Civilians reap CSD benefits
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 13 — You can get a bottle of premium whisky, priced at about Rs 1,200 in the market, for only Rs 470, a lakme lipper for Rs 18 and a bottle of 1.5 litres of coca-cola for Rs 32. It sounds an exaggeration but is true.

Those who join the defence services are given such privileges. But these privileges are extended to civilians, thanks to their contacts in the defence forces. The canteen service depots (CSDs), run for defence personnel, provide items at concessional prices compared to market rates.

The security guard posted at the 3 BRD, Sector 31, who opposed the entry of this correspondent, said such privileges were only for those who were sworn to lay their lives for the nation. A visit at the depot showed that an average-sized family bought 20 to 30 cakes of soap, a dozen packets of detergent powder, a couple of shampoo bottles and other things much more than required.

Mr Surjeet Singh Walia, a retired defence officer, says the purchases made by him were not only for his family but also for the families of his sister, brother and parents, who were in civilian jobs. He replied that since he had served the army for so many years, his relatives deserved special facilities.

Mr Ram Sarup says he comes for shopping twice a month as he has to supply rations to the boss of his son. He maintains that everyone talks about moral values of others but there is nothing wrong in helping others.

Wg-Cdr Narinder Singh (retd), a Shaurya Chakra winner, is the manager of the CSD outlet in the city. He says only sales tax is not levied on the goods sold at these depots. He claims that a strict check is maintained at his outlet. He becomes helpless in case the orders came from his seniors, he adds.

Ms Shakti Chakarwati, wife of an air force officer, says it is a barter system. she says her husband has to give a few bottles of liquor to his friends who find it costlier in the market.

Another official of a CSD canteen says although a strict check is maintained at the counter, people purchase stocks to oblige their friends and relatives. He says a bottle of soft drink costs Rs 32, a lipstick of popular brand Rs 18 and a bottle of economy brand of whisky Rs 127 at the canteen.

He clarifies that it is at the discretion of the buyer to sell or gift these goods to someone else but he wants some checks to be introduced. "Action should be taken against those who do it for profit," he adds.

Tough line against Pakistan favoured
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 13 — Reacting with shock and anger at the brutal murder of six Indian soldiers by Pakistan-backed infiltrators, city residents have advocated the adoption of a tough line against the perpetrators of the ghastly act, including paying back in the same coin.

An indignant Charu Singh fumed, "None but Pakistan can commit such a barbaric act". The post-graduate student added, "Pakistan has always been a mischief monger. It's time to teach it a lesson. This incident should be taken up at the international level and efforts renewed to declare Pakistan a terrorist state."

Niharika Monga, a student, said not only should the infiltrators be wiped out but the captured Pakistani soldiers should also be meted the same treatment. "I think that reciprocation will bring us down to their level but something has to be done so that the anger and indignation that the countrymen feel over the incident is wiped out," she opined.

Mr M.M. Bhardwaj, former Economic Adviser to the Punjab Government said that the incident was very unfortunate and against international conventions. "But we must not react in haste. Captured soldiers of any country deserve due honour and respect. Pakistan should be clearly told that such type of irresponsible behaviour would not be tolerated in future," he said.

A retired officer, Col T. S. Sidhu, said, "The captured troops who were killed barbarously were not prisoners of war but operating on their own territory. Every soldier has the option of exercising any means to push back the infiltrators who are endangering the sovereignty of his motherland.

"The record of the Indian Army is exemplary in the treatment meted to prisoners of war. As may as one lakh Pakistani soldiers surrendered during the 1971 war and were treated so nicely that some have even written of their account in their memoirs.

"On other hand, the least the Army could have done was to at least keep the families of those killed informed about the latest developments. The wait would have been agonising for them but I think the sympathies of a grateful nation are with them."

Mr Madan Vohra, a retired officer, condemning the incident, commented that Pakistan was playing a double game. On one hand it was trying to initiate a dialogue while on other hand abetting infiltration.

"In any case no soldier fighting for his country deserves to be maltreated let alone be murdered in cold blood. India should take up the matter in the international community so that the perpetrators are punished," he added.

