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Jallundur Gymkhana Club elections
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Behind the mango shine
Uncertainty prevails over future of Medical College
Parents caught in price trap
Straw burning ban goes up in smoke
Young World
Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, the founder of Kapurthala
Weekly roundup
Market Buzz
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Jallundur Gymkhana Club elections
It’s money power at its best. The two main groups and independent candidates, who are contesting the election of office-bearers and executive of the Jallundur Gymkhana Club, are using money for throwing ‘private parties’ to woo voters.
Though the prestigious club is going to polls for the election of a Junior Vice-President, a Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer and as many as 10 members on May 7, the ‘war’ to partly wrest the control of the club had already started about a fortnight ago, when prospective candidates had started hosting costly cocktail and other parties. Since parties have become a routine affair at the club and since the two main groups, known as Dr Maan and Kaka Gora groups, have “converted the election to a prestige issue”, the club has become a hot favourite among even those members who otherwise have not been seemingly very active in the club politics. In the evenings, the club is usually full with both voters and candidates, and long queues of swanky cars can be seen in front of the place. The people want to make the most, particularly when liquor, snacks and meals are served by the candidates and when these cost nothing to the members. The election has become a high-pitch affair as neither of the two groups wants to leave any “stone unturned” to achieve success. Of course, almost all candidates are promising voters that they would provide transparent and the best of administration in case they were elected this time. If it is prestige attached with top positions, which is working as a “driving force” for contestants, it is sheer fun for common voters, who descend on the club premises daily to make their evenings ‘colourful’. One of the contestants revealed that the “party time” had started about 15 days back and it would continue till the evening of May 6. “Both sides have a hefty budget of roughly about Rs 20 lakh earmarked for the event,” said the candidate. “So, the poll has acquired the dimensions of a full-fledged contest,” he added. Prominent among those who are in the fray for top positions included Dr S.S. Maan, Mr Harminder Singh, Dr Pawan Gupta, Mr Satish Gora, Mr Atul Sood, Dr Hardeep Oberoi, Mr Ghai, Mr Vinod Hastir, Mr Rakesh Gupta and Mr Surinder Kapoor. As of now, these are busy days for the members of the Jallundur Gymkhana Club here.
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Behind the mango shine
“We use ripening agent for the fruit because transporting ripe fruit over long distances is not possible and most of the varieties of mangoes that you get in the market right now have been got from other states,” says Raju, fruit seller at Banga Road in Phagwara. Of varieties still arriving in dribs and drabs are Alphonso, Pyari and Totapari. The chemical agent used in ripening process is calcium carbide phosphorous,” says Dr S.K. Kapur, specialist in medicine at a private hospital. While the ripe and glossy looking mango lures you, don’t forget that the look was achieved overnight and the shortcut might prove costly to you. “Unripe fruit is got from other parts of the country and treated with masala, it turns ripe in a day’s time. More masala is required for very raw fruits,” informs Raju. This fruit could cause diseases. It would also be tasteless and possibly toxic. “The chemicals used release a gas called carbide which produces heat and causes ripening. As such there is no direct contact with the gas, but the process causes the microbiological structure of the fruit to change which can be harmful,” informs Dr Kapur. He also warns that if the fruit is not washed properly, it could cause arsenic related poisoning. There’s no need to hit the panic buttons. “Mango typically enters the Phagwara markets in May,” says Dr Kapur. Rich in vitamin A and loaded with fibre, not to mention the savoury taste, mango sure packs a punch, just wait a while before digging in.
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Clowning glory
As a 15-year-old boy, Shod Alam had gone to see a circus show with his friends at his hometown in Sitamarhi, Bihar. There he saw dwarf men with their faces painted. These men were playing the part of jokers, making the crowds laugh. Alam, who suffers from dwarfism, saw it as an opportunity. He met the managers of the circus and joined the troupe.
