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Encroachments dot the city
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Comrade Parduman: the man behind
pension schemes in India
People’s concern
Kaleidoscope
Young World
Faculty development programme held
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Encroachments dot the city
Encroachments seem to have become a common thing in the city and that, too, with the alleged connivance of the civic authorities here. The encroachments include those done by shopkeepers in market areas, making these areas very congested. Many shopkeepers have got their shops extended to cover the verandahs, of course allegedly after paying a premium to their respective MC inspectors. Some have extended their counters temporarily and they display their products right till the middle of the road. Even the highways have not been spared. In Rama Mandi, not just shopkeepers, but also vendors selling fruits, vegetables, plastic goods, slippers and old garments have covered a huge area on either side of the road. This makes it really tough for commuters on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road to pass through the area that is otherwise reasonably wide. Similarly, the old GT Road has been encroached upon right from the area in front of the MC office till the new Sabzi Mandi area in Maqsudan. On the lane in front of the MC office, shopkeepers on either side have extended their counters covering the verandahs. Shopkeepers selling shoes have displayed their racks outside, while an eatery takes its orders at a counter set up outside the entry point. Vendors selling fruits, vegetables, juices and other items further add to the congestion. As one moves farther from Jyoti Chowk towards the Civil Hospital, congestion becomes more prominent. Outside the hospital, agents making birth and death certificates have occupied a huge space on either side of the gates. Huge temporary structures have also become regular features on either side of the gates of Division Number 4 Police Station where used garments for men are kept on sale. Going ahead, the passage becomes very narrow near the grain market, where also the shopkeepers have extended their products till the end of the verandah. The Old Sabzi Mandi near Patel Chowk and the New Sabzi Mandi at Maqsudan make the condition worse, with long queues of hawkers selling fruits and vegetables. Even on the GT Road, a little before the MC office, taxi stand owners have occupied either side of the road from BMC Chowk till Namdev Chowk. The prominent Guru Nanak Mission Chowk is also not free from encroachments, as shopkeepers selling plastic furniture, folding-beds and plastic toys have covered the entire parking area. Even the market area in front of the administrative complex has been permanently encroached upon by shopkeepers selling car accessories. A shop selling liquor just opposite the district courts, too, has set up a drinking place by constructing a wall of bamboo canes all around, covering the entire verandah. Men engaged in painting number-plates on vehicles, doing denting-painting work and selling car accessories have also occupied a wide area near BMC Chowk. Even the automobile repair shops on the Ladowali Road, just outside the SSP Office, cover the entire road by parking cars that need repair work. The shopkeepers of Preet Nagar market, too, have extended their counters and displayed their goods outside. A dhaba owner also running a tea stall just across the Nakodar railway line displays furniture on the road. Encroachments can also be seen in abundance in Model Town. Almost all shopkeepers have extended their shops to cover most of the verandah. Others have illegally leased out their verandahs to mehndi walas and other vendors. The NG Road leading to the railway station, too, has been encroached upon by shopkeepers on either side, leaving a very narrow passage for commuters. Dhaba owners have been preparing the food in the middle of the road, while vendors selling tobacco products remain lined up there. Temporary structures have been set up at the Garha Road behind the bus stand. Four to five liquor shop owners in the area have covered a huge area of the road. The area also remains permanently occupied by those selling garments, shoes, footballs, fruits, vegetables, soft drinks and eatables. Encroachments by shopkeepers on the busy Nakodar Road and the Mithapur Road have also become regular features. The Rainak Bazaar, which is otherwise also very congested, remains busier due to rampant encroachments by shopkeepers. Those selling gol guppas, tikki, samosa, chat and juices under a huge transformer in the Rainak Bazaar have also become permanent occupants beneath the MC’s danger zone. The narrow lanes leading to the Attari Bazaar, too, have not been spared by the shopkeepers, making the passage too narrow even for a scooter to pass by. Interestingly, the shopkeepers in most areas admit to having paid a huge sum to the MC officials for acquiring its land illegally. A shopkeeper, near Mithapur Chowk who wished not to be quoted, admitted having paid Rs 50,000 as a one-time payment to an MC inspector. The MC Town Planner, Mr Tarlochan Singh, said he had already executed demolition of encroachments at a number of places recently. Contrary to the observation, he claimed that there were no permanent encroachments in Model Town or other parts of the city. |
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Comrade Parduman: the man behind
pension schemes in India
Social security expert
The field of social security has been the special interest of Comrade
Parduman. He was nominated to participate in various ILO, national and international seminars, in one of which he was elected the chairman of the Drafting Committee. He was also made the chairman of a group of social security experts who drafted a comprehensive law on social security by a national labour law association and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Project. He was nominated by AITUC to the regional board of the Employees State Insurance Corporation and remained a member for nearly 20 years. He was nominated by AITUC as a Trustee in the Central Board of Trustees of Employees’ Provident Fund in 1997 and continues to be a trustee of that all-India body till date. The entire corpus of nearly over Rs 165000 crore vests in this board and it manages the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation
(EPFO) throughout the country. This fund has a membership of 42.75 crore workers, being one of the biggest social security organisations of the world.
