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RTS Act fails to serve purpose
Four of family crushed to death under mini-truck
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16 challaned for drunk driving
Aided school teachers threaten to intensify agitation
Music makes the world go round for this cloth trader
PTU win in badminton tourney
from schools
Seminar on defence communication concludes
Workshop for teachers
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RTS Act fails to serve purpose
Jalandhar, November 3 The Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) is the most laggard department in this case. Even as there are seven services offered by the Trust which fall in the ambit of the Act, the office is yet to display a board for the awareness of visitors. While the Trust is also expected to designate an official for handling all applications for these services, it has failed to do so. This despite the fact that Divisional Commissioner Anurag Verma and Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti have time and again held review meetings for the implementation of the Act and directed the departments to fall in line. JIT chairman Baljit Singh Neelamahal had an excuse: “We got the pamphlets of the RTS Act carrying the template for board yesterday. We will shortly place an order for the same.” The Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) has put up a board highlighting eight services, their time schedule and the designated official for each under the Act, but in a ‘smart move’, it has dropped an important section from it (see picture). The board does not mention as to who is the appellate authority before whom the complaint is to be lodged in case the applicants do not get services in the mentioned timeframe. When contacted, JDA chief administrator Parveen Kumar said: “We will get these details added soon. We have a single window system already in place and have been offering services within the timeframe.” The social welfare office which is to cater to two services, including approval for social security to the elderly, handicapped and widows, and issuing ID cards to the handicapped, has also not put up any board outside the office. It is perhaps because of such reasons that not even a single complaint has been registered under the Act in the eight districts of the Jalandhar division. Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti said he got one complaint but the service mentioned did not fall in the list prescribed in the Act. Tehsildars have put up boards outside their offices just two days ago. The department, however, is yet to start a register for entering any applications received for seven services to be provided by them under the Act. When contacted, District Revenue Officer-cum-officiating Tehsildar-I Darbara Singh said: “I have asked office clerks to enter the names of all applicants in a register.” However, clerks in his office said they had not yet started maintaining any register for the same. Asked if any receipts were being issued to the applicants with dates mentioned for starting of timeframe for the service, he said: “We do not have any provision of receipts. We, however, ask the visitors to note down a number for any further reference.” Tehsildar-II Yash Pal Sharma quipped: “What better service can we provide? We are giving attested copies of fards and deed registries to the applicants in less than 15 minutes, though we have been given a full day to do so. Photography of the applicant in my presence too is being done almost instantaneously.” We are waiting for complaint
I have asked all departments for the strict compliance of the RTS Act. We are waiting for a complaint. Once the complaint comes, disciplinary action would be taken against official concerned and it will come as a deterrent for the rest. — Anurag
Verma, Divisional Commissioner |
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Four of family crushed to death under mini-truck
Jalandhar, November 3 The tragedy struck when two brothers along with their wives were riding their motorcycles. They were on their way back from Bhoorpur village near Tanda. Naresh Kumar, younger brother of the deceased, revealed that his ender brothers Pawan Kumar and Rakesh Kumar along their wives Parveen and Mamta were returning from Bhoorpur village on two motorcycles when a Tata-407, heading towards Kartarpur from Jalandhar, collided head-on with one motorcycle and then subsequently overturned on the other motorcycle leaving Rakesh Kumar dead on the spot. Critically injured Mamta and Parveen, who were rushed to the Kartarpur Civil Hospital, succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Seriously injured Pawan Kumar was rushed to the Jalandhar Civil Hospital. After struggling for life for over 10 hours, he too succumbed to his injuries. Eyewitnesses revealed that locals and the passers-by joined the rescue operation and a crane was used to lift the overturned Tata-407. The injured were then pulled out from under the truck. The truck driver reportedly fled the spot leaving the vehicle behind. He has been identified as Raju, investigating officer ASI Satpal Singh
revealed. The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 304-A and 427 of the IPC against the truck driver at the Maqsudan police station. However, he is still absconding. A pall of gloom descended on Abadpura Mohalla and in Bhoorpur village soon after the news of the death of four members of the family spread. Relatives of the deceased and their neighbours rushed to the accident spot for rescue operation. There were shrikes in the Abadpur Mohalla and Bhoorpur village and the family members were inconsolable. While the male members of the families remained busy in completing the formalities of post-mortem at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital, the shocked women were having stoned eyes. A maternal uncle of the deceased brothers, Rattan revealed that Rakesh and Pawan turned down their advice to stay at their place claiming that they were to rejoin their families at Abadpura Mohalla. The bodies were handed over to the family members after post-mortem. The police has launched a hunt to nab absconding driver after impounding the vehicles involved in the accident. |