Prateek, an engineer, supported taking the extreme step of going to war on this issue. "I do not understand why are we still interested in a dialogue. I think our leaders do not want to learn from past follies in such matters, and the result is that the people and the soldiers have to pay for it with their lives," he said.

Mrs Manjit Kaur, a housewife, while condemning the ghastly act, said the families of those killed would be haunted their whole life by the fact that they lost their brave sons, brothers or husbands not in a hail of enemy fire but were slowly and painfully done to death.

She added that the least the nation could do was give a befitting reply and ensure that the families are well looked after. Since the post-mortem was done in the presence of International Red Cross officials, they should take it up at the highest levels so that such incidents do not occur in future.

Mixed response to golf course
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, June 13 — There has been a mixed response from the public towards HUDA’s decision of bringing up an ultra-modern golf course in Sector 3, Panchkula, on the Ambala-Shimla national highway.

Chief Minister Bansi Lal during his visit here in 1997 expressed his opposition to the idea of setting up golf course at Panchkula. After one and a half year of delay, the proposal was finally cleared this year. This 18-hole golf course, based on international standards, will occupy 135 acres along the Ghaggar and involve a huge sum of over Rs 50 crore.

Most of the residents here have expressed disgust over the government’s decision to give a green signal to the project. Many residents feel that this will cater only to the smallest elite and upper class segment of the area and will not benefit the common man.

Mr Suni Dutt Rabra, General Secretary, Residents Welfare Federation, Panchkula, said here that the government was not clear about its priorities and should focus more on welfare measures for the masses.

Many non-government organisations in the town have also opposed the idea of setting up the golf course. They have appealed to the government to ensure proper and adequate utilisation of its resources for the benefit of the public.

Mr Suresh Rohila, President, Gurukul Tenants Welfare Association, said this vast area of 135 acres to be used by HUDA for the golf course could be used for more productive purposes like setting up of government schools, technical institutes, working women hostels, old age homes, housing flats for the economically weaker sections, government college for girls.

“At my age of 73, I don’t think I have the money and energy to play golf, but I do need a place of shelter or an old age home which I think is more essential than playing golf”, said Mr Dewan Tandon, who has been deserted by his sons.

Panchkula, which is regarded as a satellite township, has roughly 65 per cent urban population out of which hardly 2 per cent represent the upper elite. Prof Takulia, a scholar, said such vast areas of public land and funds for this small segment of people for entertainment purposes are not required.

Claims made by the government towards making it a public golf course do not sound correct in the light of the present situation. An average golf kit of 12 sticks costs around Rs 20,000, plus an additional of Rs 50-Rs 100 per day for the caddy and almost 4 to 6 hours of play required to complete a full set of game of 18 holes, which by no means can be afforded by common man, said Col B.N.L. Kaushal, a social worker of the area.

On the other hand, certain rich people in the town feel this golf course would be a milestone in the development of Panchkula and their being rich should not be taken as a disqualification.

Many feel that unauthorised colonies occupying vast areas of HUDA land and inhabited by thousands of families should be rehabilitated and housing societies to be made for the economically weaker sections in large numbers. There are many proposed and functional projects of the government which are starving for lack of funds.

Schools of creative teaching
By Aditya Rishi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 13 — Mrs Ranbir Kaur has gone inside her role. It is fun to watch her, if you don’t make her conscious of her effort. She is playing ‘Nazar the brave’ to a young audience. “Nazar the brave, who fear does not know, killed a thousand with a single blow.” The familiar story-book character comes alive. A story told honestly is realism.

The members of the audience are so young that some of them believe that a tree can be red. A tree can be red, if you are a five-year-old child. Most of us would be embarrassed to make such an admission. But, at this place, nobody is ashamed of personal opinions.

In the guise of fun, something serious is happening in the city. You are unable to recall the last time you saw so many happy children together. You think that there is no explanation for all this, but that is not your fault. Maybe it is time for you to realise the power of a summer school.

It is a pleasure to find that the dichotomy seen in schools has not invaded this place as yet. Juniors and seniors, wimps and smarts, plainfaced and beauty school dropouts, happily coexist. Unlike in schools, children are not known here by labels given to them by uncaring schoolmates.

