Mobile phones poised for big leap
By A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — Introduction of CPP (calling party pays) system from the first of next month may lead to a rapid expansion in the number of mobile cellphone users in the Union Territory of Chandigarh as also in the rest of the region.

Mobile phone operators say that the existing system under which a mobile phone subscribers had to pay even for the incoming calls made to him by others was unfair and was proving to be a big stumbling block in the rapid spread of the cellphone culture. There are no such charges on land lines operated by DoT. Now that the DoT has undertaken to introduce the CPP from August 1, it would provide a level playing field to the mobile phone operators. Hence, the expectation of a quantum jump in the number of mobile phone subscribers in the region.

This in turn is likely to put more pressure on the pagers services available in the Union Territory and elsewhere. According to an estimate by market watchers, there are about 20,000 pagers in Chandigarh of which about 12,000 are active. As compared to this, there are approximately 14,000 active mobile subscribers. In Punjab, there would be approximately 40,000 pagers as compared to approximately 60,000 active mobile phone subscribers. The penetration of mobile phones is now increasing at a much faster rate than pagers. One mobile operating company claims to add over 4000 new subscribers every month to its 50,000 strong base of customers.

The mobile phone has obvious advantages over the pager which is seen as a limited communication device. A mobile phone on the other hand is an interactive tool that allows an effective two-way communication.

The pager , in the first few months of introduction, penetrated rapidly in the market since it was the only device available for businessmen and executives on the move. The need to stay in touch among them was paramount while their occupation or interests required them to be mobile. Mobile phones at that point of time were not available and even if they were, the handset prices restricted their penetration to a limited few.

In such a scenario pagers penetrated rapidly in the market to satisfy the market's latest need for mobility while being in touch. However, the situation has changed significantly in the last 18 months or so in Punjab. Some of the mobile phone operators offered attractive schemes to customers to address the issue of high cost of the handset to go mobile. At the same time,handset manufacturers started introducing models at prices that suited the Indian market. These joint initiatives helped the customers to acquire a mobile phone connection at prices that met their budgets, resulting in mobile phone population exceeding that of pagers in a short span of time.

Stock exchange in for bad days
By Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 —The Northern India Stock Exchange (NISE) here, one of the leading stock exchanges in the region, appears to have fallen on bad days.

The stock exchange, which was the hub of activity in the wake of upswing in the share market before the securities scam in 1992, is now a shadow of its former self. Though the volume of transaction has increased, yet a number of small-time brokers, who jumped on to the bandwagon with a view to making a quick buck, have virtually vanished.

The almost continuous downward slide in the share market after 1992 except for a brief period in 1994, coupled with stringent guidelines by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the registration of the share brokers, has taken its toll with only professional and sound share brokers staying in the field.

Brokers highlighted that with the trading going online it had become a must for the brokers to install computer terminals costing over Rs 20 lakh. “The huge cost of the infrastructure and the stringent guidelines regarding the registration of brokers have acted as entry barriers for many a person wishing to enter the trade with the result that it was now the survival of the fittest,” said Mr V Kumar, a leading broker. About 10 parties in the city are reported to have the computer terminals for the online trading. The NISE also has the online facility for its members.

Since over 90 per cent of the trading was done through the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the “local trading” had been relegated to the background. As the online trading was fair and less expensive, there was more scope for speculation now, informed Mr Kumar, adding that even the foreign institutional investors (FIIs) preferred the online trading.

With trading becoming transparent, there was less scope for underhand dealings now which were possible in boom period in the early nineties when the share market peaked up. At that time many a shady character had entered the ring to earn the quick buck. A majority of them left the trade and took to other professions in the wake of the changed unfavourable scenario later on.

Another reason why the NISE has lost its former glory was the fact that it was no longer necessary for the brokers to have offices on the premises of stock exchange. Now you can operate from your own office but only condition was that you should be registered with SEBI, informs another broker.

The President of the NISE, Mr Vijay Sharma, when contacted, admitted that the number of active members had come down by about one -fourth. With the slump in the market there were not enough funds for playing “satta”, he added.

He supported the view that the huge cost of infrastructure might be one of the reasons for decline in the number active members.

