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Contestants gear up for Mr Singh contest
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Private buses parked outside new bus stand
Residents complain of contaminated water supply
Conference on peace resolves to work for regional reconciliation
Encroachments by shopkeepers irk restaurant owners
Widow Pension, Ration
Distribution programme organised
‘Ageing scan’ for prevention of heart attacks
CII aid for quake victims
Hindu Sabha School wins painting contest
Rare portrait of Shah Mohammad released
School imparting education from a single room
Burning of waste causes inconvenience
Symposium on joint replacement surgery
Weekly Round-up
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Contestants gear up for Mr Singh contest A new trend to popularise turban among Sikh youngsters has caught up. In this direction, the Akal Purkh Ki Fauj (APKF) is doing its bit. The latest initiative of the APKF is to organise the first-ever Mr Singh International Contest, reports
Varinder Walia.
The news — “Sikh youths in Punjab forget how to tie turban” — was an eye-opener for Panthic leaders! There was yet more to come. Almost all Sikh youths, who attended the recruitment rally of the Jat Sikh Regiment in Punjab, were found “patit” (apostate). Since it is mandatory for job seekers in the Jat Sikh Regiment to submit forms with “turbaned picture”, they had to approach cyber cafes to affix computerised “turbans” on their heads. Amid such news, the Akal Purkh Ki Fauj (APKF), headed by young SGPC member, Mr Jaswinder Singh Advocate, took up the initiative to popularise turban among the Sikh youths. Revealing the details of the APKF’s initiative to organise the first-ever Mr Singh International Contest, Mr Jaswinder Singh said it was aimed at infusing a sense of pride in turban amongst Sikh youngsters. “It will reinforce the pride in being a Sikh. It will also provide a platform for the Sikh youngsters to join the world of international fashion, while keeping their identity intact,” he added.
The proposed Mr Singh International is likely to be a unique and spectacular show, as turbaned Sikh youths, draped in immaculate suits and glittering sherwanis of different colours ranging from scarlet red to typical Khalsa saffron, blue and black, would walk down the ramp.
The initial screening for the contest was done in various parts of India and also the distant shores of America. Turbaned contestants walking down the ramp with élan earned applause from audience during the zonal contests held in different cities of the country. The Holy City will host the first-ever Mr Singh International Contest on November 20 at the local Khalsa College. The organisers claim that the proposed “fashion show” would be instrumental in improving the image of the Sikhs all over the world. This is particularly important as the Sikhs suffered due to mistaken identity in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks in the USA, they add. As many as 44 contestants have been short-listed after the zonal contests held in Pune, Karnal, Kanpur, Jamshedpur, Bhopal, Jammu, Chandigarh, Malaysia, London and New York. The contestants have been undergoing a rigorous 15-day training in personality development, choreography, Gurmat and “Sikh way of life”. The convener of the APKF said it was a matter of great satisfaction that the Sikhs with unshorn hair had come forward to act in various feature films. “Such Sikhs could be role models for the young generation and would definitely help in arresting the trend of going apostate.” To motivate public, the APKF would organise an on-the-spot turban-tying competition for the audience of the Mr Singh International Contest. Awardees would include children up to the age of 10 years. During the contest, the first round would be a ramp walk and it would mainly deal with assessing the over-all physique of the participant. The second round — Gurmat Gyan Sikh Da Maan (Knowledge of Sikhism is a matter of pride for a Sikh) — would have participants handle a volley of questions on Sikhism. The third round — Meri Dastar Meri Shaan, Meri Pehechan (My turban — my pride, my identity) — would be judged on the basis of how a turban was tied. The talent round will have the contestants either dance to the beats of “dhol bajda” or sing lines from “Bulla ki janaa” by Rabbi Shergill.
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Private buses parked outside new bus stand
Even after the commissioning of the newly constructed bus stand under the BOT (built, operate and transfer) scheme, private bus operators continue to park their vehicles outside the new complex, adding to the congestion on the G. T. Road. The bus stand authorities have reportedly expressed their unhappiness over the parking of buses outside the stand, which they say are affecting the revenue. The district administration and the traffic police remain mute spectators to the traffic snarls caused by buses parked on the GT road, most belonging to influential politicians and their relatives. The shopkeepers of the areas have been complaining about the illegal parking but the authorities have taken no action yet.