Almost 20 years down the line, Alam is now a happy man. He is married to a tall, beautiful Nepalese, Shama Parveen, who works as a trapeze artiste in Asiad Circus, currently being shown at the Nakodar Road here. Together, the twosome are managing to make good money and are parenting three children, daughter Shazia Parveen (9), son Shaukat Ali (8), and a toddler Nazia Parveen, all of whom have a normal growth. “Ours was a love marriage solemnised through the court. Shama was a Hindu and her name was Suku Maya. I found Shama to be too beautiful, and she found me to be cute. We were friends for quite some time and we shared a good rapport. Then we thought of getting married and it worked out well,” says Alam. “Had I not been in the circus, I would have been doomed. I would probably have been working in some shop and people would have laughed at me. No one would have married me. Here, my short stature is an asset for me, and I have my beautiful family with me. As a member of the troupe, I have travelled around the country. In Punjab for the past two years, I have been to Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Haryana,” he adds. He shows concern about the education of his children. Though the venue of the circus shows keeps changing, he tries to send his son to the school nearest to the circus venue every time, he tells us. “I have talked to the administration of the adjoining Khalsa Senior Secondary School for enrolling Shaukat for a month or two. He is now going to the school daily. I am doing this as I do not want my children to join circus like us. There is no charm left ever since there has been a ban on performances of lions, tigers and bears. I am tenth fail, but I want my kids to be at least graduates so as to be able to find a good job,” he says. As a joker, Alam sports long hair. He wears a green polka dot dress with red frills here and there. He also wears a cap and holds a cricket
bat that he keeps on patting on the back of Charan Singh, his partner in the comedy acts. Alam looks completely different behind the scene. During a circus show, he puts on a white mask prepared by mixing zinc oxide powder in coconut oil. Then, he further uses red lipstick to paint his lips, nose and cheeks. A bit of eye makeup completes the look, he says. Besides cracking jokes, he also performs certain feats like jumping on a spring mat. “Initially, I used to find it very difficult to climb up on the three-foot high mat and jump high, but I have somehow managed to practise it,” he adds. While Alam is happily married, his partner Charan Singh, who is 28-year-old, is yet to find a suitable match.
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Uncertainty prevails over future of Medical College
Uncertainty hovers over the future of the Shaheed Beant Singh Memorial Medical College and Hospital, as the government has asked the Centre to take over the institute and develop it on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Though the building of the institute is ready and the government has at last decided to complete the building by the end of June this year, the future of the institute as to who will take care of it has come under big question mark.
Meanwhile, another proposal to give it into private hands is also likely to be considered by the state government if the Centre does not agree to take over the institute. The mammoth project initiated by the previous Akali government has been hanging fire for years because of the lack of funds provided by the government for its completion, despite the chief minister’s instructions. Now the funds have been cleared for the payments to the construction giant, Larsen and
Tubro, which had been handling the work, and other companies for finishing the projects on the site. The ambitious project is ready with the building and the remaining work for the hostels and air conditioning going on in full swing to meet the June end deadline. The Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, has in a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, asked the Centre to take over the institute and develop it on the lines of the
AIIMS. This request has been made to bring the institute under the special scheme of the Centre in which the Central government has planned to develop six centers of medical excellence all over the country on the AIIMS pattern. The new Director and Principal of the medical college cum hospital, Mr Kahn Singh
Pannu, an IAS officer, has confirmed that the state government through the letter written by Captain Amarinder Singh has recommended the name of the institute to the Centre for being developed on the AIIMS pattern. In the letter, the chief minister has written that the building of the 500-bed medical college and hospital institute, spread over 100 acres area being completed at a cost of around Rs 200
crores, is ready and the Centre must consider for taking it over. The CM has added that the institute would require only Rs 50 crore to run it annually and the Centre must recruit its faculty and run the institute. On the other hand, the government also has another proposal on its agenda to give the institute into private hands. The proposal was proposed to be put up for discussions, but it could not be taken up, as meetings in this regard could not be convened, revealed highly placed officials on condition of anonymity. If the Centre does not agree on taking over the institute, the state government might give it into the hands of private firms like
Ranbaxy, which has shown interest in buying the institute built by the state government.