Here, the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Words come out from the depth of truth. Rabindranath Tagore would have been very happy today.

No, don’t erase them. Let these lines be. The pink little hands of my baby drew these lines, crooked little lines. So what if she could not draw a face? I see her in these lines, I see myself in these lines. This is what famous lyricist and film director Gulzar says in his poem ‘Scribbles’. It holds true for the figure drawn by your daughter in some summer school today.

Summer schools are parenting and teaching children better than families and schools, respectively, this summer. Summer school is deliberate attempt at proving that creative teaching can exist.

“Take out all those animals who do not live in water. Otherwise, they will drown,” says a teacher to children. The call to save water animals gets an enthusiastic response from them. Tiny hands enter the water-tub simultaneously, 20 to 30 at one time, causing a big splash. An unfortunate duck has been taken out of the water and is about to die. It is identified in time to return it to a water world.

A poodle, however, is not so lucky, None has ever seen anything like it, so, it is still floating in water. Don’t worry, these are only plastic toys and will live to see another day. Your child has learnt his lesson well. It proves that to raise creative children, teachers will have to be given creative independence.

It is hard to bring such a creative approach into classroom. Mrs Nita Kapoor knows it. She is a teacher and she has tried it. In summer school, she is innovative, approachable and soft. Back in her school, she will have to concentrate on finishing the syllabus before the term is over.

Art, music, dance, sports are low priority subjects in schools. If children concentrate on these, it upsets futuristic calculations of parents. The education system, in a fit of insensitivity, has removed these subjects from the syllabi. Maybe we really don’t deserve to have artistes and sportsmen. We’ll rather raise sharp, calculative minds, able to give you the square root of 254376 before you blink. They should be smart enough to beat the next version of Microsoft’s artificial intelligence software. The knowledge of Gandhism, poetry of Ghalib and Sahir, classical music, never trickled down to younger generations, but, so what.

Truth is that children never learn the first step in the absence of creative teachers. Most parents do not read stories to their children. Sometimes, a teacher does not like to grade a child’s expressions, but, you like to see grades on your child’s report book.

Some years from now, Arushi will perhaps forget most of whatever happened in the summer school. But she will remember thing that she learnt and the friends which she made here. In school, children are taught to be competitive, their copies are compared with those of others in the class. Fun is serious business when one is young. Robbing children of fun is sadly, not criminal according to the law. Summer school provides students with an opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them, all while having fun.

You are watching children learn about collecting stamps and coins. “I thought philately and numismatics were dead hobbies,” you are thinking. Sensitiveness is still intact in children, despite television and computer games. A sensitive moment in a story is greeted with wide eyes and open mouths. It is time for doomsdayers to relax.

These are truly alive children. They shout, run around and jump on chairs and nobody stops them. But, they are willing to be disciplined. Elder children are teaching younger ones how to make puppets. Tasks are divided according to the age of a child. It is the most satisfying moment for a teacher.

Little Amit has learnt to beat his shyness at the summer school, something he will appreciate later in life. He has learnt that he does not require to extend his hand to seek permission to leave the class. Teachers are on first-name basis with every child. Amit’s shyness was evident from day one since he joined the summer school. To help him overcome this had become a mission for teachers. He is telling everyone story, in English, composed by him. The mission has been accomplished.

Think of summer workshops as schools without grades and syllabi. There are rewards and virtually no punishments. These schools need to be taken more seriously.

Before you are some crooked lines, drawn on a paper by your little daughter. Look closely, and you will find mama, papa and their little girl in these. You hug her tightly, there is no better reward for a child. Don’t forget to drop her tomorrow at the summer school.

‘Chandigarh needs MRTS’
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 13 — “Chandigarh must go for the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS). This is the time when studies must be undertaken to assess the volume and growth in traffic,” suggests Mr Surjit Singh, a former Chief Engineer of Chandigarh.

Mr Surjit Singh had been the last Chief Engineer-cum-Secretary, Engineering Department, in the Chandigarh Administration from Punjab. His association with the city goes back to 1957 when he came here to Punjab Engineering College after doing his F.Sc. from Ludhiana.

