JV mooted for Sector 17 maintenance
By Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27 — For the proper maintenance and development of the heart of the city, Sector 17, a Delhi-based firm has suggested the formation of a joint venture company — Sector 17 Enterprise Limited (SEL).

The Infrastructure Professionals Enterprise (IPE), a body of the alumni of the London School of Economics, which gave a presentation to top officials of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) and the Chandigarh Administration last week, was of the view that SEL would have the rights to use civic areas like car parking, parks and common squares.

It would also be responsible for the restoration, enhancement and the maintenance of the 260-acre prestigious complex by providing a strategic framework to facilitate infrastructure development. Emphasis would be on revenue generation, value enhancement, quality of life, additional employment and business and tangible and intangible benefits to society.

To develop the sector as a model, the presentation wanted the removal of bottlenecks in the management of the complexes, eco-friendly environment and better quality of life, the creation of an enabling environment, optimum utilisation of civic spaces and self-sustaining complexes.

It wanted SEL to regulate collection and expenditure under the overall supervision of a board comprising representatives of the local government, promoters and the public. Profits would be utilised for further development and distributed as dividend to the shareholders.

Regarding the generation of additional resources for the maintenance of the sector, it suggested the setting up of separate pavilions for hawkers, a skating rink for children, family games, food festivals of different countries and talks by celebrities like in the Hyde Park in London.

Sunday morning classical singers for morning walkers, jazz concerts and festivals and an open art gallery for upcoming artists have also been mooted.

Games and contests between sectors, schools and colleges, food mart and chaat mart, street theatre, art and craft auctions have also been proposed to make the sector a living civic centre of the future .

Commenting on the present scenario, it said the grants provided by the administration to the MCC were not adequate to carry out the desired activities. There was excess load requirement as shops and offices operate too many air-conditioners which was contrary to the original plan. The car parking lots and the roads were choked during the office hours since car parking was free. Similarly, the corridors were encroached upon by hawkers and the extended display of shops.

The civic areas and the main squares were not being effectively utilised to earn revenue and their potential not fully leveraged at weekends, with the results that the parking lots were deserted on Sundays. Besides this, the basements were not used for the purposes they were meant.

Moreover, in view of the growing number of hawkers, it was not always possible to fine hawkers and confiscate their items. As the challan once issued to a particular hawker cannot be levied on him again for the day, he kept sitting there.

With growing traffic and more people visiting the sector, the maintenance was becoming difficult with the each passing day for want of funds, time and labour. The increase in the number of hawkers and shops, resulting in congestion in the corridors and the parking lots, had only worsened the situation.

Keeping these problems in mind, a full-time administrator was needed to maintain and manage the complex, the presentation advised, adding that the body should have a steady source of income and right mix of people such as the maintenance staff, administrators and consultants.

Detailing the tasks for the proposed SEL, it said it would look after the maximum utilisation of the revenue earned from the sources like car parking spaces and be responsible for the external facade and painting of the buildings. Ensuring internal law and order compliance and on-the-spot compliance in case of encroachments and illegal occupation of common area and challan system to be executed more than once in a day would be its other main activities.

Book fairs, exhibitions, art camps for upcoming artists, music concerts, creation of amusement and leisure parks, drive-in restaurants in the evening, common seating and eating places in squares, food courts and chaat corners and institute-specialised weekend markets would enlighten the sector.

The presentation desired that a detailed feasibility study on the above lines be conducted so that the sector could be developed as a model for replication in other civic places in Chandigarh.

'Revival of parallel cinema impossible'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27 — "There was a time when my only qualification was being the younger brother of film director Govind Nihlani. But today not only is my name well known in Bollywood, but I am able to use my brother's name to my advantage. After all, I am proud to be Govindji's brother," said Hindi film and tele-serial director, Dayal Nihlani.

He was in the city today to announce the launch of his maiden Punjabi television serial 'Lakeeran', being produced for Zee Punjabi.

He has won the Filmfare Best Director Award for the film 'Andha Yudh' and Best Director Award for the serial 'Ek Kahani'.

Nihlani said, "Commercial mainstream cinema is here to stay and in today's age, it is impossible to revive parallel cinema. It is not the dearth of sensitive and talented persons in this industry which is causing all this but the factor of money." He said money power played a major role in the film industry.

For someone who has worked as assistant with his brother in films like 'Aakrosh' and directed commercial films like 'Gambler', 'Insaaf' and 'Ek Tha Raja', Nihlani expressed his satisfaction at the new genre of youth-oriented sensitive films being made. "Though the revival of parallel cinema is difficult, good cinema will always manage to exist," he claimed. His brother, who has been associated with art cinema, has made his first foray into commercial cinema with 'Takshak'.

Talking about his forays into the big and the small screen, he said both were mediums to express himself. Whenever he was presented with good and interesting subjects, he went for them. "I do something like one serial in one year," he added. Nihlani's new projects include two untitled films.

Meanwhile, the city will shortly see his elder brother, Govind Nihlani, as well. He will direct Neelam Mann Singh's latest Punjabi play, 'Kitchen Katha'.

Sector 70 MIG flats not super
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Sept 27 — Hundreds of occupants of MIG super flats in Sector 70 feel cheated by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) on account of poor quality of construction of their flats. They have demanded a high-level probe into the quality of construction of the flats and the officials behind it.

In spite of being given possession of the flats, the allottees are being forced to spend money from their pocket to rectify the faulty construction. Cracks have started appearing in certain flats, giving the owners sleepless nights.

About four months ago, a back courtyard wall of flat no. 4607-C fell, injuring a person. Nobody from PUDA visited the place despite repeated representations by the occupant, Mr Harjit Singh. Similar cases of peeling of plaster in other flats have been reported.

This is not all. Absence of portions of rain water pipes in several flats have been brought to light by the residents. In one case, the occupant of flat no. 4590-B was shocked to know that leakage in the garage was due to absence of water pipe. Poor quality of electrical equipment is also alleged by the residents.

A few months back, when The Tribune highlighted the problem of leaking roofs of some flats, officials of PUDA visited the area, but nothing happened after that, said a resident. The worst affected are the allottees of flats facing Mataur village.

An allottee, Mr S.K.Singal, lamented that for more than a year a cesspool of stinking water, flowing from Mataur, had made their life miserable.

Milch cattle and pigs can be seen lolling around in the cesspool of dirty water. Dampness has set in the flats adjoining the cesspool. Mr Vinod Aggarwal, another allottee, said at present 50 per cent of the flats were occupied. "The problems would aggravate when all the flats are occupied," he added.

Interestingly the Additional Chief Administrator of PUDA, SAS Nagar, Mr Dipinder Singh, visited the area a few days back and instructed officials of the engineering cell to redress the problems of the residents at the earliest. The officials concerned were reportedly directed to remove the cesspool of dirty water adjoining Mataur by Monday ( September 27) but when The Tribune team visited the site, the work had yet to start.

Developing of green belts in the sector and removal of congress grass have been sought by the residents. They demand that sanitation of the sector should be done on a regular basis. Allotment of site of religious place and proper bus service is also on the agenda of the residents.