The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

Jayanti Dam oustees left in the lurch
Colony sans road, power, water connections
Nishikant Dwivedi

Seeonk (Kharar), August 19
As many as 300 oustees of the Jayanti Dam have been living in a “lonely planet” cut off from road and without power and water for about two-and- a-half years in the neighbourhood of Chandigarh even as the “Narmada Bachao Andolan” and campaign seeking rehabilitation of dam oustees has intensified.

In December, 1998, over 70 families of Seeonk Khurd village were displaced after the Jyanti Dam started coming up there. All families were rehabilitated at “Resettlement Colony for Jyanti Dam Oustee” in Seeonk village. However, about 14 families are yet to get the possession of their plots.

Interestingly, a community water post was installed in the vicinity of the colony by ‘‘an official of the Kandi Area Development (KAD) and not by the department’’ claimed oustees.

The oustees were promised at least five community taps in the colony. Today the residents are forced to carry water on their head and rehris from the only water tap, available in the area.

However, the oustees claim that the water supply from the only tap is also not regular. They said fights among the residents for collecting water had also become a regular feature and they demanded, immediate installation of water taps in the colony.

The work on providing power connections to the houses had also been started recently and they are likely to get the supply within a ‘‘couple of days’’.

All families were allotted plots in a five acre piece of land purchased by the Punjab Government in Seeonk village for setting up the colony. Interestingly, one acre land in the area has become disputed. Around 15 families which were to be allotted plots in the disputed area are still waiting to get the possession of plots despite having the allotment letters.

The oustees claim that they were promised by the KAD officials that the government would level the land before allotment but the department had not levelled the land. Mr Babu Ram, an oustee said, “All those who had build their houses had to spend between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000 for just levelling the plots”.

The residents of the colony also claimed that the department had promised to provide sewerage but it was never installed.

The oustees who left a gurdwara, wells and a dharamsala at their former village, also claimed that they were promised by the KAD that the department would help transport their belongings. But they got no help from the department.

Another interesting thing to note here is that there is no road to connect the colony with the rest of the area. Presently the oustees are using cattle tracks falling in the land of other people. Mr Babu Ram, an oustee expressed fear that, “If the owner of the land around the colony closes the cattle track in his land, the residents will be left with no option but to remain locked in the colony”.

A senior official in the KAD said the infrastructure in the colony would be provided “very soon” as the department had received funds from the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). According to him the work on infractructure development would be completed by March. Mr R.C. Jindal, Chief Engineer, KAD, however, refused to comment and the Executive Engineer concerned could not be contacted.

Terror in colony after murder
Involvement of ‘kale kachhewale’ gang suspected
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
Terror strikes 200 odd residents of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony, Sector 49, here after a 26-year-old man, Raju, was murdered last night.

Residents of this slum colony on the Chandigarh—SAS Nagar border claim that the murder is the handiwork of ‘kale kachhewale’ gang, comprising two members, who escaped taking the advantage of the darkness. They say that the assailants were dressed in black shirts and black shorts. It is learnt that they also attacked two more residents, without success.

While a resident, staying in a hutment opposite to Raju’s hutment, Naresh was also attacked, he managed to escape with a few scratches. When he raised an alarm, the assailants reportedly fled away. It is learnt that they then barged into another hutment and attacked a woman.

Lajjo, who has been staying here for the past couple of months, said there was no electricity in the area and the place appears haunted after 9 pm when most of the residents retire for the night. Following last night’s incident, most of the residents have now put ‘kundi’ connections and bulbs to light up the area.

According to information, Raju was stabbed in the chest at about 9 pm. A few neighbours heard his muffled cries for help, but when they reached there they found him lying in a pool of blood.

Soon there was chaos in the entire colony and a number of people, including the victim’s sister, Krishna, who resides nearby, rushed to the spot. The police was informed and the victim was rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. The police registered a case under Section 307, IPC, last night. But after Raju succumbed to his injuries this morning, the police has now registered an FIR under Section 302, IPC. Police sources said that it was a neighbour of the victim, Mamta, who is also the sister-in-law of Krishna, who had first heard his cries. Krishna reportedly rushed out of her hutment and found the victim alone lying on his bed and crying with pain.

It is learnt that the victim was employed as a safai karamchari with a local contractor. Sources say that he had strained relations with his wife, Babli, who had been living separately for the past couple of years. The police has rounded up a number of people in connection with the murder.

Documents on time must: VC
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
Non-submission of documents or fee on time has been underlined as the primary reason for non-declaration of hundreds of results in the annual examination of Panjab University, resulting in gazettes filled with symbols of RL (result late), CS (candidate suspended), RLL (result late due to lower examination) or RL (fee).

