Chandigarh, January 12
A blood donation camp was organised by the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram to mark the 143rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda here today.

The camp was jointly organised by the Ramakrishna Mission, Chandigarh, All-India Medical Lab Technologists Association (AIMLTA), and the Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGI.

Another blood donation camp was organised by the Lions Club at MCM DAV College. About 310 units of blood were collected.

A team of doctors from the PGI under the supervision of Dr Neelam Marwaha conducted the camp. It was inaugurated by the Principal of the college, Dr Puneet Bedi. 

Mohali, January 12
The Minister for Local Bodies, Punjab, Mr Jagjit Singh, said today that the proposal to expand the municipal limits was under serious consideration and would be finalised before the council’s elections scheduled to be held at the end of this year.

Mr Jagjit Singh was talking to mediapersons after inaugurating a website. He said the wards in the council would be redefined keeping in view the demands of residents. He did not rule out the possibility of increasing the number of wards in the township.

When asked if the council would include villages falling in SAS Nagar within its limits, the minister said the council was averse to including villages since it involved huge expenses to provide basis facilities. But if a representation to this effect was made by villagers, the council would have to think over it.

The minister added that the pre-election defining of wards was on in some other councils across the state and elections to these would soon be announced.

The council had in December, 2000, demanded that more area should be brought under its control in view of the spurt in development of areas outside city’s current boundaries. A large number of proposals to this effect had been sent to the Punjab Government.

Given a nod, the proposed expansion would lead to the council controlling five new sectors, the upcoming railway station, the material and bulk market and industrial area, Phase VIII A. The expansion is expected to lead to an additional income of Rs 5 crore per year.

Sources pointed out that while the council was desirous of getting majority of the fully-developed areas under its jurisdiction, it had refused to adopt villages that fell within the borders of SAS Nagar. Sohana, Kumbra, Kambala, Mohali villages were like blots in the otherwise developed and modern infrastructure. The source added that an attempt had been made to force the council to adopt Balongi and Ballomajra villages but it was objected on the grounds that provision of basic amenities would not be economical for the authority to provide.

Chandigarh, January 12
Potters, who do roaring business in the city with their differently styled pots and decorative earthen wares, will be now housed in a craft bazar to be located in Maloya village near Sector 39.

These are those potters who were dislodged from Sector 25. They will be relocated on the panchayat land adjacent to the Milk Colony in Maloya village. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, said the site where these ‘kumhars’ were to be relocated had been provided with pucca roads.

About three acres of the panchayat land could be used for this purpose and about 50 plots of five marlas would be carved out. He further said that the land would be given to eligible potters on lease basis by the panchayat at the rate of Rs 4 per sq yard. It would be on an annual lease basis and the lease would be entered into between the panchayat and the potters.

He also added that there would be no pucca structure and in case of violation of the terms of the lease, it would be cancelled. Provisions of power, water and other facilities would be provided by the village panchayat on its own.

The space to be developed as the craft bazar is 1 km from the grid and is easily accessible. The Deputy Commissioner further said that the Chandigarh Administration had granted special permission for the creation of the bazar under the Periphery Control Act and the Panchayat Act.

The extra income generated would be used for carrying out development works in Maloya village.

The potters, who were dislodged from Sector 25, could now approach the Block Development and Panchayat Officer with an application.

Mohali, January 12
Continuing with his early morning ‘attendance-checking’ raids, Kharar MLA Bir Devinder Singh today paid a surprise visit to a Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) office at Sohana village and found seven employees absent from duty. They had marked their attendance in the morning.

Stating that the erring employees were among the field staff of the board, Mr Bir Devinder Singh said they should have made entry into the movement register before leaving the office but had not done so. “There were seven leave applications lying in the office of the SDO. None of those were sanctioned but the applicants had proceeded on leave,” he said.

He has asked the SDO in-charge of the office to streamline the working of the office within the next two weeks.

The MLA also visited the village and announced that a water works project would be built there at a cost of Rs 29 lakh under a NABARD scheme. A sum of Rs 4 lakh would be spent on maintaining streets and setting up of a drainage system in the 
village.

He said civil veterinary dispensary of the village would be upgraded to a veterinary civil hospital. “The number of livestock in the area that gives milk is over 5,000 and there is a dire need for a veterinary hospital here,” 
he said.

The MLA also visited the Government Senior Secondary School for Girls and took part in Lohri celebrations. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the school laboratory and gave Rs 1,100 for the Lohri celebration.

Mohali, January 12
Mr Jagjit Singh, Local Government, Labour and Employment Minister Punjab inaugurated a website for education and employment, E-clubindia.com, here today. It was launched by E-modules info solutions.

The minister lauded the efforts of the company in launching one common platform for all education and employment sources in Punjab which will provide all valuable information services and resources. The platform will work as a bridge among different social communities. The website will also narrow down the gap between the government and the public.

Mr Surinderjit Singh, Director of the company, said E-modules planned to start an e-commerce service for the business community as well as the general public. These services included computerisation of government departments, creative city business portals and launching e-ventures for education, employment, etc.