Amritsar, June 7
A total of 50 buses have been sanctioned for the under construction Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), also known as Metro Bus Service Project, for the holy city.

Authorities have already started work on the project in which dedicated elevated roads are being built. However, the work is moving at a snail's pace while the digging up work done on various stretches is posing a serious threat to the commuters.

Municipal corporation (MC) Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said the Union Urban Development Ministry granted its approval for 50 AC buses with each of these costing Rs 90 lakh.

He stated that these roads would run on seven dedicated corridors to be built in the city. Of these corridors, six were expected to be completed by March 2015 and the seventh would be operational by September 2015. Initially, 50 buses had been approved but the original plan envisaged a fleet of 90 air-conditioned metro buses to be deployed in service.

With a total length of 30.73 km, the project is aimed at reducing the traffic mess and bottlenecks in the city. The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has outsourced the construction work for the BRTS to a private concern while the PWD (B&R) Department has been made the execution agency.

The elevated corridors would be built on the Albert road, the Bhandari Bridge Loop, the Bhandari Bridge roundabout to Daburji bypass, the Central Core Hussainpura Chowk to Celebration Mall to Kitchlu Chowk to the Albert Road Junction, the SSSS Chowk to Crystal Chowk, Celebration Mall to NH Bypass, NH Bypass to Verka Canal and ROB at Verka.

The work for constructing elevated roads in the middle of these roads has already been initiated on the GT road, the Batala road and other roads.

A resident of Guru Nanak Pura on the GT road, Chander Mohan, said that the snail pace of the construction work was posing a serious threat to the lives of commuters. At times, the workers engaged in the project left behind piles of gravel, sand and other construction material in the middle of the road. Heaps of such material had contributed to accidents many a time and were accident prone during the night.

According to the design, 2.5 metre-wide columns will be erected in the middle of these roads. An elevated road will be raised on these columns to operate buses. Beneath it, there will be be motor vehicle roads on either side of these columns. Besides, interlocking paver and footpath will be constructed on both sides of the road.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of the Rs 580-crore ambitious project on February 26.

The ambitious project envisaged to provide a complete and ultimate mobility solution to commuters with dedicated runway lanes for high- class buses for rapid transit of commuters besides setting up of adequate bus shelters.

Amritsar, June 7
A day after the violent clash between the radicals and the SGPC task force on the Golden Temple premises, people have condemned the incident and urged political leaders to restrain themselves from indulging in such violent activities inside the Darbar Sahib.

Yesterday’s incident has hurt the sentiments of everyone having faith in the holy shrine, irrespective of their religious affiliations. They pointed out that such incidents should be condemned in the strongest possible words. It had dented the image of the Sikh community in the eyes of the people living in others parts of the country and abroad.

Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon, Director, Guru Granth Sahib Adhyan Centre, Guru Nanak Dev University, while condemning the attack, pointed out that whether radical groups or mainstream politicians, they should not use this pious place for playing politics.

While deploring the incident, Sukhdev Singh Sandhawalia of Kesh Sambhal Sanstha said that the incident had not only witnessed violation of 'maryada' but also tarnished the image of the Sikh community. He said that Sikhs were now attacking their own brothers and that, too, at a place which is the highest temporal seat of the community.

“On the one hand, we view and publicise Sikhs as a peaceful community in the world, but on the other hand, we are brandishing swords and attacking one another in a violent manner. Thousands of people from India and abroad visit the holy shrine. What message are we giving to them?” asked Deep Davinder, a Punjabi writer.

Gurbhej Singh, a local resident, said that the incident had hurt the sentiments and emotions of all people. It had given a wrong message to the people living in other parts of the country. Relatives of one of my friends who were coming to the city for paying obeisance at the Golden Temple got their tickets cancelled as soon as the news of the violent clash was flashed on various news channels.

Amritsar, June 7
Shri Durgiana Committee (SDC) has eventually decided to restore the historical building of Teja Singh Thakur Dwara, located at Jamadar di Haveli, in the arterial lanes of the walled city.

