Jalandhar, February 26
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), in a recent order, has asked tehsildar (sales) to deliver the possession of two plots purchased by a resident in an auction nearly 27 years ago.

The national commission has even asked him to get the encroachments on the auctioned land removed —an unauthorised colony is said to have come up on the plots, falling in Basti Danishmandan — or else it would amount to an administrative failure.

Remanding the matter back to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which on March 5, 2003 had passed an order for delivery of plots and asked the complainant Tilak Kumar for filing applications under sections 25 and 27 of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, the commission has even sought decision on pleas within four months.

Earlier, the state had modified the orders of the district forum, allowing compensation to the tune of Rs 60,000 per marla to the complainant with 12 per cent rate of interest instead of delivery of the two plots purchased from rehabilitation department in an auction held way back in 1981. Cancelling the modification, the national commission further said the change was not permissible.

On the orders of the national forum, a hearing was held in the district forum on Monday, in which the two parties were called up and a revision petition was allowed on a payment of Rs 2,500 to the complainant.

The tehsildar was asked to report compliance of the orders on April 4.

On July 16, 2007, the forum had passed an order issuing warrant of attachment of officer’s bank accounts. Earlier, the forum had even directed the tehsildar to get sanction for payment from finance secretary through the deputy commissioner. The forum also observed that sufficient opportunities had been granted for complying with the orders and hence directed him to show cause in person before it on May 14 last year.

Tilak Kumar, a Ladhewali resident, had filed the case in the district forum and judgment had been made in his favour on March 5, 2003.

The complainant was the highest bidder for two plots measuring 16 marlas and 1 sirsai and 13 marlas and 3 sirsais. His bids were Rs 24,500 and Rs 24,700 for the plots for which he deposited 20 per cent at that time.

The office received the remaining deposit in 15 days, which was within stipulated time frame. But he never obtained possession of the two plots. 

Jalandhar, February 26
A visit to Jalandhar Cantonment sans the taste of the lip-smacking “Jawali Ke Pakore” certainly means you have missed something. One of the famous eating joints, this place is known for its out-of-the-world “dal ke pakore” which attract people not only from the cantonment but other areas as well.

Situated in the heart of Sadar Bazaar, this approximately 150-year-old shop boasts of its recipe and the traditional way of making “pakoras”. As one enters the lane near Sadar Bazaar, the mouth-watering aroma of spices from Jawali Prasad’s shop is hard to miss. The shop, which started in 1852, has not changed its recipe till date.

This is the fourth generation, continuing the family business of Jawali Prasad, the forefather of Goyal brothers, upon whose name the shop has been named “Jawali Di Hatti”. “A family tradition, the shop has successfully been run by different generations of the family,” says Vipin Goyal busy in making “pakoras”.

According to the shop owners, the shop boasts of the members of the royal family of Kapurthala as its clients, who were patrons of this lip-smacking delicacy of the town.

Rajesh Goyal says, “The shop is famous because of its exceptional recipe. We have never witnessed any decrease in the number of people visiting our shop for “pakoras”. Though the sale remains the same throughout the year, it is highest during the monsoons.” When asked about starting any other outlet in the city, the Goyal brothers said, “Our forefathers started this business from this small shop and we are happy in continuing it from here itself. We feel pleased when people come to our shop with their families and enjoy the treat.”

The “pakoras” are available at a price of Rs 112 per kg and the residents maintain that the crisp “pakoras” are worth their amount. Roshan Singh, a customer, says, “One good thing about Jawali’s shop is that they have not changed their traditional way of making “pakoras” in earthenware which makes them taste even better.”

The evenings at “Jawali Di Hatti” usually abound with a swarm of customers in a queue for their favourite “pakoras”. “But it is always worth waiting here,” says Jyoti, another regular at the shop.

Jalandhar, February 26
Twenty-two-year-old leg-spinner Rahul Sharma is on cloud nine these days. He took six wickets in the first match against the East Zone in the ongoing Vizzy Trophy being held in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, these days.

The leg-spinner gave a knockout performance in the inter-university cricket tournament and got six wickets against the teams from Jharkhand, Patna, Bihar and other eastern states.

A Ranji team member, Rahul made his mark felt in the Afro-Asia Cup, 2005, held in Vishakhapatnam, where he got three wickets each against South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (U-19) in the North Zone category.

“I was hardly 18 when I got the golden chance of playing in the Afro-Asia Cup,” he said. He has been playing for Punjab for the past six years and now aims at playing for Team India. Rahul made impressive innings in the North Zone (U-19) cricket tournament and bagged as many as 17 wickets in four matches. It was on the basis of this performance that he was selected for the Afro-Asia Cup in 2005.

Presently, he is doing his graduation from DAV College, Jalandhar, and is also the captain of the college cricket team. He started playing cricket at the age of 14 and joined the Jalandhar Cricket Stadium under coach Suresh Sharma.

Last year he got as many as 15 wickets in four matches in the U-22 Punjab tournament organised by the BCCI.