Reliable sources said the Vice-Chancellor had constituted a committee under the Dean, University Instructions, to “look into problems relating to the non-submission of various required documents along with the students’ registration returns’ by principals of the affiliated colleges and chairpersons of the university teaching departments”. This resulted in ‘non-confirmation of eligibility of the students for taking up university examination well before commencement of examination.

The committee includes the Registrar, Principal B.D. Budhiraja, Principal Harmit Kaur, Prof Charanjit Chawla, Principal A.C. Vaid, Principal S.N. Singla and Principal R.C. Jeewan besides others. A meeting is scheduled later this month, reliable sources said. The university letter has also enclosed a “working paper” prepared by Mr Ashok Raj Bhandari, Controller of Examinations.

The university has clarified that non-submission of documents was one of the primary reasons for the delay of the result declaration. Students needed to supply a list of documents to the university. Some of these included original compartment earned certificate of plus two, if applicable, original lower examination pass and migration certificate, late admission, approval from VC, date of enrollment of each candidate and original experience certificate.

The last date for submission of forms without late fee is October 3. The letter says that “no final date has been communicated for the receipt of the students registration return along with the required documents with a late fee of Rs 500.” The Vice-Chancellor has now directed that such a date should be fixed for the purpose. It also says that ways and means should be devised to complete the process of submission of various documents to the university office by the said last date.

The ‘working paper’ says that ‘once such a date is fixed, university officials shall not accept any document from the concerned colleges or teaching departments. In such a case the defaulting students will not be able to sit for the next annual April-May, 2002, examination.

Colleges reopen, how about a movie?
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
Haunting eyes, religiously glued to the silver screen, would have missed a visit to “Pearl Harbor”, had colleges not re-opened after the summer break.

Rather than savouring the movie at a Sector 34 cinema hall, under-grad Zehnab would have been watching Bugs Bunny munch scrumptious carrots on his way to the moon on Cartoon Network. Or would have pressed the remote keys with ivory-chiseled fingers, looking for Boyzone on the music channels. All this, and much more, but at her Sector 45 home. Oh, detestable home, where daddy was keeping his ears on the ground waiting to hear the irritable din of scooter’s roaring engine. Getting out without a convincing reason was a mission. And she was poor at fighting her way out.

Zehnab was not alone in the mesh of life. Her best chum Rimjhim too had been placed under “house arrest”. By her not-to-be-trifled-with parents. The two were meeting their guys in a Sector 8 fast food joint, but only once in a while. On the pretext of getting Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” or Joseph Conrad’s “Lord Jim” issued from the British Library.

That was a week back, before the classes commenced.

Today, the two are free birds, once again. “The stage settings have now changed,” Zehnab mutters. “Nothing-less-than-a-villain daddy has metamorphosed into a character actor. He is no more delivering dialogues loaded with loathsome “no”. Dad has even permitted me to be on my own. At last, thank God!”

Little wonder, the teenybopper is having a “good time”. Every morning, she tosses the books in her brand new scooter’s glove compartment after meticulously adjusting the impressive slits on either sides of her long skirt. Patting her almond-brown tresses into position, she kick starts the scooter with high heel ankle boots, stations imported glares, and merrily rushes out of home for riding on the hearts of city guys on the geri route.

As Rimjhim joins her in a red T-shirt with ripped-off collar over cool wrinkle-free “khakis” held tight with a pearl-studded “choker”, the duo walk down the Sector 11 market corridors. Cold drinks cans dangle in their manicured hands as they greet so many other college bunkers with satchels of popcorns.

This is not all. Taking advantage of no-punishment-for-lecture-shortage attitude of the lecturers, the two are planning to go uphill. In an open Gypsy. For cutting along the curves on way to Morni. “And for touching the ocean blue sky peeping through the curtain of smoky clouds in Kasauli,” Zehnab puts in.

For them, life had come to a standstill during the holidays. All these days they were existing. Now they are living. Will keep on breathing till the vacations begin again. After that.... Well.... “Ba-har jane ke liye kuchh toh karenge”.

Records belie zoo death toll facts
Bipin Bhardwaj

Chhat Bir, August 19
Records belie facts in reporting the actual number of dead animals and birds, including some exotic ones, at the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park during the past five months.

The number of dead animals and birds exceeds the figures being maintained by the zoo authorities. Roughly 50 animals and birds have died against 19 as per the zoo records, which is over two times of the recorded number since April 1.

The alarming increase in the death rate of the zoo inhabitants has not only raised serious doubts about the competence of the authorities to take care of the animals, but also made the circumstances questionable under which these creatures lost their lives.

A majority of the deaths during July and August have raised eyebrows, and negligence in handling, lack of medicare and poor upkeep have been said to be the reasons behind the deaths.

A random survey by the Chandigarh Tribune team revealed that lack of a permanent veterinary doctor and other staff for the number of the zoo inhabitants has led to the increasing death toll. The veterinary staff is inadequate for the zoo animals, an employee said.

