Chandigarh, April 6
The much-touted road widening and re-carpeting works initiated by the Municipal Corporation have become a source of nuisance for residents and road users. Owing to the failure of the authorities to complete the works, the roads are left dug up in almost all areas in the city.

With the recent rain, the area dug up by the authorities have posed a hazard for the residents and motorists after they got filled with water.

Sources in the MC said quick road-laying techniques were not being used for the projects, resulting in delay. Even the tenders were given to “a few selected” contractors, which is also adversely effecting the speed of the work, as they do not have adequate time to finish the work.

A random survey of the roads in the city under various development projects shows a picture of neglect and apathy of the civic authorities as the re-carpeting works have not been completed even after four months in some areas.

Residents of Sector 8, 19, 27 34, 32, 43, 44 and 46 are an inconvenienced lot due to the lackadaisical attitude of the road division, which has turned a blind eye to the problems being faced by the residents due to unfinished works.

A resident of Sector 44 told TNS that the road division dug up the area for widening the roads by three feet in front of their houses several months back and were yet to be completed. The department concerned first dug the area, uprooting their lawns and pavements in front of their houses and then left the work for over 15 days. Thereafter they took over 15 days to remove the earth and another 15 days to fill up the area.

He further rued that department officials came after a few days and put a layer of earth on the stones and sprinkled water on it and went away saying that it would take time to settle down the earth after which they would carpet the road. He said it seems impossible that the authorities would be able to finish work before the monsoon season, when the road carpeting was not possible.

Similar is the fate of the Sector 20 and 19 dividing road, which was dug up for widening and the work was going on at a snail’s pace. The road division department had install road signs, which are not properly visible during night as the streetlights were found to be dysfunctional many times, said a daily commuter.

Chief engineer S.K. Bansal maintained that the work was being done at a rapid pace. In Sector 44 and 10, the work was at an advanced stage and would be completed soon as V-6 roads were being laid there. In other sectors, works would be completed in a month. When asked about delay, he stated that the work was underway in about 20 sectors and it required time.

About the technique, he held that they were following guidelines laid by the Ministry of Surface Transport.

Chandigarh, April 6
Residents of Sector 50, 51 and 63 today staged a dharna in Sector 50, here today in protest against lack of basic amenities and the indifferent attitude of the authorities that failed to move despite repeated requests. The dharna was staged under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee for Development of Sectors 50, 51 and 63, Chandigarh.

Irate residents raised slogans against the Administration and the Municipal Corporation, which failed to address their long-pending demands. The residents alleged that they were forced to live under unhygienic condition and their security was under threat due to anti-social elements that have made the abandoned area in the localities as safe havens to carry out their activities.

Raghbir Singh Sandhu, president of the society, told TNS that there was no route for CTU buses to these sectors, no auto or taxi service was available and the police did not patrol these areas during night hours. Taking advantage of the lack of policing in the area, anti-social elements roamed there.

The residents rued that abandoned overgrown areas and pond with stagnant water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and epidemic like malaria, dengue and cholera could outbreak at any time. Not only this, these sectors were not properly linked to the city and the residents have to travel extra miles in the absence of the road dividing Sectors 50 and 51.

Jagtar Singh Benipal, general secretary of the committee, said the sectors had no direct link roads to Mohali, Sector 44 and 45. He threatened that they would be forced to further intensify their stir, if the authorities concerned fail to move and address their long pending demands.

Chandigarh, April 6
Residents of Darua village, along with members of political parties, laid siege to Industrial Area police station here this evening.

Led Gurpartap Singh, Harmohan Dhawan and Yashpal Mahajan, they protested against the wrong registration of FIR that was lodged in the police station yesterday. The ongoing dispute is regarding a piece of land, which villagers alleged belonged to Gurdwara Singh Sabha.

The police registered a case under Section 506, 120-B, 427,460,380 after an inquiry done by the former SP city, S.S. Randhawa. The villagers demanded immediacy cancellation of the FIR against five members namely Shinghara Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Naseeb Singh, Avtar Singh and Hazara Singh.

The villagers raised slogans against the police and SHO Jagir Singh and demanded a CBI inquiry in the case.

The protesters were made silent only when the P.K. Dhawan, DSP, reached the spot. He assured the villagers that the action would only be taken after re-investigation. No arrest will be made till then.

Chandigarh, April 6
There is a new insight into the alarming skewed sex ratio in the prosperous states of Punjab and Haryana. Close on the heels of cancer deaths, the overuse of pesticides has emerged as one of the major causes of adverse sex ratio in the twin states giving sleepless nights to policy makers.