Biographical note
In his biographical note, Comrade Parduman Singh writes, “On the day Punjab police DIG Atwal was shot dead at the steps of the Golden Temple Complex, we were having a previously-fixed General Meeting of Textile Workers of some mills. One of our comrades was having a meeting of Brick Kiln Workers. We heard the news of Mr Atwal’s murder. We consulted the leaders and the workers of both groups and decided to take out a protest march in the city. With red flags, about 250 workers and their leaders raised the slogan of ‘Attwad wakhwad murdabad’, ‘Na Hindu raj na Khalistan jug jug jive Hindustan’. We marched to the hall bazaar up to Kotwali and returned to Katra Jaimal Singh and then to Pink Plaza outside the Hall Gate. The shopkeepers got up from their seats and praised the bravery of communists, and fruit vendors distributed their fruits freely amongst the
precisionists and praised the bravery of the communists.”
Hailed as the “Father of Pension Schemes in India”, Comrade Parduman Singh has been a ray of hope to the downtrodden and the distressed. Comrade, as he is affectionately called, was from childhood attracted to helping the lowly and the downtrodden.
There has always been something unique about Comrade Parduman Singh. He is a silent worker and you will find him bringing peace and solace where there is misery and sorrow. His work for the downtrodden reflects his altruism. Owing to his relentless efforts, nearly 35 lakh retired workers or their families (in case of death) are enjoying the benefits of pension. In 1980s, he conceived an old age, disability and survivors’ pension scheme for industrial workers who are members of the EPF by partial conversion of provident fund. He put his proposal before the Central Board of Trustees. The board accepted the proposal, and eventually the Government of India promulgated such a pension scheme for 40 crore private and public sector employees on November 16, 1995. In a function held on November 23, 1996, on the completion of one year of the scheme, he was hailed as the “Father of the Pension Scheme” by Mr P.A.Sangma, the then Labour Minister, Dr D. Mishra, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Labour. Mr S. Gopalan, former Labour Secretary, Secretary General, Lok Sabha, said he should be awarded a golden scroll of honour for his contribution in evolving the pension scheme, and making it acceptable to workers. Peeved at the fact that not enough was being done for development and extension of social security in India even by the trade unions, he mooted the idea of forming a non-government organisation, which was to be a non-partisan organisation. At his initiative and with the active help of Mr R.K.A. Subrahmanya, former Chairman of the Central Board of Trustees of the EPF, and Additional Secretary, Labour, the Social Security Association of India was formed in 1991. The association was inaugurated by Dr Manmohan Singh, the then Finance Minister. He continued to be founder-president of the organisation. He gave up this office two years back. The governing body of the association elected him as Emeritus President for life. This organisation is a body of social security experts, academicians, labour economists, former functionaries of the International Social Security Association and the ILO, and officers of social security organisations. The two biggest social security organisations i.e. the EPF and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation are its institutional members. Comrade Parduman Singh was born on March 7, 1924, at Jehlum (now in West Pakistan). He was educated at various district headquarters in Punjab due to regular transfers of his father, Mr Ram Singh, who retired as the ADC. He graduated from the prestigious Government College, Lahore, in 1944 that was considered Asia’s best college. Mr Satya Pal Dang, veteran CPI leader, was senior to him by two years in the college. He organised a strike on January 26, 1940, which was at that time celebrated as the day on which the resolution for “Complete Freedom” was passed by the Indian National Congress (now celebrated as the Republic Day). While in Class X, he took part in various strikes organised in colleges in support of the students’ demand. He was very active in collecting funds during the Great Bengal Famine in 1943-44. After completing his studies, he joined the Sarvodya Movement of Mahatma Gandhi along with a friend by going to a village near Amritsar and cleaning the streets and distributing medicines among poor people. During the days of Partition in 1947, he worked actively for the amelioration of sufferings of refugees from Pakistan and saved the lives of many