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Five more jaundice cases confirmed ‘officially’
Jalandhar, November 3 The health authorities today said that five new jaundice cases had been confirmed in the area, four from Joginder Nagar and one from Baba Budha Ji Nagar, private hospitals said they were still getting patients in large numbers and many new cases were being confirmed. A doctor at one of the private hospitals said he alone had attended to seven jaundice cases in his hospital, not counting the other hospitals, clinics and labs in the area, each of which was receiving 10 to 15 patients on an average. Dr Rajinder Prasad from Raj Kamal Hospital said the number of patients in the area was swelling and the area needed a permanent solution. “We are getting many patients daily. It seems that the main cause of the water contamination has still not been nailed. Unless a new sewerage line is laid and that too on a war footing, there doesn’t seem to be an end to the outbreak. Distribution of tablets is certainly not helping people one bit. People still are consuming contaminated water.” official speak There is no need to relay the entire sewerage system. We have removed damaged lines and are reconnecting pipes at places where we feel there is contamination or mixing. The water supply has been stopped and three tankers supply water to area residents. As soon as the work for laying pipes is over, we will restart the water supply and people will get clean water. — Bhupinder Singh, SDO, Baba Budha Ji Nagar We got many streets cleaned today. I supervised the cleaning work. However, there are some inherent problems in the area. At some places, families of migrant labourers have been disposing of food items and waste and it has blocked the sewerage line. Unless the residents themselves don't take care of their surroundings, problems will arise again. The report of samples sent to Chandigarh is expected in a week. — Lakhbir Singh, Executive Engineer The health teams surveyed 475 houses, 198 in Baba Budha Ji Nagar, 142 in Joginder Nagar and 135 in Ekta Nagar, today and distributed 5,000 chlorine tablets. We also made evening announcements in gurdwaras and temples asking people to drink boiled water. — Satish Kumar, Epidemiologist
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all for a cause
Jalandhar, November 3 Earlier, she had got her application form filled from an unauthorised agent, which resulted in objections from the office. Thanks to the documentation services offered by a group of six ex-servicemen at the RPO that she was able to start afresh. Amanpreet said, “A month ago, I paid Rs 1,000 to get my passport application filled from an agent. He assured me that I need not worry as he will complete all the formalities. Unfortunately, it resulted in further delay. Today, I paid only Rs 20 and sent my application afresh.” This is not the lone case as many such passport applicants, especially those coming from rural areas, usually fall prey to touts. But easy accessibility of ex-servicemen for manual filling of forms has turned out to be of great help. Kulwant Singh, an ex-serviceman on duty at the RPO, said on an average he attends to over plus passport applicants every day. “Not only the illiterate or those from villages, even those coming from urban areas prefer to get their forms filled from us,” he said, adding none of the forms filled by them ever received any objections on account of wrong documentation. Ex-servicemen sitting right at the entrance of the RPO start working from 7 am till 2 pm. “We keep informing passport applicants about our fair services at minimal rates. Now, we too have regular clientele who ensure to get their forms filled from us,” said Balbir Singh, another ex-serviceman from the Air Force. Sukhwant Singh from Nakodar, said, “One of my friends informed me about the services offered by ex-servicemen and I too got my documents completed from them.” Touts charge between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 per passport application. However, ex-servicemen charge meagre Rs 10 to Rs 50 for the same. This service was started by the passport office following the directions of the Ministry of External Affairs to curb nuisance of agents fleecing and misleading applicants. Check on touts
We have decided to take the help of ex-servicemen in filling online passport application forms at the recently started passport seva kendra in the city. They have been of a great help in curbing the menace of touts following which our workload has eased. Moreover, our aim is to gradually make the use of online appointment facility for
applicants. — Perneet Singh, Regional Passport Officer |
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16 challaned for drunk driving
Jalandhar, November 3 The police had laid nakas near Satluj Chowk, near ISBT, Model Town, near PAP Traffic lights point, Namdev Chowk, Madan Floor Mills and Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The ACP (traffic), DS Dhillon, said 16 drivers were found drunk and were tested positive in alchometer tests. They were challaned. One offender was arrested for the offence and his vehicle was also impounded.
