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Property survey to catch defaulters
Bhola drug racket case: Cong protest inconveniences public
regularisation issue
50 city roads to be recarpeted soon
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City traffic police sans masks, cops prone to health hazards
PTU non-teaching staff hold protest
Protest against property tax today
Magician Shankar to perform in city
BSNV Lucknow, GMS Chandigarh enter semifinals
3 snatchers held
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Property survey to catch defaulters
Jalandhar, January 16 Since the data collection being done by a private company is half-way through, the authorities have decided that the input so collected would be used to compare the same with the property tax payments received, water and sewage connection bills and the issuance of trade licences so that the defaulters and under-value payments could be quickly assessed and action taken against them. There are an estimated 2 lakh properties in the city from which the office is endeavouring to make cent per cent recoveries. Officials of Delhi-based company CE Infosytem Pvt Ltd, doing the project under its flagship project Map My India, will be getting Rs 29.90 per property from the MC. The company officials today presented a demonstration of the software to the MC officials, apprising them of various user-friendly benefits of the same. The company staff has been collecting various attributes of each property like plot size, covered area, floors constructed, mobile number of the owner, property tax ID, quality of road on which it falls and streetlight points around it. For the assessment, the MC authorities had divided the 60 wards of the city into 20 sectors such that each sector included three wards. The field work and data compilation for 10 sectors from sectors 7 to 14, 16 and 19 have already been done. The field work for sectors 1, 2, 3, 17 and 18, too, has been done by the company staff even as the entry of the same is still being done. While the company will provide a unique number to each property, the scope of the work does not include putting up a number plate. The MC is in the process of getting issued a fresh tender for the same and seeking an approval for it in the House meeting scheduled next week so that the work of installing plates could be done. A similar project had also been started about three years ago when data collected from the field was mapped with satellite imagery using Global Information Technique. The project, started by Noida-based RMSI company, had to be left midway, as there was a problem in mapping the data. During the course of the data collection, the MC had nabbed hundreds of house tax defaulters and illegal water connection holders. Even notices had been issued to such defaulters for the levy of the pending dues. The contractor was to be paid Rs 20 for each of the built-up properties and Rs 18 for each of the vacant plots for getting a two-page proforma filled. MC Commissioner Manpreet Singh Chhatwal said he hoped the survey would prove handy in a number of ways.
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Bhola drug racket case: Cong protest inconveniences public
Jalandhar, January 16 The commuters had no choice but to wait for over two hours to cross the stretch or alight from their vehicles with their luggage and walk as long as 5 km to the bus stand. Since the Congress workers had laid siege to the city’s main PAP Chowk, from where all inter-state buses or other vehicules cross to enter the city, there was a long traffic jam near the chowk. It was observed that commuters ferrying in buses were a harried a lot, as they faced huge inconvenience to reach their destinations. Passengers had to walk on foot to reach the bus stand. A large number of vehicles got stuck at PAP Chowk for over two hours. Some commuters opted to enter the city through Pathankot Chowk or other alternative routes. Although the Congress workers lifted the protest at 2 pm, the traffic still took half an hour to get back in normal mode. The worst was that the jam also hit school education. Police DAV Public School was kept shut today. The authorities of Cambridge International School and Mayor World School chose to close their schools prior to the normal school timings to ensure that the transportation of the students was not affected.
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Marriage palaces in a tizzy
Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 16 The JDA had formed a policy on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and even started the process of the regularisation of palaces about an year ago, but the palace owners had approached the court demanding relaxation in norms and various dues that were being levied from them. JDA Chief Administrator said the matter would be taken up during a meeting convened by the Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, in Chandigarh on January 22 when a strategy for the same would be chalked out. The JDA had earlier asked the palace owners falling in its ambit to submit their applications along with the proof of ownership and detailed building plans in the office of the District Town Planner. About 10 palaces which had not applied for regularisation had been even sealed on the orders of the then CA JDA Supreet Gulati. The scrutiny of the applications and details provided by the owners had then been circulated to the departments concerned, including forest, PPCB, PWD, PSPCL and fire, seeking their NOC and comments on the matter. Former Additional CA Sarojini Gautam Sharda had even convened meetings of the officials concerned with the palace owners and individually taken up the cases of each such premises.The District Town Planner had then been appointed as the nodal officer for the job. A scrutiny committee headed by the CA of the JDA had been formed to give its verdict and ask the palace owners to deposit the requisite CLU, external development charges, urban development fund and other charges.