“In fact, having a long-term residual effects, the pesticides act as “folic acid antagonists” and the folic acid deficiency led to high rate of neural tube defects (brainless babies). There is an alarmingly high rate of brainless babies in these states with about 80 per cent of these babies being females, who immediately die after birth or are medically aborted if detected during pregnancy, Dr S.G. Kabra, director, legal affairs and medical audit, SDM Hospital, Jaipur, said during a seminar on “environment contamination and social response” organised by the Kheti Virasat Mission here today.

Having 1.5 per cent of the total area of the country, Punjab has the dubious distinction of using 18 per cent pesticides and 12 per cent fertilisers in the country. The alarming high incidence of cancer deaths on account of high use of pesticides is well documented in the state.

Alleging that the agricultural growth has taken a heavy toll on the reproductive health in these states, particularly Punjab, Dr Kabra claimed that several pesticides act as hormone disrupters causing female foetal loss and disrupting reproductive and menstrual cycles. There is a very high rate of miscarriages and stillbirths causing further fetal loss, he asserted.

The pesticides which are teratogenic, the agents which cause physical defects in the developing embryo or foetus when the pregnant female is exposed that substance, lead to gross defects in fetuses sparking off high rate of spontaneous abortions in these states. And eventually, in early spontaneous abortions, more female foetuses are lost, the acclaimed doctors claimed.

Dr Kabra said the reproductive toxins - chemicals damaging the reproductive systems of both men and women - pose serious heath risks to the human population. The pesticide exposure before conception can have several adverse affects such as reduced fertility, abnormal fetus, reduced libido and menstrual dysfunction. Apart from this, the maternal exposure after conception leads to prenatal death and birth defects, he added.

Chandigarh, April 6
Fast deteriorating environmental health in India in general and Punjab in particular was the focus area at a seminar on “Environmental contamination and social response” organised by the Chandigarh chapter of the Kheti Viraasat Mission here today.

Expressing serious concern over degrading environmental health, Justice Vijender Jain, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, called upon the authorities to take appropriate steps to tackle it.

Dr S.G. Kabra, an environmental scientist from Jaipur, said the pesticides had now become curse for the population in this region. Excessive, indiscriminate, indiscreet and unsafe use of toxic and poisonous pesticides, especially in pesticide intensive cotton crops, has led to ever increasing adverse on health, including reproductive health.

Dr Claude Alvares, director of the Organic Farming Association of India, said agricultural production had begun to stagnate for the past couple of years. For most problems that farmers face from insects, pesticides have become more deadly and more life threatening. He emphasised the need to adopt organic farming on a massive and sustainable basis.

Dr G.S. Kalkat, chairman, Punjab Farmers Commission, appraised the gathering with the catastrophic dimensions of pollutants, which had wreaked havoc on the natural resources of Punjab-rivers and soil health.

Dr Ernest Albert, environmental expert from the National Geographic Channel, lamented that apart from continuous and indiscriminate use of chemicals, the issue of biological deterioration in terms of extinction of thousands of species like house sparrows in our surroundings was patently manifest.

Dr Umendra Dutt, executive director of the mission, asserted that the struggle for protecting environmental natural resources and our right over our seeds and reclaiming our agriculture heritage was another freedom movement.

Chandigarh, April 6
If the ex-principal of Guru Teg Bahadur Public School, Sector 15, is to be believed, it is the management of the school that terminated her services in a true autocratic manner.

The principal and some of the staff members alleged that they came to know about the ill intentions of the management only when she saw an advertisement in a newspaper asking for new principal and some teachers.

“In fact, the chairman Gurpartap Singh Riar, also an SGPC member, wants to recruit his sister as the principal and played drama of advertising the post. His sister has already been visiting and interfering in the school matters, alleged Kiran Kuljeet Kaur.

Denying all allegations, Gurpartap Singh Riar, said she had been removed because she lacked administrative control and was not result oriented. “ I would resign from the chairmanship of the committee if any of my relative is deputed as the principal. The management took this decision for the sake of students only”.

In a dramatic move, when principal Kiran Kuljeet Kaur received notice of termination along with one month salary, she declined to accept it.

“I objected to the approach of the management. I declined to accept one month salary cheque but to my surprise, they deposited the cheque in my account without my consent”, said Kiran Kuljeet Kaur.

In her reply, she submitted that since she was governed by the UT education rules and regulations, as per her appointment letter, her services could not be terminated without giving any notice or specific reason.

