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MC dept lying defunct
Encroachments mar beauty of PUDA complex
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Day I: Polio drops administered to 1,26,919 children
Road saga — slush, potholes amidst city give hard time to commuters
Residents a harassed lot
Sunshine brings respite to city residents
6 ADCs given power of Deputy Commissioners
Artists showcase talent at 4-day art exhibition
RK, Madhubala come calling
Rajya Sabha MP’s book on saving water released
Phagwara residents claim police inaction
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MC dept lying defunct
Jalandhar, February 24 There are at least 25 cases against the department currently being heard in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, leave aside those being heard in local courts. Even these court cases fail to deter officials. It is only contempt notices or summons for personal appearance to top-rung officials that they are actually scared of. JCBs seen only a day before hearing
Officials can be seen in action taking out their ditch machines every time the date of hearing in a court matter draws near, be it that of road widening of Kuki Dhab, encroachments at Sudama Market, Rainak Bazaar and Sheikhan Bazar, illegal dairies in the city, jhuggis along road leading to Gujral Nagar or encroachments along scheduled roads. In all such recent cases, action began only when the court took a serious note of the inaction on part of officials. In all such cases, the trick used is to do little action, get quite a few pictures clicked and even use newspaper clippings to save their skin. Even as there are glaring violations with an estimated 98 per cent of the buildings flouting bylaws, the officials of the department prefer to maintain silence over the matter and let illegalities happen for reasons better known to them. Every time they are asked about the issue, they have political interference and lack of bureaucratic backing to blame. Parking lots being used illegally
Residents are much annoyed at the parking of vehicles by visitors to private hospitals and shopping malls in front of their houses. On a PIL filed against seven hospitals in the city illegally using their basements for reasons other than parking, the court has asked the MC officials to act within three months. Earlier, too, a case regarding the illegal construction of as many as 26 private hospitals in a planned scheme of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust at Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar was raked up by a city-based resident. The hospitals had come up without paying the CLU and getting their building plans sanctioned and had no parking provision. The case remained in much limelight. However, the complainant later chose to withdraw. Ever since, the MC officials have also stopped paying any heed to the matter. No action on marriage palaces
Recently all 55 marriage palaces falling in the purview of the MC had been found to be illegally constructed without the levy of the CLU, permission and sanction of building plan. None of them have adequate parking provision. This data, too, came up after the high court had passed the directions to the DC. Ever since, the officials have not paid any heed to proceed against any of the palace, leave aside any check on city hotels which, too, are devoid of parking provisions. Poor maintenance of records
What further ails the department most is the poor maintenance of records. The department has not got any database of plans approved, completion certificates issued or any other details computerised. A fire incident of the department about seven years ago had also led to officials losing a huge volume of documents. It is difficult to look out for any data even if the date of sanction of plan and file number are available. Can become most resourceful dept
The building branch or the town planning department is capable of becoming the most resourceful department of the MC. Even if officials go around charging only composition fee for violations, it can make several crores of rupees. It has several other heads, including those for CLU and sanction of plans, through which it can make a good income. |
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Encroachments mar beauty of PUDA complex
Jalandhar, February 24 Interestingly, the mini parks located in the PUDA complex located near the Suvidha centre on the Ladowali road have virtually been turned into parking lots, as car dealers have started displaying second-hand cars in the parks for resale. Similarly, junk dealers dump their old cars on the footpaths and parking lots opposite Women's Polytechnic College. Before the issuance of the notices, they used to dump their old cars and other material on the footpaths and parking lots opposite Suvidha Centre, but after the issuance of notices and building pressure by the PUDA authorities, they
removed encroachments from this area and started dumping their cars a few yards away from the earlier place. Earlier, the PUDA authorities had issued notices to junk dealers to mend their ways after the area councillor of ward number 31 Raminder Kaur Dhindsa wrote on October 15 to PUDA Additional Chief Administrator for taking appropriate action for removing the encroachments by the junk dealers at PUDA Complex following Jalandhar Tribune highlighted the nuisance. In its news-items published on October 4 and 16, Jalandhar Tribune had stated that a number of automobile junk dealers, located on the PUDA complex, had encroached |
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Day I: Polio drops administered to 1,26,919 children
Jalandhar, February 24 As many as 2,712 children were fed drops at the ongoing fair in the Buta Mandi area alone on the occasion of the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ravidas. Health teams said 47 per cent of the total target of the pulse polio campaign had been achieved today. Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan said a target to administer polio drops to 2,71,502 children in the age of 0 to 5 had been set for Jalandhar district. He said 1,125 booths had been set up to feed drops to children on Sunday. As many as 2,234 teams shall be feeding drops to the rest of the children on Monday and Tuesday, he added. For areas like the railway station, bus stand, kilns, slums etc, mobile teams had been deputed to feed polio drops to children in the requisite age groups. Officials of the health department had also supervised the drive in areas like Model Town, New Jawahar Nagar, Basti Danishmandan, 120 Ft. Road, Basti Nau, Kartarpur, Industrial Area, Maqsodan, Ram Nagar, Shahkot, Bilga, Buta Mandi, Bhargo Camp, Basti Sheikh, Lamsher Khas and Jandiala, among others. Earlier in the morning, the pulse polio drive was kickstarted by Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh by feeding drops to children. The Civil Surgeon, along with Dr Harpreet Kaur Mann, Dr Ashwini Sondhi, Dr Aruna, Dr Sangeeta, Dr Kashmiri Lal, Dr Surinder Kumar, among other officials and medical as well as paramedical staff, were present on the occasion.
