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PPCB, MC, private companies’ officials face public wrath
Not the right way to implement
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Havildar major succumbs to injuries
Bhangra teams of DAV, Khalsa colleges bag 1st position
2nd accused in EPF scam arrested
DC visits affected localities only a week after gastro outbreak
Fine not paid, 450 violators get court notice
Suvidha Centre staff strike enters 5th day
Inter-school cricket tourney from today
Ozone Day celebrated
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PPCB, MC, private companies’ officials face public wrath
Jalandhar, September 30 The residents of nearly six villages falling in the periphery of the proposed site raised slogans against the officials and threatened them with dire consequences if they go ahead with the setting up of the plant based on the refuse-to-fuel technique. The officials and the consultants had to face a volley of questions, most of which they failed to answer properly. The residents asked them if they could assure them that there would be no poisonous dioxine gases emitted by the incinerator to be set up inside the plant for deriving fuel. The consultants replied that it would take them almost three to four years to judge that. The villagers, led by former MLA and PPP leader Jagbir Brar, got much infuriated at the reply and shot back asking, “Do you want us to wait to see our children getting born crippled? Are we guinea pigs on whom you want to carry out a test? Do you think that our villages are testing laboratories?” The next question came from Brar, who seemed to have done a lot of homework on the issue, “Is the PPCB armed with equipment to test air pollution for dioxine gases?” The Executive Engineer took time to reply in the negative and then came back saying, “We hire the services of Sri Ram Laboratory in New Delhi for more sophisticated tests.” Another question came from Gopal Krishna, convener of New Delhi-based NGO Toxics Watch Alliance, “Have your consultants followed the Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules? Did they assure that there was a 500-metre buffer zone with no habitation around?” The villagers joined in saying that the dairy complex is a few metres away and houses of Nanakpindi village are just 200 metres from the site. Krishna, who had got scores of fact sheets on the matter, had another question, “How do you think you will be able to generate some calorific value in the fuel generated after separating biodegradable waste for making compost?” Again there could be no satisfactory reply. Another voice of dissent came from Neeraj Ghai, who already is running a fuel-to-manure plant at Wariana village on Kapurthala Road, “If MC gives me some land-filling site, I can continue to run the plant.” Former minister Gurkanwal Kaur also made her appearance midway. As much uproar occurred, ADC (D) Sarojini Gautam Sharda tried to pacify the villagers and asked them to proceed with one objection after the other so that the proceedings could be recorded clearly. Videography of the event was also organised. During all this, BS Dhaliwal, Commissioner MC, remained a mute spectator and returned without uttering a single word. Report not in Punjabi
There was much hue and cry over the fact that the detailed part of the environment assessment report made available in the city over the issue was not in Punjabi. “How could we comprehend the report given to us in English?” repeatedly asked the villagers while adding that only a summary had been made available in Punjabi, which was not enough for them. Dairy complex land being given for plant
The villagers claimed that an additional 24 acres of land, which the MC had acquired for expanding the dairy complex, was now being handed over to a private company for the solid waste treatment plant. “The government has played a trick on us by acquiring our land citing one purpose but now classifying it under a different purpose,” said a village resident. The MC’s superintending engineer AS Dhaliwal confirmed that it was the same site. Dairy complex alongside
The MC dairy complex of Jamsher village is just along the site meant for the plant. The pollutants can affect the animals and further percolate even in the milk yielded by them. There are nearly 50,000 milch animals in the complex, each of which cost Rs 50,000, villagers pointed out. Why is PUDA acquiring land for Urban Estate, Phase-III, just along the plant?
This question was raised time and again today by residents of the villagers. “We really wonder as to how the state government gave a nod to PUDA to go ahead with the scheme. All of us already living here are leading a miserable life and have been thinking of shifting out. The groundwater is contaminated. There is a sullage treatment plant and a dairy complex nearby, both of which emit foul smell,” they alleged. They even complained of frothy and smelly water coming out of the tubewells.