She alleged that other teachers expected the same treatment too, working in the school for as long as 20 years. The only fault of theirs, she says, is that they pointed out major malpractices and discrepancies prevailing in the school.

Gurpartap Singh Riar replied that theirs is a privately owned body and no UT administration rules are applicable in the school affairs. But the administration has another opinion in the matter. According to the DPI (S) S.K. Setia, “Since the school is recognised by the Chandigarh administration, the school management cannot take the decision like this on their own. No one can be removed from service like this. I have marked an enquiry into the case.” 

Panchkula, April 6
More facilities including a magnificent ‘sarovar’ and car parking would be provided to pilgrims at Shri Mata Mansa Devi shrine complex. This was stated by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here today.

The Chief Minister, who was interacting with mediapersons after paying obeisance at the shrine on the occasion of the first Navratra today, said a sum of Rs 11 crore had already been spent by Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board on various developmental works while Rs 4 crore was being incurred to add more facilities.

A large number of pilgrims had queued up since early morning to pay obeisance as the Navratra mela commenced today with religious fervour at the shrine, which is one of the 51 ‘shakti peeths’ mentioned in the ‘Tanter Chudamani’.

Till late evening, more than 55,000 pilgrims had already visited the temple and offerings collected so far had already touched Rs 5,25,000.

The Chief Minister, who was amongst the first few to pay obeisance at the temple, said he prayed for the prosperity of the people in the country. "I prayed for a brighter future of the people,” he added.

The ongoing developmental works at the Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine complex include a ceremonial entrance gate known as the Mata Mansa Dwar, Luxmi Bhawan - a dharamshala, staff quarters Shanti Kunj and installation of a tubewell.

The Baba Balak Nath Temple has recently been renovated. Four prasad shops are also being set up to avoid exploitation of the devotees by those who sell poor quality prasad.

Use of polythene bags has been banned in the shrine area and bags made of paper, jute and cloth are being promoted. New stairs have been constructed near Sati Temple.

The developmental works undertaken by the shrine board include a satsang bhawan, puja bhawan, yagyashala, pravachan sthal in front of Patiala temple, levelling of land, library, committee room, Lajwanti Guest House, dhayan Kendra and setting up of a fibre shed. About 35 lakh pilgrims visit the shrine complex every year to pay their obeisance.

Chandigarh, April 6
Two months after the Chandigarh Administration decided to allow the general power of attorney(GPA) holders to own property in their names, the administration is mulling the review of the charges to be levied on the transfers.

In the backdrop of the hefty charges for the transfer of the apartments in name of the GPA holders, the proposal to review the decision to make it ‘pocket-friendly’ was under the active consideration, sources told The Tribune here today.

On February 7, the administration had come out with a transfer policy for GPA holders to make property transactions in the group housing societies ‘hassle-free’. An amount of one-third of the unearned increase in the value of the land to be assessed by the estate officer was to be charged for the transfer of the flat.

However, keeping in view the hefty transfer charges amounting to several lakh of rupees, the new scheme failed to evoke any response. A majority of the GPA holders, who have already paid hefty premiums to the original allottees, developed cold feet on the transfer of the flats in their names on account of hefty transfer charges. Even the apex body of over 100 cooperative house building societies, Chandigarh Housefed, had pleaded with the administration to levy ‘nominal charges’ for transfer of flats. A majority view in the cooperative housing societies have advocated that the administration should let the general bodies of the societies determine the fee to be levied on the transfer.

In 2006, the administration had authorised the general house of the societies to fix the substitution fee for the substitute member the same criteria could be fixed for GPA transfers, society members argued.

Technically the substitute members were also the GPA holders. Since a large number of UT employees were also GPA holders in the group housing societies, there is intense pressure on the administration to fix a reasonable transfer fee, sources said.

Now, the administration would come out with a revised policy taking care of aspirations of people, a senior official added.

Chandigarh, April 6
The Vajra Corps has lifted the Western Command Adventure Cup, which was organised at Rishikesh from April 3 to April 4. Tiger Division was the runner-up while the Ram Division got third place. As many as 13 teams representing various formations under the Western Command had participated in the event, which was held under the aegis of the Golden Key Division. The competitions held included mountain bicycling for 9 km, white water rafting over a 16 km stretch and mountain running for 11 km. The top three teams will represent the Western Command in the Army Adventure Cup, scheduled to be held in August.

The General Officer Commanding, Golden Key Division, Maj-General Umong Sethi gave away the prizes to the winners.