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50 city roads to be recarpeted soon
Jalandhar, January 16
The B&R wing of the Municipal Corporation is coming up with estimates to the tune of Rs 49 crore with which all main roads, including parts of Nakodar Road, Kapurthala Road, GT Road and other roads falling in the city limits, would be relaid. Mayor Sunil Jyoti said he could not do much about the condition of roads in the past two years owing to severe financial crunch, but it has now become a thing of the past. “We are in the process of getting works of various departments done at a cost of Rs 60 crore, primarily including B&R works. Adding to it the Rs 13.5 crore coming via the MLA discretionary quota, we hope that the city would be well spruced up with works done for all departments,” he said. Assigning delay in the starting of the process, he said, “There had been an extremely low recovery of just Rs 2 crore a month from various departments and the remaining expenses being borne by way of VAT share of Rs 12 crore a month. This probably happened as we were in the process of switching over from house tax to property tax and there had been a few flip flops. But now we are pretty comfortable, have made all pending payments to contractors and will get works expedited at the earliest. I am in the process of seeking estimates from all departments and will get these cleared at a House meeting likely to be held next week.” The condition of the roads in the city has been pathetic so far. The worst is the condition of the Kapurthala Road stretch falling in Basti Bawa Khel where the potholes have made the life of hundreds of daily commuters extremely miserable. Several employees of Pushpa Gujral Science City and Punjab Technical University daily commuting from Jalandhar have said that the distance which they could commute in about half an hour consumed their precious 10 minutes more daily while making them risk their lives. Garha Road, at the rear of the bus stand, too, has been a problem for commuters daily crossing it over. The stretch near BSF Chowk, too, badly requires repair work.
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City traffic police sans masks, cops prone to health hazards
Jalandhar, January 16
Traffic cops deployed at some prominent crossings in the city are exposed to a high level of pollution during the duty hours. Despite requesting the traffic department to issue masks, traffic policemen have alleged that nothing has been done by the department in this regard for long. Even senior traffic police officials confirmed that they had placed the demand for masks with the authorities, but they were waiting for the stock to come. During a visit to various traffic points like BSF Chowk, PAP Chowk, Football Chowk, outside ISBT, Rama Mandi Chowk, Pathankot Chowk, it was found that not a single traffic cop was wearing a mask. When asked the reason for not wearing the same, they said the department had not provided them masks. Traffic cops said they were exposed to various health hazards like respiratory infections, heart diseases and lung cancer etc. Many said to avoid this "hell-like duty", they were trying to get themselves transferred to other departments. A traffic cop, discharging duty at BSF Chowk, said many of his colleagues were suffering from asthma and other respiratory infections, but they had no option but to discharge their duty. "We have to stand in dust, pollution for over eight hours in a day, but our seniors are not worried about our health. Many a time, we have requested our seniors to provide us masks, but nothing moved except their hollow promises," a traffic policeman revealed. On asked why traffic cops were not wearing masks, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Mohinder Singh, admitted that the department had no stock of masks as of now, but he had already placed demand for the same. "Two weeks ago, there was a meeting of senior traffic officials in which he had raised the issue of masks. Officials have promised us to fulfil our demand soon," Singh said, adding that he would also ask the traffic cops discharging their duty at prominent places to arrange masks for themselves at their own level until their demand was met. Experts said discharging duty under such circumstances might cause respiratory problems, coughing, wheezing, asthma and even lung cancer.
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PTU non-teaching staff hold protest
Kapurthala, January 16 The association members assembled at the main entrance of the university and lodged a strong protest against the authorities for not resolving their pending demands. They also raised slogans against the authorities and criticised them for giving a cold shoulder to their demands. Yadwinder Singh Randhawa, said the association had been protesting against the authorities for not promoting them even after 13 to 14 years of service. The authorities even did not invite them for the function today and ‘hired’ audience to make the function a ‘success," he alleged. The association has been demanding cancellation of advertisements of the PIT/PIM and PTU regarding new appointments, promotion to C and D category staff, a check on the misuse of delegated financial powers of the PTU officers, termination of services of adhoc/fixed officers, including ATPO, consultants and counsellor of university, check on the payments made to trusts/societies and certain others. They said the association had given a memorandum of their demands to the Vice-Chancellor on January 3, but to no avail. To press their demands, the association wore black badges and boycotted today’s function, the association president said. The association has warned the authorities to fulfil their demands soon or face the consequences.
