Phagwara, July 8
Breaches in the bandh of a Bein near Nasirabad village in the Phagwara sub division have been creating threats for the people residing in surrounding villages, as no practical step has as yet been initiated by the concerned department to plug the breaches which were being noticed for the last two years.

Though Phagwara SDM Amarjit Paul visited the affected areas twice, the problem of jurisdiction is creating hindrances in initiating action.

The Nasirabad village falls in the Phagwara sub division but the said bandh falls in the Hoshiarpur District. Most of the residents of surrounding villages rue that they have nothing to do with the jurisdiction dispute and living in safety is their only concern. When contacted, Phagwara SDM Amarjit Paul said he would work to solve the problem, which can take an ugly turn during heavy rains.

Paul confirmed that 28 villages of the Phagwara sub division can be affected if the sub division faces any flood threat.

Paul disclosed that the villages, which might possibly be affected, include Miherru, Chaheru, Khajurala, Rawalpindi, Lakhpur, Dhandholi, Sangatpur, Jagpalpur, Dhuck, Seekri, Duggan, Khati, Ranipur Rajputan, Dhak Khati, Ranipur Kamboa, Madhopur, Bhakhriana, Bahani, Panshat, Nasirabad, Narur, Balrampur, Sahni, Tanda-Narur, Bhabhiana, Rampur Sunnrra, Babeli, Malikpur and Dhak Malikpur.

The SDM said people can contact SDM Phagwara on 98559-00786, 01824-260201, Tehsildar Harminder Singh on 98148-53692, 01824-260794, Naib Tehsildar Mulakh Raj on 98148-40944 and BDPO Neeraj Kumar on 98559-60332, 01824-260487 at any time. A round-the-clock flood control room could also be contacted at 01824-260794 in case of an emergency. He said more than 34 social organisations have offered their services in case of an emergency.

Phillaur, July 8
Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti has rapped the Phillaur Administration for its casualness over flood-like situation existing in many areas along the banks of the Sutlej.

The DC along with Phillaur SDM Pritam Singh visited such areas in this sub-division. The DC instructed the SDM to be practical instead of just carrying out paper work. The DC visited and inspected Dhussi bundh near Jhandee-Peer and Mao-Sahib villages and listened to the problems and grievances of the people.

The Phillaur Administration has drawn flak for its indifference in two cases --- missing of a brother and sister in mysterious circumstances for the last 15 days and drowning of two Phillaur youths in the Sutlej about 10 days back.

Jalandhar, July 8
Roaring prices of kitchen commodities are taking a toll on the pocket of common man. Floods in some parts of north Indian have also chocked the major supply lines and had affected the prices of essential vegetables. Arrival of monsoons also led to decrease in the shelf life of vegetables due to increase moisture levels.

Prices of essential commodities like turmeric, green and black cardamom has witnessed three to four fold increased in the last month. Turmeric, prices of which were hovering around Rs 100 per kg during last few days, is available at departmental stores at Rs 220 per kg.

Green and black cardamom witnessed intolerable increase in their prices. Prices of green cardamom witnessed increase of Rs 500-400 per kg in prices and remained at Rs 1,600 per kg this week. Prices of this item remained at Rs 1100-1200 per kg in the last few days.

Prices of essential vegetables items also saw significant increase this week. Tomato witnessed increase of Rs 25 per kg this week against Rs 20 per kg of last week. Similarly, cucumber also witnessed increase of nearly Rs 10 per kg this week against Rs 15 per kg last week.

Other seasonal items like long gourd and ladyfinger also witnessed marked increase in prices. Prices of long gourd and ladyfinger saw increase of Rs 10 and Rs 7 per kg this week. Capsicum also witnessed approximate increase of Rs 13 per kg.

Jalandhar, July 8
A gallantry award winner today levelled allegations against the Guru Nanak Dev University authorities claiming that the 2 per cent reservation policy in admission procedure for B.Tech had not been followed, thus denying his daughter her ‘due right’ for the seat.

Lt-Col Gurjit Singh Multani said there were seven priorities within the quota but defying this a common merit for all candidates under the category, under which wards of ordinary ex-servicemen managed to take all the advantage. He complained that there were at least eight more candidates who are wards of war widows or gallantry awardees who have been denied their right due to ‘wrong admission policy’.

He said even as his daughter had got a seat in Punjabi University, he felt that she was denied a seat at Amritsar which was nearer to his hometown Jalandhar. He said while the PTU had conducted online counselling for all other participating universities on the basis of CET, GND University had preferred to go for manual counselling for it followed its own methodology for filling up the seats under the category.

Multani said he had already sent an e-mail to the Chief Minister in this context. He said he was planning to knock the door of the court in this context.