“This was a major achievement for me as I secured five wickets against Delhi, three against Himachal Pradesh, two against Tripura and five against West Bengal,” he said. These days he is looking forward to improving his balling for which he says, “I owe my achievements to my coach Suresh Sharma. Apart from this, of course, I try to follow my role model off-spinner Anil Kumble as well.”

Kapurthala, February 26
Several Dalits held a demonstration and blocked traffic for several hours at two different places of the town to demand arrest of PSEB official T.S. Thind for allegedly making remarks against the caste of a Dalit.

Workers of the SC Sangharsh Samiti staged a dharna near Amritsar octroi post on the Kapurthala-Goindwal road. The traffic remained blocked for several hours. Later the protesters went towards DC Chowk and held a protest there in favour of their demand.

According to the information, an FIR was registered in Kapurthala against Kapurthala PSEB SE Operations T.S. Thind under the SC/ST Act on January 3 on the directions of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The commission reportedly issued directions to register a case on the complaint of Raj Kumar, who had alleged that Thind abused him when he met him in the circle office in September.

An inquiry was handed over to the SP (D). The inquiry was still on, the police sources said. — TNS

Jalandhar, February 26
Ayurveda, which is one of the oldest and most holistic medical systems, suffered a setback during Medieval and British rule in India. But institutions like Dayanand Ayurvedic College in Jalandhar have been trying to revive the ancient wisdom of ayurveda within the parameters of a modern medical science.

The herbal factory at the college provides an opportunity for students to learn old-time methods of using herbs and plants for ailments.

“In ayurveda, we have six tastes. Every taste is in fact representing one or the other chemicals present in the plants or the vegetables. So in ayurveda this evolution of medicine started long ago, then there were more developments. We started using minerals, then we started making some extracts. So ayurveda and alopathy in fact are sister pathies,” said college principal Raj Kumar Sharma.

Established in 1898, the college has brought its education from “gurukuls” to the modern classrooms. Besides providing a degree in bachelor of ayurvedic medicine and surgery, the college has a well-equipped operation theatre to teach students themajor and minor operation procedures.

“In India, only 2 per cent of the total health budget is being spent on all alternative systems of medicine, including ayurveda, whereas 98 per cent of the budget is being spent on modern medicine. Even if half of the funds meant for health care are given to ayurveda, it can be a world leader in the field of research in medicine,” Sharma claimed.

The institution is just a drop in the ocean conducting research in ayurveda. At present, there are about 154 recognised undergraduate and 33 postgraduate colleges in India.

It’s a myth that ayurveda is limited to herbs and yoga. It offers therapies for all health concerns, from colds to cancer, emotional issues to epilepsy. As many as 600 medicinal plant products, 52 minerals and 50 animal products are commonly used for ayurvedic medicines.

According to the WHO, more than one billion people use herbal medicines to some extent, and in India, with its a rich medicinal plant flora of some 2,500 species. the future looks bright. — ANI

Jalandhar, February 26
One, two…bang bang, three four…bang bang, five... bang, six...bang. It’s packed house at Café Arabia classes of choreographer Gaggun Bedi. The atmosphere is electric with the enthusiastic bunch of his pupils learning the art of mastering that sensuous “belle sushi” and shaking that indispensable belle accessory, the tingler. The “derriere dance” has become a rage in the city.

Says Bedi, who runs the Sparkling Pearls Institue of Dancing, “The belle is booming big time. My January 23 batch is already running full. Such is the craze for the new dance form that we are flooded with queries from other cities too. I guess Shakira Party, which took place at the institute in April 2007, acted as a trigger for the people to get in the groove for the belle party.”

Be it a desire to learn to shake a leg at a much-awaited wedding party, a need to get thin or the wish to flaunt those sensual moves at a party with friends, the people of Punjab are waking up to dance.

Talking about various dance forms, Varun, founder of Dance Studio and Club Salsa India, based in Chandigarh, says, “We take classes in Latin dances, Marenge, Ballroom, Roomba and Pasodoble. The people have woken up to the realities of dance and they use it as a medium of exercise, therapy and a way to express themselves.”

Vinay Varma, director, Footloose, Ludhiana, says, “Salsa and hip-hop are the most sought-after dance forms at the moment. We get about 400 students a day except for the time when examinations are on. Couple classes, which were a rarity before, are also on full bloom.”

Bedi, who gifted belle to Jalandhar, says, “Initially I did not know what kind of response I would get from the people of Jalandhar but things have worked out pretty well. It is no more considered a taboo with the dance lovers.

“The belle sushi (hip shaking) moves make the body flexible and help release tension. The pelvic area and the face are what you have to concentrate most while doing the belle,” he adds.

Talking about the seven chakras of the dance (which is taught at Bedi’s institute only in Punjab), he says, “The plasma, eye, heart, abdominal, pelvic, thigh land and calf chakras lend perfection to the dancer and post the dance session the dance leaves you completely relaxed and elated.”

Vivek Aggarwal of the Indian Dance and Performing Arts Council, Jalandhar, says, “We have been in business for 15 years but people are taking to dance like never before. People come with various demands and parents are enthusiastic in teaching the dance form to their kids.”