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City girl bags 7th spot in PCS exam
Police to ensure safe, peaceful Diwali for residents
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Goods worth lakhs of rupees stolen from factory
Medicines donated for gaushala at camp
Fashion designing students organise sale of diyas
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City girl bags 7th spot in PCS exam
Jalandhar, November 2 Having been known for her hard work right since her schooldays, Navneet pursued her schooling from MGN Public
School (Adarsh Nagar), where she also remained the head girl. While she has bagged seventh overall (general) rank in the PCS, she is first among the Backward Class category candidates. She has made it to her rank out of the 40,000 general candidates who appeared in the preliminary exams of the PCS held in November last year. As many as 2,200 of these were selected for the main PCS examination and Navneet was among the final 473 candidates to appear for the final interview. Daughter of a former banker father and schoolteacher mother, Navneet had bagged placement with a prestigious MNC, but remembering the dream of her father, who passed away 10 years ago, to see her in the civil services some day, Navneet took a huge risk when she gave up a lucrative job for the PCS exam. Navneet has done B.Tech (electronics and communication) securing 82 per cent with distinction. She gives due credit to her mother as well. She says, “Life has never been easy for me. And after my father’s death, my mother saw very hard times. It was very difficult for her to be a single mother, but she never made us (Navneet and her brother) feel that. She never lost hope. When I chose to give up my job to prepare for the PCS, she firmly backed my decision and the freedom she gave me has paid off.” Her mother and brother Harpreet Singh were overjoyed at her achievement. She also thanked Jagroop Singh, Principal, Mehr Chand Polytechnic College, Vinod Sharma, PCS teacher, Satwant Gakhal, Director, MGN Public School, and CL Kochar, Director, DAVIET, for their guidance. |
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Police to ensure safe, peaceful Diwali for residents
Jalandhar, November 2 While the city police already made elaborate arrangements in view of ongoing festive season, security has further been tightened for Diwali on Sunday. Talking to The Tribune, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Naresh Dogra said, "Apart from nearly 5,000 policemen of the city commissionerate, led by CP Ram Singh, a number of policemen from the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) and Indian Reserve Police (IRP) have been deployed at various vital points, including city and cantonment railway stations, bus stand and every important chowks, to maintain law and order on Diwali." When The Tribune team visited various parts of the city and railway stations, policemen were seen checking vehicles and luggage of the commuters as a precautionary measure. Security had already been beefed up in the city after blasts in Bihar a few days ago, but it was further tightened, Dogra added. Meanwhile, a social activist, Rajat Mohindru, said, "We salute our policemen for this. As when we celebrate Diwali with our families while sitting at our homes on Sunday, they will be on roads away from their family members to ensure our Diwali to be safe and peaceful." ‘Call us in case of emergency'
“While the policemen will be vigilant on their own, anyone can call us at our control room numbers 100 and 9592918502 or even on my mobile number 9592914103 in case of emergency," says
Naresh Dogra, ADCP. |
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Goods worth lakhs of rupees stolen from factory
Jalandhar, November 2 The thieves struck at Sneha Metal Works in the Industrial Area, manufacturing pipe-fitting conceals. Since there was no guard and no CCTV camera installed, the police is finding it hard to get any clues to nab the thieves. Demanding more security in the area, the owners of neighbouring factories said this was the third theft in the recent past. Owner of the factory Mangat Ram said he had locked the premises at 8.30 pm yesterday. "I got a call at 6.30 am today about the theft. I found that the thieves had made entry from the back of the factory and has taken away gunmetal goods worth Rs 12 lakh, 45 silver coins and Rs 1.2 lakh," Mangat Ram said. The SHO, Division No 8 police station, Kewal Krishan, said the police was investigating to find clues to the incident. A case was registered. |
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It’s boom time for astrologers, tarot card readers