The zoo employees said Dr Vinod Sharma, Chief Warden (Zoos), Punjab, was taking care of the animals since 1977. For the past over two months, as he is on medical leave, the animals are being looked after by a veterinary compounder.

The zoo authorities admitted that the animals had died due to various reasons like change in climate, in-breeding and attack by outsider animals.

A senior zoo official disclosed that 11 animals, including skeletons of two lions which were found in the Lion Safari on August 12, had been put on the zoo records which died in July and August.

Sources in zoo said actually 32 animals, including five black bucks, two cheetal deer, two barking deer, a pangolin, a lion cub, a royal Bengal tiger, a porcupine, a monkey, two Indian peacocks, four whitepeacock chicks and 10 budgerigars had died in these two months.

Four black bucks were killed by a herd of jackals in two separate attacks after they entered the enclosures by scaling the outer wall, while one died due to snake-bite. The pangolin succumbed to injuries received in an earth digging operation to locate the shy ant-eaters.

Two skeletons of lions, which had died under mysterious circumstances, were found by a zoo employee on August 12 during a weed eradication drive launched by the authorities. Following this a royal Bengal tiger, which was suffering from paralytic attack, was noticed dead in a cage on August 18. Earlier, two Indian peacocks were accidentally killed while the zoo employees were shifting these from one enclosure to another on August 4.

Four newly-born chicks of a whitepeacock also died and the zoo authorities confirmed the death due to change in climate. Shifted from Neelon mini-zoo near Ludhiana, seven budgerigars became preys of a hawk on July 9, while three died when the zoo employees released these in an enclosure a few days ago.

The lion cub had succumbed to injuries which it sustained when the lioness was shifting the cub to a safe place.

In April, a crocodile, a Manipuri deer, a panther cub and a Bhuttani peacock were reported dead, while a lioness and two monkeys died in May. As per the post-mortem reports, the lioness died due to intestinal blockage on May 31, while the monkeys died because of tuberculosis. The zoo authorities confirmed the death of three monkeys. Only one animal, Neel Gai, reportedly died in June.

When contacted, Mr R.K. Luna, zoo director, said the faulty enclosures, change in weather and natural deaths were the main reasons behind the death toll as per the reports of post-mortem examinations.

He claimed that all precautionary measures had been taken to avoid deaths of animals in the zoo and blood test had been conducted on tuberculosis-infected monkeys.

Mr Gurmeet Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Punjab, was not available for comments over the issue of maintaining records about the dead animals.

Christian leaders criticise PM’s remarks
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
The reported remarks of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, that Christian missionaries are making conversions in the guise of service have come in for criticism at the hands of Christian leaders.

Expressing shock at the remarks at a joint press conference here today, Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao of Delhi, who is also the First Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India and the Chairman of the Northern Regional Council, Chandigarh-Shimla Diocese Bishop Gerald Mathias, Jammu and Kashmir Bishop Peter Celeste, Delhi Auxiliary Bishop Anil Couto and Mr John Dayal, Secretary-General of the All-India Catholic Union, said such statements from the Prime Minister would encourage communal and extremist elements.

The remarks had come at a time when the country was facing renewed violence against Christian priests, nuns and religious workers. They said their anxiety was more because the statement had been made at a book release function lauding the RSS and in the presence of those political leaders who were leading the hate campaign against the Christian community in India.

The Archbishop said that there could be no conversion unless it was of one's free will. The Church had denounced fraudulent and forced conversions as illegal, he said.

Mr Dayal urged the Prime Minister to reassure the country that his government was committed to the rule of law and the letter and spirit of the Constitution in its guarantee of religious freedom, including the universal freedom of the individual's decision on choosing one's faith. He also called upon Mr Vajpayee to rein in the vigilantes of the Sangh Parivar, who were resorting to violence against Christian religious persons in certain states.

The Archbishop said the hate campaigns were designed to curtail the missionaries’ inputs in education, health and uplift of the marginalised segments and efforts in bringing relief to the people in those areas where the state had withdrawn or had not been able to reach. The state governments should rather spend their energies on booking those who were damaging the secular structure of the nation and threatening cultural plurality, he added.

Terming the charges as baseless, Bishop Mathias regretted that there had been no statement from the highest quarters of the government condemning violence against innocent religious persons and members of the Christian community.

Meanwhile, the leaders have thanked the Union Cabinet for clearing the Bill on the annulment of Christian marriages. They also urged the government to introduce suitable laws to allow Christian couples to adopt children.

Cong in quandary over support
Sanjay Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
The election of a so-called rebel Akali Dal member, Ms Harjinder Kaur, as Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) with the support of two Congress councillors, may send confusing portents for the Congress, if the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) embraces her to embarrass the Congress ahead of Punjab Assembly elections due within six months.

