Jalandhar, August 16
If everything goes on as per plan, the Rs 18-crore Domoria Railway Overbridge (ROB) project, which has been hanging fire for the past nearly a decade, may finally get accomplished in the next two months.

While the iron structures meant for the span portion have been fabricated in the railways workshop in Jalandhar cantonment, the Railways Department now called tenders for launching of these structures above the track on August 26.

Superintending Engineer (B&R), MC, Kulwinder Singh said since the placing of the iron girders, weighing 800-900 tonnes, required much expertise, the Railways had to hire a firm especially for the purpose. “The apparatus has to be jacked up in a very balanced manner using cranes keeping the movement parallel,” he explained.

He added, “Once the Railways Department is through with this job, we only need to put on concrete slabs, which will not take much time.”

The ruling alliance in the state, it is learnt, is trying its best to expedite the work so that the bridge gets opened just prior to the Assembly polls and the SAD-BJP leaders are able to earn goodwill of the residents, who have been waiting for a long time to see the project completed.

Mayor Rakesh Rathour said he had recently met the Railways Minister in New Delhi and he assured him of expediting the project by putting it in the fast-track category. Asked about the new deadline, he said if the tender got accepted, the project would get completed within two months. “This will be the third time that the Railways has called tenders. On two earlier occasions, the bids were declared invalid owing to higher costs and other technical reasons,” he said.

Original idea

l TThe project was originally conceived and planned to ensure better connectivity between the old and the new city, especially in the monsoon season when the underbridge gets inundated forcing the residents to take a longer detour. There are people who have termed it a sheer wastage of money claiming that the problem with the existing underbridge could have been solved by laying storm water sewerage for quick disposal of rainwater

Jalandhar, August 16
In a significant decision, Punjab Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) RI Singh has directed city’s Gymkhana Club to appoint a Public Information Officer (PIO) and the first appellate authority under the RTI Act.

In a 2-page order, the CIC directed the club to fully comply with the RTI Act.

The direction was issued on the appeal filed by Lieutenant-Colonel SS Sohi (retired) before the State Information Commission (SIC).

With the issuance of this direction, Sohi won his three-year-long battle of seeking information from the club under the RTI Act.

Sohi had approached the club seeking information on five issues but the club denied him the information on the ground that club is not a public authority.

At this the appellant moved the SIC, which in October 2009 held that the club was a public authority under the RTI Act. However, the SIC’s order was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which dismissed the writ petition on May 9, 2011.

Subsequently, the club furnished the information on July 9 this year, but Sohi pointed out certain deficiencies at the time of hearing on his appeal before the SIC on July 12.

Though, the club removed the deficiencies on July 27, but this caused inconvenience to Sohi who again come all the way to Chandigarh for seeking SIC’s directions to remove the errors, the CIC observed.

So, the CIC directed the club to pay a compensation of Rs 500 to Sohi by way of a crossed cheque.

Jalandhar, August 16
Municipal Councillor for Ward number 7 Ramesh Rani Bali from the Congress party has alleged that the ruling SAD-BJP combine was responsible for allegedly delaying the commencement of various development works in the area.

The biggest problem that the residents of Kishanpura, Prithvi Nagar, Baldev Nagar and a set of eight to 10 mohallas falling in the ward are facing is that the entire area is low lying and gets deluged every time there is even a moderate spell of rain, she said.

“This part of the city gets disconnected from the remaining area, forcing the residents to either remain indoors or wade through knee-deep water. Thankfully, the monsoon season has been almost dry this year,” Suman Rani a resident of Ward 7 said.

Bali claimed she had taken up the issue with the officials on a number of occasions. “I have been demanding installation of storm water sewer in the area but to no avail,” she claimed.

“The MC has just spent Rs 40 lakh on my ward over the past four years, with which we only managed to get three roads re-carpeted in Kishanpura area. Even the road in front of my house is not completely carpeted. I have to face ridicule form area residents that I could not even get work on my own road completed,” she rued.

“I have urged MP Mahinder Singh Kaypee to help me in getting the roads repaired. As soon as we got a Rs 9 lakh grant from him for the Baldev Nagar and Akash Nagar roads, the code for SGPC elections came into force which would be later followed by the ensuing assembly elections and the grant is lying unused,” she rued.

She also alleged that parks in areas, including Kishanpura and Prithvi Nagar have allegedly become gambling dens and a haven for anti-social elements. Proposals to upgrade these parks have also been turned down, she said.

She claimed that during the previous Congress government, several development works were carried out. “The residents have been supporting our development plans but the ruling SAD-BJP government has been neglecting us,” she alleged.

However, Senior Deputy Mayor of Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, Kamaljit Bhatia said, “For us all councillors are equal whether they come from the SAD, BJP or the Congress. If the councillor could only get works worth Rs 40 lakh executed in the ward, it reflects his or her failure. We have a foolproof system to ensure that the tenders are floated and every detail sent to the councillor concerned,” he added.

Jalandhar, August 16
His desire to serve the humanity has turned this former railway employee into a human rights activist. He highlights the social problems that city residents routinely face, by bringing them into the notice of the National and State Human Right Commission.

Retired as an Assistant Officer from the Railways, Kuldeep Singh Nagra, a resident of Chugitti, is acting as a nose and ear for the authorities of human rights commission, who are seated far away from the city.

For the last over few months, he everyday sends the xeroxed copies of news cuttings, in which the city-based newsmen highlights human rights violations, both by the government and non-government bodies.

