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DVD, VCD piracy goes high-tech
Piracy continues to cripple the music and film industry of Punjab and Mumbai.
Those indulging in piracy have mastered their art so well that they have managed to cut down the time taken to copy music numbers and films drastically — from two-three days to just two hours — thanks to a perfect combination of their ingenuity and modern techniques. Meanwhile, pirated VCDs, DVDs and audio CDs are available freely in almost all posh markets of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Chandigarh due to extensive and well-oiled network of piracy that is now a prime fulltime ‘business’. If a pirated DVD, VCD of a recently-released film or music video can be bought any time in Jalandhar’s main markets, including the posh Model Town Market, the same can be had from the Clock Tower area of Ludhiana. Industry sources say that while earlier pirated stuff was sold secretly, now it is being sold openly in even good music shops. “Just to have an insight into the level of piracy, I went to the local Model Town market and sent someone to one of the shops there to fetch a pirated version of a popular music VCD of my cousin Manmohan Waris. “After initial reluctance, one of the shopkeepers took it out of his bag and gave it to him just for Rs 20. “In such a situation, how can the music or film industry survive, particularly when the original VCDs are priced five times higher?” asks Mr Deepak Bali, the general secretary of the Music Association of India (MAI) and managing director of Plasma Records company. The Tribune’s investigations revealed that if about two years back, it took two-three days to copy a DVD, VCD or an audio CD, now it takes just two hours to do so, thanks to the application of the latest copying software and technology. “Earlier, copying of a VCD or a DVD and its entry in the market took two to three days as a product used to be copied only when it was launched in the market. “Now, the first step is to copy posters with the help of a scanner, and then cassette or CD inlays are made. “As soon as a product is launched, it is copied and distributed in the market through a parallel chain of supply,” revealed a source, requesting anonymity. Investigations also revealed that nearly two lakh copies of music videos alone entered the Punjab market every month. Out of these, nearly 60 per cent stuff was pirated. Apart from this, pirated DVDs and VCDs of the latest Hindi and Punjabi films were freely available, revealed the investigations. Interestingly, the piracy industry has developed its own lingo, and it is good for a buyer if they are aware of it. For instance, if a buyer goes to a shop and asks for a pirated copy of a film, there might be some reluctance on the part of the shopkeeper, but if the buyers demand a “combination”, chances are that they would get it at the first request. While the original DVD and VCD of a film may be priced at Rs 250 and Rs 120, respectively, their pirated copies can be bought for as low as Rs 80 and Rs 20-30 per copy, respectively. “We have not come across any solution so far. Anti-piracy software have proved to be a big failure, as these are cracked by experts instantaneously,” says Mr Bali.
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Clap your way to better health
If looking for a miracle cure for serious ailments then you can clap your way to good health. Crush chronic illness with your hands, says K.C. Bhardwaj, a 76-year-old self-styled yogi of Mandali village near Phagwara. He claims to have invented “clapping yogasana’. His creative ‘asana’ was mocked at first by village residents, who called him a lunatic for waking them up daily before the break of dawn. However, as the therapy worked, many are now themselves responsible for the noise clapping to keep good health. “Over a decade back I was looking for a miracle cure to glaucoma. I had started lose vision in both eyes. I did not have the courage to undergo surgery. It was then I heard at a ‘satsang’ that clapping could cure diseases and that was why devotees clapped while reciting kirtans.” Clapping stimulates blood circulation and removes all obstructions in the veins and arteries, including bad cholesterol. Bhardwaj claims that even the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed it as best exercise. “I regained my vision in about a year just by clapping for about half an hour every morning,” he reveals. Explaining the method, he said before clapping one should apply coconut or mustard oil on the palms so that it was absorbed by the body. Wear socks and leather shoes to check leakage of energy waves generated in the body. Strike both hands against each other, right to left, keeping them straight facing each other and the arms a little loose. Fingertips and the palm of each hand should strike each other, advises Bhardwaj. Initially, he says, clap 200 to 300 times the first day and increase the speed from 50 to 100 claps a minute and duration to about 20 minutes. A healthy person, who wants to keep fit, should clap 1,500 times a day. Telling about the benefits of clapping, Bhardwaj claims the problems that would vanish over a period of time. Life threatening heart conditions, hypertension, and diabetes, depression, asthma, common cold, and arthritis, headaches, insomnia and hair loss could be cured by clapping, he says. “Besides recognition from my students, my efforts also landed me and my ‘invention’ in the Limca Book of Records in 1997, for clapping 9,500 times; 158 claps in a minute, which was heard a km away during early morning hours,” notes Bhardwaj. His advice to the people living in air-conditioned houses and working in offices, who do not sweat at all: clap as it would help blood circulation in the body and cleanse it fully.