The Congress, which risked supporting a rebel Akali candidate despite her claims of blessings from the SAD President and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in yesterday’s election may be caught in a catch-22 situation if she was really accepted by the SAD.

The Akalis may stage a coup of sorts by admitting the city’s first Akali Mayor to the party fold again or claiming she was always a member, sending a signal to the constituency of the Congress that the party had to support an Akali Dal member to settle score with the BJP.

Ms Harjinder Kaur, however, is now caught in an interesting situation where her acceptance in the Akali Dal will ensure her functioning as a Mayor as the majority BJP could only then think of allowing her continue for some time.

But the Congress has now been left with an additional responsibility of mustering support for Ms Harjinder Kaur for running the House.

The BJP spokesperson, Ms Ranjana Shahi, has already termed her as a second Mayor of the Congress which has to take care of her at the time when the BJP, has already sought dissolution of the Corporation.

Ms Harjinder Kaur’s status in the party till today remained confusing with a section of the local Akali Dal supporting her claiming that the SAD national General Secretary, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, yesterday only welcomed her as a party Mayor, which was today contested by a group opposed to her and led by local unit president Gurpartap Singh Riar quoting Capt Kanwaljit Singh.

The Akali Dal may be tempted to accept her showing that the popularity chart of the party is on the upswing as even a small group of Akalis in the city could score a victory over the Congress with guile even without the support of the majority BJP, indicating that the pattern is an indication towards Punjab elections.

But, there is a hitch in accepting Ms Harjinder Kaur to the party as she might be seen as a rebel who has been supported by the Congress, an irritant to the Akali Dal’s traditional constituency.

The BJP might also ask the SAD not to take a rebel into the party as she had played into the hands of the Congress to circumvent the Akali-BJP move for the dissolution of the Corporation.

However, Ms Harjinder Kaur has now launched a campaign to be seen as having the blessings of Mr Badal by meeting Punjab Finance Minister and party General Secretary, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Chief Minister’s wife, Ms Surinder Kaur and another senior party office-bearer Balwinder Singh Bhunder and claimed that she was supported by all.

The issue of vote to Ms Harjinder Kaur has, however, divided the local unit of the Congress with a powerful section disapproving support to an Akali and the Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala and another member, Ms Sunita, opposing the party line and not voting for Ms Harjinder Kaur.

CHANDIGARH CALLING

During the Independence Day celebrations in Sector 17 Parade Grounds power supply failed twice during the 150-minute function leading to several red faces in the engineering department. Thankfully, the breakdowns were brief. It was a short circuit which led to power failure, it was learnt later.

Questions were asked why generators were not on stand by. Senior officials are now ensuring that a generator is on standby in all official functions in future. Later, during the week engineers could be overheard discussing details of power requirements during forthcoming programmes and the need for alternative arrangements like generators. Last heard a senior official using the walkietalkie set was asking his subordinates to ensure the generator was around when a scheduled function was held in Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.

Back in action

Interestingly, during the same Independence Day function the police official leading the parade of the Chandigarh Police contingent was DSP Devinder Thakur, who was re-instated just three months ago after facing a two-year suspension in the infamous missing files cases.

It may have been great relief for the DSP, who had been watching the department from the sidelines during his suspension period.

No parking

Parking a car at the PGI is getting more and more cumbersome during the day time. All paid parkings are overflowing by 10 a.m. leading to an occasional verbal duel between car owners and parking lot attendants.

Now the situation is that cars are parked on both sides of the roads outside the two research blocks located near the Bhargava auditorium. People now even park cars in the parking adjacent to advanced paediatric centre and walk down to the main building which is a good 500 metres away.

Places like roads around the library and the new tuck shop also double as parking during the day. The parking for faculty is no better as approach road to the parking lot has cars lined up on either side of the road. With paucity of space in the PGI the answer probably lies in adding another storey to the existing parking and a ramp used by cars to reach there.

For traffic control

Regulating traffic continues to be Achilles’ heel of the Chandigarh Police. A case in point is the virtual cordoning off of Sector 20 by the police on Janmashtami on August 12.

The sector was virtually cut off for residents of the sector and they were told to take alternative routes as a large number of devotees thronged three temples in the sector and the fair organised on the ground near the Masjid. When asked how the residents of Sector 20-B can take the alternative routes the cops had no answer.

Will the police, whose record of dealing with the pubilc has been lacklustre, care to be more people-friendly?

Adviser’s advice

Adviser to UT Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda poured her heart out to children on the occasion of the UT Administration’s Independence Day celebrations at Tagore Theatre on August 14. Interestingly, she restricted herself to pure Hindi throughout her 10-minute speech. She began with lauding girls: “I see girls coming up in a big way. They are dancing, they are singing, they are even serving us snacks. Where are all the boys of Chandigarh?” she questioned.

