Jalandhar, April 24
Over 2,300 slum dwellers in the city are likely to get pucca houses with kitchens, toilets, proper sewage, roads and streetlight system with the local municipal corporation on the verge of finalising a Rs 42.4-crore Integrated Housing Slum Development (IHSD) scheme.

Coming as a part of the union government plan, almost 80 per cent of the grant for the purpose will be coming from the Centre, the state will spend 10 per cent and the rest of it will be partly shared by the municipal corporation and the beneficiaries themselves.

Giving the details, SE (B&R) Kulwinder Singh said the scheme would be executed in two phases, each covering 11 slums at a cost of Rs 11.35 crore and Rs 30.05 crore, respectively. The first phase would include slums in Kot Sadiq, Gurbachan Nagar, Khurla Kingra, Arjun Nagar, Navi Abadi Santokhpura, Qazi Mandi, Basti Peer Dad, Abadi Jallowali, Neevan Avtar Nagar, Sabowal and Santoshi Nagar.

The SE said no new sites would be allotted and the slum dwellers would rather get provisions in the area that they had already been occupying.

He said most of the sites that had been approved for development included those of the MC or private with no claimant since the past more than 50 years.

“There are slums on areas that are owned by other government departments but we cannot implement the scheme there till we take over the possession of the land,” he said.

He added that almost all slums had provision for drinking water with grants received from MLAs, many lacked proper sewage systems, covered kitchens, toilets and streetlights.

Santoshi Nagar, near railway station, perhaps with one of the biggest slums in the city, has maximum number of beneficiaries. Qazi Mandi, falling in ward number 17, is also estimated to have several beneficiaries.

The city’s eyesore, the area is plagued with problems ranging from heaps of non-decomposable waste along roadsides, unclean water and unhygienic surroundings. Even if anyone dares to enter the area all what one finds is plastic bags strewn along all sides with sewage water standing here and there, swarms of mosquitoes and pigs rolling about in the smelly, dark and swampy area.

The SE said the tenders for the purpose would be invited on April 28 and if everything goes well, the project would start from May end.

The first phase would take two years for completion, he added.

Jalandhar, April 24
Balwinder Kumar, a shop owner at the local Saidan Gate market, falling under police station number two here, was arrested on the charge of selling expired vegetable ghee, after changing expiry dates, at his shop.

SP City I SK Kalia told The Tribune that nearly 6,100 kg expired vegetable ghee was seized from his shop.

Kalia said he had got information on Thursday morning about Balwinder’s involvement in selling expired vegetable ghee of different brands.

A police team led by SHO of police station number two raided Balwinder’s shop, from where nearly 6,100 kg expired vegetable ghee, packed in 405 tins, was seized.

Kalia said Balwinder used to sell the vegetable ghee by changing the expiry date and by replacing the labels with those of different brands available in the market.

“Police also recovered printed labels of different brands and empty tins from the shop,” Kalia said, adding that district health officer and food and civil supplies department were also informed about the seizure.

Replying to a query, Kalia said while Balwinder was arrested, no action was taken against any of the labourers working at his shop, as they were not doing so intentionally.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against Balwinder Kumar under section 420 of the IPC and other relevant sections of Essential Commodities Act at police station number two.

Jalandhar, April 24
With an aim to encourage special children to participate in adventurous activities, the Vajra Corps has introduced a special free of cost go-karting facility for these kids.

The place was recently visited by the students of Khosla Deaf School, Pingalaghar and Asha School. The children enjoyed rides free of cost.

According to the sources, the idea is a brainchild of GOC Lt-Gen S.S. Kumar. “The facility has been introduced as an attempt to build a positive humane relation with these special children,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

Managed by 7011 EME Battalion, the go-karting was started on June 15, 2007 by the then Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) president Anita Thamburaj. Spread on a long track of 495 metre near Jalandhar Club, the place has been attracting the fancy of many children and oldies too.

The children can avail the ride at a nominal price of Rs 15 and Rs 30 for single and double karts, respectively.

On routine days the facility is available from 4 pm to 9 pm, whereas on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the place remains open from 9 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm.

Jalandhar, April 24
The ongoing strike by the municipal corporation (MC) contractors putting spanner in all development works in the city is being seen as an outcome of the apparent discontent between local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia and mayor as well as his party colleague Rakesh Rathour.

