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Make dilapidated highway motorable within days: CM
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Eight new jaundice cases reported
in Baba Budha Ji colony
Another day of trouble for applicants at transport office
No visas for Pakistan theatre group members
PUDA auction a flop show, no response once again
Commuters’ safety a casualty at traffic diversions
Employee unions start agitations with polls in view
6 schools qualify for quiz semifinals
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Make dilapidated highway motorable within days: CM
Make dilapidated highway motorable within days, CM instructs officials Nikhil Bhardwaj
Shahkot, October 31 The Tribune had highlighted the problem on October 20 in a news story titled, “NH703: Road or pool, hard to decide” Working on the Chief Minister’s instructions, the PWD’s Engineer-in-Chief RP Singh reviewed the situation and issued strict instructions to the authorities concerned to expedite the ongoing sewerage laying work. “The CM instructed me to take stock of NH703 in Shahkot and submit a report,” said Singh. He said the condition of the road deteriorated due to accumulation of sewage water. He said sewerage laying work carried out by the sewerage board was running at a snail’s pace. The project which was supposed to be completed in a month has been delayed for months due to the lackadaisical attitude of sewerage board officials, he added. “Today, I didn’t find even a single official of sewerage board on the site where sewerage laying work was going on. If such situation continues, there is a minimal possibility of completing work on time,” he said. RP Singh also had a talk with the XEN Sewerage Board, in this regard. He instructed the executive magistrate, Shahkot, to clear drain water gathered along side the highway. He claimed that they would fill the potholes on the road and would make it motorable within two days. Recently, Shahkot Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) TN Passey had also written to the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti against lackadaisical attitude of employees of the state sewerage department. The SDM said to lay down new pipes, the sewerage board disconnected the old laid pipe, which was draining out the town’s sewage. But they didn’t lay new pipes leading to sewage trouble. Officials of the Sewerage Board said the work was delayed due to the lackadaisical attitude of contractors who were given the contract. The condition of NH703 deteriorated due to accumulation of sewage water Engineer-in-Chief of PWD, RP Singh, issues strict instructions to authorities to expedite the ongoing sewerage laying work Says the highway will be made motorable within two days
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Eight new jaundice cases reported
in Baba Budha Ji colony
Jalandhar, October 31 While the health department today started a free medical camp in Shiv Mandir in the area, a door-to-door survey of 109 houses was done by the doctors during which the fresh cases of the disease were discovered.
An announcement was also made through public address system making people aware of the camp and asking them to drink boiled and chlorinated water. The health authorities also got sent eight more samples for tests (four of these sent to MC laboratory in Jalandhar and four to Chandigarh). They have also taken blood samples of 10 affected patients for testing them for Hepatitis A or any other ailment.
While the MC authorities claimed that the water being supplied in the area, including that to the houses of the two deceased, was fit for drinking, DHO Dr RL Bassan today said the MC had not taken samples in a right manner. “So we had to take sample again today,” he said adding that 4,000 chlorine tablets were distributed
today. Dr Bassal suggested, “The affected persons should take sweet items and sugarcane juice and stop taking fried food. It is very important to take
rest.” Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti also visited the area. He directed the MC authorities to cut the water lines in gali number 2 and provide residents water through tankers. He asked officials to find out reasons for water contamination. The health authorities also got sent eight more samples for tests (four of these sent to MC laboratory in Jalandhar and four to Chandigarh). They have also taken blood samples of 10 affected patients for testing them for Hepatitis A or any other
ailment.
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Another day of trouble for applicants at transport office
Jalandhar, October 31 The worst affected today were applicants of permanent driving licence. It took applicants nearly one-and-a-half hours to get their turn to reach the main window. Photography of the applicants was also being done at the same counter with a web camera attached at the same window. Even those who had come for presentation of challans before officiating DTO Kehar Singh had to wait for long to make it inside the office. It was total chaos at the cash counter where the applicants had to vie for long to reach the main window and then again struggle for good half an hour to get the copy of the receipt. The number of agents pouring in for getting their work done from underneath the door at this counter was again all-time high. Owing to the strike by the ministerial staff on Monday and Tuesday and public holidays on Wednesday and Thursday, the office could function just on Friday in the last week. Therefore, there were serpentine queues outside all counters.Baljinder Singh, from Adampur standing midway in the queue, said, “I just returned from Greece to resettle in India. On coming to apply for licence here, I was taken aback at so much rush. Still I gathered the courage to line up. After an hour, I have reached at the centre of the queue and just hope that it takes less than an hour to reach the main window.” Tarsem Lal, a septuagenarian, had come to deposit the road tax for a bus of a private company. “I could not stand for long in the queue. Therefore, I preferred to sit down on the bench here. I am waiting for the rush settle down. The public at the counter gets indisciplined and start pushing one another,” he commented. Officiating DTO said, “We have separate counters for permanent licences and cash deposit. I being the only officer can alone handle challan cases. What else can I do?” Transport officer pulled upFollowing reports regarding mismanagement at DTO counters and agents sending in their applications from underneath the door in the Jalandhar Tribune on October 29, Jaskiran Singh, secretary, Regional Transport Authority, pulled up the officiating District Transport Officer today and asked him to get the matter checked and submit a report. He asked the officer to ensure that agents are not encouraged or favoured by any means.