From there Ms Nanda went on to admonish children on the sensitive issue of dowry. Addressing girls she said: “Aap ko apni ek pehchaan banani chahiye. Jo ladke dahej maangte hain vo tuchh hain. Aise ladkon se shaadi karne se achha hai ki aap vivah hi na karen.”

She also had a piece of advice for boys: “Aap ko abhi se apne ma baap ko batana hai ki aap dahej ke khilaaf hain, ki aap bazaar mein bikne ko tayaar nahi hain.”

Kulfi out of stock!

The Independence Day celebrations proved to be difficult for kulfi-lovers in the city. So heavy was the demand for kulfi on the day that by about 2.45 pm, all major suppliers of kulfi in town had exhausted their stock of both matka and faluda kulfi. People heading towards well-known shops in Sector 26 and Sector 19 had to return disheartened. The managers of several restaurants said that huge orders for kulfi had been placed since morning.

Problem of plenty

While the restructuring of the income tax department is well under way, several teething problems have come up. The expansion of the upper echelon of the department has resulted in a large number of officers of the rank of commissioner. The department is now facing paucity of accommodation as well as requisite infrastructure.

According to IT officers, the department is now surveying the city to take on lease suitable accommodation to house its newly created ranges. Four new ranges have been created in the city, resulting in four more officers of the rank of additional/joint commissioner being posted here. Besides a second Commissioner of IT has also been posted here to cope up with the additional workload.

While the new ranges became functional from August 1, make-shift arrangements are being made to enable them to carry out their work. Officers say that it will still be some time before everything is streamlined and proper infrastructure and accommodation are made available.

Bowled over

It was a two-day visit that the roller skating team from England thoroughly enjoyed. Completely bowled over by the love and hospitality they received from the hosts, KB DAV School, Sector 7, the President of the team, Mr Keith Ellen, said: “They made me and my wife feel almost like a prince and princess. We are overwhelmed by the hospitality and warmth the Indians have shown to us”.

These foreigners had come with the vision that India was a backward, third world country which would have little to offer them. Instead, the greenery, the meticulous planning and the facilities the city had to offer took them by surprise.``We were thinking it would be like a match in the countryside. This, however, seems amazing, and starkly in contrast to the image projected to the world,’’ he stated.

Stealing thunder

By sidelining a uniform policy for distribution of funds to the grameen vikas samitis in Haryana, the government has tried scoring a point over the opposition.

While the job was essentially to be carried out by the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPO) in the districts, it was instead done by representatives of the Indian National Lok Dal Ministers at some places while at others chairmen of boards and corporations carried out the job.

The non-INLD MLAs, too, were left ruing the fact that despite being elected representative of the people of their constituency, they were not given a chance to distribute these cheques while “outsiders” took the entire credit for the job.

People friendly

The BSNL, in a new avtar as a profit making corporation faced with competition, has launched a public relations exercise opening more channels of complaints to be directly supervised by the Punjab Telecom circle Chief General Manager Telecom.

The earlier uncaring government giant monopolising the market, is becoming more and more public savvy and has fixed fifth of every month for the CGMT to meet the press to reach out to the people.

The public sector company is now working out on ideas like call centres and telemarts.

The call centre will be providing all facilities on one telephone number, which will be a friend of the customer.

The telemart will offer customers buying opportunity of telecom related items on the phone itself.

The monolith seems to be really changing!

Action plan

“Sustainable development” is the theme of this year’s National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Our development plans must be equitable, sustainable, practical, sensitive to local culture and welcome to the local people.

Non government Organisations (NGOs) — educational institutions, army units can launch awareness cum action programmes to reduce the use of water, minimise the problem of disposal of waste, avoid plastics, conserve electricity, use of solar devices, uproot congress grass, organise tree plantations.

Citizens can be enlightened on the harmful effects of use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in agriculture. These actions will motivate the farmers to switch over to organic farming, vermicomposting, Nadep composting and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Organisations interested to join the NEAC can contact the Environment Society of India (ESI) Karuna Sadan, Sector 11-B, Chandigarh. Ph/Fax 746832.

Patriotic feelings

Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh’s attempt to exhibit patriotic feelings on the occasion of Independence Day by decorating a roundabout was considered as a “thoughtful gesture” by residents.

But they believe that instead of setting up the National Tricolour, along with the logo of MC in the centre, and encircling the same with a railing carrying the Ashok chakra, the staff would have exhibited patriotism in a better manner by performing their duties diligently. Afterall, their logo says: “Keeping the city clean and green.’’

Garden on rooftop!

