Unsung heroes of Kargil battle it out
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — They are among the few unsung heroes who have defied death to return to safe hands back home traversing an arduous journey from the battle front to the hospital and are gunning for more action.

The wounded from the Dras-Kargil axis, which is witnessing fierce fighting between the Indian Army and the Pakistani infiltrators, are convalescing at Command Hospital, Western Command, Chandi Mandir.

Naik Chhering Tundup of the Ladakh Scouts, is all smiles despite an amputated right hand and a shoulder injury. " Our company was operating in the Nubra Valley and one day we were directed to secure a feature at 10,000 feet which was at the same height as the well dug enemy."

Recalling that chilly evening, he said they came under heavy enemy fire and there were some casualties as most of them were exposed. The enemy was determined to dislodge them and opened up with their heavy guns. One of the shells burst near him and he received injuries that reduced his hand to a stump.

The 30-year-old soldier knows that he will find the going tough on civvy street but he says proudly, "I have fulfilled an opportunity to perform a duty of not only serving the motherland but also proved that the Ladakhis are second to none."

Lance Naik Shatrughan Singh, narrates a tale of determination and grit in the face of enemy fire. He is the only survivor of the group that headed out under the command of Major Sarvanan to secure an enemy position in the Batalik sub-sector.

Recalling his experience with a faraway look on his face, he says, " We came under heavy fire from the fortified enemy positions just 200 yards above us at 1 p.m. A soldier in front of me was the first to be hit but the major asked me to ignore the casualty and press ahead with the assault. That was the last I heard from him.

"While leading from the front, a burst from an enemy gun hit Major saab thrice in the head and a moment later, I was hit in the leg. It was not very painful, maybe because of the extreme cold at 17,000 ft, but I was numbed and could not move. The enemy fire had got all of us but me. I was mistaken to be dead both by the enemy and our authorities as the message of my death was passed on to my family," he remarked.

This brave infantryman said after the guns fell silent he tied his injured foot with shoelaces and crawled inch by inch for 10 nights. His untreated wound got infested with maggots but he survived on a ration of handful of boiled rice and snow. The going was tough as he had to lie still all day so that the enemy would not target him before he was rescued and shifted to a front line hospital.

The camaraderie in the troops is evident even in the jaws of death. " When I was hit, I asked one of my friends to take all my money. I was to proceed on leave and had collected all my dues, but he refused to take the money. He assured me that when the fighting stopped, he would help him to a hospital. Little did he know that his friend himself would not make it back", he adds, his eyes moist.

Paratrooper Raju Singh from Rajasthan recalls his encounter with the enemy as a "great game". "I was a member of a team of paratroopers assigned the task of cutting enemy supply lines ensconced on a ridge on Tiger Hill. We climbed all night to reach the ridge to find that the enemy bunkers were completely covered in snow.

"Many of us did not realise that we were sitting between the buried bunkers until a figure in black dungarees suddenly appeared some 20 yards ahead of me. The mujahideen was taken aback and started running. We started firing and then things hotted up", he adds, restlessly tugging at the plaster on his right arm.

There were brave jawans who told of holding on by continuously firing for four days "till the ammunition ran out".

Sepoy E. M. Bahadur Sen, who was injured while fighting with infiltrators in Kupwara. He was hit in the right leg when the holed up militants fired upon his patrol. A fierce gunfight ensued and some of them were injured but not before wiping out many of the insurgents, he says with pride.

While many of them may not be able to join their comrades on the battlefield in the snow clad mountains, the spirit still burns fiercely.

Most sexual harassment cases go unreported
By Sonoo Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — A stenographer in a government office goes for dictation in her boss' room, only to be told to "satisfy him". Hesitatingly, she approaches a women's organisation but declares that she is afraid both, of her husband and her boss, and the matter should be resolved without bringing either of the two in picture.

A senior manager of a private company spells out his "undying love" to an executive, during her annual appraisal, which she rebuffs. When she contacts other senior officials, the young executive is told to have some sort of a mutual compromise, and the matter dies in a few months.

In yet another instance, a female social worker is invited by a highly placed government officer to his office, where he tries to make physical advances towards her. The woman walked out of the office, but the matter obviously went unreported.

These are just three different cases of sexual harassment faced daily by working women in the city, and which largely go unreported. In fact, all these cases occurred after certain guidelines on this matter were issued by the Supreme Court of India, on August 13, 1997. The guidelines not only state what determines "unwelcome sexual behaviour" at workplaces, but has also listed out the responsibilities of both the employee and the employer to stop this "pervasive violation".