innocent victims. After this, he and his friend were offered officer’s job. He declined this offer because the Congress had accepted Partition of the country. His friend accepted the job and retired as DPI. He joined the CPI and started the work of organising industrial workers in trade union under the banner of AITUC in 1948-49. And he had to remain underground for about two years, warrant of arrest having been issued against him. During that period, he worked in villages in Amritsar for organising the rural masses. After the warrants of arrest were withdrawn, he became whole-time functionary of AITUC in 1950. The period of 1950, 1967 was the time of acute unrest amongst the industrial workers due to low wages, lack of all types of amenities like bonus, paid casual leave and sick leave, grades and scales of pay, gratuity etc. Dozens of strikes, struggles were fought during that period, and he was one of the top leaders of the workers, being the General Secretary of the Textile Workers’ Union, which became the Textile Mazdoor Ekta Union when AITUC and INTUC merged. Two general strikes involving more than 25,000 workers each time for 36 days and 52 days, respectively, were fought in 1955 and 1965. He was the convener of the joint action committee of the trade unions in both strikes. During those strikes, he was arrested many times, first in 1953, when he underwent imprisonment along with 20 other trade union leaders and workers who were sentenced to a 10-month term that was reduced to six months following an appeal in the High Court. He also remained in confinement in the Central Jail, Ambala. Later, he further intensified his activities and was arrested a number of times. He remained in Amritsar Central Jail for periods extending between 15 days and three months. Reason: he led various strikes against rising prices and rise in bus fares. He was elected secretary of the Punjab State Committee of AITUC during that period. He was elected a member of the All India General Council in 1953 and its all India Vice-President in 1994. In 1980, he wrote his first book on the history of trade union movement. During the period 1980-92, when terrorism held its sway in Punjab, he was one of those who mobilised and involved not only workers but also common people against separatism, in spite of the dangers involved. A party committee was formed for this purpose. They organised ‘parbhat pheris’ and mohalla meetings in various parts of the city. The committee, including CPM, Congress, BJP, Janta Dal and Akalis, was formed at his initiative as per the decision of the City Committee of the CPI. He acted as the convener of the committee. The result of all these activities was that the people of Amritsar were involved in fight against terrorism. He, on behalf of the CPI, took an active part in the CPI-organised national and international events. During the wars with Pakistan, they organised canteens for Army personnel. During the Vietnam War, they organised a procession against imperialism. He has authored many books on social security in India, Asia-Pacific and in developing countries of Asia, Africa and South America. His maiden book “Social Security and Struggle for Human Dignity in the Developing Countries” hit the stand in 1988. The World Federation of Trade Unions translated it into French also. He has penned reports on “Exempted Provident Funds” as the Chairman of a committee of the CBT, “A Manual of Social Security in India” and “Social Security in Asia and Pacific”. His “New Approach to Minimum Wages as Measure of Social Protection” appeared in three volumes (co-authored with Mr RKN Subrahamanya, Secretary General, Social Security Association of India). His other books are “A Monumental Cooperative Study of Social Security Systems in 86 Developing Countries of Asia, Africa and South America”, “Protection for the Elderly, the Disabled and the Survivors in India — at the threshold of 21st Century”, “Health protection in India in the Year 2000” and “Unemployment Benefit Scheme in Developing Countries — A Case For Unemployment Benefit Schemes in India”. His two booklets on “Employees Pension Scheme” were translated in many regional languages. Five of his books have been published by the German Foundation — Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Some of his books have worldwide circulation. |
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People’s concern
The construction work on the three-kilometre long stretch of Sultanpur Lodhi road in Kapurthala was started over two years ago, but thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the Public Works Department, the project still remains incomplete.
