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1,500 illegal buildings tease MC
Throwing the building bye-laws to winds, a large number of commercial buildings or establishments are mushrooming in residential areas in Jalandhar. Municipal corporation officials have been turning a blind eye to these violations.
While unscrupulous people have been doing roaring businesses in more than 1500 illegal commercial buildings in different partsof the city , sources pointed out that more than 100 new commercial buildings or establishments have come up in the Model Town area . The MC authorities have adopted a pick and choose policy for regularizing buildings in the areas which, have been converted to commercial zones from residential areas. These areas include, Parkash Road, Rainbow road, Mall Road and Model Town . Most areas, which, have been declared as commercial have huge buildings without parking lots-a violation which is a non-compoundable offence. Not that certain lesser known areas have been witnessing glaring violations, but, the MC authorities have turned a blind eye to huge illegal commercial buildings and those whichare coming up in posh localities like Lajpat Nagar, Cool Road, Model Town, Cheema Nagar Road, Income Tax Colony Road, Garha Road and the BMC chowk. In the Model Town residential area people have set-up shops or shopping complexes in the area. A glaring example of such violations can be seen on the road from the Model Town Gurdwara to the famed Model Town Dasehra grounds. Five new shops are operating from the lane and a huge “commercial” building can also be seen coming upnearby. “They say that they got permission to run their establishments from the MC. But, we keep wondering as to how the MC can give any such permission in a residential area,” complained a resident on condition of anonymity. When contacted, S.S. Johl, the commissioner of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, maintained that he was not aware about new commercial establishments or shops in the residential area of Model Town or elsewhere. “We are not going to spare anybody violating the bye-laws by setting up commercial establishments in a residential area,” said Johl. He however, said that he was sure that the lane adjoinging to the Model Town Gurdwara was residential and had not been declared commercial. Manoj Arora, the president of the Model Town Market Association, alleged that more than 100 buildings have come up in Model Town itself in violation of the building bye-laws. “ There is discrimination in regularization of buildings, change of land use and conversion of residential areas into commercial ones. Money is playing a big role in it. That is why those buildings or areas have been regularized without taking into consideration the space for parking .There are a number of owners of such buildings, who, have been allowed to go scot free despite the fact that such buildings were sans parking lots. A number of buildings without parking lots are still coming up. There is nobody to check the violation,” alleged Arora. Sources in the MC said that there were more than 1500 such illegal buildings in the city, which, figured in the list of non-compoundable buildings or in case of which, no fine could be charged for their being utterly in violation of the bylaws. Apart from these, there were 4500 such illegal buildings, which, have been assessed but, in case of which, no fine has been realized so far. The penality due towards owners of such buildings, it was learnt, surpassed the whopping Rs. 15 crore. Sources point out that violators were having a field day as they either enjoyed patronage of political leaders or that of officials of the building branch of the MC. Would the top MC officials dare to act against violators or not in the wake of a change in the government in Punjab is yet to be seen.
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New home for old
When everyone was enjoying Holi with their families, 70-year-old A.C. Suri left his house with a heavy heart and took shelter in a newly set up Old Age Home of the Red Cross at Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar here. Suri was the first inmate that the home received since its opening in February last week. Unmarried and having lost his parents and brother, he found it difficult to adjust in his house and thus made up mind to come to this place. “Away from tense atmosphere, I am finding peace here. I am enjoying my liberty. I go for walk, enjoy my favourite TV programmes, chat with my pals and sometimes help employees here in chopping vegetables,” he laughed with wet eyes. Suri found his first companion two days later when Avtar Singh joined the Home. A retired construction foreman associated with a private company at Muscat, he too found it difficult to adjust with his family at Ajit Singh Nagar here and hence decided to settle here. “I paid Rs 2,000 as security, Rs 500 as monthly charges and got some space for myself. I go for cycling in the morning and evening. In the afternoon, I enjoy reading newspapers. We have been told that we will also get some books,” he said exhibiting confidence of having taken the right decision. On March 7, another victim of domestic quarrel entered the Home. His hearing and speech challenged son does not want to part with him. The Home has, in fact, received many queries ever since it opened three weeks back but only three people have joined it. Most of them wanted private rooms rather than a dormitory. The dormitories, TV room, kitchen, dining room and lawns are quite clean and sunny. With a provision of 26 beds, there is a separate dormitory for women, which is yet to get even a single occupancy. The members of the staff said that many couples were interested but not willing to live in different dormitories.