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Parents caught in price trap
It’s a different kind of trap that parents of school children are finding themselves in
these days. After the new academic session commenced, the parents are being increasingly exploited by a system wherein buying school books proves to be a costlier affair every new session.
Many schools make it mandatory for their students to buy books, uniforms etc from specific shops which charge unreasonably heavy amounts. A set of books for Class VII in government schools costs parents around Rs 500, but that for the same class in private schools costs around Rs 2,000. Surprisingly, a particular book seller in Phagwara has tied up with 10 different schools in and around the town. The parents understandably exasperated at the ruling of many schools to buy books and paraphernalia from a particular store. Some schools have opened their own bookstore and made it compulsory for students to buy from
there. Jaspreet, mother of a Class II student, says, “We have spent around Rs 1,200 on books for our only child. We had to buy everything from a particular store told by the school. Bags,
colours, notebooks, pencils — everything has the store’s logo printed on it.” However, Jaswinder
Parmar, Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, says his school doesn’t force children to buy from a particular place. “They can buy from any shop.” Another principal of a private school, says, “Ours school has its own syllabi. So, the books are available at a few stores only.” Another parent, Vishal
Johl, says what the schools are doing is nothing less than organised cheating, as books and uniforms are thus sold at exorbitant prices. Through this apparent collusion of book sellers and schools, book sellers are making good money. But the booksellers have their own points to justify this collaboration. “It is very helpful to parents. They get everything at only one place which is so much easier,” says a book seller on Old Post Office road.
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Straw burning ban goes up in smoke
Ignoring agriculture experts’ advice of not to burn wheat and paddy straw in their fields, the practice continues.
Considering the harm to the environment and one’s health, the Punjab Agricultural University and the Agriculture Department have been stressing on the use of technical equipment for cutting wheat straw, instead of burning it, but still have failed to stop the burning of wheat straw, especially by rural farmers. The district administration’s ban has also not had any affect. Besides the harm to fertility and environment, the thick smoke reduces visibility, leading to accidents. “This is the biggest problem during evening and night as the smoke makes driving risky, besides creating irritation in the eyes,” said Paramjit Singh, a driver. The farmers have been burning their straw in large amount on all roads, especially the
Phagwara-Nawanshahr road.
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Shooting star aims high
Amanpreet Singh aims it high. Already a winner of four gold medals in many international shooting championships and 15 golds in prestigious national events, he now aims at making it to the Olympics.
A BA first year student of Lyallpur Khalsa College, he won the coveted ‘Shooting star’ title from the college, a roll of honour and cash award of Rs 5,000 in recognition of his achievements during the recently held annual prize distribution function. A gold medal winner at the just-concluded Sajjan Singh Memorial Championship organised by the CRPF, Amanpreet Singh is currently preparing for the 16th Meeting Hopes to be held at Czech Republic. During the same meeting held last year, he had won a gold medal. The shooter had also won two gold medals in the international junior championship held in Germany last May. He had also bagged a gold in Junior Asia event held at Bangkok last year. Gearing up for the international events this year, Amanpreet Singh has just bought a new 0.22 pistol. Excited about his new weapon, he said that his father, Mr Sewak Singh, an SI at PPA, Phillaur, had been very supportive in accomplishing his desire. He said that he learnt the art from his father, who, too, had been an ace shooter and was helping him practise at the shooting range in the PPA. Amanpreet’s career in shooting began about eight years back when in 1998 he won a silver medal at a district level contest organised in Ludhiana. Thereafter, he participated in a number of events and made way to national championship held at Hyderabad, where he won three golds and one silver. Later, he even participated in All India University Championship held at Dehradun in which he won a gold medal. Even as his events were being sponsored by the Indian Airlines and supported by the Punjab Shooting Association, ADGP, PPA, and his college faculty, but still he was finding it very difficult to meet overhead expenses incurred in practising, travelling and the purchase of arms and ammunition, Amanpreet Singh said. “Till date, I have been somehow able to manage, but I am not sure as to how long I will be able to continue with this costly sports”, he said.