Chandigarh, April 6
After getting appreciation on the Indian stage, Atamjit Singh’s play ‘Mungu Comrade’, a saga of an unsung hero Makhan Singh, who had actively participated in the Kenya’s freedom struggle, is being organised in two cities namely London and Nottingham.

The reading session of the play is going to be staged first time beyond the borders of India to acquaint people here about Singh unflinching scarifies for social justice long back, irrespective of any discrimination.

‘Mungu Comrade’ is a tribute paid by Atamjit Singh to admire an unadulterated idealist, analytical and interprets the history and freedom movement in Kenya, especially the role of Makhan Singh in that struggle and the paradigmatic growth of trade union movement, with full understanding of socio-political contradictions of that society.

Makhan Singh, an Indian (Punjabi) settler in Kenya, represents a fascinating human saga of negotiation between one’s countries cultural roots and belongingness to a distant country (Kenya).

Interestingly, the unknown hero has got a voice not by a number of characters but a one-man play reading will convey his movement on the stage in Punjabi by a renowned theatre artist at London and Nottingham.

Atamjit told The Tribune that his focus audience would be the Indian’s residing there so that they know about the real Indian hero in England who fought for their ancestors in Kenya to get justice. He stated that he decided to present this play in London as he feels that it would be injustice with Makhan Singh if his role was not highlighted before the people for whom he fought so long for getting them social justice.

He said he was intentionally going to use Punjabi language for narrating the play in both the countries as he felt that Singh’s feelings would only be understood in his own language rather than English.

He said he had a very long association with the theatre, but the live theatre was a new kind of experiment, which would make a Punjabi theatre more democratic. He said the play had already been staged at Delhi, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar and got a very good response of the theatre lovers.

Chandigarh, April 6
Lately, a gang of miscreants is smashing window panes of cars and decamping with anything valuable inside and at times damaging cars ‘just for fun’. Interestingly, not a single arrest has been made by the Chandigarh, Mohali or Panchkula police so far.

In Chandigarh, though no thefts have been reported, miscreants have in three incidents within a week smashed panes of cars parked outside houses and fled. In Mohali, over half a dozen thefts have taken place in the past two months and in Panchkula the figure has crossed a dozen.

In the third incident reported this week, a resident of Sector 8 today alleged that window panes of his car were smashed by unidentified miscreants at about 3.30 am. Police have failed to trace the accused.

The complainant Jitin Singh said he was shocked to see the window panes of his Maruti car (CH-01-R-1456) smashed in the morning. He rues the fact that no action has been taken by the police yet.

The watchman of his locality said he saw a group of youths escaping after the incident but he could not note down the number of the car due to dazzling lights and high speed of the vehicle. A similar incident was reported at the Sector 19 police station a few days ago. Mohinder Singh of Sector 27 said his car was smashed by a group of youths at around 2 am on April 1.

In Mohali, separate incidents of theft have led to residents losing lakhs of rupees. A resident reported that his car’s windows were broken and Rs two lakh locked in a briefcase was taken away from Phase VII market. In the Phase 3B2 market a car owner lost electronic items worth lakhs lying in the car. In Phase IV, thieves broke a Scorpio’s window and decamped with accessories worth Rs 5 lakh.

Meanwhile, lack of night patrolling and stationary deployment of police control room vehicles is said to be the major reason behind rising incidents of such crimes.

Chandigarh, April 6
The board of directors of Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO) have sanctioned several new projects, including setting up of security training institute, vocational training school for the wards of ex-servicemen and spot billing of PSEB electricity bills.

To expand the security services across the ocean, the board approved employment of 300 ex-servicemen in Dubai as security guards. These projects will provide employment opportunities to ex-servicemen and their wards. The board, in its meeting held yesterday, also approved the budget estimates for the year 2008-09 with the surplus of Rs 2.50 crore.

PESCO’s chairman-cum-managing director, Maj Gen U.S. Sidhu said with the employment of 6,000 ex-servicemen in 278 security units, PESCO has reached the saturation point. To meet the shortfall, its board approved that wards of the ex-servicemen be enrolled as and when required.

Panchkula, April 6
The BJP would register its protest throughout the state over opening of vends near religious places and residential areas. Haryana BJP’s women wing’s president Anuradha Sharma stated this here today.

The state government, in order to earn more revenue, had allotted vends in every nook and corner of cities as well as villages, throwing its social responsibilities to the winds, said Sharma, who was addressing a press conference here.

The government, instead of taking note of the resentment among the public over the opening of vends in residential areas, was harassing people by registering cases against them, she alleged.

The local police had arrested three Panchkula residents when they were protesting against the opening of a vend in Sector 9 by blocking the road during which they had a scuffle with the vend workers. Two women were also booked in the case.

