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Flower power goes plastic
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YOUNG WORLD
A view of the historical swimming pool in a dilapidated condition at Shalimar Bagh in Kapurthala.
— A Tribune photo
I-Day certificates
Designers’ drizzle
Powerlifter to take part in Budapest championship
Liquor vend employees for implementation of labour laws
WEEKLY ROUND-UP
MARKET BUZZ
DC bans processions till July 14
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Flower power goes plastic
They look so real that one is tempted to get closer and touch them to get the feel. Anyone who has been the new-age artificial greens would know what one is talking about. Of course, mistaking them for real plants could be one factor why you might not have noticed them till now.
“These artificial flowers come in many shapes and colours. They brighten up the ambience that sometimes get dull. You can rotate them to avoid replacing them with new ones. Real flowers droop the next day,” said Mr Jaswinder Kaur, a lecturer who also has a liking for artificial flowers. Moreover, certain schools of thought like ‘feng shui’ holds that real flowers should not be kept inside the house because they will wilt, signifying decay, she adds. “I pack up the old ones and take them out after some time for a change.” Ramesh Sharma, owner of Flower House in Model Town, explains the reasons for the growing popularity of ‘paper flowers’, “They require little or no maintenance. Watering these plants every day is not required, you could dry clean them or simply wash them with very good results and the best part is that they look uncannily close to the real thing.” The market seems flooded with artificial flowers and plants — whether it is shopping malls or specialty flower shops. “Corporate offices are opting for these products because of the low cost and aesthetic value. Even hotels and restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon. “We recently provided scores of plants for the city hotels,” Mr Sharma says. So much so, even the army has been picking up these artificial flowers and plants for providing relief to the greenery starved of its personnel stationed in high, rocky and snow covered areas! The high prices of many of these flowers and plants are largely due to these items being imported from abroad. “Most of these products are Chinese-made. Also the varieties available are not just Indian plants. There is a plethora of exotic species like maple, magnolia and palm that are not available in India. These are the ones that are picked up by high-end customers. Moreover, the price depends on the intricacy of the leaf and petal. Orchid, bell flowers and dainty fillers involve more work and are therefore expensive,” Mr Sharma informs. Nirmal Kaur, homemaker and an enthusiastic participant in flower shows, feels artificial plants can never look as good as the real ones. “They are simply practical solutions for those who don’t want to spend the time and effort to nurture real plants.” Original vs Artificial Hot and blistering earth, air that chokes breath and foamy water that kills all flora and fauna — it’s no initiation into the genre of horror tales. It could be a real-life situation if the environment is stripped of trees, flowers and greenery in its originality. Seasons change, bringing with them a new hope. As flowers bloom, lushness and fragrance spreads over, the sagging spirits are rejuvenated, while artificial are lacking. Original flowers are used on several occasions — to loved one, welcoming someone with bouquets or garlands and to God or Goddesses. Here are some of the tips that need to be followed while gifting a bouquet of natural flowers to loved ones. Originals First give some thought to what you’d like it to convey. You don’t necessarily need to know names of flowers, but if you tell your florist what emotion or intent you’d like to convey, they will be able to create the right look. Work with your florist to create the most impact with your personal budget. While you might want to spend more if you have a specific intention to convey, you can still make a strong statement with a smaller budget if you choose your florist with care. Send a message. Let the flowers reflect your true feeling. Artificial No fragrance, but looks as beautiful as original. Longer shelf life and washable. Free from any weeds.
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YOUNG WORLD
A three-day talent search competition began at Police DAV Public School, PAP campus, from Monday.