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Residents complain of contaminated water supply
The residents of Guru Nanak Pura allege that they had been getting contaminated water for the past fortnight.
Scores of people fell ill after consuming this water being supplied by the Municipal Corporation, they added. Mr S.S. Kairon, a resident of the area, said almost all families in Street No. 7 had either a member or members suffering from disease caused by the contaminated water. Majority of the residents have suffered from vomiting and digestion problems, he added. The residents said that as soon as they saw that contaminated water was being released through the taps, they informed the lower rung officials of the corporation on phone, but nothing happened. Another resident of the area, Mr Manohar Singh, said he had written a letter to higher officials of the corporation demanding the supply of clean drinking water. The supply stopped after that, he added. He added the residents had to face a tough time fetching water from the nearby locality for completing their daily chores. He said the sewage water had got mixed with the drinking water, making the process of cleaning inconsequential. The water, he said, stank. They attempted to boil it but the quantity was inadequate for make the water potable. Mr Ajit Pal Singh Saini, President of the Youth Akali Dal (Badal) for Ward No. 21, and also a resident of the locality, said they had made complaints to the Municipal authorities to do the needful at the earliest. He said the open nullah containing sewage water passing in front of the locality was being covered. But he said he feared that the water-supplying pipe might have come in contact with the drainage water. He said officials must rectify the fault at the earliest, otherwise it could lead to water-borne diseases among the residents. When contacted, Mr J.S. Dhaliwal, SE, Water Supply, informed that they had repaired the pipe from where sewage water was mixing on November 13. He said the anomaly occurred while covering up of the nullah near Ranjhe Di Haveli. The department, he added, had stopped the supply of water as soon as the problem was brought to their notice. |
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Conference on peace resolves to work for regional reconciliation
The week-long international conference on “Reconciliation: Creating Partnerships for Building Peace” concluded here recently. Delegates from 25 countries at the conference pledged to work towards establishing regional reconciliation throughout the world in order to foster peace and harmony.
In the Amritsar Declaration, the delegates said that nations were living in “unsettling times – times in which economic, political and cultural factors are aggregating in new ways as cause and consequence of major shifts in global realities and sensibilities. These terrible and wondrous times call for new ways of thinking and above all a return to the recognition of common humanity and enactment of spiritual values.” They also affirmed their commitment to reconciliation and the promotion of peace everywhere and urged multi-sector and multi-city partnerships, with inter-religious and intercultural dialogue as a priority. The declaration further said that interfaith cooperating must be enhanced through a comprehensive education strategy that breaks down the seemingly insurmountable divide of “us and them.” It added that those within the interfaith context must take the lead in educating both their members as well as members of other faiths about the similarities between the faiths and the need to love and serve humanity. The delegates urged governments all over the world to become sensitive to human freedom and to ensure that in these times, people-made borders do not become impediments to reconciliation and sustainable peace. The conference was organised by the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK) and Goldin Institute for International Partnership and Peace, Chicago (USA) in collaboration with the Guru Nanak Dev University. Representatives of different religions also resolved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals set at the United Nations Millennium Summit, which could be targeted to achieve by 2015. The targets are– eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development. The delegates were also of the view that to enhance interfaith cooperation, individuals as well as organisations within this milieu must remain true to the principles of constant prayer and selfless service. |
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Encroachments by shopkeepers irk restaurant owners
Certain shopkeepers on the posh Lawrence Road area have encroached upon the house line, which was otherwise earmarked as a parking lot. This often leads to traffic chaos on this busy road.
This has also irked the hotels and restaurants situated here with customers having to park their vehicles on roads. But the police officer on duty restrains them to park their vehicles on the road.
