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Sifti Da Ghar in neglect
Unsafe for women; rape cases register an increase
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Border villages a haven for smugglers; BSF to
identify ‘black sheep’
Aid eludes this septuagenarian
Increase in traffic challans; activists allege traffic still chaotic
Nano Biotech (P) Ltd launches HIV
test
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Sifti Da Ghar in neglect
Amritsar — Sifti Da Ghar (Land of Values) — promoted as parallel city to Lahore by the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, is now in a state of neglect, thanks to the indifference of all concerned. Amritsar is the only city which finds mention in the Gurbani.
The old city was known as the city of ponds and gardens all over the world. The names of many localities and bazaars are still prefixed or suffixed with the word bagh. This show that gardens and ponds existed in the city once upon a time. However, these gardens were usurped by the mindless growth of the city. The very names of Bagh Jhanda Singh (near Papdan Wala Bazaar), Kesri Bagh, Sakatri Bagh (Jamnu Road), Jalianwala Bagh, Ramanand Bagh (near Jalianwala Bagh), Rani Ka Bagh point towards the old beauty of the town. The mushrooming of unplanned colonies has dealt a death blow to many ponds and beautiful gardens. The city had many water channels to irrigate large residential and public parks. The picturesque city lost its many green spaces with the passage of time. The Mall, literal meaning — the shady passage way — built in the year 1880 by the British after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh seems to have lost its grandeur. The Mall was replete with history. Its glory could be imagined from the fact that a great personality like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was born in a palatial house here. The Mall, which had only 25 to 30 houses earlier, has lately become a jungle of concrete. The first step towards commercialisation of the Mall was started by a former Akali minister who converted a part of his splendid residence into office and shops by using political clout during the hey days of militancy. Later, two big hotels — Ritz and Blue Moon, two hospitals, two restaurants besides ten commercial complexes and many kiosks — dotted the beautiful landscape of the Mall. Many more commercial complexes are in the pipeline, thanks to the local municipal corporation. The change in the houseline plan by the corporation has added to parking and traffic chaos. Footpaths have been converted into parking space, leaving little space for pedestrians. Ms Kusam Wadhwa, earlier a resident of the Mall, expressed her distress over the wanton destruction of its beauty. Recalling her childhood days, she rued that she would cycle down the shady passageways to visit her friends and relations. However, the ongoing commercialisation of the area has dismayed her. The authorities concerned allowed the change of the land-use of the area without seeking objections from the residents. While Pakistan has maintained the original glory
of its Mall, the local authorities have allowed rampant commercial activities on this side of the International border. Now, the once-beautiful residential areas continue to be replaced by ill-planned high-rise buildings, which have become eye-sores. There was a time when authorities did not allow the construction of houses on less than 5000 square yards plot. The present Nehru Shopping Complex, developed by the Improvement Trust, was once a residential house of the manager of British Grindlay’s Bank in an area of 21000 square yards. The Mall also housed the residential bunglow of the mangers of Charted Bank. The Charted Bank’s Manger House has been converted into the Ritz Hotel. A large chunk of the land on the Mall belonged to the family of Rattan Chand Mehra, a noted tea merchant. While many big business families shifted to Delhi or other metro towns after the Partition, the prolonged militancy took its toll here. It forced many rich families to dispose of their properties. In process, the Mall lost its glory. The ever-changing bylaws, which suited the authorities and the vested interests, cleared the construction plan for “not less than 2000 yards”, which has lately been amended to “not less than 500 yards”. Mr Harmit Singh (Raja Batra), a resident of the Mall alleged that indiscriminate commercialisation had messed up the beautiful Mall Road. The Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) General Secretary, Mr Charnjit Singh Gumtala, says that though the then-Punjab-Government had announced the constitution of the Amritsar Development Authority to mark the 400th year of the city, yet it has not been implemented so far. However, the Patiala Development Authority has been constituted for the comprehensive and the overall development of the erstwhile princely city. The AVM is of the view that the successive governments have failed to protect the original design of the holy city after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. There was a time when Maharaja Ranjit Singh could have the darshan of the Golden Temple from his Summer Palace (Ram Bagh) itself. However, with the passage of time, excessive construction in the city blocked the view of the