Over 66 students participated in various events that included mimicry, solo dance, group dance and skit. The programme began with lamp lighting by Ms Rashmi Vij, principal. Mr Gurpreet Ghuggi, popular comedian, was the chief guest. The programme was compered by Yashika of Plus Two and Harsimran of Class X. In mimcry, Amitoj bagged the first prize, followed by Ayush and Sukhmani. In solo dance contest, Somal Vij clinched the first prize, Saurabh was declared second and Anmol stood third. Manasvi House students got the first prize for staging a skit titled ‘Putt jawan peo pareshan’. Tejasvi House team was declared second for their skit titled ‘Apni maat bhasha na bhulo’ and Ojasvi team stood third for their skit ‘Dharti de bhagwan’. The best actor prizes went to Aman and Sarabjot and the best dancer prizes were given to Rajkiran and Manu. Awareness programme The automobile engineering laboratory of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, organised a two-day vehicle pollution monitoring and awareness programme under Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) in front of its campus on May 10 and 11. The programme commenced with the checking of vehicle pollution in the car of Prof Moin Uddin, Director. For two days, the students checked the pollution exhaust of 155 vehicles. The vehicles which conformed to the Motor Vehicle Act specifications were given free certificates with printed photograph of registration of vehicle to avoid any manipulation. During the programme, 19 vehicles, mostly with two stroke engines, are found to be unsatisfactory. The owners of the vehicles were advised for proper tuning of the vehicle. Mr R.S. Bharj, programme coordinator, said that the students used gas analyser for evaluation and testing of vehicle exhaust pollution. Placement Infosys Technologies Ltd recruited 20 final year students of the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology in a joint campus recruitment drive held recently. The institute director, Mr C.L. Kochher, said that earlier, too, 18 students were placed with HCL Technologies, Noida, and 15 with Birla Soft Ltd, Noida. He said that as many as 112 students from various disciplines had been placed with various companies, including Wipro Spectramind, IBM Daksh, Ericsson, Blue Star Ltd and Crompton Greaves. Investiture ceremony An investiture ceremony for forming a new students’ council for the new academic year was held this week in Dayanand Model Senior Secondary School. The ceremony was held under the chairmanship of principal, Mr Raj Kumar Sehgal. Ms Parveen Gupta, senior teacher, administered oath to all members of the council, while the house incharge staff members pinned badges on the ties of captains and vice-captains of their respective houses. Captains were also chosen for sports, co-curricular activities, art and craft, NCC and environment maintenance. Visit to Niku Park Kids of Seth Hukum Chand Public Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala Road, were taken for a day out at Niku Park. The children had lots of fun, as they enjoyed different types of swings, rides and games. The students also enjoyed watching ducks swim around in the pond. There, they also relished refreshment provided by the school. Toppers Two students of Prem Chand Markanda Sanatan Dharam College have won accolades by achieving the first rank in B.Com (professional)-I examination conducted by the university this year. The toppers Sonia Kundra and Savdeep Kaur have attained first position by scoring 546 marks out of a total of 650. Nidhi Gupta from the same college has stood fourth with 542 marks. Ramandeep Kaur is eighth with 524 marks. Best poet Himshikha Ghai, a B.Com (professional)-III student of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, has been nominated for the ‘Best poet of the year’ award by International Society of Poets, USA. She will be participating in a symposium to be held at Las Vegas, USA, in July this year. As a nominee, she will be entitled to receive a ‘Crystal Trophy Award’. One of her poems has been selected for being published in ‘Songs of honour’, a book of Noble House Publishers, USA, and the other in ‘Eternal portraits’ to be published by International Society of Poets, USA. Apart from this, she has also been selected in ‘Wipro BPO Solutions Ltd as a technical support executive and in Dell International Services Pvt Ltd as a customer support associate. Excursion Ambika Modern School organised an excursion for its students last week. While the students of primary wing were taken to Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala, those from senior wing went to Pong Dam in Talwara. At science city, the students enjoyed using planetarium, dome theatre and laser show. They had a picnic at the site where they also enjoyed boating. At Pong Dam, the students of senior wing were curious to grasp the facts relating to the functioning of the dam. They took notes from the startling facts revealed by the officials there and enjoyed every bit of the educational trip. Visit Mr K.K. Aggarwal, Vice Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Inderprasth University, New Delhi, will be the chief guest for the annual function to be organised by Lovely Institutes on Wednesday. Over 150 students from the institutes would be presented awards during the ceremony. Parents of the prize winners have also been invited to attend the ceremony. |
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No takers for this renovated swimming pool In Shalimar Bagh, the tombs of family members of the erstwhile rulers of Kapurthala and a swimming pool constructed during the times of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh lie in dilapidated conditions The town of Kapurthala, with a