One of the restaurant owners has even lodged a complaint against the shopkeeper who alleged to encroached upon the restaurant’s parking area. Mr Sarpreet Singh, owner of Bees’ Restaurant, on the first floor of a shopping complex, lodged a complaint to Commissioner and SSP against shopkeepers of ground floors who, he said, encroached upon the house lines by erecting walls and tin sheds for their personal use and making it the part of their shops. He further alleged that the shopkeepers did not allow customers to park their vehicles in the area meant only for parking vehicles. He said that he has been making rounds of the municipal authorities and the police to urge them to remove the illegal construction, but no action had been taken so. He said the Municipal Commissioner had asked municipal town planner to take action, but nothing came out of it. |
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Widow Pension, Ration
Distribution programme organised
The Chinmaya Mission organised its 40th monthly Widow Pension, Ration Distribution programme at the SL Bhawan Vidya School here recently.
Chief guest of the function, Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, lauded the role of the Chinmaya Mission in taking the lead and coming to the help of destitute women who had suffered the trauma of losing their breadwinners at an early age. He said the Amritsar community had always brought succor to them. Describing the efforts of the mission as the most momentous one which had proved to be a beacon to many people who had also joined to make this a movement to help these women in their hour of need. The others who attended the function included the former Rotary governor from Ludhiana, Mr Gurcharan Singh, who said that these women should also be trained to become self-reliant making them stand on their feet to overcome the tragedy and to look after their children. Other guests on the occasion included the district rotary governor elect, Mr Ramesh Rana and proprietor of Bholi Brothers, Mr Rajesh Bajaj. Mr Avinash Mahindroo, secretary, Chinmaya Mission, said that the people of Amritsar had been voluntarily coming forward to contribute to this programme. He said that the mission collects over Rs 1 lakh every month for its monthly ration programme. |
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‘Ageing scan’ for prevention of heart attacks
A team of senior doctors including renowned radiologist Dr Atul Kapoor of the Advanced Diagnostic and Institute of Imaging along with a heart and diabetic specialist, Dr Rohit Kapoor, said that their four-year long research paper had been accepted by different international bodies including the International Diabetes Federation, American Diabetes Association, Insulin resistance society and Diabetes India.
Speaking at a press conference here recently, Dr Kapoor said that they have been able to introduce a new concept of “Ageing Scan” that can help prevent heart and brain attacks in normal people and also diabetics. He said that this new phenomena can not only reassure the person a disease-free life in the next three years at least, but also provide immediate measures for the prevention of heart attacks. Patients who go through the scan can lead a healthy and good quality of life, he added. Meanwhile, Dr Atul Kapoor said that India, where there has been an alarming increase in the number of diabetics, it is important that people prone to this dreaded disease should opt for Ageing Scan at an early stage as a preventive measure. He added that their paper would be presented at an international meet to be held at San Francisco (USA) and also at the Jaipur International Diabetes Conference. He said that the use of a special diet prescribed by the team of dieticians and cardiologists could stop and even eventually reverse the process of arteriosclerosis— a disease which is the root cause leading to the choking of the arteries of heart and brain leading to attacks and strokes. |
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CII aid for quake victims
Members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have joined hands with their counterparts across the border for relief to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Kashmir that had rendered thousands dead and lakhs homeless.
The CII handed over relief materials worth over Rs 52 lakh, comprising 26000 blankets, life-saving drugs, sweaters and T-shirts to their counterparts in Pakistan. Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, a senior functionary of the CII, speaking on the occasion, expressed happiness over the initiatives of both the governments for opening a number of relief centres on the LoC to facilitate aid. On behalf of Pakistan, the relief material was received by Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, Leader of the Parliamentary Party in the National Assembly of Pakistan & Former Prime Minister, Government of Pakistan; Mr Ajmal Cheema, Industry Minister, Punjab, Pakistan; Mr Gulhamid Rokhri, Revenue Minister, Punjab, Pakistan; Vice-President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and representatives of the India-Pakistan Business Leaders Forum and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI). Mr Munjal said that CII had been standing alongside the survivors in trying to rebuild communities and more importantly, lives. He added that the CII members have responded wholeheartedly to an appeal in support of J&K relief operations and contributed monetary assistance of approximately Rs 6 crore. This was in addition to the in-kind assistance offered by the members, he said. More than 130 tonnes of material including blankets, tents, woollen caps, woollen sweaters, mineral water, CGI sheets, tea etc have already been dispatched to Kashmir and the operations were now focussing on rehabilitation, he added.
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Hindu Sabha School wins painting contest
The Hindu Sabha Senior Secondary School won the on-the-spot painting competition held by the Indian Academy of Fine Arts recently.