holiest place. Amritsar, which was once developed as industrial and commercial capital of the region, fell on bad days due to ill-conceived plans. At one time, Guru Arjun Dev had specially brought 52 artisans of different trades to the city. He had designed the city in a way that residential area was bifurcated from the commercial area. However, in the later years, it was all forgotten. Incidentally, the city has many firsts to its credit. It was developed as the first educational centre of the region. The first Sikh-Mughal war was fought here. The first Qila Lohgarh was built here under the directions of Guru Hargobind Sahib. The city was visited by six Gurus. Before the advent of the British rule, Amritsar was much developed than Lahore. If Lahore was the capital of Punjab, Amritsar was the industrial capital of the Middle Asia at that time. According to the AVM, the Census of 1855 (after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) showed Amritsar district to be more densely populated than Lahore. The city’s population was 112186, while Lahore was less developed and its population was 94143 only. In 1868, the population of Amritsar rose to 135813 while Lahore’s population was 98924. The business turnover of Amritsar in 1868 was Rs 690284 while that of Lahore was Rs 245445. The export from Amritsar in the same year was worth Rs 4761454 while Lahore’s export was Rs 2646017 only. British, too, developed Lahore at the cost of Amritsar, possibly with a view to open new economic avenues. The Government of India also played a negative role by giving tax holidays to Himachal and J&K. Mr I.K. Gujral, the then-Prime-Minister offered economic package to border districts, including Amritsar, but it failed to take off with the exception of giving a go-ahead to upgrade Rajasansi airport into an international airport. The NDA Government undid Mr Gujral’s announcements and instead gave facilities to Himachal Pradesh and J&K. A large number of industrial units shifted to Baddi (HP) and Jammu. Mr Gumtala says that after Independence, Amritsar should have been developed as the capital city like Lahore, which is the capital of West Punjab. The Queens Road, the Lawrence Road, the Albert Road and the Court Road, which were once the cynosure of the city, are fast becoming commercial sites. “The new commercial areas don’t have any proper parking. Vehicles are parked on the spaces earmarked for pedestrians. No care has been taken to preserve the heritage of the city. The greenery has been reduced to the minimal. The government and corporation offices in the famous Ram Bagh have eclipsed the beauty of the summer capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,” rues a city resident. Well, this does sum up the plight of the city, that was once famed for its architecture and planning. |
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City of encroachments
Slums have mushroomed in front of the BSF’s Intelligence Office( adjoining the Civil Surgeon Office). This has become a security risk. Basements of flyovers have also been encroached by slum dwellers and criminal elements. The Amritsar Vikas Manch’s writ petition urging for the removal of the encroachments is pending in High Court. The High Court had ordered that it would be in the larger interest of the public to direct the authorities of the municipal corporation to undertake a comprehensive survey of all encroachments within the corporation area and submit a report for removing the unauthorised encroachment.
The Court had also directed action against officers, who may have abetted unauthorised encroachment on the public land. However, instead of taking any action, footpaths and roadsides are still being encroachments in connivance with the municipal corporation authorities. There are encroachments galore in Katra Jaimal Singh and other adjoining areas which are just a few yards away from the corporation office. The rehris near the residences of commissioner, SSP, Mayor speak volumes about the efficacy of the authorities. |
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What the law says
According to the Punjab Municipal (Sanitation and Public Health) bylaws 2003, notified on May 19, 2003:
In case of violation, the bylaws suggest penalty with a fine that may extend to Rs 1000. In case of continuing violation, an additional fine, which may extend to Rs 500 every day, may be imposed. The defaulter will be obliged to restore the place /wall to its original position and in case, he fails to do so, he will pay the cost of restoration to be carried by the corporation. Whosoever fails to comply with these provisions shall be punished under Section 65 of the IPC. The officer of the corporation / corporation shall be responsible to implement these bylaws. However, so far, not even a single person has been fined for violation of these bylaws. |
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Unsafe for women; rape cases register an increase
Although the number of murder cases decreased in the district in the year 2004, the crime against women registered an increase last year. It almost doubled as compared to the year 2003. According to police records, the district police recorded 24 rape cases the last year, while in the year 2003, the number of rape cases was 11, as per the official records.