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211 traffic violators challaned
Jalandhar, October 31 The violators were challenged for jumping red lights at various crossings from 8 am to 11 am. The police had laid nakas at nine places --- Cool Road crossing, City Hospital Chowk, Gita Mandir Chowk, GNM Chowk, Football Chowk, Kapurthala Chowk, Workshop Chowk, Basti Adda Chowk and GPO Chowk. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic, DS Dhillon, said the majority of violators were schoolchildren. The police had also set up nakas at various places in the city to check overspeeding and drunker driving, the ACP added. During a drive against drunken driving, the police had challaned 11 drivers on Saturday night. On Friday, the police challaned 20 drunken drivers.
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No visas for Pakistan theatre group members
Jalandhar, October 31 The 29-member Ajoka Theatre group headed by director Madeeha Gauhar and her writer husband Shahid Nadeem were scheduled to reach Jalandhar on Monday to stage 'Rang De Basanti Chola' play on martyr Bhagat Singh on the concluding day of the four-day Mela Gadhari Babya Da at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall on November 1. The general secretary of Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Committee Dr Raghbir Kaur said, "She had sent a list of the 30 artists along with their addresses and passport details to Joint Secretary, Foreigners, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, for clearance for the visa process as instructed by the Indian High Commission authorities in Pakistan to the group head Madeeha Gauhar." Dr Raghbir Kaur said she had sent the list to the Joint Secretary, Foreigners, on September 29 but she has not received any reply from the Home Ministry till date. Earlier in her mail sent to Dr Raghbir Kaur on September 28, Madeeha Gauhar thanked her for inviting Ajoka Theatre to perform during the festival. She said her group would love to perform during the festival and had sent a list with the details of the group members for the political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs for the visa process as instructed by the Indian High Commission. Dr Raghbir Kaur said DBYC did not get any response from the Union Home Ministry. "She was in touch with Ajoka Theatre representatives, one of them informed me on Monday itself that their file for visa had not been cleared by Indian High Commission." She said the artists of the same group had been sanctioned visas to stage a play Bullah during a cultural festival at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall a few years ago. Dr Raghbir Kaur mentioned this fact in her recent letter written to the Union Home Ministry. Night of a marathon of plays
Director Kewal Dhaliwal's Manch Rangmanch Amritsar group will stage "Katha Kashmir" (on Kashmir problem), Prof Ajmer Aulakh's group Lok Kala Manch Mansa will stage play Pagri Sambhal Jatta, Prof Ankur Sharma's group Yuva Manch will stage Gulzar's play Kharashein and Anita Shabdeesh's Suchetak Rangmanch Mohali will stage Rabindra Nath Tagore's play
"Lal Kaner".
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PUDA auction a flop show, no response once again
Jalandhar, October 31 Not even one bidder turned up for the six shop-cum-flats and 10 booths around Gandhi Vanita Ashram. Property dealers have put the blame on the higher reserve price fixed for the properties. The Punjab Urban Development Authority had fixed the reserve price of each shop-cum-flats measuring 151.4 sq metres at Rs 88,804 per sq metre. The reserve price for each booth measuring 27.86 sq metres was kept at Rs 98,660 per sq metre. While the Estate Officer, Punjab Urban Development Authority, Ganesh Kumar, continues to blame a slump in the market for the same, the city-based realtors have a different point of view. Anil Chopra, a property developer, said, “It is all due to the wrong policies of the Punjab Urban Development Authority. They do not have any set parameters to fix the reserve price. The area around the site has failed to develop as a commercial hub. The residential plots around the area are going for only Rs 5 lakh a marla in the market.” Money mattersProperty dealers have put the blame on the higher reserve price fixed for the properties. PUDA had fixed the reserve price of each shop-cum-flats measuring 151.4 sq metres at Rs 88,804 per sq metre. The reserve price for each booth measuring 27.86 sq metres was kept at Rs 98,660 per sq metre.
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Commuters’ safety a casualty at traffic diversions
Jalandhar, October 31 Term it the shortsightedness on part of the authorities concerned or a lack of coordination between the engineering wing of the district administration and the traffic police, it is the common man who is bearing the
brunt. Scores of such spots, including traffic light points have been proving a nightmare for commuters. The rate of accidents has also increased at these points over the last five years, as per the police
records. Though the city traffic police has even named these points as ‘black spots’ and have even put up signboards, accidents have not decreased so far.
While the traffic police claims to have been taking up the issue ‘of engineering faults in road-laying’ with the Public Works Department (PWD), the PWD authorities, however, clarify that the roads were laid before taking connectivity and volume of traffic into
consideration. ACP (Traffic) DS Dhillon says he has raised the issue of faults road engineering in various meetings with the officers of the district administration several times.