Few NGOs take up welfare schemes
By Sonoo Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — The City Beautiful has a plethora of social organisations, social activists and also social activities in the name of helping the poor, needy and the down-trodden. And to aid such projects the city also has the Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board, which was set up in 1977 to implement the programmes of the Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi.

Surprisingly since the Board was set up, only about 15 non-government organisations (NGOs) of Chandigarh have been availing financial assistance under various schemes, though more than 40 NGOs are registered societies. And there seems to be little coordination between the Board and the NGOs.

The Board on its part has some “very nice-sounding” projects which it would like various NGOs to take up, but which never seem to have been touched by most NGOs, like handloom training and production units or setting up of production units with agricultural background.

Interestingly, though some of the non-aided NGOs do carry out various social projects with the help of their own private fundings, most of these organisations are running more as less as counselling centres and function from residential areas. These organisations were difficult to get through on telephones.

The Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board on its part does not even have a directory etc of either aided or non-aided NGOs.

In fact, it was to promote social welfare activities and implement voluntary programmes for women, children and the handicapped through voluntary organisations, that the Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi, set up machinery in states to advise the administration of its aided schemes.

Mrs Kamla Sharma, former Mayor and the present Chairperson of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Advisory Board said, “All these years, the projects and schemes being run by the Board and the financial assistance available for the same had not been advertised at all. This I observed even when I was only a member of the Board. Now we have already advertised for the same and have also already received some applications”.

The Board runs various schemes like creches for children of working women and ailing mothers, condensed courses of education for women; vocational training for women, socio-economic programmes for needy and destitute women and the physically handicapped, family counselling centres awareness generation projects for rural and poor women and hostels for working women.

The Board recently even took a list of vocational courses which could be run by NGOs. But since these new courses do not fall into the traditional sewing and embroidery vocations, the Board said very few NGOs were ready to take these up. The new list includes vocations related to commerce and business, engineering, home science and based on textiles and even para-medical.

A non-aided NGO, ‘Progressive educational society’, Sector 15, which is essentially a counselling centre for students, married couples and the aged, was registered almost 10 years ago. According to its President, Dr M. L. Dosajh, the society did not even know that it could get help in the form of financial assistance from the Board. “We recently even approached the Himachal Pradesh government for assistance. Meanwhile, we are also running a project on pets in collaboration with a US-based doctor”, he added.

This counselling centre also charges a token fee from those who come for counselling, “depending on the severity of the case and the financial background”. The society also claims to have opened schools for the deaf and the dumb and also stitching and embroidery classes at Dadu Majra village for which a token fee of Rs 18 to Rs 20 is charged.

Meanwhile, another NGO, Servants of the People Society, Sector 15, was being provided with financial assistance from the Board till the year 1996-97, which was later stopped. According to the society, for the year 1997-98, the Board said “due to budgetary constraints the funds have not been made available by the Centre”. Also for 1998-99 their letter for financial aid was “not accommodated” and sent back without any reply. This year, the Board has written to them and asked them to submit projects for which they want financial assistance.

According to Mr Onkar Chand, Secretary, Servants of the People Society, Chandigarh, this organisation, which runs a children’s library, a free homeopathic dispensary, a yoga counselling centre, a drug awareness and counselling centre, a personal counselling centre besides many other welfare projects, raises funds privately, through donation and contributions.

But Mrs Kamla Sharma insists that with the Board advertising its programmes of assistance and policy procedures, more NGOs and newer projects would definitely come up for the Board to assist and aid.

Poor sanitation makes residents sore
From Kulwinder Sangha

SAS NAGAR July 6 — Sanitation in the town is getting inadequate attention with garbage often seen littered at various places and residents complaining of safai karamcharis not cleaning lanes for long periods.

Residents are sore at the Municipal Council authorities making only feeble efforts to ensure cleanliness. Garbage is not being removed at short intervals on a regular basis, they say, and during the monsoon in particular the stench from garbage containers put in various phases becomes unbearable. Pigs and stray cows can often be seen rummaging about at the sites of garbage containers, adding to the insanitary conditions. Rag-pickers, too, litter garbage at container sites making life miserable for the residents of nearby houses.