Though all 24 cases of rape were solved by the police, yet the rise in the rape cases is a cause for concern. The police, on its part, blames cultural pollution. Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP State Vice-President, talking to Amritsar Plus, said though the cultural pollution through media was one of the main causes for increase in crime against women, yet the lenient attitude towards such cases and the alleged corruption in the police department also played the major role in this. She alleged that “lenient” attitude, including not presenting challans timely in the court, helped the accused to get bail. Ms Chawla added that she had written to Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, a number of times, but so far, she had drawn a blank. Mr R.P.S. Brar, District Police Chief, could not be contacted even after repeated attempts. Meanwhile, theft and robbery cases have also shown a slight increase in the district. The police registered 182 such cases in 2004, while in the year 2003, only 169 cases were registered. The district police succeeded in solving 23 cases of kidnapping or abduction out of the 31 cases registered in 2004. The number of kidnapping cases was 37 in 2003. The cases under narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) have also shown an increase. The number of NDPS cases was 196 in 2004, while it was 140 in the corresponding period of the previous year. The police registered 1150 cases under excise act this year, while 1315 such cases were registered in 2003. There were 46 attempt-to-murder cases registered in 2004, as compared to 30 in 2003. Under explosive act, the police registered 177 cases in 2004 as compared to 217 in 2003. |
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Border villages a haven for smugglers; BSF to
identify ‘black sheep’
Even as the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pak rangers guarding the Indo-Pak border hold each other responsible for smuggling narcotics, fake currency and arms, the border villages near the fence have become a haven for smugglers.
The direct involvement of the BSF and the army jawans in two major smuggling cases in 2004 has also become a cause for serious concern for authorities, besides making the things easier and less risky for the smugglers. Statistics show that the rate of smuggling increased in the border areas in 2004. The Khalra police station that comes under the jurisdiction of Tarn Taran Police nabbed two BSF constables Subash Chander and Budh Ram in a joint operation by the BSF and the police in the month of August the previous year. According to reports, the accused had smuggled heroin, fake currency and arms worth crores of rupees in various parts of the country with the help of one Suba Singh, a notorious smuggler. The BSF had seized two kg of heroin from them at the international border in the Attari Sector. Budh Singh and Subhash Chander belonged to the 19th battalion of the BSF posted at Khem Karan and they had moved to a new location in Jammu and Kashmir in the mid of 2003. Senior BSF officials have taken a serious view of all this. They have decided to take urgent steps to check the increasing trend from across the border to smuggle narcotics by throwing packets over the fence at the pre-decided spot earmarked by their local contacts. The security force also tried to locate vulnerable points at the international border. Interestingly, according to police sources, various persons arrested during the year allegedly had relations with militant groups in Pakistan. On May 24, the BSF shot dead a notorious Pakistani smuggler Munir Khan in the Ajnala Sector and recovered nine kg heroin worth Rs 9 crore in international market. However, his accomplice managed to escape. Munir Khan allegedly had connections with Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who has taken asylum in Pakistan. On June 12, two foreign nationals, including one Kenyan and a Nigerian, were nabbed separately at Wagah for possessing heroin worth crores of rupees. In a novel way of smuggling, the accused had concealed the contraband in their body by gulping it. In another sensational incident of smuggling, three persons, including an army man, were arrested and fake currency, narcotics and arms were recovered from them during a joint operation of the police and the BSF on December 7 last year. The arrested persons included Sepoy Ali Mohammad Khan, Simon Pal of Chuchakwal village under Lopoke Police Station and Sukhwinder Singh of Dina Nagar in Gurdaspur. The police officials had expressed apprehensions about the involvement of the ISI. The BSF, besides launching a campaign to identify "black sheep" within the force, has taken up the matter with its Pakistani counterpart a number of times. In the recently-held quarterly meeting at the Wagah, both sides (BSF and Pak rangers) blamed each other for smuggling activities on the Indo-Pak border even as authorities on both sides admitted that the smuggling had increased in the border areas.