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Road saga — slush, potholes amidst city give hard time to commuters
Jalandhar, February 24 They mean another day of wading through slush, judging potholes hidden beneath the flood of rainy water, soiled trousers and another day of stuck vehicles down marshy stretches which masquerade as roads. Despite the fact that several areas of the city languish with hideous, broken, potholed (and in many cases non-existent) roads, the recent spell of rains has once again laid bare the MC's claims about providing satisfactory civic amenities to residents. Guru Nanakpura Road, Ladowali Road, Chugitti-Nangal Shama stretch, Tanda Road (especially Hoshiarpur side), PAP to Rama Mandi stretch, Railway Road, Road outside bus stand, Garha Road, Domoriah Bridge (underpass), Kala Sanghian Road and residential areas like Sangam Vihar, Basti Shiekh, Master Gurbanta Singh Marg, Buta Pind, Mitthapur Road, Friends Colony, among others, are in a bad shape. On many of these roads accidents are regular. Sandeep, a resident of the Choti Baradari area, who regularly travels via the Garha Road, says, "There are such big potholes and scattered pebbles on the road that it's impossible to commute on this stretch. The potholes are so deep, leave alone small, even big vehicles run the risk of being stuck. Despite accidents, for ages the road has been left this way." Gurdial Singh, a resident of the Sangam Vihar area, says, "Saying that our road has been flooded with water would be a gross understatement. We do not have mere slush but a virtual quagmire in our area. There are big potholes and during the rains at some places, the road begins resembling a river." Devraj Sharma, another resident of the area, says, "It is difficult to even pass by the area. If our vehicles ever stop, we land in ankle-deep slush. Many people have also fallen. Residents have tried to fix the road by putting in money for repair, but during the rains it all gets back to the same mess." The stretch between Chugitti Road to Nangal Shama is also potholed, broken and slushy. Residents say people indulge in the practice of dumping rubble into potholes which adds to problems. Raj Kumar, a resident of Ghah Mandi, who daily ferries his son to a private school on the Kala Sanghian road, says, "Vehicles slip and children fall regularly on this road, but nothing has been done to fix it. A few yards of the road are so marshy, it is impossible to drive there. Vehicles go deeper and deeper into the slush. There are a number of schools on this road. The road is also putting lives of children in jeopardy." Additional Commissioner MC, Kulwinder Singh, while talking to The Tribune, said, "While many of these areas do not fall under our jurisdiction, there are others on which work is slated to begin in March. On some of the roads, like the Kala Sanghian road, some stretches are under us, where work has already begun. Other stretches of the roads are under the B & R department. While work on the Tanda Road is also supposed to begin in March, the part of the GT Road, beyond Lamma Pind, is not under us. The underpass of Domoriah Bridge is also under the Railways." "However, there are many areas falling under us on which we shall get work begun in March. There are about 10 to 15 roads, which include Chugitti and Kala Snaghian Road, on which work shall start soon. Some roads need 30 to 40 per cent repairs. Patchwork as well as other work will be started on them in March." "While work on many of these was allotted for now, due to inclement weather this February, it will be only in March that this work will start," he added. While jurisdiction issues are a valid as well as a convenient excuse, some department has to own up the responsibility of getting work done on the notorious stretches of the city. If the departments concerned have ignored these for years, the MC should at least initiate a reminder to them to rescue harried residents from their years' of plight.
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Residents a harassed lot
Phagwara, February 24 This is so because the powers of transfer of the registration certificate of any old vehicle on the name of a new buyer, earlier given to all Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been withdrawn. When contacted, Phagwara SDM Pritpaul Singh confirmed the development and said a circular sent by Secretary, Transport, Mandeep Singh to all Deputy Commissioners, District Transport Officers, SDMs and even to State Transport Commissioner, which was received by Phagwara Office on January 28 last month, clarified that neither any SDM could register any new non-commercial vehicle nor could he or she be empowered to transfer any sold or purchased old vehicle. He said now the SDMs could be empowered only to issue driving licenses of non-commercial vehicles. All SDMs had also been instructed in the circular to immediately transfer the entire records of the registered vehicles to the concerned DTO offices for early preparation of computerised data of the record. Advocate Lalit Chopra, said people had to face much inconvenience as all sellers and buyers of vehicles would have to travel to their respective district head quarters only to transfer their vehicles. When contacted, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash said he would make efforts to solve the problems of the people and would soon talk to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. CPS Parkash said meanwhile he would also find out a temporary alternative for the people. |
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Sunshine brings respite to city residents
Jalandhar, February 24 The maximum temperature also increased by several degrees due to bright sun during the day. The maximum temperature in Adampur near Jalandhar was registered at 21.3 degree Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature was 9.1 degree Celsius. The lowest temperature was registered in Halwara at 11.1 degree Celsius . According to the forecast by the meteorological department, the sky would remain partly cloudy during the next 24 hours.