The department had to construct the road from New Sabzi Mandi to Jalandhar bye-pass. Out of these, about a kilometer stretch of the road between New Sabzi Mandi and Chahal Chowk has been completed, whereas stones were laid on the remaining part of the under-construction road. The work was left pending for some time reportedly due to lack of funds. “So far at least ten persons have been injured as they were hit by the stones, which moved like bullets as corners of these stones were pressed under the tyres of heavy vehicles,” migrant Lalita Devi told Jalandhar Plus when its team visited the area on Wednesday. A shopkeeper in the area, Mr Kishore Rajput, whose son Shubham was also hit by the stone, said that the panes fixed in some of the shops had also been broken several times due to the moving stones. The shopkeepers from the area, residents of the localities like Ashok Vihar, Mohabat Nagar, Improvement Trust Colony and Deep Nagar and other users of the road have to face lots of inconvenience due to the incomplete work, said Mr Balbir Singh, a resident of Ashok Vihar. Balwant Singh, who runs his fast food shop at Masjid Chowk, said that the business of the shopkeepers had adversely affected due to the incomplete work, as Kapurthalaites hesitated to visit the road due to the poor condition of the road. Balwant Singh from Ashok Vihar further said that their problems aggravated during rains as the under-construction road became slippery and water got logged at several potholes erected on the road here during rainy season. If the work was not completed before monsoon, it would become very difficult for the shopkeepers to even open their shops during the period, he added. Kishore Rajput said the Punjab Minister, Ms Gurkanwal Kaur, also chairperson of District Development and Planning Board, had visited the area on March 28. The residents and the shopkeepers of the area ‘gheraoed’ her to press for their demand of early completion of the construction work on the road, he said. The minister reportedly told the residents that the concerned executive engineer of the department had assured her that the work would be completed by April 5. When contacted, the executive engineer of the PWD, Mr Kulwant Singh admitted that the work on the road had been left midway due to non-availability of funds. An estimate of Rs 50 lakh had already been allotted for the completion of the pending work on the road, he said. As and when the funds were received, the work would be restarted and completed thereafter, he added. To a query, he said the sewerage board had dug the road to lay sewerage pipes on the road, but it did not deposit the entire required amount with the PWD to repair it. The sewerage board had deposited only a part of the required amount, that was why the work had to be left midway, he added. |
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Kaleidoscope
Mother’s love and care has certainly been the most protective umbrella against any set of adversities, but even the contemporary fathers are not laggards anymore when it comes to looking after their kids. Thirty-four-year old Makhan Lal, a daily wager at Mandali village, is playing dual role of mother as well as father for his two sons, breaking the clichéd mindset of ‘only mother brings up the kids and father earns.’ Makhan Lal’s wife had dumped him and her two sons when they were just six-year-old and three-year-old, respectively. It was because she was more interested in staying with her brother’s family. Since then, Makhan Lal has been performing the mother’s role towards his sons. From waking up at six in the morning to prepare food and ready his kids for school, he does it all. The elder one studies in Class V and the younger in II in a local school. “I myself perform the household chores, washing clothes, and utensils etc. I send my kids to school in the morning and then go for my work at 10.30 am,” says Makhan Lal. But when asked whether his sons miss their mother he replies, “This used to happen initially, but then I took the responsibility to love my kids like a mother and now they don’t feel the absence of their mother.” The only thing that Makhan Lal regrets is that he is unable to provide tuition to his sons. But sons are very happy with the love that they are receiving from their father and deny missing their mother. This is the result of the cordial bond that they have with their father. Another story that makes us salute today’s fathers is that of an Army officer who lost his wife ten years ago due to cancer. He is Captain Vikram Singh. His wife passed away in 1995 leaving the responsibility of 24-year-old mentally retarded son on his shoulders. “Till the time my wife was alive, I never realised that I had a mentally retarded son with just 35 per cent IQ,” says Captain Vikram Singh, recalling how caring and loving his wife was. “After her death, I started looking after my son. I also started cooking for him. Initially, my cooking was poor and I used to face problems like cuts and burns but now I am a better cook than any housewife,” he adds proudly. |
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New session begins in colleges
Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service The new academic session of Kanya Maha Vidyalay began with the performance of ‘yajna-havan’ by the principal, Dr Rita Bawa, staff and students on Thursday. Vedic mantras were enchanted and holy fire was lit up in the 120-year-old institute. The principal told the students that they could not enchain time, but could certainly leave their names etched in gold in the annals of time. Wishing the students good luck for the new session, she exhorted them to imbibe Indian traditions, remain disciplined, act nobly and move towards self-realisation. The new session also began at HMV College on Wednesday with the performance of a religious function. NTSE exam