population of less than a lakh, was provided with many civic amenities
by the erstwhile rulers of this princely state. But the local residents as well as the authorities have failed to maintain these historical sites. The historical Shalimar Bagh is one of these neglected sites. In the Bagh, the tombs of the family members of the erstwhile rulers of Kapurthala and a swimming pool constructed in the times of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh lie in dilapidated conditions. The tombs in the Bagh are in neglect. The district administration is awaiting funds for carrying out the restoration work of these tombs and other buildings in the district. The swimming pool has been left unused even after its renovation spending lakhs of rupees a few years ago. The rooms on the side of the pool, which were meant to be used for taking showers before going for a swim, have become dens of creeping creatures and wasps. Before the renovation of the pool, these rooms were used by the octroi and the water supply departments as offices. Now the octroi offices have been shifted to the historical Baradari building. The swimming pool, after renovation, was given to a contractor for maintenance, but due to lack of control on unwanted elements by any authority, nobody has tried to venture in for the past two years. Moreover, nobody seems to be ready to start it, as deaths were reported in the pool whenever it was started in the summers in the past. By decreasing the level of water and building the pool with single surface, the risk of accident could be tackled, Mr Suket Gupta, an architect of the town, said. “The
swimming pool has a slope after which it fills with deep water and when
a newcomer goes towards the slope, he lose his balance and meets with
accident,” he added. Shalimar Bagh once used to be the pride of the town and even today, hundreds of residents prefer to go there for their morning and evening walks. But the Municipal Committee also found it a better place for housing its offices and storing garbage trolleys, throwing the sanctity of the garden to the winds. People are now even allowed to ply heavy vehicles into the garden. In
fact, the garden has become a shortcut intersection for the localities
situated around the garden. —TNS
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Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, has taken applications from residents of the district for a certificate to be given by the state government on Independence Day. He said the certificates would be awarded to those who had made achievements in the field of art, literature, science and technology, shown bravery . — TNS
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Designers’ drizzle
More than 40 young designers from the INIFD in Jalandhar showcased the outfits that were “wearable”, and yet chic and stylish.Typical summery
fabrics were used for most It was a fashion show with a difference. No outlandish designs and no “suitable-only-for-ramp” stuff. For a change, the fashion show ‘Summer fiesta” organised at the Jullundur Gymkhana Club here was about “wearable” outfits. More than 40 young designers from the INIFD (International National Institute of Fashion Design) in Jalandhar showcased the outfits that were “wearable”, and yet chic and stylish. There were seven rounds in which Indian, Western and Indo-Western wears were showcased by models from the INIFD. Typical summery fabrics were used for most of the outfits. “The ‘Summer fiesta’ was an attempt to showcase dresses for women who don’t exactly have an hourglass figure. It’s a misconception that stylish, Western dresses look good only on those who have good figures,” said Ms Shefali Sood, event organiser, adding, “Our young designers tried to highlight that women of all ages have the right to look elegant. They only need a bit of imagination peppered with some basic fashion tips.” An interesting part of the programme was a ramp walk by the audience that attended the show. Getting into the spirit of the show, these women walked down the ramp with panache. And doubtless, they made their own fashion statement!
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Powerlifter to take part in Budapest championship
The youth, Hari Chand, a resident of Bhano Langa village near here, will leave for New Delhi for the conditioning camp to be held at Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee Swimming Pool Complex from May 15 till the departure of the team for Budapest. Three other participants in the event selected by the Indian Powerlifting Federation are Balkar Singh, Rajeet Singh and Paramjeet Singh. Hari Chand, son of Mr Tarsem Lal, who is working with the LIC, Kapurthala, gives all credit for his success to his father, who, he says, always stood by him even though he did not study after passing his matriculation. His father had shelled out more than Rs one lakh so that he could participate in the Championship at Budapest to pay the participation fee of Rs 93,000 and other expenses, informed Hari Chand. The winning spree of medals by Hari Chand started in year 2000 when he got first prize at district level competition held at Kapurthala. After that he bagged gold medals in Junior National in December 2000, Northern India-2001, Senior National Inter State-2004, North Zone Championship-2006, and National Benchpress- 2006. Hari Chand, who participate in the game representing Chandigarh, is hopeful of coming out with flying colours in Budapest also.