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6 ADCs given power of Deputy Commissioners
Phagwara, February 24 In a notification issued by the Chief Secretary Punjab Rakesh Singh on Tuesday, Satish Kumar Singla, PCS, who was appointed as ADC Phagwara, Supreet Singh Gulati, ADC Amritsar, Varinder Kumar Sharma, ADC Mansa, Vipul Ujwal, ADC Fazilka, Rambir, ADC Mukatsar Sahib and Sonali Giri, ADC Ferozepur, would be empowered to use the powers of the Deputy Commissioner. The step was welcomed by the residents of Phagwara as they were being forced to travel more than 50 km to reach district head quarter Kapurthala for their official works.
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Artists showcase talent at 4-day art exhibition
Jalandhar, February 24 Put up by painters Teena Sharma, Gursharan Kaur, Kuljeet Kaur and Rupinder Kaur Sandhu, the exhibition deals with various themes and includes seven works by each of the artists. While two of them belong to Amritsar, the other two artists belong to Batala. Presently the four painters teach art and craft at private schools and colleges at Amritsar. This is their second exhibition. The girls said they planned to hold an exhibition at Chandigarh as well. While Teena Sharma showcased her series, including paintings about freedom, decay, bondage, blind faith and the Delhi rape case, Gursharan Kaur presented her series on women labourers through her tribal figures. Rupinder Kaur and Kuljeet Kaur have both talked about love and emotions, employing Radha-Krishna imagery to drive home their message. The ‘budding artists’, as they call themselves, stressed upon the need for a better art environment and opportunities in the state so that young art enthusiasts could get a fairer chance to express themselves.
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RK, Madhubala come calling
Jalandhar, February 23 The show, which has gained popularity among audiences of all age groups and critics in a short span, has crossed 200 episodes and has still managed to keep viewers hooked. The lead actors, Vivian Dsena and Drashti Dhami, visited Jalandhar to talk about their love-hate relationship. Talking about his character, Superstar Rishabh Kundra (RK), aka Vivian Dsena, said “I believe that one grows as an actor only by getting into the skin of the character. I have always experimented with my looks, which have helped me embody the persona of my character. I am more than happy to play such an outrageous character which not only helps me grow as an actor but is also liked by my fans.” Madhu (Drashti Dhami) said “Being a part of a show as intense and grand as Madhubala is a great feeling. Every day I am on the sets, I learn something new about myself through Madhu. Playing a character who is always trying to strike a chord with all that is going on around her is a learning experience for me." The story
Stubborn, arrogant and proud, Superstar RK always got what he wanted in life. And what he wanted was to avenge the humiliation he had faced at the hands of Madhubala, a simple girl-next-door with simple dreams. In an act of revenge by RK, the two get into an incomplete marriage with only four pheras but RK starts falling in love with Madhubala after marriage and Madhu reciprocates his feeling after seeing a change in him as a person. But when they decide to take the complete seven pheras, RK claims his revenge and breaks Madhu’s heart. Madhu is now thrown back into an abyss where she cannot believe what is real and reel. The show will soon be seeing a drastic change in Madhu and RK’s lives post their split. With the two parting ways and treading their paths individually, weather this separation works for them or not, is what the future course of the serial is all about. |
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Rajya Sabha MP’s book on saving water released
Jalandhar, February 24 Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, at a function at HMV College here on Sunday. Khanna dedicated this book to the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand. BJP state president Kamal Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary KD Bhandari and Mayor Sunil Jyoti were present on the occasion.
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Phagwara residents claim police inaction
Phagwara, February 24 The girl has been missing under mysterious circumstances since February 5. Addressing the protesters, several prominent leaders belonging to the newly formed “action committee for justice” alleged that nothing was being done by the local police, even after the registration of a case in this regard on February 7, in Sadar Police Station, Phagwara. The protesters Sukhdev Singh, Sohan Sehjal, Jaswinder Singh, Surjit Kaur and Darshan Singh also alleged that though the number of policemen was much less than the requirement, the available personnel were being misused by the politicians for their private works. They announced to continue their stir till the culprits were arrested and the girl was traced.
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Jalandhar, February 24