Built during the reign of the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the shrine has been neglected for a long time. Its various parts have fallen apart due to lack of care.

The SDC has earmarked Rs 1 crore for its restoration in this financial year. Being a caretaker of the shrine, the SDC has been spending measly amounts for some years. It has resulted in the physical condition of the temple deteriorating.

The shrine, dedicated to Radha Krishna, is a specimen of the Nagara style of temple architecture prevalent in North India from the ancient period to the medieval times.

Dr Balvinder Singh, noted conservation expert from Guru Ram Das School of Planning in Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), said the temple architecture was an instructive chapter for students of archaeology, architecture and provides a peep into the style and functioning of building construction during the rule of the Maharaja.

The Khalsa Raj under the Maharaja provided a safe haven to the inhabitants of North India, who were repeatedly battered by invasions from Khyber Pass (Afghanistan). Thus, in a period of peace and tranquility, people could spare time to give flight to their creative instincts and liberty of beliefs, said Dr Balvinder.

According to the Nagara style of architecture, the external view of the sanctum sanctorum resembles an upturned cone since it tapers as it rises upward. This structure is called shikhara. The temple is built on the first floor.

On the ground floor, the temple building presents features of the Mohammedan style of architecture. The present condition of the temple offers a deplorable view. Apart from the management of the temple, its sorry state embarrasses the authorities as well.

Notably, the location of the temple in the Jamadar di Haveli also stresses its antiquity as the area once boasted of the residence of Jamadar, a high-ranking official in the 'darbar' of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The haveli belonged to Jamadar Khushal Singh. The haveli exists no longer as a commercial market has come up at the place.

Amritsar, June 7
The supply of bricks to construction sites resumed today with around 80 per cent of brick kiln workers reporting for work despite the tiff between brick kiln owners and workers, which is yet to be resolved.

The District Brick Kiln Owners Association in a meeting with Batha Mazdoor Union held yesterday in the presence of district administration officials had given a notice to annul the earlier agreement as per which they were paying Rs 641 per thousand bricks to moulders.

The association reasoned that as the minimum wages norms bind them to pay a minimum of Rs 543 per thousand bricks they would annul the agreement according to which they were paying more wages if the workers continued with the strike.

Batha Mazdoor Union, a labour organisation having its clout mainly in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, had initiated a strike at all brick kilns demanding Rs 750 per thousand bricks for the moulders.

The strike by the brick kiln workers had created a shortage of bricks for construction works in the district. At least three major instances of clashes between the workers supporting brick kiln owners and the workers union were reported during the past one week.

Mukesh Nanda, president of the District Brick Kiln Owners Association, said, “Most of the workers did not agree with the strike call given by the union as they knew that wage rates in the district are the highest in state.” He said it was the decision of majority of workers to join work even as the final outcome of the strike was awaited.

Meanwhile, the district administration has constituted a four-member committee to mediate between workers’ union and the owners, which will be holding another meeting on June 10 to decide on the issue.

The district has over 250 brick kilns and nearly 70,000 workers are engaged in the industry.

Amritsar, June 7
Seek, strive and excel. With this motto and determination to put words into action, a team of 23 students from National University, Singapore, came to Amritsar to hold a workshop and an educational programme for the students of Citizen's Forum Vidya Mandir School. Headed by their mentor and teacher, Professor Kuldip, the team interacted with children on various activities over a span of two weeks.

"We came here with the prospect of improving the infrastructure and educational resources of the school. We have been working under the Youth Expedition Project, involving our students into charitable and educational expeditions across various countries as an important academic exercise and have carried out similar projects in Thailand and Cambodia. This time, it was Amritsar," explained Professor Kuldip, who did a recce in October last year on the issues that needed immediate attention.

"It's an achievement of sorts when you have children who didn't even know how to use a tooth brush or to operate a computer efficiently. All in a matter of two weeks," said Vishnu, an engineering student from the National University of Singapore.