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Protest against property tax today
Jalandhar, January 16 Jaswinder Singh Bhogal said while inflation and taxes had already caused much trouble to the common man under the Badal government in the state, regularisation and property taxes had added burden on the people of Punjab who are reeling under unemployment. While criticising the government they said the government would keep raising this tax as per district collector rates every year causing trouble to the people and making them tenants in their own homes. Following this the government is planning to levy tax on village properties, subsidised kitchen gas cylinder's prices have been raised to Rs 1,313 and petrol, diesel rates were also ever rising, they said. The party leaders asked the people to reach reach Kartarpur to make the protest a success tomorrow.
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Magician Shankar to perform in city
Jalandhar, January 16 Addressing a press conference, he said this was his third visit to the city. "People will get more entertainment, as I have come with more innovative tricks and magic," he said. He reiterated his desire to set up an academy, which will give training to the budding magicians. "High level of concentration and perseverance is required to become a perfect magician," he added.
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BSNV Lucknow, GMS Chandigarh enter semifinals
Jalandhar, January 16
In the second match, by taking advantage of a 5 series goals, Government Model School (GMS), Chandigarh entered the semifinals by defeating Government Raj School, Sangrur at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium here today. The first hatrick of the tournament was scored by Manish Yadav of Lucknow team. In the first match between the Lucknow and Delhi teams, the game started with both displaying equal strength in the game. However, the actual action started when Sumit Kumar of the Lucknow team sounded the board in the 10th minute. In the 18th minute, Sahil Kumar consolidated the score by 2-0. In the 33rd minute, Kuldeep Singh of the Delhi team managed to reduce the margin by 1-2. But after this, Manish Yadav enthralled the spectators with his quick hatrick by striking continuously in the 43rd, 45th and 49th minute of the game. Later, in the 62nd and the 66th minute, Sahil Kumar pushed the score to 7-1. After this, the goal scored by Rahul for Delhi could not prove any help to the capital city. In the second quarterfinal, Govt Model School, Chandigarh beat Govt Raj School Sangrur by 9-4. Sangrur took lead in 8th minute with the goal of Navpreet Singh. In the 12th minute Mandeep Mor equalised for Chandigarh. In the 16th minute Gagadeep Singh took lead for Sangrur. In the 19th minute Gurjeet Singh equalised (2-2). After that Chandigarh lads gave no chance to Sangrur boys. Showing spectacular game, they scored five goals in a row. Later, Maninderjit Singh in the 20th minute, Jasdeep Singh 21st minute, Milanpreet Singh 41st minute and Mandeep Mor 52nd minute scored (7-2). However, Karan reduced the score for Sangrur in the 52nd minute (3-7). Hartaj Singh scored for Chandigarh in the 59th minute (8-3). Harish Bawa scored for Sangrur (4-8) in the last few minutes. Mandeep Mor completed the tally for Chandigarh (9-4) in the 63rd minute. Dope test to be conducted on players from next year The management of S Balwant Singh Kapur Hockey tournament has decided to conduct dope test of the players from the next edition which will be held in 2015. While revealing this to Jalandhar Tribune, Harbhajan Singh, President of the tournament committee said since the tournament was organised for boys who were below 17 years, dope test had become important as this age was most prone to drug use in the state. . Presently around 15 teams from all over India are participating in the tournament every year from the last 10 years. Although, the tournament is being recognised by the International Hockey Federation, it has never conducted dope test on the players so far. But now, the committee is shortly going to get in touch with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in New Delhi to initiate the process. Khadur Sahib, Sangrur are the wonder teams According to the spectators who are coming to witness the tournament from the last 10 years said the teams of Khadur Sahib and Sangrur had undergone exceptional transformation in these years. “I am associated with the tournament since its beginning. In all these years, these two teams have undergone complete transformation. Untill few years back, they were showing average performance and were out of the tournament in the league matches only. But in the last two years, they are playing the semifinals and even the final matches also,” said Ripudaman Singh, International Hockey player.
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3 snatchers held
Jalandhar January 16 The accused have been identified as Amrik Singh, alias Vicky, of Janak Nagar, Narinder Singh, alias Nindi, and Kuldip Singh, both residents of the Basti Nou locality. Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a specific spot and nabbed the accused. All of them were history-sheeters and wanted in various incidents of loot, snatching and theft. |
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