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Aid eludes this septuagenarian
Septuagenarian Nirmal Singh is a harassed man allegedly at the hands of insensitive bureaucracy and visionless politicians. A father of four, including one daughter, he lost his two sons in separate accidents.
His youngest son Paramjit Singh, a photographer with Punjabi daily Ajit, was killed in a road accident in 1994 and his oldest son Rana Jaspal Singh, a lensman with The Indian Express, died while parasailing in 1998. The two accidents left permanent scars on this genial person. Instead of lending him a helping hand, the authorities are allegedly harassing him. He has been running from pillar to post to get the announced aid. The authorities concerned have failed to honour their words, as they have not given the family the aid that had been announced. One evening of 1994, lensman Paramjit Singh, father of a four-month-old boy, received an invitation to cover the cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at Jalandhar from the municipal corporation here. He boarded the Gypsy of the then-Municipal-Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, to reach Jalandhar. However, on the way the Gypsy met with an accident near Gumtala in which he and the driver got killed. Showing sympathy, the municipal corporation passed a resolution to grant a piece of land to the father of the deceased. However, the resolution has remained on papers only so far. Sending a reminder to the principal secretary, government of Punjab, local government, on August 16, 2001, the then-Municipal-Commissioner mentioned: "MC, Amritsar, vide its letter No. C/LS/2 dated April 15, 1996, requested for the approval of the resolution of the corporation No. 64/9 dated February 12, 1996." He specified: "The MC allotted a plot to the father of the deceased, who had died in an accident while on official duty as photographer." Misfortunate struck Mr Nirmal Singh again when his son Rana Jaspal Singh had gone to cover the parasailing demonstration organised by the army at Khasa. According to Mr Nirmal Singh, his son was persuaded by the army men to take part in demonstration though he initially refused it. Although he took off smoothly, the parasail veered off to one side, presumably due to sudden gust of wind and he lost his balance, resulting in an abrupt fall. He sustained head injuries. After immediate medical aid, he was rushed to the Military Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. An FIR was filed with the Chheharta Police Station. Senior Army officers came to the cremation and assured the grieving family of financial help. However, even after six years, his family has not received a single penny from the army. |
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Increase in traffic challans; activists allege
If the records of traffic police are to be believed, the number of violators of traffic rules has increased in the holy city as compared to the last years. The traffic police challaned more than 22,000 persons till November 30 in the year 2004. In the year 2003, 16,000 persons were challaned.
The revenue generated by challans was Rs 50 lakh last year, according to sources. The income till November 30, 2004, through these challans exceeded Rs 35 lakh, while this was about Rs 27 lakh only in the corresponding period of the year 2003. The majority of the traffic violations include red light crossing, triple riding, parking in 'no parking' zones, improper number plates and lack of proper documents. Besides, several vehicles were also challaned for putting black film on window screens and entering in one-way roads and no entry areas. In the year 2003, most of the challans were done for not wearing the helmet, which is necessary as per the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Mr R.P.S. Brar, District Police Chief, said that there was a strict enforcement of rules by the traffic police. He said traffic rules would be enforced more strictly in future also. Expressing his deep concern at the traffic chaos in the city, he said the department was earnest about removing traffic-related problems. He said encroachments were the main cause of traffic chaos and he spoken to deputy commissioner, municipal corporation commissioner, mayor and MLAs for making a joint effort to remove encroachments for streamlining the traffic system. Mr Brij Bedi, President, Citizens' Forum, an NGO, said that the increased number of challans did not mean that traffic system had improved. He said that a lot was required to be done in this regard. He said that the police turned a blind eye on real issues. He alleged trucks, buses and transporters did not follow the instructions and that the traffic police deliberately ignored them. He alleged these heavy vehicles used pressure horns causing nuisance and noise pollution. He alleged sometimes traffic police itself harassed commuters. |
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Ram Bagh garden awaiting a Pied Piper to
The valuable trees in the historical Ram Bagh gardens are facing a threat from unexpected quarters - rats.