— TNS |
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Aided school teachers threaten to intensify agitation
Jalandhar, November 3 Thousands of teachers from 400 aided schools across the state gathered at the Nehru Garden (Company Bagh) today in support of their demands to issue of pensions for retired (after May 2003) aided school teachers and issuance of salaries to many teachers in the state. About 50,000 students in the 53 aided schools of the district did not go to school today because their teachers were on a mass casual leave. Across the state, it was a holiday for five lakh students in aided schools. While continuous mass-leave strikes in December 2007 were the only other occasion when studies had suffered continuously due to such strikes by aided school teachers, this year the only other occasion when they took a leave was during a dharna for which they availed mass half-day leaves in October. NN Saini, general secretary of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union said, “Mass leaves indeed affect students’ studies but the government hasn’t left us with any choice. The education minister hasn’t met us even once during his tenure so far. The education branch in Chandigarh is out of dealing hands and our letters lie unaddressed. There are no pensions or salaries for our teachers.” Addressing the gathering today, state president of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union Gurcharan Singh Chahal said the Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal had first agreed upon their demand for the release of pensions on November 2010. While the employees were earlier told their pensions would be released from April 1 this year and later that they would be released from November 1, nothing has been done so far, Chahal said. He said while teachers’ salaries from January to March were already pending, the salaries from April 2011 till now are yet to be released. The teachers appealed that due to a stop on fresh recruitments since 2003, the state of many of these schools was deplorable. Some of the primary schools had even closed down due to a dearth of teachers. They appealed that the teachers of aided schools should be merged with the government schools on the lines of Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. They said they will carry out protest rallies in the constituencies of the Education Minister, Finance Minister and the Chief Minister if the government doesn’t give in to their demands soon. Teachers take
Mass leaves indeed affect students’ studies but the government hasn’t left us with any choice. The education minister hasn’t met us even once during his tenure so far. The education branch in Chandigarh is out of dealing hands and our letters lie unaddressed. There are no pensions or salaries for our
teachers — NN Saini, general secretary, Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union |
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Music makes the world go round for this cloth trader
Jalandhar, November 3 The video for his latest album ‘Naam Di Rangat’ is being recorded at Delhi-based studio of Sa Re Ga India Limited. The company’s Content Head, North Region, Sriraj Channa, said the VCD of ‘Naam Di Rangat’ would be released soon. It contains seven bhajans dedicated to Lord Rama and Krishna. His earlier VCD ‘Man Hari Se Laga Baithe’ was released by the Super Cassette Industries Ltd, popularly known as T-Series, at a simple function at a temple a few years ago in Kapurthala. An audio album of the same bhajans was also released by T-series earlier. He has also recorded three VCDs of bhajans for the TMC, Phagwara. ‘Man Mandir’, ‘Teri Chah’ and ‘Bandhi Dor Tujhse’ are the titles of my cassettes,” Bathala says. “I keep my profession and passion for singing separate. I devote the right amount of time towards both. So far I have been successful. I feel music gives me peace and happiness,” he says. He developed a passion for singing in his childhood. “My mother, late Lakshmi Devi was a simple, god-fearing woman. She would make us sit together and sing bhajans, while telling us stories from scriptures.” Bathala says. He also sang bhajans whenever he visited his guru’s place at Dera Nangali Sahib in Kurukshetra. “Music is not only about the technical aspects or training. It is also about soul’s pure feelings and spirituality,” he says. About his fourth VCD he says, “I sent a recording of my bhajans to the company, requesting them for a chance to sing bhajans for them and my wish came true. Prakash runs his cloth shop at Amrit Bazar in Kapurthala. He hails from Jalandhar but is settled in Kapurthala a few years ago. Sa Re Ga Ma to release the video of his latest album ‘Naam Di
Rangat’ |
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Punjab police cop rides to victory in Sri Lanka