Mr Guruditta Mal Nirankari (63) has raised a beautiful garden on the roof of his first floor house No 1650/1 in Sector 40-B. As you make your way to the top by ascending a fleet of stairs, you come across a nine foot tall “Dharek” tree in a jute bag. One also sees a 18-foot-long sugarcane plant grown in the courtyard. It is raised in a wooden box measuring 2x1½ feet.

Then there is a guava tree measuring 15 feet in a 1’x1½ feet wooden box. This young guava tree is flanked by “mint” and rose plants.

Green chilly plants 6 to 7 feet tall also greet the onlooker. Keeping them company are a lemon tree, the blooming Night-Queen, Motia tree, pomegranate and grapes. A soft-spoken Mr Nirankari developed this passion for gardening after the death of his wife. He says he enjoys being in the company of plants and flowers “who are my never-failing friends.”

—Sentinel

COMMUNITY

Jacob okays proposal on polybags
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
The UT Administrator, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), has approved the proposal to issue directions to the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh to frame the byelaws for imposing restrictions on the use of polythene bags less than 20 microns in thickness and the coloured recycled bags for storing and packing foodstuff.

The Environment Department of the Chandigarh Administration has also appealed to all wholesalers, retailers and traders not to store, sell, purchase and use polythene bags which are less than 20 microns in thickness and do not conform to the Recycled Plastics Manufacturer Usage Rules, 1999.

Those found to be violating the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999, are liable to face imprisonment for a term up to five years and/or a fine, which may be extended to Rs 1 lakh

The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) had issued notices to all 19 units manufacturing plastic carry bags in the UT for not complying with the manufacturing conditions laid down in the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999. That these units have not been adhering to the Indian Standard specifications had also been revealed by a recent survey by the CPCC.

Following a meeting of the Plastics Manufacturers Association with the UT Administration, members of the association had assured full cooperation as far as complying with the rules and regulations set by the CPCC for manufacturing and processing of polythene bags was concerned. Most of the polythene bags consumed in the UT are coming from outside the city, including Delhi and Mumbai, and are generally less than 20 microns thick.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests vide a notification dated September 2, 1999, had banned plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing and packaging of foodstuff. As per the notification, the minimum thickness of carrybags made of virgin or recycled plastic should not be less than 20 microns.

Environment experts add that carrybags which are less than 20 micron in thickness and are lighter in weight are the real cause of hazards like choking of drains and death of stray animals. Recycled and coloured plastics also contaminate foodstuff with toxic colourants and other additives which are often added to give strength to the recycled and coloured polybags.

INTERACTIVE
‘I have accomplished much, but there are regrets’
Tribune News Service

Promises	Performance
Recarpeting and strengthening of roads.	A lot done but still falls short of expectation.
Cleanliness.	The weakest aspect of the ward.
Greening and network of parks.	Parks have been developed but upkeep is poor.
Sufficient water supply.	Water is a major problem in the area.
Rehabilitation of Janata and Kumhar colonies.	Unfinished.
Bio-gas plant at Dadu Majra.	Promise kept.
Electricity supply.	Erratic.

Chandigarh, August 19
Mr Kewal Krishan Adiwal, representing ward No: 5, reserved for Scheduled Castes, became the youngest Mayor at the age of 28 in 1998. He is perhaps the only councillor to have rural area in his ward. Mr Adiwal surprised everybody by defeating his party BJP's official nominee Mr Rajinder Kumar. Chandigarh Tribune, as part of an exercise to know your councillors performance and enable the electorate to question them on what they promised, how they performed, interviewed him. Text of the interview is reproduced here:

Question: What have been your achievements during the term?

Answer: Though I had no urban area in my ward, I tried to do my best for the overall development of the villages and colonies in my area. My foremost achievement is the rehabilitation of 4,200 odd families of Janata and Kumhar colonies in proper dwelling units in Sector 25. Besides this, 40 plots of 5 marla each have been allotted to potters in Dadu Majra village. Another important achievement pertains to the setting up of a bio-gas plant by a private firm in the dumping ground in Dadu Majra, where urea will be taken out of garbage and this will also make the environment of the area pollution free. Right at the entrance to the Dadu Majra colony, a green belt is being developed and this perhaps is the first proper green belt to be developed in a slum area.

A new tubewell was installed in Dadu Majra to solve the problems of water scarcity and low water pressure. Boosters for Dhanas, Dadu Majra and Sector 25 have been sanctioned. Two new tubewells have also been sanctioned for the benefit of residents of Sector 25 PU campus. A total of 35 parks have been developed in Dadu Majra. The internal roads in Dhanas have been recarpeted and strengthened. Here too, 20 parks have been developed and another park is being developed at a cost of Rs 7.5 lakh. All roads and all six parks in Khuda Lohara have been developed. The entry road to Khuda Jassu has also been concretised. In Sector 25, a green belt is being developed and roads are being strengthened to make the area look better. The boundary wall of the same was also made in my time.