A faulty diversion, under the Khalsa Railway Over Bridge (ROB), reflects the negligence of the authorities. Here, vehicles coming from BSF Chowk and heading towards Garha Road often collide with the vehicles coming from Garha Road, heading towards Cantonment area, said Parminder Singh, a shopkeeper of Model
Town. Interestingly, the traffic police and the PWD authorities even have put up sing boards which indicate wrong directions and mislead motorists, claimed Monti Sehgal, a city based
businessman. The police instead of easing the road users prefers to collect money in shape of challans, he
said. The BMC flyover is another major example of the slackness of the authorities. Constructed to reduce traffic congestion at the most congested intersection of the City at BMC Chowk, the flyover is proving a white elephant as it failed to serve the purpose.
“This is perhaps the only overbridge in the region having traffic lights under it and that too guarded by a team of traffic police personnel throughout the day,” says Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Meethapur
locality. While only the vehicles coming from the Nam Dev Chowk towards the ISBT use the overbridge, the vehicles travelling on the reverse route have to cross the old traffic-light-point under the same
overbridge. Motorists heading towards Namdev Chowk, who mistakenly climb the overbridge, land in New Jawahar Nagar in front of Apeejay
College. These are not only the two projects that have come up in the city and the government have spent a huge amount on them but there are scores of other such places which instead of easing the public have come death traps.
Executive Engineer, PWD (B&R), BS Tuli said, “There is no engineering fault. People are to be blamed for the mishaps. They take wrong turns and do not follow traffic rules.” — BS Tuli, xen, PWD (B&R), jalandhar I have raised the issue of faults in road engineering during various meetings with the officers of the district administration several times — DS Dhillon, Acp (traffic), Jalandhar
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Rural students debate govt’s education policy
Jalandhar, October 31 Even as the shopkeepers sat at stalls with lesser takers, they brushed it off, saying things weren’t much different because mostly the maximum number of buyers were seen during the last two days of the fair. The second day of the Mela Gadri Babeyan Da began with various schoolchildren participating in debate contests on the issue of ‘Present education system and unrest among youth.’ The contest was won by Samir Dhawan (DAV School, Nakodar) and Sachin Bahrti and Jaspreet Kaur stood joint second. As many as 42 students participated in the contest. Students, most of them from rural areas, went as far as to discuss the education policy and vehemently opposed the educational diktats of the government saying the present education was reducing education to commodities. They said it had no place for creativity. The mela, tomorrow, will see painting and quiz contests, a kawi darbar, presentation of two documentaries - Kranti Da Kalakaar Gursharan Singh by Anita Shabdish and Vikas Ki Nonk Pe - in the evening. The third day of the ongoing Mela Gadri Babeyan Da saw painting and quiz contests among school and college students. In the quiz, the teams were asked questions related to various revolts, mutinies and freedom struggles.
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Employee unions start agitations with polls in view
Jalandhar, October 31 At least six unions, including Master cadre union of Education department, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) employees union, Auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) and lady health visitors (LHVs) union, Lab Technicians Union, Safari Karamcharis union or Suvidha centre employees union, have taken to strikes or protests in the recent weeks in the city. Importantly, simultaneous agitations by these unions cause inconvenience to public. Strikes by various unions leave the general public in lurch, said a social activist Rajat Mohindru. Social activist Sanjay Sehgal said, “The political parties in power should consider the demands of various employees unions sympathetically during the first four years and should try to fulfil those demands during that period only. The demands should be taken care of in such a way that the employee unions do not resort to the path of aggressive agitation.” The union leaders should also think several times before observing strike that the general public should not suffer from their acts, he added.
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6 schools qualify for quiz semifinals
Jalandhar, October 31 These teams will compete with 80 other schools in the semifinals. While MGN Public School won the qualifying round, Apeejay School and Guru Amar Dass School were first runners-up and second runners-up, respectively. As many as 272 students (136 teams) from 50 schools from the city and its surrounding areas participated in the event.
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instructions to the Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department (PWD), National Highways, to take stock of the ongoing sewerage laying work and ordered him to make the highway motorable within a few
days.
After last Friday, again it was again a day of heavy rush of applicants at the counters of the District Transport Office in
Jalandhar. Almost all the counters, including those for permanent driving
licence, presentation of challans, renewal of licences and cash collection of licence fee and road tax, had even longer queues with the officials still failing to bother to open additional counters to handle the
situation.
After a zero response to the auction of a commercial chunk of the Punjab Urban Development Authority
(PUDA) at Ladowali Road two weeks ago, the office has also failed to receive any response for its 16 commercial sites at Kapurthala Road, the auction for which was held
today.
Unplanned traffic diversions at many places in the city have not only been misleading the motorists but also proving death traps for a long
time.
MGN Public School (Adarsh Nagar), Guru Amar Dass School, St Joseph’s Convent School, Army Public School, DIPS (Noormehal) and Apeejay School qualified for semifinals of the ‘Limca Book of Records Quiz 2011’ held at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, here
today.