Jalandhar, November 3 An inspector with the Punjab Police, he won a gold medal in the individual tent pegging lance, tent pegging team lance, tent pegging Indian file and tent pegging team mode. He won a silver medal in the individual lemon and peg events. He is looking forward to the London Olympics 2012 for which he has already began practicing. “I am working hard to win gold in the Olympics,” he added. Jaswinder Singh is presently posted at Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, as Riding Master. He has been providing training to the horse riders in the academy for the past 15 years. Earlier in the Asian Games held at Doha Qatar, he had won a bronze medal. Ever since Jaswinder Singh joined the Punjab Police in 1995, he has won a total of 35 gold medals in various equestrian events. |
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40 meet their mentor to celebrate four decades of his priesthood
Jalandhar, November 3 Ashok one of Father's adopted children has been teaching kids at Kargil for the past many years. Associated with NGO Roshni for the past 23 years, he alone has brought many children from Kargil into the Roshni fold. One of them, Ashok teaches kids, and in Jalandhar, he assists Father Thomas in his official work. His adopted children include Jagtar has been providing employment to 195 normal girls at his Ranglipar village in Ropar. |
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PTU win in badminton tourney
Jalandhar, November 3 In the boys’ category, PTU beat Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. The tournament was inaugurated yesterday in which a total of 76 teams comprising 38 teams each of men and women reported for the badminton tourney. In the first two matches of the girls’ category held yesterday-Allahabad University beat Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, and Garhwal University beat GADVASU, Ludhiana. |
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from colleges
Apeejay College of Fine Arts bagged the first position at the inter-zonal youth festival of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, for the 12 th time consecutively.
College principal Dr Sucharita has congratulated the students and the faculty members for their performance.
The college students bagged first position in 21 items of the youth fest. Seminar held
A four-day long research seminar for the students of M. Ed was held at Government College of Education from October 31 to November 3. Dr Achla Bhatia, the Head of the Post Graduate department of Education delivered the keynote address on this occasion. Cultural event
A show of melodies was held at the local Prem Chand Markanda SD College for Women in association with SPICMACAY in which Santoor player Tarun Bhattacharya performed. On this occasion some of the college students also presented their classical performances. Blood camp
BD Arya Girls College, Jalandhar Cantt organised a blood donation camp in which 50 units of blood were collected. Dr Avtar Chand, Medical Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, was the chief guest. |
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from schools
Mayor World School, Urban Estate, Jalandhar, organised a dance carnival at the school recently. This extravaganza of dance was an attempt to showcase the rich talent of its students. The show was put up by the students of all grades. Bhaiya Dooj
To celebrate the festival of Bhaiya Dooj a colourful function was organised at Mehta Chowk branch of DIPS Public School. More than 200 students took part. Group song
A competition of English group-songs was held at the Urban Estate branch of DIPS Public School, in which more than 100 students of various classes took part. Video conference
The first round of international video conference was organised among 11 students of Kamla Nehru School, Phagwara and 10 students of South Korea. Students of KNPS spoke about Indian culture. |
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Seminar on defence communication concludes
Jalandhar, November 3 Raksha Rajya Mantri MM Pallam Raju inaugurated the seminar on November 2. In his address the minister appreciated the efforts put in by the Corps of Signals and the CII in organising such a forum to address important issues for communication technological development of the Indian Army. The Chief of the Army Staff General VK Singh also graced the occasion. Lt Gen SP Kochhar, Signal Officer-in-Chief, was the key note speaker for the event. |
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Workshop for teachers
Jalandhar, November 3 The district coordinator of science activities Sanjiwan Singh Dadhwal said a male and a female teacher of 102 government middle schools and 48 government-aided schools will take part in the workshop to be held at Fentonganj Girls Senior Secondary School.
— TNS |
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