"There are not many complainants from the city. In fact most such cases that I receive are from the region, and not from Chandigarh. As far as the Supreme Court guidelines are concerned, these have actually become a kind of tool for the woman to complain against such kind of harassment. But even today, most cases which are reported are those relating to physical harassment because most women tend to get accustomed to gender harassment", said advocate and human-rights' activist R.S. Bains.

Gender harassment, in the form of generalised sexist statements and behaviour that conveys insulting or degrading attitudes about women, is commonly experienced by working women.

What happens to women working as daily-wage employees or domestic help? "I think the basic thing lacking is education and awareness. We as NGOs need to make the women aware of the process and procedure of handling such situations and then going to the authorities concerned with such kinds of complaints", said Mrs Harjinder Kaur, President, Sikh Nari Manch. Relating a case of a senior-level woman employee working in a government organisation, who was being denied promotion only on the basis of her gender, she added, "It was only with the threat of a 'dharna' that we managed to sort out her case, otherwise such cases actually turn out to be much more complicated than those relating to physical advancements".

Most experts believe that there is no one way to respond to harassment, but the only thing to be certain about is that ignoring the situation would not cause it to go away.

The Supreme Court guidelines say that the employee is responsible for talking about the incident, and even requesting the employer to establish a complaint procedure and a committee to deal with these complaints. The employer has also been asked to develop a sexual harassment policy and develop a complaint procedure. "Most of these guidelines have not been implemented by either the private or the public institutions of the city", said advocate Bains.

Mrs Shreshta Mehta, Honorary Secretary of the Indian Council of Social Welfare, said, "Most women who come to us are too scared to come out in the open. Also, since their respective organisations, along with families, friends and most of the times even colleagues, fail to provide the necessary advice, help and support, most victims tend to keep quiet".

The ambiguity of the Supreme Court guidelines turns out to be another hurdle. "How do you prove that your colleague's or boss' behaviour was coloured with sexual remarks?" queried a victim, whose colleagues, including females, stopped talking to her after she reported her senior's misbehaviour in the form of insistent requests for dinners and even late night phone calls, to the higher authorities.

"In fact, most of the times when such cases go to the court, these have been filed by the males who contend the issue of their transfer or dismissal or suspension, a step taken by the employer, after a harassment issue is raked in the office", said advocate Bains.

"The defining characteristic of sexual harassment is that it is unwanted, and this is what most women need to understand. Also, the offender has to be told in no unclear terms that his actions are totally unwelcome. This can come only with education," added Mrs Mehta.

"But the guidelines provided by the Supreme Court of India do make it clear that complaints regarding sexual harassment of any nature at work places cannot be regarded as frivolous and certainly cannot be dismissed", said advocate Bains.

Steps to control congress grass needed
By Rupesh Kumar

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — The indifferent attitude of the Chandigarh Administration towards eradication and control of the noxious weed called parthenium hysterophorous, popularly known as congress grass , whose unabated growth in the region has proved to be a hazard for livestock , vegetation and human beings .

During the past couple of years , the administration had made several Parthenium Eradication Cell under the chairmanship of several senior officials and has organised several lectures and seminars , but nothing fruitful has happened .

A government official on the condition of anonymity alleged : "I remained a member of several cells made by the administration meant for eradicating congress grass. Besides deliberations and discussions, no concrete step was taken to remove this unwanted weed ."

The infuriating parthenium — a weed commonly called congress grass as well as carrot grass — spreads like wildfire , chokes fields and is difficult, but not impossible, to exterminate . The plant proliferates more during summer and the monsoon season. Its vegetation is found in spaces left undisturbed . The plant is green in colour and spreads very fast.

Exposure to this plant causes thickening of skin as also itching on the body. Its pollen can also cause asthma and respiratory problems. Prof. S.P. Mittal , an agronomist of the Central Soil and Water Conservation , said that congress grass should be eradicated in its vegetative stage as in this period it starts growing up . He added : " To eradicate the congress grass , concerted integrated approach should be taken throughout the year . To control the weed , put the land in use from where the weed has been removed . This method is most economical and everlasting . "

According to Dr R.K. Kohli of the Botany Department of Panjab University " under favourable condition , congress grass completes its life cycle in 80 days . When humidity increases , the seeds start germination as these seeds require more relative humidity than other plants . So , it should be removed during non flowering stage ."

Dr Kohli who had done extensive research on congress grass suggested that pre-emergent herbicides should be used to remove the weed in its early stage and the treated area should be cleared by burning and ploughing and grasses and other horticultural plants should be grown to stop further emergence of the weed with better land use . He was of the view that there should be mechanical uprooting for smaller areas , shrub master should be used for larger areas and gloves and masking tapes should be provided to the workers exposed to this dangerous weed .

