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MC contractors yet to get arrears
Unmanned railway level crossings turn into death trap
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Police yet to destroy narcotics
Travel agent held for duping woman
Debt drives youth to suicide
Lohri celebrated across city
campus Notes
Pre-Budget hike in rail fares flayed
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MC contractors yet to get arrears
Jalandhar, January 11 Sources say the MC contractors are yet to get their arrears to the tune of
Rs 33 crore for the works they have completed several months ago. As a result of this, these contractors are reluctant to float any tenders for MC works furthermore. Reached for a comment, Mayor Sunil Jyoti said, “The arrears of MC contractors were Rs 46.5 crore when I joined the office. Of the total pending amount, Rs 13.5 crore has already been paid to them from October to December 31.” Claiming that the contractors’ remaining arrears will not be any hindrance in executing various development works in the city, the Mayor said the arrears of Rs 33 crore would be paid to them in the next two or three months. Questions have been raised regarding realisation of the claims of MC about starting and completion of various prestigious projects during 2013 in the absence of paying all the pending dues to the contractors. The Mayor, while accompanied by MC Commissioner Vinay Bublani, Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia and Deputy Mayor Arwinder Kaur Oberoi, had said on January 1 that the much-publicised renovation project of Nehru Garden that was hanging fire for over two years would be completed soon after the monsoon season this year. Jyoti also said the construction of Burlton Park project would be started by the end of this year. He said the horticulture branch of the MC had been asked to achieve the target of giving the city a greener look in 2013. “Apart from planting saplings in various areas of the city, specific parts will be beautified with landscaping,” he added. “The civic body has also decided ask the corporate sector and educational institutions to adopt roundabouts and particular patches of various roads with a view to beautify them in lieu of allowing them to put their hoarding in that area,” the Mayor said. Besides, three footbridges will be built near DAV College, Khalsa College and APJ College for pedestrians, he added. The construction of the Chandan Nagar project would also be started this year after completing the process of acquiring the land in this regard. |
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Unmanned railway level crossings turn into death trap
Jalandhar, January 11 Though the state government claims to have taken several initiatives to complete certain railway overbridges across Punjab, including the one opposite Khalsa College here, many are still unmanned. Records reveal there are 342 level crossings under the GRP, Jalandhar, out of which just 115 are manned. The much-needed Chandan Nagar railway under-bridge and bridges at Adda Hoshiarpur, Guru Nanak Pura level crossing, Chuggitti level crossing are some of the major bottlenecks on the city entry points. The decade-long demand of city residents had forced the administration to construct a railway over/underbridge which was also an election issue during the 2007 and 2012 Assembly elections. A notification was issued in this regard two years ago by the leaders but the problem still persists. “It has not only put the residents to a great hardship but it is also affecting the business of local traders adversely,” Naresh Kumar, a trader based in Central Town, said. Many of these level crossings remain closed most of the time as more than 160 trains cross the Jalandhar-Ferozepur and Jalandhar-Amritsar routes every day. Risking lives
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Police yet to destroy narcotics
Jalandhar, January 11
The narcotics that police has seized since 2007 in cases registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and are pending at various courts (pre-trial and post-trial) are to be destroyed after the permission of the courts concerned. Highly placed sources in the police revealed that the district (rural) police had already completed all the legal formalities in this regard and have got permission from the top brass. They also have procured go-ahead from the Punjab Pollution Control Board officials, the sources added. These narcotics comprise poppy, poppy husk, smack, ganja, charas and synthetic drugs such as capsules, injections, bottles and powder. The substances were seized in 362 cases (pre-trial) and 93 cases (post-trial) under the NDPS Act. Police records reveal that 167 quintals of poppy, 2.500 kg smack, 1.12 kg ganja, 9.263 kg charas, 2,119 capsules, 775 injections, 140 bottles and 1.111 kg powder will be destroyed. Superintendent of Police (detective) Rajinder Singh said the decision to destroy the narcotics in Amritsar had been cancelled. Since the government has set up its own incinerator in Kapurthala, the narcotics will now be destroyed there in the presence of members of a committee, he added.