Students of city school have won laurels by qualifying for NTSE national level written examination conducted by the NCERT this year. Eight out of the six students of Innocent Hearts School, who appeared for the national level written examination, will appear for an interview. Six students, Sahil, Preet Simar, Sarthak, Anirudh, Sidhant and Ayush, have been selected in the exam, the result of which appeared on the Internet on Wednesday. Ashish Uppal, a student of Police DAV School, too, has qualified in the examination. Drawing
contest
An on-the-spot drawing contest was organised by Vajra AWWA on the occasion of van mahotsav in the Cantonment on Tuesday. Over 300 students from Jalandhar Cantonment schools participated in the event. Jaspreet of Kendriya Vidyalaya number 3 won the first prize, Pushpit of KV-4 was second, Manpreet of KV-2 stood third, Priyanka Mondal of KC-3 was fourth and Anupam Sangir of KV-2 won the fifth prize. Prizes were distributed by Ms Anita Thamburaj, President, Vajra AWWA. Founder’s Day
The 44th founder’s day of Kendriya Vidyalaya Number 1, Jalandhar Cantonment, was celebrated on Wednesday. Mr G.S. Gill, principal, lighted the lamp. He highlighted the achievements of the students as he read the annual report. Students presented a cultural programme depicting cultural heritage of the country and highlighting the social problems. Paper
presentation
Dr Arun Dev Sharma, lecturer in biotechnology department, Lyallpur Khalsa College, has been selected by the Society of Experimental Biologists, UK, to attend an international conference in the US from August 5 to 9. The conference being sponsored by the American Society of Plant Physiologists will be held in Hynes Convention Center, Boston, USA. Dr Sharma will present his paper on the use of gene cloning in generating water tolerant or drought resistant crops in India. He would also focus on ways to get more productivity of the important crops like wheat even in the absence of water irrigation, a major problem being faced worldwide due to decreasing ground water level. Lecture on census
HMV College organised a lecture on ‘Value of data resources of census in various aspects of life’ at its campus on Tuesday. Mr Madhav Shyam, Deputy Director and Assistant Registrar General, Home Ministry, GOI, was the speaker on the occasion. Giving a few points from the data, he has that Chandigarh was the second densely populated city. He also laid stress on the fact that the sex ratio was on a decline. Ms P.P. Sharma, principal, presented a college souvenir to the officer. |
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Mango mania grips the city
Juicy mangoes are all set to entice fruit lovers, though, in a different style at Hotel President, where 10-day ‘Monsoon and Mango Mania’ is going to take off from Friday amidst fun and music.
The event, an annual affair, is being organised by the management of the hotel to not only to promote mango — the uncrowned king of fruits — but also to bid farewell to the ‘King’ at the very outset of monsoon season. Though, regular menus would be there in place, but master chefs would leave no stone unturned to bring out an array of nearly 15-17 mango-based dishes, including the mouth watering ‘mango lassi’ and different varieties of shakes. If this was not enough, there would be mango snacks such as mango seekh kabab, chilly mango chicken, crape la-mango, mango puff and mango cucumber chat. Besides, the main course has more surprises for visitors like ‘Aam Ka Salan’, ‘Mango Stuff Dum Aaloo, grilled fish with mango sauce, diced mango chicken curry, said Mr Amit Vij, a manager of the hotel. Bread-lovers would not be disappointed as there are delicacies like mango parantha and mango kulcha. Those who were in love with something sweet can have a taste of mango pudding, mango crush and mango slice with vanilla ice cream. “Special chefs have been arranged for the mango mania,” says Mr Amit Vij. So, times ahead may be to say goodbye to mango, but still some days are left when the tickling taste buds can be satiated. |
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Faculty development programme held
A faculty development programme was organised at the Lovely Institute of Management, in association with the Punjab Commerce and Management Association (PCMA), for teachers of different colleges in the state teaching business research. Twenty teachers from different universities and colleges were invited for participation.
Dr S.K. Singla, Head, Department of Business Management, Punjab Agricultural University, trained the participants in various statistical tools and techniques used in management research, including hypothesis testing and factor analysis. Dr M.A. Zaheer, Director, Synetic Business School, Ludhiana, shared various applied techniques to decrease cost and maximise profitability. Mr Ashok Mittal, Director of Lovely Institutes, Professor S.S. Chatha, Principal of the Lovely Institute of Management, and Dr Prem Kumar, PCMA President, were present on the occasion. |
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GOC visits sainik welfare office
Lieutenant-General Noble Thamburaj, General Officer Commanding, 11 Corps, made his first customary maiden visit to the District Sainik Welfare Office on Wednesday.
The GOC, who visited the welfare office two months after he had joined the corps, was apprised of its functioning by Lieutenant Colonel Manmohan Singh, Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare.
He was taken around the computer laboratory and the Vocational Training Institute where he interacted with the students and faculty. Lieut-Colonel Manmohan Singh said about 40 candidates, most of them wards of ex-servicemen and widows, had been attending the pre-recruitment training for selection to the NDA and CDS courses. He added that he had run a similar course in 2004 which was attended by 29 students, of whom 15 were now taking commercial training in the NDA and IMA. The GOC was welcomed by Mr A. Venu Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, and President of District Sainik Board.
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