It has been generally seen that the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh wakes up only when the plants turn into " reproductive stage " . It is to be noted that when plants get fruits it becomes impossible to check its further growth as by the time it would have spread its seeds .

The need of the hour is to create awareness among people and they should be encouraged for healthy participation . The peripheries of Chandigarh should also cooperate in controlling the noxious weed and meaningful commitment of the government should be there to control or eradicate it . The Administration should declare this weed as noxious and hazardous and there should be harsh punishment for those who encourage its growth.

Australian Sikh revives rabab
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, June17 — On May 5, at the Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, kirtan on the rabab, a stringed instrument associated with Guru Nanak and his musical companion, Bhai Mardana, was heard after a gap of almost a 100 years. Chris Mooney Singh, an Australian who adopted Sikhism nearly 10 years ago, and is these days to be seen in performing in the various gurdwaras of the city, was in fact the first non-Indian to play at this sacred shrine of the Sikhs. From May 5 to 10, Chris, clothed in the traditional white robes and sporting a flowing beard, gave performances at the Harmandir Sahib, along with Bhai Narinder Singh, Hazuri Ragi.

A former print and radio journalist, Mooney Singh also appears to be the first Australian convert to Sikhism to have visited the country six times to "deepen my knowledge of Sikh philosophy, Indian languages and Sikh classical devotional music".

Talking about his passion for this round-bodied instrument, which belongs to the lute family, he related an incredible incident of having dreamt about the rabab in which "out of the blue-blue sky floated this instrument and was placed in my hands. I then tuned it and began to recite 'shabad kirtan' with it. And whatever I know about the rabab is only through the Guru's blessing".

The first rabab that Mooney Singh started playing was presented to him by the late Governor of Punjab, Surendernath, which he has even today.

He sings kirtan in his heavily accented mellifluous voice in both Gurmukhi and English.

"The new generation seems to be going away from the teachings of the Guru, and with the 'kirtan' being done with the rabab and that too translated into English, I believe that a new wave of interest would be infused into the kirtan," he said while strumming his rabab. For someone who has traced the history of the rabab, while studying the Sikh scriptures, Mooney Singh says, "It is amazing that refined instruments like the rabab and 'siranda', blessed by the Gurus, could so easily be superseded by this dull sounding harmonium, which cannot in any way express the subtlety of a 'raga'. The depth of sound present in stringed instruments aids in focussing the mind, which 'bhakti' obviously demands".

Chris also uses the guitar sometimes, while doing the kirtan, an experiment that he did even at the Harmandir Sahib. But laughing at being asked whether it ruffled a few feathers, he said that the guitar might be viewed as a "pop instrument" in India but when tuned in the Indian classical style, it becomes just like any other stringed instrument.

This rabab player does not want to simply play in the gurdwaras during kirtans. "My real interest lies in reviving the rabab in terms of scholarly ways. Abroad, when world religion is talked about, the relatively new religion of Sikhism does not seem to feature anywhere. That is why I want to break the barriers of language as well and re-introduce the concepts of 'kirtan' with the rabab".

Mooney Singh's passion for the rabab has even been made into a two-part radio programme — 'Searching for the Lost Rabab', for the ABC Radio National, for Australian listeners. As of now, he has just finished translating the 'Asa Di Waar' into English, and would record the English translation of 'Mitar Piyare Nu' ('Go Tell the Beloved Friend') on a CD in August.

On the future of the rabab in Sikh devotional music, Mooney Singh said, "I think that the new millennium would see the rebirth of many things in 'Sikhi'. It was Guru Nanak who first gave the message of the Divine through the rabab, which is, I believe, written into the blue-print of every Sikh's soul. The harmonium was the instrument of the technological 20th century, but its life span is coming to an end. The rabab and many other stringed instruments will come back to life again".

Chris Mooney Singh's next venture is to travel around the globe, especially Pakistan and the Middle East, in search of the rabab, along with his wife, a Punjabi living in Singapore, who he is going to wed shortly.

Scoot away on old two-wheelers
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — The low rate of interest and easy instalment plans of sale promotions being offered by two-wheeler retailers have not affected the sale of second-hand scooters and motor cycles in the city.

The second-hand scooter markets offer a variety of two-wheelers. The price is fixed on the basis of the model and the condition of the vehicle.

Scooters do a better business than the other two-wheelers. An LML Vespa NV '98 model scooter can be bought for Rs 22,000 while a Bajaj Chetak '98 model is available between Rs 19,000 and Rs 21,000. A new scooter is priced Rs 23,245.