Dr Inderjit Singh, Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, did not respond to the calls. Vice-Chancellor Ajaib Singh Brar said meritorious students were being given more preference as per their norms which he said was being followed correctly.

Jalandhar, July 8
Even as the last date to online admissions for two-year (semester system) Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) was extended to July 8, the response to the course has been lukewarm. The counseling for the 30 seats in MJMC would be held tomorrow.

While some students of Bachelor of Journalism could not apply for the online system as their results were yet to be declared, others simply did not prefer to apply for the course. Around 20 students from across the region applied for the course till June 28.

It was owing to this reason that the date of online admission to the course was extended further extended to July 8 recently. The first of its kind initiative has been introduced by Dr. A.S. Brar, the Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The GND varsity is the first in the region to start the online admission system.

Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Dr. Kamlesh Singh Duggal said the counseling would begin from 10 am tomorrow and we are expecting a good response this time. “It will take time for the students to get accustomed to the online admission procedure. Since it is online system we are not aware of the total number of students who have applied for the online admission. The status of exact number of students would become clear tomorrow morning”, he added.

Dr Duggal also said that looking at the lukewarm response especially from the rural students the university also decided to accept forms directly through State of Bank of Patiala by depositing Rs 1,000 there. “The varsity took this decision in the wake of less number students from rural areas applying for the course. And we received some queries through this system too”, he added.

The students also maintained that they faced difficulties in applying online. While many also blamed that the university did little to publicise the online admission system. “As the online admission was launched for the first time, it was important that the varsity should have conducted a mock session for the benefit of the students”, said an applicant.

Dr Namrata Joshi, however, said this was a major admission reform in the varsity and it is important that we remained in sync with the changing times.

“The students were bound to face difficulties as it is for the first time that the online admission has been started”, she added. She also highlighted that the proliferation of media academies has also lead to a rat race in the education sector. “Especially the media houses have started their own media institutes which seems to have become the preferred choice of the students in the past some time. Above all the assured placements by these media institutes is another big catch for the students. However not many people know that our journalism department has produced the best media professionals in the region”, she added.

Phagwara, July 8
Hundreds of safai karamcharis belonging to the Nagar Council Safai Karamchari Sanitation Committee today registered their protest and decided to intensify their struggle in protest against the indifferent attitude of the Phagwara Nagar Council authorities.

An 11-member Executive-cum-Action Committee of the union was formed in a meeting headed by Jyiti Bhagania here today.

It was alleged that almost all political parties were politicising their issues only to strengthen their vote banks, otherwise they had nothing to do with the demands of the safai karamcharis.

The protesters alleged that though the Labour Department, Punjab, had fixed Rs 3,200 per month as the minimum wage for unskilled workers, they were being mistreated and the Minimum Wages Act was not being implemented in their case. They made serious allegations of corruption and demanded a high-level probe to expose the corruption scandal of NC officials. They demanded the booking of the guilty NC officials under the SC/ST Act, to prevent atrocities. The protesters also demanded regularisation of adhoc safai karamcharis. They alleged that they were being victimised since 1997.

Jalandhar, July 8
Talking about the plight of Pakistani Hindu and Sikh families who wish to settle in India or have been residing here for several years, MP Avinash Rai Khanna said he would impress upon the Punjab Government to bring them under the terrorist victim scheme, wherein every family gets Rs 2,000 from the state.

“This will help them economically till their papers come through,” Khanna said.

Khanna, who heads a three-member party committee on the rehabilitation of Pakistan-based Hindus and Sikhs, said hundreds of such families have fled Pakistan following persecution by the Taliban and other such radical outfits in the tribal and frontier areas of our neighbour.

Citing instances of their hardship, he said in many cases, fundamentalists prevent them from performing the last rites of their dead and force them to embrace Islam. Their womenfolk are abducted and they are not allowed to run their businesses.

Even if they get converted, they are taunted as Dindaars (converts) and are looked down upon, Khanna added. He said he had met some such families in Amritsar yesterday and had called on several families settled in Jalandhar.

Their main grouse is that their applications for citizenship has not been processed for the past many years, leading to a lot of hardship.

Even Indian authorities insist that they return back to Pakistan and get their identity cards renewed at regular intervals. This is not possible given their meager resources, Khanna added.

“We will also raise the issue of getting them under the terrorist victim scheme with the External Affairs Ministry so that the citizenship issue is fast tracked and hundreds of families can live in peace and get on with their lives,” he revealed. In fact, we will also ask the ministry to extend the same facility to the Bangladeshi Hindus who wish to settle in India, he added.

Jalandhar, July 8
The Army recruitment offices of Ludhiana and Jalandhar will organise an Army open recruitment rally at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana, from July 9 to 19.