Alleging that the administration was suppressing the voice of the people who protested against the opening of liquor vends near their homes, Sharma said the authorities did not take any action on the complaints of Rekha Sharma, an aggrieved resident of the locality, against opening of the vend.

On the contrary, the police did not take any time in arresting them when they were protesting against the move peacefully, she said.

The BJP leader said they did not oppose the opening of vends in the state as it was concerned with employment and meant business for lakhs of people still the government could not open the vends in an indiscreet manner.

Rules were being violated all over the state while allotting sites to vends, she said.

However, the local party leaders would present a memorandum to Panchkula deputy commissioner Rajinder Kataria over the incident demanding appropriate action against the guilty and in case the matter was not sorted out till April 15, the party would resort to a state-wide agitation, said the BJP leader.

Chandigarh, April 6
Mark of authenticity in the business of liquor selling! Surprising? Not quite, for a veteran player on the city’s liquor scene has been religiously following the practise of putting his signatures on each and every bottle sold at his IMFL liquor vend in Raipur Kalan village.

The ‘autograph’ also helps in checking sale of liquor below the Minimum Selling Price (MRP), says Sat Pal, the liquor contractor. Concerned by smuggling within the city, two years ago the contractor decided to put his signatures on every bottle sold from the counter of his vend here.

The signatures would ensure that my employees do not buy liquor cheaply from other vends and sell it. Surprise checks are conducted by sending decoy customers to ensure that they do not indulge in the wrong practice. “Initially, signing on every bottle was a problem when new stocks had to be added at the vend. But now I daily sign on around 700 bottles,” he said.

Due to the introduction of the new system of licensing, the licencees are ready to lower their profit margins. The price war is more visible in the areas where more than one liquor shop is located within a short distance.

Chandigarh, April 6
Chandigarh Tourism, in association with the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Academy, held the first series of on-the-spot-painting competition on the theme “Chandigarh in April” at Sukhna Lake here today.

A total of 118 entries were received (72 from college going students, 29 from school going students and 17 from amateur/professionals). The second series of on the painting competition will be held on April 13 at the Leisure valley.

The third and the last series will be held at Rock garden and Rose Garden/Shanti Kunj on April 20 and 27, respectively.

The winner, first runners-up and second runners-up will get prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,500 and Rs 5000, respectively. There are three consolation prizes of Rs 2,000.

These days a lot of over bridges are being made, old roads are being widened and new roads are being made on all side of Chandigarh. Most of these works are being carried over Built Operate transfer (BOT) basis. Ministry of road transport will issue a notification and impose heavy toll tax on users of mechanical four vehicles.

Recently, few new toll tax barriers have been opened in Punjab. With every new barrier, the burden on public as well as private vehicles increases. Keeping in view the new toll taxes, all bus operators, taxi drivers and truck operator unions will increase the fares usually more than the per capita burden.

The government should look into the matter and try to control the taxes so that it does not affect common man. The burden of toll tax on roadways vehicles should be kept to the extent that it is paid. Notably, Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab roadways are charging on kilometer basis, whereas it should be applicable on those who actually cross such bridge.

R.K. Garg, Chandigarh

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Mohali, April 6
A variety cultural show was organised at Swami Vivekanand College of Education yesterday. Dr Jaya Prakash of the department of Hindi, Panjab University, was the chief guest. The students who won prizes for their performances were: Renu Gupta, Anupama, Monica, Gayatri, Poonam, Mandeep, Bharat, Renu Goswami, Mandeep Kaur, Jyoti Passi, Avantika, Nidhi, Shobhika, Gurwinder Kaur, Varinder Kaur and Jagdeep Kaur.

Orientation: An orientation programme was organised at DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Phase X, here yesterday. Principal of the school Jaya Bhardwaj said the school had constituted a core group to inculcate certain social and moral values in the students besides providing excellent academic facilities to make them not only brilliant students but also good human beings. The programme was compiled and compeered by school counsellor Alka Mahajan. “We had involved even students in preparing this programme so as to make them aware of the concept,” she said.

Convocation: The first annual convocation of Punjab College of Education, Sarkapra Chunni Kalan, was held here yesterday. Students of the 2005-2006 batch were awarded degrees. College principal Dr Beantjit Kaur welcomed the guests and also presented the annual report. Chief guest Dr Kanwarjit Singh, DPI (colleges), Punjab, emphasised the role of teachers in producing responsible citizens and stressed that there was need for teachers to sharpen their skills.