The population of rats in the park increased in the last couple of years. All this thanks to the habit of people who are eager to offer grains, pulses and wheat powder for the consumption of birds and insects, as per the advice of astrologers. As soon as one enters the park from the Mall Road entrance, one finds a pucca patch in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue on which people spread eatables for birds. Caring two hoots about civic duties, these people leave behind a number of polythene and paper wrappers. A sweeper said that they cleaned the area in the morning but after a few hours, it was littered again. At night, it's time for rats to come out and feast on the grains. These rats make their holes in the park, especially around the trees. While making the holes, they damage the roots of the trees. Mr Jaswinder Singh Bilga, Executive Engineer, Horticulture, Municipal Corporation, said that the menace of rats had increased alarmingly and they were damaging the trees. He said they had thrown some medicines in the rat-holes to keep a tab on their population. But it had proved insufficient. They would soon take some measures to curtail the rat population, he added. He said they had put up a notice board prohibiting people from leaving behind eatables. But it had proved ineffective. "Of late, people have now started putting wheat powder near the trees to feed insects. Consequently, rats find their food at the mouth of their holes and they wreck even more havoc on the roots," Mr Bilga said. |
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Born at Mall, Manekshaw scripted victory for nation
The architect of India’s heroic victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was born at the Mall, Amritsar, on April 3, 1914. After completing his schooling in Amritsar and college education at Sherwood College
(Nainital), he joined the first batch of 40 cadets at Indian Military Academy
(IMA), Dehra Dun, on October 1, 1932. During the World War II, he saw action in the Burma campaign on Sittang River and had the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battlefront itself. During the World War II, he led a counter-offensive against the invading Japanese Army in Burma.
Manekshaw showed acumen for planning and administration while handling the issues related to the Partition in 1947, and later put to use his battle skills during the 1947-48 Jammu & Kashmir operations. As the GOC-in-C Eastern Command, he handled the tricky problem of insurgency in Nagaland and the grateful nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan in 1968. Manekshaw became the 8th Army Chief when he succeeded General Kumaramangalam on 7th June, 1969. His years of military experience were soon put to test as thousands of refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan started crossing over to India as a result of oppression unleashed from West Pakistan. The volatile situation got worse, and soon erupted into a full-scale war in December 1971. During the military campaign, Manekshaw showed uncommon ability to motivate the forces, coupling it with a mature war strategy. The war ended with Pakistan’s unconditional surrender, and the formation of Bangladesh. More than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers were taken as POWs. |
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Sahit Vichar Kendra to honour litterateur Kaang
It would be Lohri with a difference for Amritsarite Punjabi writers. The occasion would mark the release of the 77th book "Punjabi Novel te Novelkar" authored by Dr K. S. Kaang on his 70th birthday. Members of the Sahit Vichar Kendra have decided to organise a programme to honour him.
Considered to be a fearless critic and prolific prose writer in the Punjabi literary circles, Dr Kaang founded two genres of prose in Punjabi, including lyrical essays and character-sketches. His character-sketches reflect his keen understanding. His lyrical essays are emotional and philosophical. His earlier famous books were Sahitya Chintan, Badlan De Rang, Pathar Leekan and Sahitya Meemansa. Dr Kaang's literary journey began at a comparatively early age. He was 16 years old when he started writing stories. Gradually, he developed a taste for criticism. In a short span of four years, he was a recognised critic largely due to his impartial criticism. After completing his masters in Punjabi he took the job of a lecturer. He taught in various government colleges and universities of northern India. He researched on medieval Punjabi literature. Considered to be an authority on "Qissa Sahit", Dr Kaang was assigned a research project on "Punjabi Qissa Sahit" by the Punjabi Academy of Delhi. His writings portray the contemporary history of the holy city comprehensively and give readers a peep into various facets of city life. "Yadan De Panchhi" (autobiographical essay) is an exquisite example of this. The book delineates the present social and political history of the city. The Golden Temple, gardens, famous stores and streets are effectively presented in it. Moreover, all sections of the society have found a place in his books. During his literary pursuit, Dr Kaang visited Germany, Holland, Denmark, Luxemburg, Thailand, Singapore and Pakistan. This extensive travel enriched his writings and provided him rich experience, which has been visible in his writings. He translated about 14 literary classics from English, Urdu and Hindi languages into Punjabi. He remained editor of "Khalsa Samachar" and also worked as Assistant Editor (Literary Studies) in Punjabi University, Patiala. So far, he has edited 11 books. The septuagenarian writer also writes in English. His three books - Principal Teja Singh, Bawa Balwant and Sujan Singh - are already available in market. In his literary career, he compiled Punjabi-English dictionary and his 15 entries found a place in the Encyclopaedia of the Indian Literature published by the Sahitya Academy. As many as twelve literary organisations, including Punjabi Sahit Academy, Meesha Foundation, Waris Foundation and Punjabi Sahit Sansar, Delhi, have awarded him. He has been the Vice-President of the All-India Kendriya Punjabi Sabha. Presently, he is the President of the Sahit Vichar Kendra.