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Jewellery worth Rs 32.24 lakh confiscated, 1 held
Jalandhar, January 11 Acting on a tip off, the sleuths of department laid a trap at the Cantonment railway station and detained Hitesh Kumar, a passenger who was on his way back to Mumbai from Amritsar. They recovered valuables worth lakhs from Hitesh without any documents and confiscated them. Assistance Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), GS Tiwana said the suspect not only failed to produce any valid documents relating to the sale and purchase of gold but was also unable to produce any clearance certificates issued by the department concerned at the Amritsar railways station or airport. The department imposed a penalty of Rs 16.12 lakh in addition to taxes about Rs 32,000 on the man, he said. The department has also initiated proceedings under Section 51 of the Punjab Vat Act, 2005, against Hitesh and his firm, Tiwana added. Preliminary investigation said Hitesh used to carry jewellery in bulk from Mumbai and would sell it in retail in this part of the region. The official said the accused, however, did not disclose the names of the people for whom he was working. The department has started investigation in this regard.
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Travel agent held for duping woman
Phagwara, January 11 The victim in her complaint to the police alleged that she gave her passport and Rs 3.50 lakh in December 2011, but neither the accused sent her abroad nor returned the money and passport to her. Superintendent of Police HPS Khakh said the police had recovered her passport from the accused. He added that the accused was produced before the local Judicial Magistrate who sent him to one-day police remand for further interrogation.
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Debt drives youth to suicide
Jalandhar, January 11 The police said the victim, Ravi, had borrowed money from a moneylender in the past. He took the extreme step after he was unable to pay back the money to the said person. The police said the deceased’s brother Raju noticed his body hanging with the ceiling fan at 8 am following which he raised an alarm. After receiving information, the police reached the spot. Family members told the police that Ravi was under depression for some time as he was not able to repay his loan. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination was conducted at the Civil Hospital. Inquest proceedings in the case have been initiated, the police informed.
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Lohri celebrations reflecting social issues
Jalandhar, January 11 The ways chosen by the city folk this year to celebrate
Lohri, hence are an obvious reflection of social issues or ills that weigh heavy on the minds of
society. Lohri for the girl child and against drug addiction remain two of the most popular themes for the festival this year among social organisations and groups. While some groups have celebrated Lohri against drug addiction in the city, countless families and social organisations will be celebrating Lohri for the girl child this year. Punjab Bachao
Morcha, an organisation, celebrated Lohri against drugs this year and they burnt symbols of drugs and addictive medicines in the fire, which they lit on the occasion. Deepak Bali, a member of the Punjab Jagriti
Manch, which is a part of the morcha, said: “The motive of organising such a special Lohri is to spread awareness among youth about the drug crisis. The effort is to make them a part of the cause against drugs.” While about 100 persons from different walks of life, irrespective of their social or political backgrounds, joined the cause for Lohri against drugs today, the group would also be holding a “chetna rally” on the issue on January 22. Civil Surgeon RL
Bassan, who has also seen as a part of Lohri against drugs, said: “In Punjab, drugs are one of the biggest demons that we are facing today. Crime has gone up due to drugs and rise in accidents are also a result of people driving in an inebriated state.” “While Lohri has its origin in Punjabi folklore, the binding of the festival with meaningful social issues, makes people take notice. From the medical point of view, too, I am concerned about both issues of female foeticide and addiction. And we are making all efforts to curb addiction. The new de-addiction centre coming up in the city is also one of the measures to tackle addiction in the city more effectively,” he added. As far as celebrating Lohri for the girl child is concerned, while the trend has been popular for many years in Punjab now, the recent incidents hitting national headlines and the worries about the recent imbalances in the male-female ratio have added meaning to the Lohri for the girl child. While one of the city educational institutes announced that it shall be providing free education to girls born on