With employees of the civic body’s sanitation wing claiming staff shortage and the council itself failing to implement a proposal cleared by it a few months ago to privatise sanitation work, the residents find themselves at the receiving end. However, council officials say matters could be made better if residents themselves also made efforts to keep their localities clean by throwing litter at the specified places. A little more civic sense would go a long way in making the town a cleaner place, they plead.

Mrs Manmohan Kaur, a municipal councillor of Phase II, said there was filth all around in her ward and she had to complain to the council on Monday, and today some sanitation wing staff had turned up.

She said she had complained about garbage heaps several times over the past six months but to no avail. Safai karamcharis, she said, did clean lanes regularly, but the lifting of garbage had been neglected. The stench and flies affected nearby houses and passersby. The council, she said, had cleared funds for the maintenance of sanitation wing vehicles and various chemicals used in sanitation work. It was regrettable that one could hardly see the use of the recommended chemicals anywhere, she added.

Mr Amrik Singh, a municipal councillor of Phase XI, said in his ward there were only three garbage containers which were cleaned on a weekly basis. Safai karamcharis, he complained, sometimes did not clean lanes for the entire month.

Sanitation wing employees said out of their total strength of 120 only 25 persons could be put on the job of garbage removal. Despite the staff shortage, nearly 15 persons were working, in violation of the rules, at the houses of various officials, including those of the Department of Local Government. Besides, on an average at least 10 different employees took leave every day.

The employees further said the council had two dumper placers, one refuse collector and two tractor-trailers. Tyres of these vehicles were almost worn out and often went flat affecting work. They said the government had banned the use of DDT and other chemicals and only bleaching powder could be used.

Mr Harinder Pal Singh Billa, civic body President, admitted that sanitation work had been neglected as many employees were busy visiting Local Government office in Chandigarh as the”time for transfers” had come. He had warned the staff that strict action would be taken against anybody found absent.

Mr Yash Goel, Executive Officer, who has just joined duty after being transferred from Mandi Gobindgarh, said top priority would be given to sanitation work, streetlights and water supply.

Unregulated construction work
poses threat
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH July 6 — Haphazard construction work in and around Zirakpur is posing a threat to human life. At certain places, little attention is being paid to safety norms.

Though a notified area committee (NAC) for the development of Zirakpur and its surrounding villages has been constituted, the absence of any regulatory authority has caused concern among people. At several places, houses and shops have been built near power transmission lines.

The high-tension cables pose a great threat to human life as these can affect anything at the distance of more than 6 feet. A resident said though he was aware of the risk of such power lines, he bought a plot at the instance of a property dealer, who assured him that the electricity poles would be shifted soon. But even after three years, nothing had been done, he lamented.

Sources in the electricity department said this was in their knowledge. The department could shift the power lines if the person or persons involved paid for the expenses incurred in the process, the sources said.

Residents demand that members of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat should be appointed and its work started without any delay. Several godowns on the Chandigarh-New Delhi highway are developed without any fire safety measures. These godowns are mainly owned by different business establishments. These poorly constructed storehouses can cause a big tragedy if safety norms are not adopted.

Trend towards model schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH July 6 — On the second day of admission to the science stream of Class XI in the government schools of the city held at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 23, all seats in GMSSS-37 and GMSSS-33 were filled in the non-medical stream, here today. The cut-off percentages in these schools were 76.4 and 31.6, respectively. In the medical stream, admission to GMSSS-16 and GMSSS-35 closed with cut-off percentages of 79.2 and 74.5, respectively.

Today’s trend was towards admissions to model schools with few takers for non-model schools which saw a marginal fall in results this year. Till last year, in GGSSS-18, the cut-off percentage was usually above 80. However, this year, students with percentage of 70 to 80 have been admitted to the school and there are still some vacant seats in the school.

While admissions to the science stream will continue tomorrow also, admissions to the commerce courses will also commence at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22. Students with 80 per cent and above marks in the general category and those who have applied in the reserved category will be interviewed on the first day of admission to 1,080 commerce seats in 10 schools of the city. Also, those with 60 per cent and above marks will be interviewed for admission to the science stream at the allotted venues.