Bajaj Chetak metallic '98 model scooter can be had for up to Rs 22,500. A new one costs Rs 24,340. An LML Vespa NV '97 model scooter can be bargained up to Rs 18,000. A Bajaj Chetak similar model is priced at Rs17,000. The cost of a '97 model LML Vespa Select is Rs 19,000.

The Bajaj Chetak '96 model is available for Rs 14,500 whereas its competitor, LML Vespa of the same model, can be bought for about Rs 15,000.

Chetak '95 to '90 models are available for about Rs 8,000 to Rs 11,000. The rate depends on the condition of the vehicle. Vespa, same models, are in the same price range. A repainted vehicle fetches a lower price.

In the category of motor cycles, the Bajaj Kawasaki 4S Champion costs Rs 37,835 in the showroom. A '98 model of the same brand would cost the buyer about Rs 33,000. A Yamaha RX100 of the same model costs about Rs 34,000 and a Yamaha RX100 '96 model was available for about Rs30,000. A Suzuki Samuri '97 model can fetch about Rs 31,000. A good conditioned Yamaha RX100 can be bargained for about Rs 25,000.

Kinetic Honda '97-'98 models are available for about Rs 24,000 to Rs 26,000. Up to '95 model scooter of the same brand can be bargained for Rs 16,000.

Bajaj Sunny and similar scooters have a poor market.

Trenches of inconvenience
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — There is strong resentment among residents of Sector 32-A over the laying of telephone cables in front of their houses. Much against their wishes, workers of Telecommunication Construction India Limited (TCIL) have started digging up the berms and driveways to their houses for laying the cables.

Mr K.G. Bahri, a resident of the locality, criticised the corporation's decision to begin the work when monsoon is round the corner. Mr Bahri refers to various undug areas where trenches have been made to lay the cables to save the road berms and driveways. "But why cannot they do it as a matter of principle. They favour only those who have either influenced them or bribed them," he alleged.

About three to four-foot-deep trench is being dug up in the area, making it difficult for the residents to take their vehicles inside their houses. Some residents even point out that such channels are risky for little children, especially in the rainy season.

An aged resident said that the department kept digging new areas without bothering to maintain the existing network. She said that with the approaching rains, the channels would not only spread mud in the area in general and houses in particular but would also paralyse the existing telephone services.

Mr Ramlal Goel, who was busy filling the dug-up area outside his house, pointed out that no sand was used at the time of refilling of channels. The contractor even did not bother to level the filled channels and remove the extra earth from the site as was normally required.

He pointed that for proper repair of the dug-up channel, an average household had to spend anything between Rs 400 and Rs 500.

A housewife criticised the department for causing a lot of inconvenience to the general public and even in some cases to those who were not interested in a telephone connection.

Mr Vinod, site supervisor of the construction company, clarified that since he had no orders to mix sand with the earth at the time of refilling, he was not doing so. He said those residents whose floors were not dug up had actually engaged their private labour.

Mr Rampal, SDO, TCIL, clarified that in view of the resentment of the residents he had started filling the dug-up areas. He pointed out that only private labour was engaged by residents to dig tunnels and none of his men had obliged them.

He maintained that his men would fill the dug-up area. Residents recalled that earlier also this had happened and no repair was done. Some residents have already started the repair work. They said that they were familiar with the functioning of the department.

Cleanliness, maintenance elude Rose Garden
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 17 — Cleanliness and maintenance, it seems, have taken a back seat in the mind of authorities responsible for the upkeep of Rose Garden, one of most popular gardens of north India, boasting of as many as 12,000 varieties of rose plants.

The garden, a favourite spot among morning walkers and as well as thousands of visitors to the city, is dotted with polythene bags, untrimmed grass and even garbage.

Though the entries from the Sector 10 and Shanti Kunj sides are clean and well maintained, the entry for pedestrians along Jan Marg is nothing but a blot on the face of an otherwise beautiful place. One can see empty ice-cream cups and polybags, thanks to the presence of a couple of 'ice-cream wallahs', who sell their items during evening hours and have no bins for their customers. Apart from the entrance, empty packets could also be seen in the flower beds near it.

As one passes the zig-zag bridge over the Leisure Valley nullah passing through the garden, a similar scene with plastic items spread all over could be witnessed, particularly, on the banks of nullah and in the lawn facing the milk bar. It seems that visitors lack civic sense and instead of using the bins, litter the place with eatables and plastic packing.

What puts off a visitor is the number of unkempt flower beds. Grass engulfs a majority of the beds, some of which were even sans rose plants. A majority of the beds are located near the boundary of the garden along Jan Marg.