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Young World Tribune News Service
A talent hunt contest was organised at Government Arts and Sports College. Students displayed talents in singing, dancing, poetry recitation, dramatic skills and modeling. Principal, Ms Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, presided over the function and gave prizes to the winners. Sunil Kumar and Poonam got the first two positions in singing while Praveen was adjudged the best actor in English play ‘Toba Tek Singh’. Amanpreet was given the best dancer award. Workshop held
Kanya Maha Vidyalaya organised a workshop on ‘Career opportunities in electronic media’. Mr K. Deepak Gulati, Director, Delhi Film Institute, and Mr Babla Kochhar, a well-known voice on Discovery, National Geographic and History Channel were the key speakers. They said there were job opportunities in unconventional areas like film dubbing, presentations for corporate world, lending voice to recorded messages of mobile companies, and making announcements on railway stations and airports. Freshers’ party
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, Lovely Institute of Technology, organised a freshers party. A variety of cultural items were showcased during which folk dances, classical dances, giddha, bhangra, mimicry and folk songs were performed. Sharanjeet Singh was chosen Mr Fresher and Deepika Thakur was crowned Ms Fresher after the modelling session. Awareness programme
DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology organised an awareness programme on Internet banking. Mr J.P.S. Arora, Regional Manager, Chandigarh, talked about the process of payment of bills, draft, reservation of tickets and other utilities. Mr Bhupinder Singh, Chief Manager, SBI, Tanda Road, edified the staff for Internet banking. Seminar on
foeticide
The CT Institute of Management and Information Technology organised a seminar on female foeticide. The seminar was addressed by Lecturer, Ms Nivedita Chadha, for the students of MBA. She said due to sex-determination and sex-selective abortions, the sex ratio had fallen drastically. Mr Manhar Arora, Deputy Director, CT Institute, said only a change of attitude could bring a long term solution. Career counselling
Career counselling and placement cell of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya organised campus interviews by ICICI Prudential. The students of M.Com-I and II, B.Com-III (regular), B.Com-III (professional), BSc-III, BCA-III, BSc (IT), MSc (IT) and MSc (computer science) appeared in the interview. Seventy two students appeared in the interview of which 30 were selected as financial advisors. Lecture on Gita
Prem Chand Markanda SD College for Women organised a lecture on ‘Role of teachers in present times with reference of teachings of Gita’. Mr Ashwini Kumar, former Principal, Doaba College, lauded the role of teachers as saviours of the society and nation. An extension lecture was organised by the Sanskrit department of HMV College in which Dr Bhim Singh Vedalankar, Head of the Department, Kurukshetra University, talked about “Relevance of Gita in the modern era”. He emphasised on the importance of selfless ‘karma’ in life and gave a message of detachment, renunciation, selflessness and humility for establishing peace in the world. Personality
development
A workshop on personality development skills was organised at KMV College. Dr Jatindra Mohan, former Head of the Department of Psychology, Panjab University, was the chief guest. He asked the participants to write five negative and positive points about themselves, asking them to do their own psycho analysis. Various other exercises were conducted to improve their motivation. Inter-college sports
Kanya Maha Vidyalaya won the inter-college taekwondo tournament held at Guru Nanak Dev University. The volleyball team from KMV Collegiate Senior Secondary School also won the first position in the zonal inter-school matches. Principal, Dr Rita Bawa, DPE Ms Sukhpal Kaur and Ms Ashoo Bajaj, congratulated the teams. Anaemia
testing camp
A blood grouping and anaemia testing camp was held at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Daroli Kalan, in which blood group and Hb level of 250 boys and girls was checked free of cost. A first aid centre was also opened in the campus.