As many as 600 students representing 60 schools of the district participated in the competition. The programme was inaugurated by Mayor, Mr Sunil Datti. Eminent artistes, Dr E.K. Raj, Dr Neeta Mohindra and Mr O.P. Verma were among the panel of the judges. The winners were given cash prizes and certificates. The winners included: Group ‘A’: (1) Darshleen Swani , DAV Public School; (2) Anirudh Khanna, Ajanta Public school; (3) Jasmine Kaur, SGH Public School. Group ‘B’: (1) Amit Sethi, Hindu Sabha Senior Secondary School; (2) Bhumika, Govt Girls Senior Secondary School; (3) Harika Mahajan, Red Roses High School. Group ‘C’: (1) Sakshi Vyas, Manav Public School; (2) Arushi Sharma, Model Study High School; (3) Sonali, SSSS Senior Secondary School. Group ‘D’: (1) Hitesh, Hindu Sabha Senior Secondary School; (2) Simranjit Kaur, Govt Girls Senior Secondary School; (3) Sneha Arora, DAV Public School. |
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Rare portrait of Shah Mohammad released
The Shah Mohammad Memorial Charitable Trust has released a photograph of the rare portrait of Shah Mohammad, the legendary Punjabi poet during the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Though Shah Mohammad was said to have composed the “Kissa” (a narrative poem of love), he is best known for his celebrated composition “Jangnama Singha-Firangian” (battle between Sikhs and the British in Punjab after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.)
Mr Manjit Singh Bhoma, president of the trust said that historic portrait, made by Mr Satpal Danish, a renowned fresco painter, was the only photograph available of Shah Mohammad. The subject matter of Shah’s work is drawn from the first Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46) and significance lies in the multiple treatments given to the decline of the polity after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839. The legendary poet also recorded the rise and fall of the Sikh rule. Experts say that Shah Mohammad wrote the “Jangnama” when the British were on high stream and had invaded majority of the Indian sub-continent. The trust also organised a seminar on “Sikh Raj Ubhar and Nighar” on the occasion of 225th birth anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Mr Tarlochan Singh, chairman, National Minority Commission, was chief guest on the occasion. Mr Manjit Singh Bhoma said the main objective of the trust was to find out the descendents of Shah Mohammad in Pakistan. |
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School imparting education from a single room
Despite tall claims of the Punjab government that it would improve the teaching standards and provide basic facilities in all government schools in the state, a government elementary school in the Holy City is imparting education to its students possessing a single room.
The District Education Officer cum District Project Director had issued a cheque of Rs 1,20,000, the copy of which is with The Tribune, for the renovation and providing other basic infrastructure in the school. But even after seven months, the school is yet to receive the cheque. The headmaster of the institution said the school had been functioning from a community centre for the past 29 years as the school building was in a dilapidated condition. He said the roof of the school building had developed cracks, which would cave in at any time. The students of the school had made representations to the state government but it turned a blind eye towards their grievances, the headmaster alleged. The students had also shot a letter to the BJP MP, Navjot Singh Sidhu, to take stock of their school and see for himself the plight of the school in which students of up to fifth standards get lessons from their teachers in the open. They said that due to the paucity of the space they were forced to attend the classes under the shade of trees. The situation worsened during rainy season as either they had to go to their homes or study in the gallery of the school as it became difficult for all the students to sit in a room, which also served as a store, due to the congestion, the students added. They further demanded that they may also be given the facilities which were being provided to the students by the private schools. |
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Burning of waste causes inconvenience
The residents of the Ranjit Avenue E-block, C-block, Housing Board and Custom colonies were up in arms against a private mill owner for burning waste of the factory at a vacant land behind E-block.