The recruitment rally for the candidates of Ludhiana, Moga, Roopnagar and SAS Nagar (Mohali) districts would be conducted from July 9 to 12. The rally for the candidates of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahar and Hoshiarpur districts would be held from July 13 to 17 on the same venue.

The tokens for soldier clerk/SKT, soldier technical and nursing assistant trade candidates from all districts of Punjab would be issued on July 15.

Interested candidates should have passed matric examination with minimum 45 per cent marks in aggregate and 32 per cent marks in each subject (for Mazbi and Ramdasia candidates just pass in matric) for the category of soldier general duty.

While for the soldier clerk/SKT/technical category, the candidates should be 10+2 pass with English and mathematics from any stream with minimum 50 per cent marks in aggregate and 40 per cent marks in each subject.

The candidates should have passed intermediate (10+2) in science with physics, chemistry, biology and English with minimum 50 per cent marks for soldier nursing assistant category.

Apart from this, the candidates should be between 17½-21 years of age for soldier general duty and 17½-23 years of age for soldier clerk/SKT, soldier technical and soldier nursing assistant category.

The Defence spokesman said the candidates should bring 12 copies of their latest passport size photographs whereas the Sikh candidates should carry along 12 copies of their photographs with turban and 12 copies without turban. It was also stated that computerised or attested photographs would not be accepted. “The candidates should also bring along their original educational qualification certificates issued by the Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate concerned,” he added.

Jalandhar, July 8
The Learning Wing Education Systems (LWES) hosted a two-day seminar on “Education: The challenge of change” in partnership with Newman University College (NUC), UK, here on July 7 and 8.

The seminar focused on the exchange of methods and techniques for improving quality of education for learners.

The DGP (PAP), Shashi Kant, was the chief guest. Ajay Bhatia and Deepak Bhatia, Chariman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the LWES, and J.K. Kohli, Executive Director of the LWES, were present.

“LWES have established five schools, the flagship school being Cambridge International School for Girls (CISFG) located in Jalandhar. Cambridge International Co-Educational Schools (CIS) were subsequently inaugurated in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kullu and Phagwara,” said Ajay Bhatia. Guest speakers from Newman University College Rachel Morgan-Guthrie, Hilary Dunphy, Justin Gray and Bob Treadwell spoke.

Jalandhar, July 8
This is that time of the year when all educational institutes are getting the maximum number of queries for admission. To create that first impression in the minds of the candidates and their parents, the colleges have invested most generously on decking up their admission lobbies.

AC halls, huge LCD screens showing the institute’s achievements, plasma TVs, touch-sensitive information kiosks, multiple help desks and counselling cells welcome the prospective students in most campuses. The setup is specifically designed in a way that it leaves every first time visitor awestruck to the extent that once inside the campus, he decides to stay on.

The moment a parent or a candidate steps inside the Lovely Professional University campus, there is a minibus or a van to receive him, taking him around the 600-acre campus and dropping him at the admission centre. Reaching the admission centre, there is a huge reception where every visitor is attended to properly.

There are over 70 people sitting in various chambers attending to the student queries. There are separate desks for counselling to engineering, management or other courses. There are more cubicles for information on hostel facilities, bank loans and getting registration and ID cards.

While other multi-storey buildings on the campus are without even an elevator, the admission lobby here has an escalator. There are many screens where various promotional CDs on courses, scholarship, foreign tie-ups, extra-curricular activities of students and illustrious students are being separately flashed. Hundreds of flex boards have been erected throughout the campus.

Even as most private colleges have been doing such efforts, the government institutes, too, have been following a similar trend. The admission hall (actually a seminar hall) at Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology has been done up very immaculately. From there on the candidates are directed to move on to the third floor of the newly built IT Park where the latest technology gizmos fascinate one and all.

Jalandhar, July 8
As many as 800 students of B.Tech (Computer Science, Engineering and Information Technology) of the CT Group of Institutions underwent training in association with HCL an IT company.

Farmers have claimed that scenes from the William Shakespeare play The Merry Wives of Windsor boosted cow milk production by four per cent. Actors of local Changeling Theatre Company, performed the "entertaining" play for Friesian cows at the Pleasant Farm, near Maidstone, Kent.

"We selected scenes from the play we felt to be lyrical and relaxing," Rob Forknall, the group's artistic director said. "It started off as a rather a bizarre experiment after I was talking to a farmer about whether Shakespeare would have the same effect on cows as classical music."We were all slightly surprised when it did. Since then we've done several rehearsals with the cows. It saves us having to book rehearsal space and the farmer's very pleased to get more milk," Forknall added. The farmers decided to choose a lighthearted comedy instead of Bard's tragedies so as not to 'upset' the cows. — ANI