“Due to deluge of work, the authorities of such commissions sometime skip to take cognisance of violations committed far across the state. Moreover, different editions of newspapers also have a limited reach. In such a scenario, I innovated and materialised the idea,” said Nagra.

Contrary to the prevalent trend, he has no intention to float an NGO. “There is no need to float any organisation to perform such work. Rather, it is perfectly a job meant for an individual. But I wish that such an initiative can turn out to be a movement if every responsible citizen do a bit of work what I am doing alone,” he added, while urging city residents to bring the human rights violations in to the notice of the authorities concerned by following his way.

Nagra said he everyday forwards two news cuttings to Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC). He said that the commission had already taken notice of the two news cuttings that he had forwarded to it and sought reply of senior-most officers of the state health department in the case.

To fulfil his task professionally, Nagra has done masters degree in human rights. He also attended various workshops organised by International Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France, and European Human Rights Commission.

Jalandhar, August 16
The Government Teachers Union has demanded the implementation of revised pay scales for teachers as per the recommendations of the 5th Pay Commission at a meeting held at the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here.

Union president Jarnail Singh Sandhu said, “Primary teachers in the state still continue to get a grade pay of Rs 3,000 per month, despite the fact that the Pay Commission had recommended Rs 4,200 for them.”

He said despite assurances from both Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, the teachers hadn’t received satisfactory pay scales.

“In a July 20 meeting with us, the CM had recommended that teachers be given the said hike but nothing happened,” he said.

The other demands of the teachers included speedy promotions for teachers, shifting schools under zila parishads back to the Education Department, recruitment of new teachers on a regular basis and resolution of pending cases and inquiries against teachers.

Nawanshahr, August 16
Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh, SSP Narinder Bhargav and SAD MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha accompanied by the officials the drainage and revenue departments visited Khoja, Mirzapur, Tajowal and Mandala villages.

The visit was aimed to assess the condition of the dhussi bundh along Sutlej River due to the recent heavy rains.

The officials also interacted with the villagers to invite their suggestions about works to be undertaken to strengthen the dhussi bundh.

The DC also issued orders for work to strengthen the dhussi bundh at Tajowal village to begin immediately. She also asked the village residents to remain vigilant and assist the administration in preventing floods. They also visited villages, including Mehndipur, Palli Jhikki, Naura, Bhaura, Ucha Ladhana, Paddi Mathwali, Pathlawa and inspected the ongoing work to de-silt the drains.

They also interacted with the flood victims at Mehndipur village where a rehabilitation camp was organised after the rescue operation on Saturday.

“The teams headed by District Revenue Officer, Tehsidar, Naib Tehsildar, BDPOs and Civil Surgeon have been constituted to carry out rescue and relief works at various villages where floodwater had entered on Saturday.

A Flood Control Room (Phone No. 505824) has also been set up here, the DC said. She added that teams had been asked to mobilise people as well as NGOs for active participation in the relief and rescue works.

Jalandhar, August 16
The district administration awarded as many as 17 persons from various walks of life during the district-level Independence Day function held at PAP Ground here on Monday.

The awardees selected for this honour represented various fields like education, police, sports, social work and agriculture. A majority of the awardees included those who had earned laurels in their respective fields earlier too.

The maximum number of awards went to the District Education Department as six teachers were awarded for their work while two students were awarded for excellence in sports.

Among the students, two junior judo players Puja, a student of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Ladowali Road, and Happy, a Class XI student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Ladowali Road, here were also honoured for their achievements.

While Puja won two gold, bronze and silver medals each during the National Junior Girls Championship held in different parts of the country and bagged a silver medal in National School Games 2010-11 held at Delhi, Happy represented the country in the Junior Asia Championship and bagged the fifth position at championships held at Bangkok and Thailand last year.

Sumit Gupta, a science teacher from Government High School, Raipur Rasulpur, was honoured for securing hundred per cent results in 2010-11 examinations. His name has also been forwarded for the National Award in the field of ICT in education. Many of his students also managed to clear the NTSE and JET exams.

Sumit Gupta said, “This award came as a big surprise for me. I received a call that my name had been selected for the district-level award. Last week DEO (Secondary) KK Aeri had asked me to submit my file and I had no idea that my name would figure in the list.”

Gupta is also running a career counselling and Eco Club in his school, which has been receiving a good response from the students. The other two teachers include-Naresh Kumar, a mathematics teacher from Government Senior Secondary School, Bhogpur village and Chander Shekhar, an English Master from Government High School, Bajuha Kalan village.

Naresh Kumar has been working on a project ‘Quality improvement and Development of Mathematics’ under Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan which brought him laurels.

“Under this project emphasis is on the training of teachers and students in improving their mathematics skills. I have been working on this project for over a year. Students have performed well,” he added.

On having received the award he said, “Awards and appreciation gives you the much-needed fillip. I got to know about my selection a week before and it was indeed a great moment.”

From the primary wing of the Government Schools, Gopal Gogna a teacher from BST Government Primary School, Nangal Karar Khan village was awarded for implementing ‘Parho Punjab’, an ambitious programme under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan authority.

Similarly, Jaspal a Centre Head Teacher (CHT) from Government Primary School, Awan Khalsa village and Baljeet Singh an ETT teacher from Government Primary School, Lohara village, was also awarded for implementing Parho Punjab programme.