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Pradeep lifts national gold
With eyes firmly set on the Olympics gold, Pradeep Kaur ,20, has started her journey. She recently bagged gold in the 19th Junior National Weightlifting Championship held at Chennai. A rebel, Pradeep, chose her game much against the wishes of her parents and elder brother, also a weightlifter in the Border Security Force. “My parents never wanted that I should take up weightlifting. Even my brother dissuaded me terming it as a non-feminine sport,” said Pradeep a student of Banarsi Dass Arya Girls College, Jalandhar. However much to the dismay of her parents who wanted her to focus on studies, Pradeep not only opted for the game but also bagged number of medals at both state and national levels, the latest being the national championship. “It’s sad that girls in Punjab are not allowed to choose the games that are considered to be male dominated. One hardly finds quality stuff in weightlifting, wrestling, football to name a few,” she added. “People think that girls ruin their figure by opting for games like wrestling or weightlifting. Besides myths regarding weakening of the womb .Despite Punjabi girls being strong, there are hardly any players who can be recognized on the national level,” said pradeep who idolizes Kunjarani Devi and K. Malleswari. “In the absence of sufficient funds most of the players leave the game once they pass out from the college. As long as we are in the college the education boarding and lodging is free, but once out we don’t even get jobs. That is the reason why most of us prefer leaving the game ,” said Pradeep who bagged a silver medal in the snatch event during the nationals which concluded on March 4. However ,the other problem being faced by the player is the absence of a stand -by coach. “Our coach Arjun Singh is away for a national camp. In his absence we do not have a stand -by coach so have to practice on our own,” she added.
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Recently Pash’s widow Rajwinder Kaur along with her daughter Winkle visited their native village, Talwandi Salem, to relive her past. Devinder Pal met them there. Here are some snatches Sab to khatarnak hunda hain, murda shanti naal bhar jana Na hona tadap da sab sahan kar jana,gharan to nikal kam, te kam to ghar jana Sab to khatarnak hunda hain, sadde supneya da mar jana
We might have read this poem several times but almost twenty years have gone since its poet departed from this world leaving behind his poems, wife and daughter. Although his contributions make them proud but they can’t escape the emptiness. Reminiscing about her husband, late Avtar Singh Sandhu better known as Pash, Rajwinder Kaur has her story to tell. She was here in Talwandi Salem recently Her wet eyes say a different version than that of the poet but she tries her best to make every moment spent with her husband a memorable chapter. Rajwinder says the truth is when he was alive she didn’t understand the intellectual capability and potentiality of Pash. And when he is gone, she tries to make everything belonging to Pash her most prized possession. "I didn’t have a slight idea who was Avtar Singh Sandhu or Pash in actual," she admits. "I deeply regret the fact I, as a life companion of the famous poet, never understood his dreams. I am sure his companions go through similar pain." When I read people who have tried to illuminate themselves with the help of Pash’s poetry, my emptiness and distance make me more desperate. Sun-m suniya raha be Koi ugh sugh dasja maahi di Once she used to complain about their compatibility. Although sailing in different boats, she never stood against his pen. "Intellectually I felt inferior to him, and I suppose felt the same." "Might be this is a universal fact that whenever people have become successful in different spheres, such problems have occurred in their lives and especially in pairs," she quips. Pash and Rajwinder Kaur were married for three months when his collection of poems ‘Sade sameya wich’ was published. He brought out many collections including ‘Loh katha’, ‘Siyaad’ and ‘Uddiya baaja magar’. Because of his revolutionary writing, he was arrested in number of fake cases. At the time of marriage, Rajwinder was just 17. He was 10 years older to him. But she considers herself to be 20 years younger. "May be I was not able to travel in his poetic journey but he was satisfied that I didn’t create any hindrance. People close to him thought marriage would ‘mature’ with responsibility. But who could stop a watcher of flying eagles," she