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Young World
By Deepkamal Kaur He was welcomed by Mr K.K. Dhir, managing director, St Soldier Education Society. During the cultural show, the students presented suhag, folk dance, modelling and songs. Ms Alka Gupta, Principal, presented the annual report and gave prizes to the winners of academic and cultural events. Fun day CT Public School organised a fun day for the students of Classes I and II on Saturday. Ms Lakhwinder Kaur, Principal, said the day was celebrated to give the little ones some break from their “hectic schedule”, vast curriculum and heavy school bags. The students were taken to the ground in the morning where they played games of their choice, besides doing horse riding. They came back to the dance room and danced to the tunes of their favourite numbers. After having some refreshment, they were taken to an audio-visual room for watching the movie “Home alone”. Visit to Sabzi Mandi Prep children of Delhi Public School visited the Sabzi Mandi, Urban Estate Phase-I, on Saturday where they organised a cleanliness drive. The little ones educated vendors as well as customers about the harmful effects of polybags, requesting them to discard its use. They emphasised on the use of paper bags as a cheaper and eco-friendly alternative.
Enthusiasm of the children was quite evident as they spread the message in every nook and corner of the market by distributing paper bags made by them and carrying placards with simple slogans. They even enlivened the atmosphere by reciting rhymes and jingles that brought smiles on the faces of the vendors, who gave a patient hearing to the children in their peak business hours. Mr B.K. Gupta, the in charge of the mandi, appreciated the efforts of the students. Talent hunt A talent hunt show was organised at Sant Raghbir Singh AIMS Public School. In the first category comprising students from Classes I to III, Shivam stood first, followed by Simran and Anchal. In the second category with students from Classes IV to VI, Kirandeep, Jaskaran and Minashiv were declared the top three winners. In the third category with students from Classes VII to IX, Pallavi, Radhika and Simardeep were declared first, second and third, respectively. An oath-taking ceremony was also conducted in which Sahil Chadha was selected as the head boy and Chandi was chosen as the head girl. Captains, vice-captains and prefects of the four houses also took the oath. Meanwhile, the junior wing of the school celebrated the “fruit day” in which tiny tots were told about the importance of taking fruits in their daily diet. Expert talk Dr N. Vijayaditya, Director General, National Information Centre, Ministry of IT, New Delhi, delivered an expert talk on the future of information technology at the Sant Baba Bhag Singh Institute of Engineering and Technology, Padhiana. He said that IT had played a major role in every sphere, be it research or human development. He assured the students of help in their training. Dr R.S. Tyagi, Deputy Director and Head Computing Facilities at AIIMS, New Delhi, acquainted the students with the use of IT and its scope in health. Dr H.S. Sagar, Director, Sant Baba Bhag Singh Educational Complex, assured the students of more interactions of the sort with people from industry and leading institutions. Teachers’ workshop A command-level workshop for primary and secondary school teachers of Army Public Schools of the Western Command was conducted at Army Public School, Jalandhar, on Friday. The topic of the workshop was “value-based integrated learning”. Seventy teachers from seven schools under the 11 Corps participated in the event that was presided over by Col Balbir Singh, Director, AWES, Vajra Corps, and Col Amarjit Singh, Colonel Education. The Western Command resource team comprising Ms Inderjeet Kaur, Headmistress, Ms Sona Singh and Ms Jyoti, both teachers from Army Public School, Jalandhar Cantonment, highlighted the continuous and comprehensive evaluation programme for primary and secondary classes. Investiture ceremony An investiture ceremony was organised at Apeejay School on Saturday. It was