From 1957 to 1961, he was a student here and then joined his alma mater as a lecturer. He wanted to be an Assistant Professor and was among three candidates for two positions. But destiny had something else for him. In the last ever common entrance exam for class I jobs in Punjab PWD B&R, he was among 18 successful candidates.

A specialist in designing bridges and pre-fabricated construction technology, Mr Surjit Singh has not only designed some major bridges and fly-overs in Punjab, including a bridge over the Sutlej at Anandpur Sahib and fly-over at Dholewal chowk in Ludhiana, he also had a four-year stint in the Army as part of the Compulsory Services Liability Scheme. There, too, he was associated with some strategic roads and bridges.

In 1988, he came to Chandigarh as Chief Engineer in the Punjab Housing Development Board and also held the office of Housing Commissioner for one year before he was appointed Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration.

The third phase of water supply augmentation scheme and the sector 42 hockey stadium were the major complexes undertaken and completed during his tenure besides several other smaller and routine projects.

“When I came to Chandigarh, there was a temporary bus stand. I used to walk from the Bus Stand to my college. The Sector 11 Government College for Girls and Government College for Men were at the foundation stage. There were hardly any scooters or rickshaws. As a student, I did not even posses a bicycle.”

“There were hardly any facilities for entertainment or recreation here. But now, Chandigarh is a throbbing and fully developed city.

“When I was Chief Engineer and Secretary Engineering in the Chandigarh Administration, it used to be a well-knit organisation which had the capacity to do wonders. It gave me immense pleasure to work here because this was the place where one could deliver the goods. All Circles — public health, electrical, electricity, horticulture, PWD B&R — were under one control. I also had the advantage of my exposure abroad. I had been to Japan to study fly-overs and bridges and maintenance of road networks. I also went to Finland as part of national team on bridges and structural engineering. Before joining Chandigarh, I had been to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia where pre-fabricated technology is increasingly being used.

“When we talk of the future of Chandigarh, I strongly feel that we should not talk of Chandigarh alone but also about its periphery and satellite towns of SAS Nagar, Panchkula and Chandimandir. The planning has to be done for the entire Chandigarh Capital Region complex and not in isolation. You see a house in Sector 61 in Chandigarh is adjoining a house in Phase VII of SAS Nagar. How an urban planner can distinguish and discriminate in provision of basic amenities to the residents of these two houses. There is need for an integrated development plan.

“I am also of the view that population of Chandigarh must be controlled. I often wonder at permanent rehabilitation of the floating population of 2 to 3 lakh which the politicians have been often identifying as construction labour class. Amazingly this is the population which is mostly from the East — Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and surprisingly not from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Most of those rehabilitated are not at all concerned with the development of the city. They are like any other people who are here to earn their livelihood. But why preferential treatment for them. Unfortunately, the city because of its rehabilitation schemes, has been attracting people en masse, which may create a plethora of problems besides overloading the services.”

“At times, one wonders how the system will cope with this pressure on services. For example, the entire sewerage and sullage flows from these colonies and the city to SAS Nagar and other areas. Has anybody thought about it? The only options could be either to strengthen the existing system or provide alternative services.

“But I must tell you that underground services in the city are so complex that no record is available about what has been provided where. Besides, it is costly and can create problems in future. There are so many pipelines, cables, sewer lines, storm water drainage lines and other services underneath the city.”

“Infrastructure development is physical development of city and needs lot of emphasis. The planning has to be done so that the needs of next 20 to 30 years are taken care of. It is not easy to augment the existing services. But now is the time when an integrated development plan is prepared keeping in view the future growth of the city as a complex.

“I also feel that this is the time when preliminary work on MRTS must start. We must start to decongest the city, especially the central sectors, say Sector 17.

Now when we plan to develop sectors 17, 34, 43, 62 and others in a linear system as commercial areas, the MRTS would be ideal to take not only traffic load but also control pollution. The city has the biggest population of old and retired people who need reliable public transport system,” adds Mr Surjit Singh.