Jalandhar, November 2 It's India's fastest-growing industry. Insecurity, uncertainty, innovation, technology, etc, are the factors for its growth. According to a survey conducted by a leading media house, the astrology market in India has already crossed Rs 100-crore mark in this festive season. “According to Vedic astrology, Diwali is a time when both Sun and Moon are in a very weak position. This is a time when people are believed to be prone to various hazards. This belief is continuously being encashed by 90 per cent of astrologers from the past so many years. Illiterate people approach astrologers for getting remedies for their various problems and literate ones approach them for measure to attain a shortcut to success,” said Gaurav Kocher, Director, Trinetra Institute of Astrology and Vastu. Also, most of the astrologers in the city are occupying the "gaddis" of their ancestors without knowing much about astrology. "With little knowledge they gained by sitting near their forefathers, they continue to befool people and after them their next generation takes charge of their clientele,” said Rita Chhachhi, chief consultant, Kosmic World. According to Sunil Bakshi, an astrology student, there is no dearth of profit-making for astrologers during Diwali. In Jalandhar only, some astrologers are earning more than a lakh everyday. “They are making huge profits by doing consultancy, selling fake stones and other puja items like various "kavachs", "rudrakashs", etc, during Diwali. People blindly trust them and they encash on their belief. Their big-time customers are the politicians and NRIs from the area from, whom they are even earning in dollars,” said Sunil. In the absence of any check, the government is suffering huge losses due to non-filing of income tax by these smart "businessmen". Rangoli artist are also earning huge profit during Diwali. Most of the hotels and restaurants in the city have hired rangoli artists to deck up their lobbies with colourful rangoli designs to lure their guests. These artists are also charging anywhere between Rs 500 to 25,000 per client. Same is the case with tarot cards reading and palmistry. A single appointment by a small-time tarot reader costs somewhere between Rs 500 to 1,100. “Very few people in the city are experts in tarot reading. But being latest in the astrology world, people are getting attracted to it. Interestingly, during Diwali, some youths are even earning quick bucks by downloading software from the internet and providing consultation directly or via internet,” revealed Chhachhi. She, however, also revealed that five days of Diwali festival from Dhanteras are very auspicious, but people should check the authenticity of the astrologer before visiting him. |
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Bogus calls irk fire staff
Jalandhar, November 2 “We have received a call from Kamal Sharma from mobile (9876916431) at 12:51 am on Tuesday stating that there is a huge fire outbreak near CT College in Phulriwal village. I immediately rushed with Fire tender (Pb-08BB 9519) to the spot. To my dismay, I found that there was no fire outbreak in the entire village. I parked the tender in the open field area and called the number from whom I received the call. Firstly, that person kept on dodging me about his actual whereabouts. Later, after much difficulty, when I located him, he apologised and showed his readiness to pay the fine. Since, we don’t have any such authority, I came back quietly,” said Sunil Dutt, Assistant Fire Officer. However, when the Jalandhar Tribune called on the number, the person denied of giving any such call to the Fire Department. But his number has been listed in the call entry register and the daily log diary of the fire department. Surprisingly, the Fire Department, operating with the national emergency number ‘101’ is attending to more than 1,000 fake calls everyday for the last five years, still the district administration failed completely to end their woes. And now, the department is suffering massively due to the mockery of the national emergency number by the localites. Despite all this, the department has not reported the matter to police stating their incapability to deal with the crisis. “They are incapable to handle this. We are facing the fake call problem for the past so many years. We had initially reported the matter to the police and had provided them with the phone numbers also, but they didn’t do anything. We are receiving more than 100 fake calls every day. And now calls about fake fire outbreaks have started coming! With only 13 staffers against the 136, it is very difficult to handle the fire safety of the entire district in this scenario,” said Kashmir Singh, Assistant District Fire Officer. Ill-equipped Fire Department
The Fire Department is struggling with the shortage of staff since 1978, when the government of Punjab made the recruitment for the last time. Presently, there are only 24 staffers in Jalandhar district against the sanctioned 136. Most shockingly, siren and bell system is not working on any of the fire tenders for long. During fire outbreaks, fire men could be seen shouting out of the fire windows to vacate the road ahead. According to the district population figure, the Fire Department requires 16 fire stations, but presently only two sub- stations are working in the entire district with a staff strength of 24. Also, the firemen are not provided with any fire masks and uniform. They rush to the spot in their own personal clothes which are incapable to save them from fire. Also, against the required strength of 17, only 9 fire tenders are in working condition and they, too, are very old. A senior official at the Fire Department confirmed that he would be unable to save any VVIP, including the Chief Minister in case of any bomb blast as the fire tenders are too old and heavy to match the fast moving speed of the VVIP’s car.“We lag far behind en route due to difference in speed and heaviness due to tanks filled with 6,000 litres of water. |
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Hard time for potters as few takers for earthen diyas on Diwali