a momentous occasion when the prefects wearing their ‘house-colour’ sashays marched forward to get their designation plates pinned to their shirts. Ankit Singal and Berna Dogra were decorated with the designations of the head boy and the head girl, respectively. Oath ceremony St Soldier Senior Secondary Public School, Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, organised an oath-taking ceremony of the students’ council. Deepak was declared as the head boy, while Radhika was chosen as the head girl. Captains and vice-captains of the four houses were also announced. The new team took oath in the presence of the Vice-Principal, Mr N.C. Arora. He congratulated the new team and urged the members to implement the rules laid down by the St. Soldier Education Society. Prize distribution
Parkashwati Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, TV Tower Road, organised its annual function on Sunday. The programme began with lamp lighting, followed by Saraswati Vandana. Ms Sobha Kukreja, Principal, read the annual report. The students who had scored well in academics were awarded
prizes. Annual function The first annual prize distribution function of the Om Parkash Memorial Institute of Education, Dyalpur, Kapurthala, was organised on Thursday. The members of the Jagdambay Educational Society welcomed the chief guest, Dr D.R. Vij, retired Principal of the Government College of Education. A cultural programme was presented by the students of the college. Ms Ranjana Sharma was crowned Ms Institute, while Mr Gurcharan Singh was declared Mr Institute. Mr Satish Kumar Batura, Chairperson, proposed a vote of thanks. Paper reading Sanskriti KMV School organised an inter-house Hindi paper-reading competition. Students from Classes IV and VI from four different houses participated in the event. The students read out stories and highlighted the moral behind each one of them. Sumeet Uppal bagged the first position, while Rahul Jain and Neha Singh stood second and third, respectively. The pre-primary wing of the school organised a Hindi poem recitation contest for tiny tots. Jaskaran Singh from Pre-Nursery, Harshita Dhir and Abhishsh from Nursery, and Yukta Mayor and Jot Jagdish from KG stood first in the contest. Ms Usha Pandey, Principal, congratulated the winners and awarded them certificates. AIDS control The Punjab AIDS Control Society has decided to launch an AIDS awareness campaign in Punjab through government school students. In the first phase, the school heads are being trained about the sensitive issue. Then, two teachers and two students would form a team and spread the message in schools and villages. In connection with this campaign, a workshop for 50 heads of schools would be organised by the District Science Supervisor, Mr Hari Datt Sharma, at Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Fanton Ganj, on Wednesday. Mr Sanjeevan Singh Dadhwal, district coordinator of science activities, said the heads of 40 high schools and ten senior secondary schools would take part in the one-day workshop. Resource persons from Punjab and Chandigarh would train the participants and provide them resource material. New centre Career Point (Kota), a preparatory centre for entrance examination, launched its branch in the city this week. Mr Vinay K. Nayasar, general manager, said that the faculty members of Jalandhar branch had been trained in teaching methodology from Kota. He said the study material was also being prepared at the research and development centre in Kota. He said that the centre would offer foundation course for Plus One students, fresher course for Plus Two students and target course for Plus Two pass students. Mr Nayasar said that the courses would be conducted for three main entrance examination, including IIT-JEE, AIEEE and AIPMT.
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Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, the founder of Kapurthala
Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, the founder of erstwhile Kapurthala state, captured Kapurthala from Rai Ibraheem Bhatti in 1779 and shifted his capital from Fattehabad to Kapurthala.
Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, who was born on May 3, 1718, in a small village Ahlu near Lahore, now in Pakistan, was brought up by Mata Sundari Ji, wife of Tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia got his early training in the warfare from Nawab Kapur Singh Faizallpuria, a great leader of Sikhs of the age and after the death of Kapur Singh in 1754, he was bestowed with the title of Nawab. His liberation of 2,200 young Hindu women from the custody of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1761, won him the title of ‘Bandichhorh’. In the ‘Wadda Ghallughara’, the great holocaust that took place on 8th February, 1762, Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia commanded the Dal Khalsa against Afghan forces. During this holocaust, more than two dozen wounds were afflicted on his body. The tall, fair complexioned and muscular warrior with a long flowing beard earned the title of Sultan-ul-Qaum also. To avenge the martyrdom of chhote Sahibzadas Baba Fateh Singh Ji, Baba Jorawar Singh ji and Mata Gujari, he lead the Dal Khalsa, the Sikh forces, conquering Sirhind. This was followed by the establishment of a Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib in memory of Sahibzada and Mata Gujari. Nawab Jassa Singh was not only a great warrior, but was regarded as the spiritual leader of the Sikhs also. He donated a sum of Rs 40 lakh to restore the holy Darbar Sahib after attacks on it by Ahmed Shah Abdali. There is a city block, Katra Ahluwalia, in Amritsar named after it. Nawab Jassa Singh frequently participated as one of the Panj Piaras, to baptize the Sikhs into Khalsa folds. As a rare gesture of the recognition of his services to the panth, his mortal remains were cremated in the holy precincts of Burj Baba Atal Sahibm Amritsar, where his ‘Smadhi’ exists to this day.
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Weekly roundup
Seventeen activists of various political parties, including BJP sarpanch Gurmit Singh, from the nearby Uchcha village, joined the Congress at a function held at Uchcha village under Phagwara subdivision on Tuesday.
Local MLA-cum-Chairman, Punjab Agro Foods Limited, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, welcomed the workers into the party fold. Mr Mann said they would be given due respect in the Congress that was a “secular” party. Congress
committee Mr Simranjeet Singh has been appointed as the general secretary of the District Congress Committee (urban cell). He expressed his thanks to Mr Tajinder Singh Bittu, member of the All India Congress Committee and Chairman of the Improvement Trust. Art of Living
The Art of Living, Jalandhar Chapter, organised a Consumer Forum
Ms Rakesh Kumari has been appointed for the second time as the member of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. Earlier, she was a member of the forum for five years from April 17, 2001 to April 13, 2006. Her second term started on Monday. Elections
Dr Resham Lal has been elected as the general secretary of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association, Jalandhar, during polls held here on Sunday. The association has been opposing the handling of the appointment of doctors and paramedics by zila parishads and panchayats.
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Market Buzz
The UCO Bank Officers’ Association observed the Labour Day as the blood donation day to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the All India UCO Bank Officers’ Federation, Kolkata.
The camp was held through the support of the Rotary Club, West, Jalandhar, at new Ruby Hospital, Link Road. Mr Ashok Handa, general secretary of the association, also sought participation from voluntary donors for saving the lives of needy persons. Bankers’ meet
A bankers’ meet was organised at ICFAI National College on Saturday. Officials from both nationalised and private banks participated in the event. A presentation on the Anti-money Laundering Act was given by Mr Deepak Nagpal, Area Manager, LKP Forex. He explained the regulations and guidelines issued by the RBI in the past. Dr Jai Dev, Principal, spoke on the role of the bankers. Citrus farming The Citrus Farming Council of Punjab has assured small farmers of returns, including cash support and sharing of profits. According to a statement issued by the CM, Captain Amarinder Singh, a comprehensive orchard management programme was being started under which the land would be taken on rent or profit-sharing basis from the farmers for developing orchards that would be nurtured by the council using proven scientific techniques. The developed orchards would be handed back to the farmers after 12 years, thus giving them a high-value revenue resource for a lifetime. — TNS
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Come summer and the fruit market turns yellow. Heaps of mangoes in predominantly sunny hues enhance the scene, while delectable fragrance of the fruit forever beckons to indulge.
But not yet. While summer heat has arrived with a bang, the true blue mango fans are waiting for the real mango fruit to arrive, as most feel that what is available in the market is stored fruit ripened with chemicals and is exorbitantly priced to boot. An 18 kg box of Safeda costs 400 bucks! 
