setting up 5-6 transformers for better power supply. |
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Teachers allege discriminatory transfers
Amritsar, March 30 The office of Director (School) has transferred 697 teachers falling in the cadre of ETT and JBT. While promoting them to the master cadre, these teachers have been transferred to new districts, which are more than 100 km from their present places of posting. According to information, as many as 96 teachers, who include handicapped and women, have been affected. However, the Education Department stated that all transfers had been made according to the laid
down procedures. These teachers held a protest meeting under the banner of the Primary Teachers Union Punjab, here and rued that their new postings had been made at far-off places and obliged their near and dear ones with posting at nearby stations. They complained that the basic criterion of giving nearby stations to handicapped teachers, too, has been overlooked. One such teacher with 85 per cent disability regretted that he had been transferred from Nawe Killa, Faridkot, to Kapurthala. Seven teachers, who include one woman, have been transferred from Muktsar to Kapurthala, a distance of around 175 km. Ten others have been shifted from Ferozepore to Kapurthala, around 70 km away. In other cases teachers have been transferred from Muktsar to
Mansa, 60 km away.
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Rs 4 lakh looted in broad daylight
Amritsar, March 30 The robbers also injured his arm with a sharp-edged weapon before snatching the bag containing the amount. The incident took place in broad daylight just a few metres away from Shivala police chowki. Sanjiv Kumar, a resident of Chowk Lachhmansar and branch manager of a private firm, in his complaint to the police alleged that he was going to deposit cash in the bank from his office in Tilak Nagar when the accused attacked him. According to details, the accused persons kept their motorcycle near the Pushpawati marriage hall. As soon as Sanjiv reached near the spot, they threw red chilli powder in his eyes. The culprits then inflicted serious injuries on him with some sharp-edged weapon. He was rushed to the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The police said a case under section 394, IPC, has been registered while investigations have been launched to identify and nab the culprits. |
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Price rise: CPM activists gherao DC office
Amritsar, March 30 Meanwhile, passing a resolution they demanded a judicial probe into the killing of BKU leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura and Khanna Chimiara incidents and immediate arrest of the accused persons involved in the killing. CPM state secretary Rattan Singh Randhawa pointed out that the UPA government at the Centre and the SAD-BJP government in Punjab were equally responsible for the current inflation. He said there was need to form a joint platform of all the labour and farmer unions. State committee member Satnam Singh Ajnala opined that the steps should be taken to strengthen the agricultural sector in
order to stem the price rise. He said the government should waive the debts of the farmers and farm labourers, besides making arrangements for providing interest-free loans.
He said that agriculture-based industries should be promoted at the village level. |
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63 students get past campus interviews
Amritsar, March 30 Dr Sukhdev Singh, Director (Placement), said the Oriental Bank of Commerce, selected 11 students from MBA at a salary package of Rs 4.6 lakh per annum, while five students of the same department were provided jobs by SBI Life Insurance at a salary package of Rs 2.5 lakh per annum. Similarly, Vardhman selected three MBA students in management and Religare Securities chose one student of MBA in financial services. JCT and Shopper’s Stop recruited shortlisted MBA students for the final round of interview, he added. In another drive, Tech Mahindra selected 33 students of computer science and electronics of the current batch at a salary package of Rs 2.9 lakh per annum. In another joint campus drive 10 students were selected by Mind Infotech, Noida. In this particular drive students from various government engineering colleges participated. Eight students from Guru Nanak Dev
University and BCET, Gurdaspur, were selected at a package of Rs 2.2 lakh. |
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If inadequate space is any indication, the procurement of the upcoming wheat crop would apparently be an arduous task.
Amritsar, March 30
The college was recently in news over the government’s move to shift it to the Valtoha constituency of Tarn Taran, which has invited the ire of residents and the student fraternity, especially those belonging to the poor strata of the society. 
