Jalandhar, September 20
The municipal corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ), it seems, is finding hard to remove encroachments in the city, especially going by its two recent futile drives to tackle the menace.

Yesterday, MC officials had gone to pull down the temporary and permanent encroachments by shopkeepers of the congested Rainak Bazaar, but the team had to withdraw owing to a demonstration held by the market association. The officials had earlier gone to Makhdoompura to raze a residential building, which had been allegedly constructed by flouting bylaws, from where too they had to return without any success owing to a massive public protest.

Prior to the MC poll, the town planning wing had even tried to raze illegal vends, which had come up on the backside of the bus stand on Garha Road. There too the team could not withstand pressure and had to return after striking the ditch machine against one or two vends. The vend owners have raised their structures again and are continuing their business of selling fruits, vegetables, chicken, juices, bags, toiletries and other items.

However, the structures are major eyesores, especially after the bus stand wears a new look. Since the buses enter the bus stand from the gate on this road, these encroachments are also serious traffic bottlenecks on the otherwise wide road. Three to four liquor vends on the same road too have spread out from their limits, encroaching upon the road, further aggravating the problem.

The NG Road leading to the railway station, too has been encroached upon by the shopkeepers on either side who have left a very narrow passage for the commuters to pass by. Traffic snarls are common here affecting the rail passengers who often are in a hurry apprehending missing of their trains. Dhaba owners can be seen preparing food in the middle of the road, while vendors selling tobacco products remain lined up at all times.

The corporation officials have not paid a heed to the encroachments on this road that have been expanding out for the past many years. The fact that most glaring examples of the sort can be seen in prime locations or in front of the offices of the administration, municipal corporation, SSP, police stations and district courts raises a question mark on the alleged involvement of employees.

The market area in front of the administrative complex has been permanently encroached upon by those selling car accessories and dhaba owners who have extended their shops till the verandah.

Men engaged in painting number plates on vehicles, doing denting painting work and selling car accessories too have also occupied a wide area near BMC Chowk.

Even the automobile repair shops on Ladowali Road just outside the SSP office too have covered the entire road by parking condemned vehicles. The inverter and battery shops on the road have encroached upon the road with their tools and gadgets. Huge temporary structures have become regular on either side of gates of Division Number 4 police station, near Jyoti Chowk, where used garments for men are kept on sale.

MC commissioner C.S. Talwar, when contacted, said the drive carried out in Rainak Bazaar yesterday was actually meant for a general survey of the area. He said the idea was to use pressure tactics so that the shopkeepers themselves came out for negotiations.

The MC commissioner said he had planned to hold a meeting with the representatives of the market associations to educate them and ask them to withdraw their encroachments on their own. 

Phagwara, September 20
The Phagwara residents have alleged that they have to shell out more to avail facilities at the Suvidha Centre.

A Tribune team visited the Suvidha Centre on Wednesday and saw a long queue of people in front of its different windows. One of the residents, Sanjeev, said he had to pay Rs 62 for two copies of the birth certificate of his child, whereas birth certificates were being issued by the nagar council after a payment ofjust Rs 7.

When contacted, Phagwara SDM Amarjeet Paul said that people had to pay extra money at the Suvidha Centres as, according to the government orders, Rs 50 were being charged as facilitation charges to get birth/death certificates.

He explained that Rs 50 were also being charged as facilitation charges for change of names and late entries.

The SDM disclosed that no extra charges were being levelled for any type of driving licence.

When contacted, nagar council president Malkiat Singh Ragbotra said the NC was charging only Rs 7 for a single copy of birth/death certificate which was being issued within one week, whereas the Suvidha Centres were taking as many as 15 days to issue such certificates.

Jalandhar, September 20
Nearly 40 local tanners got valuable tips from leather technologists during a workshop on ‘Water quality and management in leather industry’. Apart from the local subject experts, technologists had come from Chennai to take part in the event which was held at Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, here today.

Deputy director and head of tannery division, Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, Dr NK Chandrababu, told tanners to minimise the use of water. He said the tanners in Tamil Nadu had cut down the water consumption significantly by re-cycling the used water. P. Saravanan, scientist, CLRI, Chennai, discussed various modes of water reduction at different steps of leather treatment.

The focus of the workshop was to discuss latest water management technologies in the tanneries, to create opportunity for researchers involved in the management of effluents and solid water from leather industry and to share information and facilitate exchange of experience.

President of Punjab Leather Federation Col J.S. Paul, scientist in charge of CLRI at Jalandhar SK Mishra and head of the placement department Dr PK Chatley and head of the leather technology department Dr M.K. Jha were also present during the programme. 

Jalandhar, September 20
An embellished kurta or a designer shirt jazzed up with a capri-length slack or a short churidar has become the new fashion mantra in the town.

Taking off from the denim capris and turn-ups that have been trendy off-late, the new designs and cuts seem to be their Indo-Western ‘avtaar’. While the slacks or short churidars are kept simple and plain so that they can go with more than one kurta, the designing is primarily done on the kurtas or the shirts, with the patterns and embellishments primarily sticking to the necklines.

The slacks are done up in lycra, making them easy to slip in, inexpensive and adding a shimmer to the personalities of the oh-so-desperate-to-look-good gals.

The short churidars come in georgette or chiffon. They are worked up with a little bit of embroidery in the band at the end or some embroidery on the sides.

The shirts that go with short churidars too come in varied patterns. With the front sequined, embroidered or embellished, many of the shirts come with an A-shaped flair. Much to the delight of the town’s young ladies, show-room displays at Model Town and Lajpat Nagar have been decked up with straight shirts with pleated and balloon patterned shirts.

Simpler versions of such outfits available in the market include long T-shirts with short slacks or cotton kurtas with short cotton churidars. Instead of a full-length dupatta, a printed matching scarf or a tie-and-dye dupatta or short length is usually taken around the neck. “If not interested in carrying a scarf, these can be replaced with shrugs to give a different look. High heels are a must and a single anklet can make one look more hip”, the local designers opine.

Shefali of INIFD says the basic idea is to mix and match various dress items to look fashionable and remain comfortable. “But one needs to be carefully dressed according to the body structure.

The high maintenance women can go in for short kurtas while those with a few extra pounds need to wear longer kurtas or angrakha-style shirts with the slacks,” she suggested.

She opined that such a trend would be in vogue till the first week of November. “From then on, jeans, trousers, pyjamis and slacks will automatically become ankle length owing to approaching winters,” she said.

Phagwara, September 20
International Ozone Day was celebrated by the science department of the Kamla Nehru College for Women her today. Principal Kusum Verma presided over the Function.

A model depicting formation, causes and consequences of ozone depletion was prepared by students of the department.

A multimedia presentation was presented by BSc (II) student Tajbir. Students presented talks on evolution of Montreal Protocol and strategies for ozone preservation.

The college also celebrated Hindi Divas. In her presidential address, Kusum Verma stressed the importance of the Hindi language which was being promoted as the language of communication at the international level. Meanwhile, in Jalandhar, Kanya Maha Vidyalaya’s department of physics observed international day for the preservation of ozone layer in association with the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. As part of the celebrations, the students of MSc (physics, 2nd year) performed a poem and choreography.

Jalandhar, September 20
The Christian Welfare Association at a meeting welcomed the initiative of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to announce the creation of a separate quota for Muslims and Christians in educational institutions and government jobs through an ordinance.

Father Franco, spokesman of the Diocese of Jalandhar, has appealed to the government of Punjab to announce a similar sort of scheme for these minorities in order to fulfil the long-pending demand of the Christian community.