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Liquor vend employees for implementation of labour laws
Sore over being underpaid by the liquor vend contractors, the Jalandhar Wine Salesmen and Labour Employees’ Union members have written to the Chief Minister, Punjab, demanding strict implementation of the labour laws. The union, represented by 800 workers employed as salesman, clerks, drivers, accountants, helpers and labourers working in nearly 400 vends, have written that they were not being paid as per the revised amount under the Minimum Wages Act and were thus being exploited badly by their employers. Mr Ravinder Singh Ravi, general secretary of the union, said that as per the wages revised on March 1 this year through a state government notification, it was mandatory for the contractors to pay an amount of Rs 2,755.05 per month to a salesman and Rs 2876.25 per month to a cashier. He said that while many salesmen were also working as cashiers, they were being paid only Rs 2,400 per month, which, they alleged, was a violation of the Act. The unionists said that most of them were working for 15 hours a day from 1 am to 11 pm, which amounted to seven hours of overtime daily, but they were not given extra dues. The members lamented that their attendance register was not maintained and they were not even allowed to enjoy any leave, including weekly off, casual, national festival holidays, earned leave or sick leave. The members said that it was also mandatory for the contractors to get their salesmen approved as per the rules 37 (26) of Punjab Liquor Licence Rules 1956. But these rules were also being violated, Mr Ravi has written. Submitting a copy of their representation to the Deputy Commissioner, the union members have said that since the excise department was their principal employer, the department officials were also avoiding presentation of relevant records pertaining to the list of liquor licencees and approved salesmen in the district required for action by the labour department, ESI and Provident Fund department. The union members alleged that the excise department officials were dilly dallying the matter by conniving with the employers. They demanded that the managements of vends be brought to book by initiating legal proceedings under the provisions of the Acts. The wine salesmen have also sent copies of their representation to Labour Minister, Punjab, Chairman, Punjab State Human Rights’ Commission, Labour Commissioner, Punjab, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Jalandhar, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Jalandhar-I and II, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Ludhiana, and Director, ESI. The union members have threatened that in case the labour laws were not implemented within next week, the attendance of the workers of the vends was not taken and minimum wages were not paid to them, they would resort to agitations by burning the effigies of Labour Minister, Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, as well as liquor barons, Ponty Chadha and Anil Wadia, for making a mockery of the labour laws. Ms Neelam Chaudhary, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, said that she was yet to go through the representation submitted by the union members and thus she could not comment on the issue.
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WEEKLY ROUND-UP Dr Avtar Singh Grewal, Civil Surgeon, conducted surprise checks in civil dispensary of Maqsudan and Public Health Centre of Kartarpur this week. During the visit, he found the employees on duty, but was not satisfied with the cleanliness at Kartarpur centre. Five hospitals were checked by Mr Rakesh Pal, Mass Education and Information Officer, and Mr Surinder Saini, member of advisory committee of the PNDT. The officials reported that Nav-Jeewan Hospital, Model House, and Baweja Hospital, Basti Sheikh Road, had not maintained their records as per the PNDT Act. At this, the Civil Surgeon ordered sealing of the centres for a month and a report in this regard was sent to Director, Health Services, Punjab. Mr Amit Duggal, Drug Inspector, conducted a check on Imperial Medical Store, Mahitpur, and found that the shop was functioning without licence. PCCTU polls
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union held elections of its state officers in Jalandhar on Sunday. Dr Jagwant group made a clean sweep by capturing all the seven office-bearers’ posts and bagging a majority of executive committee member posts. Dr Jagwant made a hatrick by defeating Prof S.S. Hundal, a Panjab University Senator, a many time office-bearer and former president of the union. Mr H.S. Walia defeated Mr Amrinder Pal Singh for the post of president. Dr Jagwant Singh won over Mr S.S. Hundal to become the general secretary. Mr Anil Sarwal lost to Prof V.K. Sareen, former secretary of GNDU area, for the post of Vice President. Dr Kuldeep became the PU area secretary, Mr P.K. Sharma won the post of Punjabi University area, while Dr Mukhtiar Singh was elected as the secretary of GND varsity area. Prof J.R. Prashar became the finance secretary. The executive members elected on preference votes are Mr Daljit Singh, Mr Gurmeet Singh, Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Mr Kashmir Singh, Mr R.S. Parhar, Mr Kulwant Singh Randhawa and Mr Nanak Singh among others .