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Writer Dalbir Chetan’s demise
mourned in
The renowned Punjabi writer Dalbir Chetan (60), whose works were translated into a number of South-East Asian languages, is no more. Though not a prolific writer, he was the author of four thought-provoking short story books — Rishteyian De Aar Paar, Raat Baraate, Khara Badal and Mehndi Bazaar. His book Mehndi Bazaar was translated into seven South-East Asian languages. Many of his stories were translated into Urdu, English, Hindi, Oriya, Telugu and Gujarati languages. Some of his short stories were telecast on television. He also edited an anthology "Asi Javaab Dinde Haan", which won him appreciation.
His writings deal with core social issues, including corruption, crime and terrorism. They reflect the complexity of human relations, social realities and the day-to-day happenings. Born on April 5th, 1944 at Taragarh, a village near Jandiala Guru, Chetan completed his studies and joined the Indian Air Force where he served for a long span of 15 years. After retiring from the Air Force, he started a school at his native village. Later, he joined the Excise and Taxation Department from where he retired two years ago. After superannuating from the Air Force and the Excise and Taxation Department, he continued to pursue writing. His literary colleagues, including Dr Joginder Singh Kairo, Dr Harchand Singh Bedi, Dr Harbhajan Singh Bhatia, Malvinder Singh Randhawa, Dr Gurmeet Singh, Manmohan Singh Dhillon, remember him as a soft-spoken person. One of his admirers remarked that his demise had recreated a vacuum in the literary circles. It was about Chetan that Amrita Pritam said, "Dalbir Singh Chetan has such a power in his writings that his personified characters actually stir up the sentiments of the reader."
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JBMM Civil Hospital all set to offer latest
There's good news for city residents. The Jallianwala Bagh Martyr Memorial (JBMM) Civil Hospital here would soon be equipped with intensive care unit (ICU), treadmill test and other latest medical facilities. This was disclosed by Dr A.K. Sondhi, Senior Medical Officer of the hospital, while talking to Amritsar Plus here.
Dr Sondhi said that the facilities would provide a big boost to the treatment of patients belonging to the lower strata of society. The SMO added that treadmill test, which is a necessary requirement in case of heart ailments, would also be useful for poor patients, who usually cannot afford such tests available at private hospitals. He said the hospital fee for conducting the test would only be Rs 300-Rs 350, while it cost about Rs 1000-Rs 1100 in private clinics. According to Dr Sondhi, sophisticated medical equipment was being installed in the hospital. This equipment would cost lakhs of rupees. When asked about alleged mismanagement and non-availability of medicines in the hospital, he dismissed these allegations as baseless. He claimed that some unscrupulous persons were levelling such allegations to defame the hospital. Giving details, he claimed that the JBMM Civil Hospital, which was taken over by the Punjab Health System Corporation in the last months of the year 2001, had made huge profits as compared to other civil hospitals in Amritsar district, including Tarn Taran. He said this showed that the faith of the people in the medical facilities available at the hospital had increased in the last few years. As per the hospital records, last year the hospital generated about Rs 23.56 lakh as compared to a little more than Rs 18.63 lakh in the year 2003. Dr Sondhi said that about 2703 surgeries had been done in the hospital the last year.
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Nano Biotech (P) Ltd launches HIV
test
The HIV test kit manufactured by the Nano Biotech (P) Ltd, the first biotech company in the state engaged in manufacturing of rapid diagnostic test kits on immuno-chromatographic principle, was formally launched recently. The company was recently issued licence for the manufacture of the HIV test kits. Mr Mohan Singh, State Drug Controller, launched the kit.