The place is also becoming a favourite spot of animals, thanks to breaches in the hedge playing the role of a boundary wall along Jan Marg. As these breaches are located near the Sector 17 Housing Board roundabout, where a large number of rallies and dharnas take place, both cops on duty and rallyists enter the garden through the openings and cause considerable damage to the garden.

But what could be described as a worst part of the garden is the area along the boundary wall separating it from Sector 16 residences. A number of house owners throw garbage and even have got constructed rainwater outlets releasing rain water and sewage in the garden. This results in the accumulation of water and garbage along the boundary wall, which is also broken at a number of places.

Another thing which mars the beauty of the place is broken footpaths at some places. Though, efforts have been made to repair these, but it seems they have not yielded any results as one can see numerous breaches in the footpaths.

Officials of the department said an elaborate plan to beautify the place is to be implemented soon, according to which apart from giving a facelift to the place, as many as 1,000 varieties of roses would be planted in the garden. "Moreover, the sprinkler system being installed in the garden at a cost of Rs 10 lakh. It will start functioning within 15 days," said the official. The sprinkler system is being installed to cut the irrigation cost and to improve the microclimate of the area, he added.

Hike in real estate prices
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 17— Since the inception of Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat, the area has witnessed a sharp increase in real estate prices.

Seven villages — Zirakpur, Bishanpura, Bishangarh, Bartana, Dhakauli, Dhakaula and Lohgarh — were merged for the nagar panchayat. Property prices went up in a few areas. Bartana witnessed growth in property sale while Bishangarh and Bishanpur were less popular with the buyers.

Prior to the establishment of the nagar panchayat, property rates were from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per square yard for residential plots and from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per square yard for commercial plots. According to property dealers, rates shot up to Rs 1,600 and Rs 4,000 per square yard for residential and commercial sites, respectively.

Mr Prem Bansal, a property dealer, said business had gone up since the inception of the nagar panchayat. "Previously, buyers were hesitant to invest in property in the area due to its legal status but now local business has been flooded with investors," he added.

He said Bartana village was popular among buyers, the main reason being its proximity to Panchkula and Chandigarh. Most of the buyers belonged to the service class. The plots were cheaper than those in Chandigarh, Panchkula and SAS Nagar. It had now become easier for buyers to take loans from financial institutions, he added.

The continuous growth also created several problems. Several pockets in these villages witnessed haphazard growth of residential and commercial areas. Several houses were under high voltage electricity lines. In one such instance, a property dealer was selling plots while a high tension electricity tower was on the site.

Sources in the electricity department revealed that due to unchecked growth, the power situation had deteriorated. In the past few years, the area witnessed a rise in power consumption, unauthorised in many cases, by consumers. This had led to low voltage and frequent tripping. Recently, three power transformers were damaged in Bartana village due to this reason.

Local residents felt that construction activities were not developed keeping in view safety measures to meet any emergency situation. A former member of Dhakauli panchayat said property dealers were minting money without caring about safety measures. Authorities should check the unregulated construction activities in the jurisdiction of Zirakpur nagar panchayat, he suggested.

Farmers wait for monsoon
From Our Correspondent

SOHANA, June 17 — Farmers in the periphery fields working for the forthcoming paddy crop are disappointed in the view of non-availability of sufficient water for the fields.

A visit to Sohana, Manauli, Mullanpur-Garibdass and other villages reveals that the most of the farmers have not sown any crop in the fields.

According to the directions of Punjab Irrigation Department experts, paddy should be sown after June 30 for best yield due to lack of enough water resources.

Most of the farmers have sown vegetables and fodder in their fields. Mr Daljeet Singh of Manauli village said that he had sown tomatoes, brinjals, green chillies and other few crops.

Mr Lal Singh who has about three killa land at Mullanpur said that there is an acute shortage of water. The water level in the area is very low. It is only 300 feet. As a result, they have to solely depend upon monsoons.

Most of the farmers in Mullanpur and other adjoining villages have small holdings and they said that their poor economic condition does not allow them to own tubewells.

Another farmer of Mullanpur village, Mr Ranjeet Singh, said that he had prepared his field for the paddy and was waiting for monsoon to start.

Due to monetary constraints, they have to be satisfied with only two crops in a year. Wheat and paddy are the only crops which are sown in the area.

A farmer near Mullanpur village who was working in his field added that he has to be content with less produce. Other parts of Punjab are provided with canal water and other facilities.

Vegetables are not grown in the Mullanpur area due to non-availability of enough water, added Mr Balbir Singh. He said that if water could be supplied through canal in the area it would certainly improve the condition of the farmers.