Breaking the language barrier, the visiting team, comprising mostly Singaporean students, helped the children prepare a cultural performance and a play to highlight the importance of change. "A play titled 'Parivartan' was staged at the end of the workshop at the GNDU with the help of students of Springdales. The 40-minute play focused on social and individual efforts to improve and bring about a desirable change for a better future of the children," said Professor Kuldip.

Honing their own perceptions, the students from Singapore, too, explored cultural sensibilities and social limitations of the country. To generate additional funds for the expedition, the students went on charity drives, washing even cars. "It was a unique experience for us as we bonded with not just the children, but with their families too. The children seemed so curious about learning new things, adapting to the global environment," said Wah Kiat, an MBA graduate and the team leader. He, too, learnt a bit of the culture, as he opened the cultural programme with a small speech in Punjabi.

Emphasising on the basics, Professor Kuldip said that he believed that even the biggest of problems had simple solutions. "There is a need to reassess and regenerate the resources and set priorities straight. There is lack of quality teacher-training here and if provided adequate support, things can actually change for the better. We have decided to sponsor a teacher for computer training for these students, as long as it takes to bring about that change."

Connecting at a personal level, the team bonded well with the students. "We came here with a purpose to help these children. It's heart warming to see them accept us and make an effort to connect at every level, despite their limitations and ours as well. That's the spirit of our programme," said Vishnu.

Amritsar, June 7
With the arrest of four persons, the city police today claimed to have busted a gang of robbers, including dismissed cops.

With their arrest, the police solved a robbery case in which a man was robbed of Rs 4 lakh on gun point. The police recovered Rs 3 lakh from their possession.

Among those arrested include Dilbagh Singh, Gurmej Singh, Raj Kumar and Harjinder Singh, who is a dismissed cop from the Punjab Armed Police (PAP).

Two of their accomplices, identified as Vijay Kumar, who is a home guard, and dismissed head constable Harjinder Singh Sodhi were missing.

Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa, SHO, Chheharta police station, said that the accused had robbed Manohar Singh of Raj Avenue located at Ghanupur Kala of Rs 4 lakh on June 1 when he was returning home. They had looted the cash with a toy pistol which has been recovered from the accused. The police also recovered 200 gm of narcotic powder from their possession, he added.

He said Vijay Kumar and Harjinder Singh Sodhi’s name had figured during the interrogation of the four culprits arrested by the police. He said that raids were being conducted to arrest the absconders.

Meanwhile, the police arrested Harjit Singh and confiscated 100 cans containing 3,500 litres of alcohol from his possession. His three accomplices, identified as Davinder Singh of Chheharta, Sarabjit Singh of Manawala and Swarn Singh of Goindwal, Tarn Taran, were at large and raids were being conducted to arrest them, said Randhawa.

Amritsar, June 7
Questioning the very basis of human relationship, the family structure and the social ethics, ‘Kambhdi Deori’, a short film by Navtej Sandhu, was screened at Holy Heart Presidency School on Loharka Road. The 30-minute film, which was screened for the faculty and students of the school, received a standing ovation. Based on the story by famous Punjabi writer, novelist, Jaswant Singh Kanwal, ‘Kambhdi Deori’ (shivering gateway) explores the abusive relationship between family members and women abuse through a modern story.

“The original story was written in 1959, had the same central theme of abusive relationships and deteriorating family values. By improvising and making it relevant for toady’s time, I tried to weave in a story that will touch every heart and force us to self-introspect,” says Sandhu.

The film explores various themes of broken families, abusive parents, teenage problems, women abuse and insecure relationships. “Unfortunately, this is today’s reality. When you read and hear about the happenings of the world around, one is shocked. While certain things shown in the film will not be easily digestible by the audience, given their in-your-face treatment, one cannot close eyes while staring at social problems,” says Sandhu. While shooting the film in and around Amritsar, Navtej is planning to launch the film very soon.