Mr Satnam Singh, an advocate and President, Ranjit Avenue E-Block Welfare Association, said “Employees of the mill bring truck loads of waste in tractor-trolleys and dump it into the land that belonged to the Improvement Trust. Before leaving they set the waste material on fire, which keep on burning for long hours. The area is covered under clouds of smoke, which also moved to the residential quarters.” It had polluted the clean environment of the avenue, known for its green environs, he added. Mr Vijay Arora, General Secretary of the Association, said the people living near the open site had to face sleepless nights. He said when the residents objected to disposing off the material, the employees of the factory replied they were carrying out orders of their superiors. The residents claimed that material included chemical waste was adversely affecting their health. They had informed the local office of Pollution Control Board in writing and sought immediate action, they added. Mr Sukhdev Singh Sandhu, Vice-President of the Association, said “this is happening despite the fact that Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, former MP and Mr Sawinder Singh Kathunangal, MLA, reside in the area.” A number of residents felt irritation in their eyes and other complications due to the burning of the material in the area, he said, adding that if the practice was not checked at the earliest it could lead to severe health problems. To air their grievances, the people of the area have decided to convene a meeting of the residents and associations of Ranjit Avenue on November 10. Meanwhile, Mr Gurminder Singh Majithia, Executive Engineer, Pollution Control Board (PCB) here said that the department had taken samples of material burnt on the spot and sent the same for testing at Jalandhar. He further informed that following the communication from the PCB to the Improvement Trust to stop the activity of unauthorised persons on its land, the trust had dug it so that no heavy vehicle could be driven on it. He said heaps of waste placed for burning had been covered with soil. |
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Symposium on joint replacement surgery
The first international symposium on computer-assisted joint replacement surgery will be held at Amandeep Hospital soon. The symposium is being organised in association with the Aesculap Academy, Germany.
Dr Avtar Singh, chief orthopedic and joint replacement surgeon at the Amandeep Hospital said the navigation process had shown encouraging results and for that reason they were organising the symposium for the benefit of orthopedic surgeons. He said that over 150 doctors from north India have been invited to see live surgeries of both the hip and knee to be performed here with the help of Dr Thielamann, a international specialist, on November 20 at the hospital. He said the navigation system of the computer-assisted joint replacement surgery could tackle complicated cases of arthritic knees and hips with this new technology. He said the main motive of the surgery was to familiarise the doctors with the role of navigation in arthroplasty besides generating awareness on the possible complications. He added that the doctors would also be educated about the proper management of the patient with previous and successful knee and hip replacements. He said that a new technique has also been evolved with minimal invasive solution in which only a three inch incision was required leading to a smaller stay in the hospital besides a better post-operative management. |
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Weekly Round-up
Competitions in various fields were held during the Sadbhavna Samaroh organised by Manav Public School from November 7 to 11.
The host school bagged the first position in swimming. KVM, Ludhiana, and Pioneer Public School, Amritsar, stood second and third, respectively. In one-act play, USPC Jain Public School, Ludhiana, DAV International School and BKEI Girls High School bagged the first, second and third positions, respectively. Charanpreet from USPC Jain School, Ludhiana, stood first in folk song, while Nehal Khanna from DAV International School, and Ritika from KVM, Ludhiana, were placed second and third, respectively. Seminar Thousands of computer-savvy persons from all over the country participated in the two-day seminar-cum-convention organised by ebiz.com. The aim of the seminar was to propagate computer literacy in a user- friendly manner. The company is providing online and offline computer education for 18 courses. Tutorials of the courses are available in 12 Indian and five foreign languages. Children’s Day A colourful programme was organised by the students of Nursery and primary classes of Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School to celebrate the Children’s Day on November 14. The school awarded five students for their excellent performance in academics, sports, art and craft. The Kalpana Chawla Award, instituted in the memory of India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla, was given to Praneet Kaur, who had scored 96 per cent marks in matriculation exam of the CBSE. Gurnoor Kaur got the Amrita Pritam Award for extraordinary performance in poetic recitation, debate and declamation. The Bhai Veer Singh Award was bagged by Praneet Kaur for her outstanding performance in academics. The Shobha Singh Artist Award was given to Tejinder Pal Singh for his achievements in drawing and academics. The Giani Sant Singh Maskeen Award went to Amiteshwar Singh. Exhibition The BBK DAV College for Women organised workshop-cum-exhibition of various items, including interior, textile, fashion designing, jewellery design, still-photography and performing art, on its campus on November 10. Ms Rajni Patil, Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi, inaugurated the exhibition and presided over the interactive session with budding designers and artists. Principal, Ms J. Kackaria, welcomed the
guests.
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