Question: What do you think you could not do for the electorate and why?

Answer: I have accomplished much more in five years than done by the officialdom during the past 15 to 20 years, but there are a few regrets. Despite best intentions and efforts, I have not been able to get the internal roads of Dadu Majra strengthened, even as the estimates stand passed. My greatest regret is that I was not able to shift out the Janata and Kumhar colonies from their present location to the Sector 25 during my tenure due to some administrative problems. I was also not able to get the V-3 road leading from, Sector 25 cremation ground towards Dhanas strengthened even as hundreds of residents use the same. The dispute regarding extension fee in Milk Colony, Dhanas, is also yet to be resolved.

Question: How did you use the Corporation Forum to redress the grievances of the people?

Answer: I tried to make myself available to the public for most part of the day and they were free to contact me at home or the MC with their problems. I used to take personal interest in getting these solved from the department concerned at the earliest. Even as Mayor, I used to meet 100 odd people everyday made sure that I gave necessary directions to the officers regarding their work there and then would subsequently ask them for a follow -up action report also. The Administration has also been quite cooperative with me in solving people's problems when I was the Mayor.

Question: What did you promise the voter during your election campaign?

Answer: I promised that I would work sincerely for them, make efforts to improve the condition of roads, set up a bio-gas plant at the dumping ground site in Dadu Majra, develop parks and green belts and rehabilitate Janata and Kumhar colonies, besides making available proper supply of water and electricity. On the party level, I assured them that no taxes will be imposed.

Question: How responsive has been your party towards your electorate's grievances?

Answer: The party has no major role in redressing electorate's grievances. However, the four BJP Mayors of the majority party in the House have, during their respective tenures, tried to reach out to the public by solving their problems. They also strived hard to live upto the promises made by them and the party in the manifesto.

Question: How supportive has been the bureaucracy in your role as a councillor?

Answer: Whenever funds were available and the estimates had been passed by the vital Finance and Contract Committee or the House, the officials did get those works done. A few others I got done while I was the Mayor. However, I did face some problems with the MC Commissioner and Secretary during my tenure as Mayor, but gradually the relations improved and I only further strengthened my relationship with others during this period. In fact, now I need not approach the Mayor for any work.

Question: Will you like to recontest the election in view of your performance?

Answer: Recontesting the forthcoming elections depends on the party's direction. I do not intend to contest as an independent candidate. However, I am hopeful of being given a chance in view of my performance.

Question: What will you suggest to your successor if you do not contest this time? What he must do for the electorate overcoming the party and bureaucratic hurdles?

Answer: If a BJP candidate wins, he is bound to get all possible support, but if a candidate from another party gets elected, he is bound to face stiff opposition. However, I will advise my successor to be very clear on one thing, that in order to function effectively he must have cooperation of the people he represents and the officials, from whom he has to get their works done. He should also have a cordial relationship with his fellow members in the House. He need not look back for a lot has been accomplished and should concentrate in planning for the future.

Question: Why should the voter vote for you?

Answer: He should vote for me keeping in view the amount of development work which has been done and the huge amount of money that has been spent on them during my five-year tenure. For instance, Rs 50 crore is being spent on the rehabilitation of the Sector 25 Janata and Kumhar colonies and a large amount has been spent on the recarpeting and strengthening of roads in the ward.

Question: What have you gained personally by being a councillor?

Answer: I have carved out a name for myself. People of the city know me and my name figures among the top SC leaders. In fact, being a former city Mayor, I represent the SC community in various committees such as the UT Administration's Advisory Committee, in which I have been a member during the past five years. I have also gained experience of working for the public, both as a councillor and a Mayor.

Hawara’s day out, cops on tenterhooks
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
Jagtar Singh Hawara, one of the main accused in the assassination of the Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, was today brought out of Burail Jail for an MRI scan in a nursing home in Sector 22, even as the local police was reportedly denied the permission to handcuff him.

The accused is reportedly suffering from a disc problem and is likely to be operated upon soon. He was brought to the hospital here under tight security at around 7:30 am today. A number of points of PCR vehicles had been made en route the nursing home and he was brought in a convoy of vehicles. A recovery van was also moving along with the convoy to pick up any unparked vehicles.

The entire route to the nursing home appeared to be under siege, with policemen in uniform as well as plainclothesmen guarding the area. An officer of the rank of a DSP was posted on special duty.

The other accused in the assassination, Balwant Singh, was also brought to the same nursing home on March 12 for an MRI scan. After the test was conducted, he was sent back to the jail. Later he was operated upon at Government Medical College and Hospital.

Considering the sensitivity of the case, the police had applied for exception being made in this case for handcuffing Jagtar Singh Hawara while he had to be brought out of the jail. The police was reportedly denied the permission. As a result, the local police was on tenterhooks and elaborate security arrangements were made in and around the nursing home.