Mrs Maninder Sandhu, Managing Director, speaking on the occasion, said that these kits were simple, accurate, sensitive, specific and cost-effective rapid test devices for the diagnosis of various clinical conditions. She said the company was the third one in the country to be engaged in manufacturing rapid diagnostic test kits based on immuno-chromatographic principle. The test kit has been evaluated and approved by the National Institute of Biologicals (NIB), Noida, the only regulatory institute of government, according to Mr Umesh Kaushik, Operational Manager. He said the kits could be used for the screening of HIV in primary health centres, OPDs, laboratories, blood banks, transfusion centres, mobile hospitals and clinics. He added that the company was also contemplating to supply HIV and other test kits at subsidised rates to NGOs and voluntary organisations involved in AIDS-control in India. He said the company also planned to distribute the product to the state government at highly subsidised rates.
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Ravneet Ricky is the highest scorer for Punjab in
This right-handed batsman from the city, Ravneet Ricky, gave the best performance of his career in the elite cricket series of the country - Ranji Trophy's league matches - this season. He became the highest scorer for Punjab.
Ricky earned 415 runs studded with two "hundreds" and two "fifties". He made these runs in the six league matches. His first century of the season came against Assam at his home ground, while his second win was against Maharashtra at Mohali. Ricky's debut was in 1998 against Bombay, and two years later, he became a regular player of the team. An opener, he soon became the mainstay of the team by the dint of his constantly good performance on the field. He has been representing the state for the last five years. He has played 42 matches in the Ranji. He has garnered 2300 runs with the average of 40. He has scored eight centuries and ten fifties. An employee of the Indian Airlines, Ricky is also a part of the airlines' team. He feels that training under the Pakistani coach Intikhab Alam this season has done him and his team good. Alam, a former Pakistani captain, has a rich experience of playing at the international level, and he shared this with them, adds Ricky. Ricky was a student of Sant Singh Sukha Singh School. But he took to sports actively after joining the DAV School for Boys. He represented the district cricket team and went on to be a member of the state team. He was the member of the Indian team, which played under-15 World Cup in England in 1996. He gave his best performance in the under-19 World Cup held in Sri Lanka in 2000. Playing under the captaincy of Mahammad Kaif, Ricky slammed a hundred and three fifties and was adjudged the best batsman of the tournament. His maiden century at the international tourney came against Australia. The Indian team clinched the World Cup by beating Sri Lanka in the final. He was groomed to become a cricketer by his father, Mr Pritam Singh, a cricket enthusiast. He received formal coaching from Mr Swami Talwar and Mr J. D. Sharma. For him, the ideal cricketer is Vikram Rathore. Besides being a good cricketer, Rathore is an able administrator and above all a fine human being, feels Ricky. Ricky says that his aim is to do his best, whenever he comes across an opportunity.
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CEED for entrepreneurial
training and creativity
For the first time in the city, the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED) conducted a two-day behavioural workshop on "Developing Entrepreneurial Competencies" at the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) here this week.
As many as 30 students from the final year of CIPET participated in it to learn entrepreneurial skills. Elaborating the methodology of the workshop, Mr J.S. Makkar, Principal Consultant, CEED, said that it was entirely unconventional. He said that to inculcate entrepreneurial competencies, various simulation exercises and probing techniques were used. The significance of preparing students for self-employment has never been so acute as now, he stated. It is so because the number of jobs in government departments, public sector and private and corporate sectors is fast decreasing. Self-employment could be the best solution to meet the challenge, Mr Makkar added. CEED was established and projected to emerge as the nodal centre to promote entrepreneurship in the border districts of the state. It has conducted various entrepreneurial development programmes and workshops in technical and non-technical
institutes in Punjab and has trained around 800 students. The workshop highlighted developing personal competencies, including goal- setting, time-management, risk-taking ability, positive thinking, development of achievement-oriented thought, creativity and problem solving, planning, developing communication skills and unfreezing pre-conceived concepts.
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