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Ambedkar Bhavan languishes in wilderness
The Bharat Ratna Dr B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan, Jalandhar, sanctioned 11 years back is yet to come up despite Dalit leaders holding strong political positions. The city also has a fairly large vote bank of Scheduled Castes. The project, initiated in 1995, proposed the construction to be within the boundaries of Gandhi Vanita Ashram on Kapurthala Road. Later, after it was pointed out that the ashram had little space to offer owing to its own needs, another site was suggested within the administrative complex. The foundation stone was laid by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, former Chief Minister at the new site on May 9, 1999. The stone still stands amidst wild growth as no further efforts were by the ruling Congress government. No Dalit leader has taken the lead to accomplish the project though they occupy various political posts. Mr Mahinder Singh Kaypee, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes; Ch Jagjit Singh, Minister for Local Bodies; his brother Ch Santokh Singh, MLA from Phillaur; his son Ch Surinder Singh, president, Zila Parishad; and Mr Surinder Mahey, Mayor, all represent the Scheduled Castes community. No grant came even after the foundation stone was laid. A contract had been allotted by the PWD for construction but it had to be terminated because of lack of funds. An announcement that Rs 50 lakh had been allocated for the bhavan from the Punjab Nirman Funds came in first week of July during a meeting of the District Planning Board. More than two months have passed since and there has been no headway. Mr Satish Grover, XeN, PWD, said the bhavan would be constructed soon on the vacant site behind the Suvidha Centre. He said tenders for construction would be floated on September 28 and the screening would be completed within 15 days. Ch Jagjit Singh, when asked about the delay, laid the entire blame on the Akalis. “Our party had laid the foundation stone in Gandhi Vanita Ashram but when the Akali government came to power, they changed its site. They even changed our designs and later did not spare grants for the purpose. When our party came back into power, the fiscal condition was not so sound. But now we have offered a grant and the project shall soon get started”. Taking the credit, he repeatedly stressed that it was due to keen interest taken by him that finally the construction would begin.
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Promising singing star
Ten-year-old Ashu Hans never had a chance to acquire formal training in singing but she won many hearts during the recently concluded inter-primary district-level singing contest organised by the Punjab School Education Board in Jalandhar. Daughter of a labourer, she is a Class V student of the primary wing of Sain Dass Senior Secondary School at Baans Bazaar. Ashu enthralled all with her melodious voice as she sang the folk number “Koka ghadvade maiya koka” during the contest held at Doaba Khalsa School on September 12. She came first and was selected for the zonal contest to be held on October 11 at the same venue. Ashu had also won the first prize at the block-level contest organised by the board at Guru Nanak Public School, Doaba Chowk. In fact, it was the first time that she participated in any contest. A quick learner, her teacher Ms Meera said, “We never knew that we had such a promising girl in our school. She sits quietly in the class and hardly takes any initiative to express herself. “We once asked all the students to sing a song of their choice and we all were amazed at her performance. She just needed a little practice and some guidance to come up for the contests.” She taps her feet and moves her hand to set the right rhythm required to sing. A shy child, she barely responds to questions but was quick to tell that her favourite song was “Charkha chanan da”. Though she listens to latest Hindi pop numbers but her first choice is Punjabi folk songs only. A resident of Ali Mohalla , she said that there were hardly any music training centres close to her home where she could go for practice. Her mother, Poonam, and father, Upinder, said they were happy at her success and wished she could go a long way and achieve a lot more in life.
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