According to a notification issued by the Chandigarh Administration, the accused in Beant Singh’s assassination case cannot be taken out of the model jail in Burail village.

The accused had been booked by the CBI after the Chief Minister was killed in an explosion in front of the Punjab Civil Secretariat. While the believed-to-be human bomb Dilawar Singh was killed in the blast, other accused in the case are facing trial.

Jagtar Singh Hawara had earlier confessed his hand in the assassination and after raising slogans in the courtroom, he had stated that Beant Singh had been killed for his anti-Sikh activities.

STATE OF ROADS
Potholes that mirror official apathy
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, August 19
The crowded roads in Sectors 26 and 28, which are witness to hundreds of heavy vehicles have been crying for maintenance for the past number of years due to the indifferent attitude of the UT Administration and Municipal Corporation.

Due to heavy flow of traffic and in the absence of regular maintenance and check-up the surface of many of the roads is dotted with potholes, cracks and depressions.

The dividing roads of Sector 27 and 28, around roundabout of Sectors 27, 28, 30 and roads of Grain Market virtually become a death trap during the rainy days.

Not only main roads but internal roads of the sectors are also in a pathetic condition proving that the maintenance work of the roads has not been taken up for many months. The condition of some of the internal roads has deteriorated to such an extent that it has become impossible for the commuters to use these roads. After heavy showers the potholes are full of water and become a cause of accident for many commuters.

Mr Satinder Singh, a resident of Sector 28, said dividing road near Pal Dhaba was in very poor condition and required maintenance. He added that driving on these roads had become a driver’s nightmare, especially during the night, when the drivers fail to notice the potholes.

The shopkeepers of Sector 26 market said Grain Market was a major source of supply of vegetables, fruits and other raw materials not only to Chandigarh but also to the neighbouring states and large number of heavy vehicles plied here daily. But still nothing had been done for the improvement of the roads in the market so far.

The drivers of various vehicles which bring goods to the market also complained that many times due to the poor condition of the roads they had met with accidents and had even lost goods worth thousands of rupees several times. A truck driver, Manjit Singh, said due to deteriorated conditions of the internal and outside roads he had to spend hundreds of rupees extra every week for the maintenance of his truck .

Students of Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College and Polytechnic in Sector 26 also said the roads were in a very bad condition. They complained that rain water remained accumulated in the potholes for days.

CRIME

House burgled, jewellery stolen
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19
Gold jewellery and a digital phone were stolen from the house of a Sector 11 residence, Mr Pritpal Singh Sachdeva, last evening. The miscreant(s) had reportedly broken open the lock of the door for committing the theft. The police has registered a case under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC.

Theft cases
Two cases of theft have been reported in different parts of the city during the past 24 hours.

A Maruti Zen ( LX- 2126) (temporary) was reportedly stolen late last night from outside the Chandigarh Club. In another incident, a briefcase was stolen from a car on August 18, while it was parked near Jagat Theatre in Sector 17. In both cases, the police has registered FIRs under Section 379 of the IPC.

One arrested
Chander Mohan was arrested for selling tickets of a Hindi movies Dil Chahta Hai, on the black market. He was arrested under Section 7-C of the Punjab Cinema Act from near Neelam Cinema.

Three booked
Three persons have been booked under various sections of the Excise Act on the charge of consuming liquor at a public place. Balbir Singh Kapila, Parvinder Singh and D.K. Chaudhary were arrested from Sector 28 late last night.

Assault cases
The police has booked three persons for assaulting and rioting in two separate incidents during the past 24 hours.

Suresh Kumar and Naresh Kumar were booked under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323 and 341 of the IPC for assaulting Janak Dev in the wee hours of the morning yesterday.

Hari Ram is alleged to have assaulted and threatened Mr Suresh Kumar yesterday. A case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323 and 341 of the IPC has been registered.

Six booked
The police has booked six persons on the charges of rioting, assault and criminal intimidation after they beat up Balbir Singh in Sector 8, this morning.

According to an FIR registered under sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 341 and 506 of the IPC, it is alleged that Dhian Singh, Sham Lal, Taari, Saniya, Kesar Singh had beaten up Balbir Singh. The victim is a milkman and the accused reportedly had a tiff with him a few days ago. The police said the scuffle today was a fall out of an earlier fight.

Suicide
An employee of the Ordnance factory, Dharamveer allegedly committed suicide by hanging from ceiling fan yesterday. It was learnt that he had been suffering from depression after his wife had died a few years ago. His body was taken to his native village in Panipat district today for cremation.

Body found
An unidentified body was found near the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, this morning. According to the information available, the man appeared to be around 45 years of age. The police said he appeared to be a migrant labourer and was suffering from some ailment.