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MARKET BUZZ On a base of cotton, block prints, impressions and embroidery cascades. Effective to beat that summer swelter, this label eulogises the virtues of cotton in the weather. Exhibiting the summer collection in Phagwara, Baljinder Kaur in her boutique displays a plethora of options in cotton fabric. Ranging from suits, “kurtis’ and even skirts, ethnic techniques of ‘zari’, light ‘dabka’, block prints, embellish the surface. Rendered by Baljinder Kaur, the collection showcases suits coordinated in ‘mulmul’, ‘maheshwari’, ‘mangalgiri’ and ‘kota’. Adorned with techniques of ‘ajrak’ (vegetable dyes), ‘zari’, ‘dabka’, ‘aari’ work and ‘baagh’, the suits fall in the bracket of Rs 700 to Rs 5,000. While maintaining the affordability factor, they are exquisitely crafted to befit any formal occasion as well. “We source the fabric from all over the country and design it ourselves,” says Baljinder Kaur. The collection of ‘kurtis’, while once again harping on the comfort factor for summer, is largely ornamented with Indian embroidery in Indian colours. The colour palate ranges from earth tones to mustard, burnt orange, rust, browns and subdued greens. “The skirts here are either straight or in ‘ghaghara’ silhouette. To add that touch of formal wear, some are even given the printed border lightly sprinkled with sequins,” says Baljinder Kaur. Available as individual pieces or teemed with ‘kurtis’ (also sleeveless), these Indo-western clothes are also in ‘ajrak’ and ‘baagh’ prints. Award
Kosmo Hyundai, an authorised dealer of Hyundai range of cars, has bagged the ‘Best selling partner award’ in north zone and ‘National Dealer no.1 award’ (except metros) at a function held in Bangkok recently. Mr Harish Ahuja, Mr Kapil Ahuja and Mr Parveen Ahuja, owners of the showroom, claimed this in a press note. Last year, they had been the winners of ‘Excellence in finance’ and ‘Best selling partner’ award, while in 2004, they had achieved the award in the category of top performer in sales at a function in China.
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DC bans processions till July 14
The District Magistrate, Mr Anurag Verma, has imposed a ban on taking out processions, holding congregations, carrying any weapons during such events, firing in marriage palaces, gathering of five or more persons and sloganeering under Section 144 of the CrPC from immediate effect till July 14. The DM said that those wanting relaxation for taking out procession or congregation would have to take prior permission from the Additional DM or the concerned SDM. He said that such the regulation was aimed at maintaining peace and avoiding loss to the government or private property. The DM has also imposed a complete ban on bursting of sound emitting crackers between 10 pm to 6 am. To keep a check on noise level, he said that the noise level at boundary wall of public place, where loudspeaker or public address system or any other noise source, is used should not exceed 10 dB (A) and the ambient noise standard for the area should be less than 75 dB (A). He has said that no one would beat a drum or tom-tom or blow trumpet or any other musical instrument at night between 10 pm to 6 am, except in public emergency. The DM also imposed a ban on the manufacture and the use of pressure horns in vehicles. He also prohibited against the use of any horns at night between 10 pm to 6 am in residential areas. The DM’s orders will remain in force till July 14.
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The 27-year-old youth from Kapurthala has been selected to participate in World Benchpress Powerlifting Championship, 2006, which is scheduled to be held at Budapest, Hungary, between May 24 and 28.