Amritsar, June 7
Come summer vacations and children can let their creativity flow freely with over a million things to do. For honing their skills and imagination constructively, the Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA) is organising its annual month-long summer art camp and festival, which features several city-based artists.

The purpose of the art camp, to be held from June 9 to July 27, is to create awareness, generate interest and impart knowledge about various contemporary art forms like animation, caricature, calico art, texture designing along with traditional art forms like painting, photography, clay modelling and puppet making etc.

It will have workshops and classes for amateur artistes, children and grown-ups, teaching painting, singing, dancing and other performing and fine art forms. The classes will be held twice a day, from 11 am till 1 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm in the evening.

The regular staff and some locals will be taking painting classes, while dancing and performing arts like theatre and classical dance will be taught by academy artistes. “The camp aims at developing skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. The motive is to offer creative activities and hone the skills of children and adults alike, something that is not taken up voluntarily. All the activities are on offer at a nominal fee. Apart from educational activities, we will also hold entertainment gigs like magic shows and musical and dance performances every weekend,” said Dr PS Grover, general secretary and convener of the art camp.

Popular theatre and film actor Nadira Babbar will inaugurate the camp with her theatre group Ekjute’s critically acclaimed play “Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan”. It was adjudged the best play of the year in 2013.

The summer camp will also act as a live exhibition, with art shows by prominent artistes like Dharminder Sharma, Bhupinder Singh Nanda, Kulwant Singh Gill and 40 national artistes of State Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow. “An exhibition-cum-sale of the paintings and sculptures will also be held, so as to involve the visitors and art lovers into buying art,” said Grover.

Amritsar, June 7
A student of BBK DAV College for Women, Snigdha Arora, bagged first position in the university by scoring 1602/2050 marks in BCom (regular-III) examinations conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University. Another student Geetika stood third by scoring 1531/2050 marks.

Other students Pankhuri Kapur, Khyati Jaidka, Mishi Juneja and Pritika bagged fourth, sixth, 13th and 14th positions, respectively in the university.

College principal Neelam Kamra felicitated the students and motivated them to maintain the good education standards. She applauded the efforts of the Neeru Chadha and Shveta Kapoor, from the Commerce Department.

She recalled that last year, too, students of this course had secured merit positions in the university.

Snigdha Arora, while expressing her gratitude, said, “I thank my principal and teachers for motivating me to work hard. The overall facilities provided by the college like total fee concession, well-equipped computer labs, computerised and richly stacked library etc. has helped me a lot in achieving my goal.”

Meanwhile, students of Sant Singh Sukha Singh College of Commerce for Women, Rajinder Kaur stood second (75.6 per cent), Ashmeet Kaur stood fifth (73.5 per cent) and Darashpreet Kaur stood 10th ( 72.3 per cent) in the BCom (part III) examination conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University.

The college achieved hundred per cent pass percentage, said college director Jagdish Singh. He congratulated the faculty members and the students for their excellent results.

Amritsar, June 7
A state-level delegation of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha today met chief engineer of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in connection with their demands and possible solution for electricity-related problems. The delegation was headed by Satnam Singh Ajnala, state president of the union.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, vice-president of the association, in a statement here, said: “The PSPCL authorities have accepted their demands of providing uninterrupted power supply for at least 10 hours to the farmers. They have also agreed to change the damaged and stolen electricity transformers besides supplying power during day time to tubewells located along the border.”

Randhawa said now the farmers would not have to go to a police station for lodging a complaint regarding stealing of transformers.

They would only inform the SDO of the PSPCL, who would further approach the police for the necessary action. He said the Powercom had also accepted their other demands.

However, their demands regarding continuation of VDS scheme, de-loading of overloaded transformers, providing temporary tubewell connections during paddy season, providing tubewell connections to farmers who had made barren lands cultivable without any ownership condition, free power up to 200 units for landless farmers would be taken up at the government level for solution.

The farmers had staged a dharna outside the chief engineer’s office a few days ago, following which the PSPCL authorities and the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha delegation had called for a meeting.