Lohri, another Lohri for the girl child was also celebrated by some residential committees and
organisations. Deepak Bhargav, a parent of a girl child, who will be celebrating his daughter Vibha Bhargav’s (who was born on December 26 2012) first Lohri this year, said: “There are different reasons why people celebrate Lohri for the girl child. While a trend in rising Lohri celebrations for the girl child itself is no guarantee of the end of social evils and perversion in society, I have personally felt that Lohri is indeed instrumental in changing the mindsets of people.” “In our neighbourhood many people have been celebrating Lohri for the girl child and it has a positive effect on the community. It increases respect for girls and women in the minds of people and spreads happiness,” Deepak added. The Rotary Club celebrated Lohri by distributing floor mats among students of a National Child Labour Project school. “Children of the club members were made to collect money by singing the old Lohri folk tunes during a Lohri function on January 10th. The money thus collected went into buying floor mats of the NCLP school. The students, who had been sitting on cold floors were visibly happy and gifted cards to the children who collected the money,” said a member of the club. While, the CT group, a city educational institute, made a promise to provide free education to girls born on
Lohri, St Soldiers Educational Institute provided tips on self defence to its girl students during the Lohri celebrations. |
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Lohri celebrated across city
Jalandhar, January 11 The festival was also celebrated at Seth Hukam Chand SD Public Senior Secondary School, Sangal Sohal-Variana on the Kapurthala Road with pomp and show. The festival was inaugurated by lighting bonfire. Staff members and students showered it with til, gur and revari on the bonfire. A string of cultural events were also presented. Songs of Lohri filled the campus giving it a cultural touch.
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'Lohri should be celebrated on girls' birth'
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 11 Thereafter the Principal, staff and students enjoyed around the bonfire to the beats of dhol. Principal Madhu Sharma in her speech gave Lohri greetings to teachers and students. She spoke on the need to celebrate this festival not only on the birth of boys but also girls. The whole school was in a festive mood throughout the day.
Cultural
events
Lohri was celebrated in Seth Hukam Chand SD Public Senior Secondary School, Sangal
Sohal-Variana, Jalandhar, with great pomp and show. Manju Arora inaugurated the festival by lighting the bonfire along with staff members and students. A string of cultural events were also presented. Songs of Lohri echoed the campus, giving it a cultural
touch. On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a seminar on the great saint was held at Government High School,
Patara. Held on the subject of Swami Vivekananda's famous Chicago discourses, students from 10 schools participated in the seminar. Students participating in the seminar were awarded certificates and mementoes. School teachers and headmaster Sanjiwan Singh Dadwal were among those present. Gate rally held
On the occasion of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya organised a gate rally. In the morning assembly, Dr. Prem
Sagar, Professor in the music department, told students that they should read books written by Swami Vivekananda so that they should be able to know about him. Principal Dr Rekha Kalia Bhardwaj inspired students. Students were carrying banners, posters and placards of slogans by Swami Vivekananda. Students and staff members were
present. NSS
camp
Kamla Nehru College of Education for Women organised sports activities and a cleanliness drive at the Government Middle School, Chak Hakim, during a NSS camp. Enthusiastic environment was created when college students involved school students in races like back race, 50-metre race and 100-metre race. The prizes were later given to winners. The programme culminated with the expression of thoughts on importance and various aspects of the
NSS. Headmaster Naresh Kumar offered a thanksgiving note to the college staff for contributing in development of the school. Dr Harvinder
Kaur, the college principal, motivated the participants of the camp. |
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Pre-Budget hike in rail fares flayed
Jalandhar, January 11 Kalia, a former minister, demanded to roll back the hike in public interest. |
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Though the authorities had earlier decided to destroy the contraband in an incinerator owned by a private firm in Amritsar, the decision seems to have failed to materialised so far.