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Not the right way to implement
Jalandhar, September 30 Officials claim that there is no need to put up any signboards either. “There are so many notifications that come up every other day. If we start putting up notices like that, our offices will be cluttered with signboards. Also, there is no provision of putting up a board or a notice in this Act as was the case with the RTI Act”, said an SDM giving this excuse. Advocate Rajinder Bhatia, however, differs, “The public is not yet aware about the issue. They are not clear about the officials designated with the powers or appellate authorities under the Act. A notice regarding six to seven services pertaining to each department and their deadline must be put up”. Further, officials have not yet designated the employees among their staff who are to handle the cases or receive the complaints in this regard. The Act reads, “In case of services with regard to sanction of building plans and the issue of completion certificates by the Municipal Corporation, the Commissioner shall define such person as the designated officer for the purposes of this notification”. Asked to give his views on the issue, the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, BS Dhaliwal claimed, “We had planned a meeting of the staff about the Act this week but I had to go out somewhere. The meeting is now scheduled for Monday. I will then delegate duties”. The residents, unknowingly, continue to wait outside offices for long. Sandeep Bammi, a resident of Babu Labh Singh Nagar, was seen roaming in the District Administrative Complex for getting his marriage registered. The man claimed, “I had applied for the certificate since the past few weeks but to no avail.” The time period mentioned in the Act is just two days. Paramjit, a resident of Ladowali Road, said that he had applied for the birth certificate of his three-year-old son Nikhil Heer about a month back with the MC. “I was asked to get signatures from the councillor and Civil Surgeon. I managed that. Now I have been told to get signatures of the SDM, which, again, is taking too long”, he alleged. The time frame mentioned in the Act is five days. What is lacking n
No signboards and notices outside offices for making public aware of services, time schedule and designated officers for each work. n
Offices yet to designate employees to deal with various services n
Offices not adhering to the stipulated timeframe. People not aware as to where to lodge their complaint. No details of appellate authorities put up outside the
offices.
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Havildar major succumbs to injuries
Jalandhar, September 30 The critically injured havildar major Naval Singh, who was brutally attacked by Gurjinder Singh, a constable on sentry duty, with his service rifle on September 23, succumbed to injuries at a private hospital last night. The SHO, Maqsudan, Paramjit Singh revealed that Gurjinder Singh, a resident of Amritsar, attacked Naval Singh in an inebriated condition on September 23 night. He was admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital, Maqsudan, with grave injuries on his head, face and upper body parts. Hailing from Farooq Nagar in Gurgaon, Naval Singh reportedly intervened when Gurjinder Singh had indulged in arguments with some of his colleagues. This made Gurjinder Singh furious and he entered into a scuffle with Naval Singh and attacked him with his weapon, said Brajinder Singh, a relative of the deceased. The SHO said the body was handed over to family members after postmortem at the Civil Hospital this evening. |
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Bhangra teams of DAV, Khalsa colleges bag 1st position
Jalandhar, September 30 Both teams perform the best bhangra in the city and it was a cut-throat competition between them. During the youth festival, the teams won accolades for performing spectacular folk dance of the state. On their return to their respective colleges, the teams of Khalsa College and the DAV College were given a rousing welcome. Principal of Khalsa College Dr Jaspal Singh Randhawa said the students won due to the efforts of the coach. In DAV College, captain of the bhangra team Sukhdeep Singh said they won due to the efforts of the coach Nitiraj Shergill and the team. The elated DAV College bhangra boys said the team had five boys who performed on the stage for the first time. “We have dedicated the trophy to our coaches and now we are looking for the next round of the bhangra performance,” they added.
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2nd accused in EPF scam arrested
Jalandhar, September 30 The Deputy Superintendent of Police (VB), Jalandhar, Satpal Singh, said Jatinder Kumar, a clerk in Government Senior Secondary School, Paddi Jagir, near Goraya, was arrested from the Nakodar bus stand. Acting on a tip-off, the VB laid a trap and nabbed Jatinder Kumar while he was trying to escape from the area, he added. The DSP said during questioning Jatinder Kumar revealed that he used to transfer the embezzled money to his account in the Goraya branch of the State Bank of Patiala. The third accused in the case, Bodh Raj, a science teacher, is still absconding. The bureau had arrested Gurdyal Singh, a physical education teacher, in the case on September 27.