He also feels strongly about replacement of traffic rotaries by traffic lights. “These have slowed down the traffic and increased incidence of accidents. For example, if one travels from the Transport Chowk to Mani Majra, one literally curses traffic lights. A flyover besides retaining the existing rotary would have been more practical to facilitate vehicular movement. Segregation of traffic is required.”

He also advocates that talent and experience available in the city should be utilised in future planning and development of the city. “The experience and expertise one has goes with him. All those who have worked here and gained experience can be called, consulted before working out future plans and infrastructure development. Free advice, which is not mandatory, provided it is given in the right earnest and for the further development of the city can help in integrated development” concludes Mr Surjit Singh.

Flats’ possession eludes allottees
By Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 13 — When it comes to delaying the possession of flats to allottees, the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) seems second to none. It has delayed the possession of over 1,700 flats to different categories of allottees in its housing complex to the west of Sector 38.

The CHB had launched five schemes — LIG, MIG, HIG lower, HIG upper and Independent — in 1996. There was an overwhelming response to the schemes. The CHB had raked in crores, first from the sales of prospectuses and then from the receipt of instalments from successful applicants.

While each allottee has deposited lakhs with the board in the past about three years, possession of houses eludes them. As most of the allottees are tenants, their financial problems have been compounded by the delay.

Mr Raman Sharma, an HIG lower category allottee, had deposited Rs 4.4 lakh with the board. He deposited the last instalment of Rs 1 lakh in August last year. Since then there was no communication form the board regarding the possession of house.

An MIG allottee, who did not wish to be named, says he had been paying a monthly rent of Rs 4,500 for his house. The board, a public sector undertaking, should at least watch the interests of the public and not prolong the project for years, he says, urging the board to give possession immediately.

According to sources, possession is likely to be delayed further as the draw of lots for the allotment of house numbers is yet to be held. The board has conducted the draw of lots only for the LIG category.

The possession has been delayed as the Chandigarh Administration is yet to complete internal works. Telephone and electricity cables are yet to be laid. Services like roads are complete.

With the monsoon round the corner, the completion of various works might be delayed. The CHB has completed the flats.

It is not for the first time that the possession has been delayed. In 1997, the possession of 504 MIG flats in Sector 61 was delayed for months as the PUDA delayed providing the flats with outfall facility for sewerage.

Surviving one year with problems
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, June 13 — With over one year of its existence, the Mini Secretariat in Sector 1, Panchkula, has survived with all its problems, regardless of inconveniences caused to the public.

Inaugurated in April, 1998, by the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, the Mini Secretariat was built at a cost of about Rs 4 crore. This building is spread over 9.09 acres and was built seven months behind the scheduled time.

The foremost problem lies with the non-availability of lifts in the building, to which the Chief Minister also regretted at the time of its inauguration. He had promised adequate measures to overcome this problem. Till date, no lift has been installed in the building. ''his complex is a three-storeyed structure and every day hundreds of old and handicapped persons come here and face a lot of inconvenience while moving up and down,'' said one of the infirm person.

The building is devoid of any fire-fighting systems as well to tackle any fire hazard in the complex. The minimum precautions against fire such as functional fire extinguishers, handy water and sand buckets are also non-existent. Besides, the building has only one way to go up and come down and has no alternative stairs, ramp or an emergency exit in case of a crisis. According to the in charge of the fire station at Panchkula, a fire-fighting system should be incorporated at the time of designing of a building. The Mini Secretariat is occupied and is without any fire safety system which can some day lead to a serious catastrophe.

The public also feels greatly harassed when most of the time they do not find anybody to attend to them at the reception and enquiry counter. There are 18 government departments in the complex but it has only one canteen, good enough to accommodate not more than five persons. The canteen is functioning in a dilapidated building.

Sewer pipes on the second floor of the complex are blocked for over one month and no action has been taken to solve the problem, causing great inconvenience to the staff and the public.

There are two entry points to Mini Secretariat and none of these have any traffic lights, making these terminals accident-prone. Also, there are no adequate security checks at the terminals nor are there any metal detectors outside or inside the building, making it vulnerable to security hazards.

Further, there are no adequate arrangements for the public to sit outside various departments. Many people who come from distant places in clusters, slog outside the complex in the heat. These problems have been overlooked so far.