Jalandhar, November 2 That’s why no one from new generation of the potter-families is ready to join their traditional profession, whereas current and old generations have no option, but to continue with the art of making Diyas, Ghara, Jhajjar, Surahi, Chaati, Gulak, Hatri and so on from the clay. The locality of potters, known as “Ghumaran da Mohalla”, at the JMP chowk on the Sodal road here, earlier had over a dozen families of potters, is now reduced to just five families of a clan. A potter Kala Devi said “We are able to make over 1.5 lakh small and big ‘diyas’ every Diwali and we charge from Rs 20 to 40 for a big diya according to its quality, whereas we sell a dozen small diyas for at least Rs 25. We charge more for painted diyas as we have to pay an extra 60 paise for painting a diya.” Another potter Ram Chander said “Most probably, this is our last generation which is doing this work. Actually, now we have no option for doing any other work and our new generation does not do pottery, and prefer doing other petty works.” When this correspondent visited “Ghumaran da Mohalla”, an aged Raghubir Nath of Gopal Nagar locality came there for purchasing some diyas. In reply to a question, Raghubir said “Everything is changed with the time. Earlier, we used to light Diyas in every nook and corner of our houses on Diwali but nowadays, we purchase them and earthen Hatris just to perform “pooja” (prayer). Now our children prefer to use electric lighting on the festival of lights.” |
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Medicines donated for gaushala at camp
Kapurthala, November 2 On the occasion, SK Goel General Manager PNB, was the chief guest. Goel emphasised upon the need to keep cows healthy by giving balance diet and proper medicines. Bansal said under CSR activities in the district, bank had earlier organised cattle health check-up camps at Thatha village. In the camp, about 150 cattle were treated and provided medicines. Other social activities organised by PNB during this year include distribution of free school bags and note books to poor students, distribution of 10 ceiling fans and two pedestal fans to "Kusht Ashram". Bansal said bank was now in the process of giving water filters to schools so that students may get quality drinking water. The bank is also running Rural Self Employment Training Institute at Kapurthala in which free training in EDP/Skill development is provided to unemployed rural youth. So far, bank has given training to 254 youth and 94 of them have been settled through bank loan and self finance, said the officials. |
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from schools & colleges
Jalandhar, November 2 Students of the PG Department of Textile Designing of the previous batch and BSc Fashion Designing and PG Department of Fashion Designing students of current batch put up the joint effect which received on over-whelming response. On this occasion the students also exhibited diyas and paintings depicting diwali festival. The effects of these creative young entrepreneurs were lauded in the form of brisk sales. Diwali festival
Students of SPPS Convent School, Begowal celebrated 'Diwali Festival' with great fevour. Students decorated their classrooms beautifully. Students showcased their creativity by making rangoli and cards. Chairman, Mr Jasbir Singh motivated the students not to use crackers to save environment and wished happy and safe Diwali to all the students. Principal Romila Sharma laid emphasis on the significance of Diwali and also wished happy and prosperous Diwali to all the students and teachers. Classes LKG Jasmine (Pre-Primary Wing), V Daffodil (Primary Wing) and XII (Senior Wing) bagged the honour of the best decorated classes. The purpose of the celebration was to develop the feeling of respect and honour towards the customs and traditions of the country. Diwali celebrated
The St Soldier group of Institutions celebrated Diwali with the messages " Green Diwali, Crackers-free Diwali, Pollution-free Diwali" at Pingla Ghar and Apahaj Ashram. Vice-chairperson Mrs Sangeeta Chopra bless all the children and distributed sweets, Diwali gifts to them. Mrs Chopra gifted plants as Diwali gifts to Pingla Ghar and asked all the students to plant more and more trees to save environment. Students also made beautiful rangolies on the ground. Blood donation
Over 50 students and teachers here at Lyallpur Khalsa College donated blood, in a blood donation camp organised in the college campus today, in association with the district Red Cross. Speaking on the occasion Principal of the college Dr GS Samra said the youth could contribute most effectively in this field, thus saving lives of millions; and it was the need of the hour that academic institutions came forward to spread awareness regarding blood donation. He added that college regularly organises public health awareness programmes and this camp was one more step in this direction. The occasion was witnessed by the presence of Secretary Red Cross S Paramjit Singh and the students and staff of the college. Gold medal
Students from MGN Public School, Adarsh Nagar, Jalandhar city participated in state level Lawn Tennis Competition held at Shivalik Public School, Ropar. Jagnoor Singh in group under-14 bagged gold medal at state level, while in Under-19 Gursharan Singh Makkar bagged the second position and Aneet Kaur got the third position. |
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