says. Pash was killed on March 23, 1988 on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh. When asked about financial equation, she mentions that once the poet, who used to take tuitions, gave her 65 paisa and said, "Keep it safely." She says that Pash left behind more than gold mines. I was so happy with Pash association that I didn’t feel financial deprivation. Working as a nurse in the US, Rajwinder Kaur lives with her daughter, Winkle, and ailing in-laws. Since leaving Punjab, they have returned only twice. Her daughter plays a role of a friend more than anything else. "Poets like Pash often ask us what we are to them," she quips. This question haunts me and that’s why I try to calm myself by getting close to his poetic soul. And what else can be more helpful than her daughter who resembles Pash in more than one way. She brings not only present but also past. Winkle also writes poems in English but she doesn’t reveal those to anybody. She describes Pash as revolutionary poet who wanted to create a simple and clear society. He used to think that people will feel the need of poetry in the coming future. Being asked about Pash’s loss, she says, "Pash has never left us alone. He will live forever through his poems."
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Young World Tribune News Service Students of the Apeejay College of Fine Arts participated in the South Asia University Festival held in Mumbai from March 7 to 11. Sugandha Mishra, Karandeep, Rohini, Jyoti, Gurpreet and Shweta from the department of music enthralled the audiences from SAARC countries through a group song and other cultural items. The team of the artistes was led by Dr Arun Mishra. Athletics meet
Guru Nanak Engineering College, Ludhiana, has lifted the overall trophy at the Punjab Technical University athletic meet held at Lovely Institutes. The event saw participation of 450 athletes from 30 institutes in long jump, high jump, relay race, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer throw and discus throw. The best athlete in the men’s category was won by Lovejeet Singh of the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology and the best female award was bagged by Rupinder Kaur of the Ramgarhia Institute of Engineering and Technology. Research paper
A lecturer in physics at Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, Sonik Bhatia, working in the field of ‘Semi-conducting thin films’ has been invited to present his research paper. The paper ‘Structural and electrical properties of thermally evaporated films’ will be presented at a conference organised by the University of Arkansas, USA, from May 15 to 20. Farewell
The final year students of PG diplomas, BA, BSc (computer science), BSc (economics), BSc (medical and non-medical), B.Com (regular and professional) and BCA of the Kamla Nehru College for Women were given a warm send off on Wednesday. The function was presided over by principal Kusum Verma. The occasion was marked with a variety of cultural items and on-the-spot games. Navi was adjudged as “Ms KNC-2007”, while Supriya and Jyoti Walia were awarded crowns for the first and second runners-up positions, respectively. Rupali, Avleen, Nancy and Ravinder were adorned with the titles of “Beautiful Hair”, “Beautiful Smile”, “Miss Elegant” and “Miss Confident”, respectively.
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More diarrhoea cases
Over a dozen cases of diarrhoea were reported from Mehli Gate and Khalwara Gate localities of Phagwara in the past 24 hours. When The Tribune visited the area this morning, a large number of residents, including women and children, were seen suffering from diarrhoea. The supply of contaminated water by the nagar council was said to be the reason for the outbreak of the disease. Most of the patients preferred to go to private doctors for treatment.
Residents said the water supplied by the council was not fit for consumption. They were forced to fetch water from handpumps installed by some residents in the localities, said the residents. Only a fortnight ago, more than 100 cases of jaundice were reported from
Bhagatpura, Onkar Nagar and Rattanpura mohalla. Ten samples of water have been sent to a laboratory in Jalandhar. However, councillor Kusum Sharma, when contacted, said she had complained to the health authorities about the contaminated water. She said a coordination committee was set up to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to the residents and to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.
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