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DC visits affected localities only a week after gastro outbreak
Jalandhar, September 30 Surprisingly, DC Bharti spared time for the affected areas at a moment when the number of gastro patients in the affected localities had started declining. The health teams from the local civil hospital said the number of gastroenteritis patients has finally reduced. “On day one we had received nearly 200-plus patients and today there were hardly 50 of them,” said a health official. Residents said DC Bharti was nowhere to be found when the outbreak occurred. “The DC didn’t visit our localities even as two women lost lives due to gastroenteritis”, said Parvesh Dada. The DC was accompanied by the Assistant Commissioner of MC, DP Bhardwaj, Civil Surgeon Dr HK Singla, District Health Officer Dr RL Bassan and XEN P.S. Jaggi. The DC also inspected the water supply of MC’s water tanks and checked water supply from tubewells at Chowgitti. Talking to The Tribune, Civil Surgeon Dr HK Singla said, “There is a considerable decrease in the number of gastroenteritis patients in the affected areas. Today we admitted only one serious patient in the civil hospital while around 35 plus patients were examined in the OPD at the health camp.” Dr Singla also added that the health camp being held at Government Elementary School, Chowgitti would continue till Sunday. “The camp will be go on if needed,” he added. Earlier in the day, MC officials disconnected three water connections in Gali number 1 of Guru Nanak Pura (West) and the water connections were checked in this locality. SDO Surjeet Singh from O&M Department of the MC, said, “We have deputed some of our officials at the site of the health camp so that people facing contaminated water supply could easily report it to us. Apart from this we are also distributing pamphlets to maintain hygiene and follow cleanliness to curb such outbreaks”. Meanwhile, the health teams today distributed 7,000 chlorine tablets in Chowgitti, Ekta Nagar, Nurpur localities. They also visited as many as 242 houses in these localities and covered 1228 residents. “We detected two persons with dysentery problem, three persons were suffering from vomiting while eight were found down with mild fever. As many as 30 rooms in Nurpur locality were sprayed to prevent any other outbreaks”, said a health official.
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Fine not paid, 450 violators get court notice
Jalandhar, September 30 The Assistant Police Commissioner (traffic), DS Dhillon, revealed that the violators were fined for parking their vehicles in no-parking zones at various places in the city. The ACP said that the traffic rule violators were fined for this and stickers of ‘wrong parking’ were pasted on their vehicles. The court had earlier issued similar notices to 200 traffic rule violators. Meanwhile, the police today challaned five cars for using red and blue light beacons and 21 cars for using black films, besides this four tractor-trailers were impounded for being used for commercial purpose, he added. Apart from this, teams with the Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles also challaned 41 youngsters for violating the traffic rules while riding two- wheelers with masked faces, he added.
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Suvidha Centre staff strike enters 5th day
Jalandhar, September 30 There, however, were some reports that the strike of the 52 employees over the demand of their regularisation may end by the evening. Ramesh Kumar, vice-president of the local unit of the Punjab State Suvidha Employees Union, said a meeting of the members was still on in Chandigarh. “We are awaiting a written assurance on our demands. As and when we get it, we will decide on whether to continue with our strike or abandon it.” Even if the strike ends today, the Suvidha Centre will open tomorrow. The administrative officials were also awaiting any information on the decision of the union in this regard till the filing of this report. |
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Inter-school cricket tourney from today
Jalandhar, September 30 As many as 14 cricket teams from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi will be participating in the tournament. The inaugural match would be held between Durga Public School, Solan, and Guru Harkishan Public School, Delhi, tomorrow. “The first semi final will be held on October 7, second semi-final will be conducted on October 8 and the final match will be played on October 9”, he added. Addressing the media, chairman of organising committee, Jarnail Singh Pasricha said that the winning team would be given Rs 31,000 as cash award along with the overall trophy, the runners-up team would receive Rs 21,000 while the man of the series would get Rs 3100 as cash prize. He also said that mementos would be presented to ‘Best Batsman, Best Bowler of the tournament, Man of the Match of each match and each member of the winning and runners-up teams.
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Jalandhar: Due to the fast depletion of stratospheric ozone, harmful UV radiation penetrates Earth’s atmosphere and causes harmful effects like skin cancer, cataract of eyes, mutations and loss of immunity, said Dr Arun D Ahluwalia, environmentalist from Panjab University, on the occasion of Ozone Day at the Science City at Kapurthala today. Dr Ahluwalia urged the students to protect and save ozone layer by planting as many trees as possible, use public transport and also emphasized on the usage of re-newable sources of energy. Dr RS Khandpur, Director General, Science City, said that there is no doubt that alleviation of public awareness on every aspect, including environmental protection, can give wonderful results and translate the efforts of government and regulatory agencies into a success. — TNS
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