Some councillors from within the ruling alliance parties have revealed that the contractors were being backed by the minister to resort to strike to put the mayor in a tough position. This, they tell, has been done with a specific target to annoy councillors of ruling as well as the opposition parties and make them against the mayor for the delay in starting of long-pending works in their wards.

It is learnt that tenders had been floated for works to the tune of Rs 26 crore but the contractors had refused to file any application as they were demanding revision of rates and better payment system. The strike that began on Monday was on till today with no solution yet in sight.

The mayor, too, has been sticking to his stand with a few clauses added. “I have told the contractors that in case a road laid down by them gives off in three or four months, they will not be awarded any contract in future. I also wish to implement the new government directions as per which a third party will assess all works accomplished by a contractor before the corporation makes a payment,” he pointed out.

Regarding the strike, the mayor commented, “There is no issue at all. The contractors have been creating fuss for no logical reasons. I had called them to my office thrice for talks but instead of coming to me and discussing the matter, they resorted to ‘hungama’ by tearing off tender forms.”

“Had they come for a peaceful meeting, I would have agreed to most of their genuine demands. But there seems to be something more to it,” he hinted.

Asked if this was happening because of his differences with Kalia, he replied, “I have nothing against him. He might be having some grudge against me.” Sources in the corporation revealed that Kalia could not get along with the mayor ever since he joined the post almost six months back as he had instead wanted another BJP councillor and his close confidant to take the charge. The sources tell that since then he had been trying to put Rathour in a fix on one matter or the other, trying to make things difficult for him to continue on his position.

SAD and BJP councillors, pressing for anonymity, alleged that all major recent protests such as the one by taxi stand owners were being sparked off by the minister and his men. They said since most senior officials, too, were with the minister, things had been made all the more difficult for the mayor. “The minister is an old player in politics and we wonder how a novice like Rathour will handle all this mess,” they said as majority of them seemed to have all sympathies with the latter.

Kalia was not available at his residence. He did not take the call, despite repeated attempts to contact him on his phone numbers.

Jalandhar, April 24
With the Cantonment Board elections round the corner, the candidates are all geared up for the show and are seeking votes in the name of development and fair work in their wards. Ward 1, reserved for women candidates with 3,582 votes, covers mohalla number 1 to 8, mohalla number 12, MH Colony, Police Quarters, Kasturba Nagar quarters from 81 to 126, JCOs/NCOs separate family quarters and Syal Kothi. The profile of the candidates contesting from this ward is as follows:

Sara (Sarla Thakur): Sara (49), a first timer in the poll fray, is seeking votes in the name of sanitation, sewerage and pension benefits for the elderly in the cantonment. She claims that it is her active social-worker image which would help her gain victory in the elections.

Residing in the cantonment for the past 35 years, Sara is not leaving any stone unturned to gain maximum public support. She says, “My political lineage back home actually prompted me to contest the elections this time”.

Nishtha Goel (54): Considering her educational status as her biggest asset, Nishtha, a homemaker as well as an advocate is keeping her fingers crossed for the final day. Excited over the response of cantonment residents she is specially focusing on the common man’s problems. “The cantonment residents feel harassed at the hands of army authorities.

Despite staying in the cantonment premises for the past more than 50 years, the residents can neither get their houses registered nor reconstruct any damaged portions. Above all, there is no sanitation facility either, Goel says.”

Renu Bala (55): Trying her luck in the field of politics for the first time, Renu, a greenhorn, feels that the cantonment board has given a fair chance to women candidates by reserving two wards for them. Residing at her ancestral house, Renu owned a lab in the Sadar Bazaar. “I am seeking votes on account of providing every possible help to the community of milkmen in the cantonment, who have been allotted land in Subhana village on the outskirts of the cantonment. Apart from this I really feel the need to upgrade the level of Cantonment Board Schools,” Bala says.

Som Lata Sharma (64): Som Lata Sharma is one name to reckon with in the list of people who wish to help women through their work. Wife of a retired ex-serviceman, she is trying hard to make her presence felt in the political arena. “Though the basic developmental issues are the same but I am focusing on the anti-social elements in various localities, which often pose a threat, to women in particular”. She says, adding, “My aim is to win the confidence of the cantonment residents through social service.

At this age perhaps this work will keep me busy with public meetings”.

Meera Mittal (26): One of the youngest contenders in the poll fray, Meera is confident of her victory as she comes from an active political family. Describing this as a golden chance in her life she says, “This was my aim in life. Luckily I have political support as well which is making things easy for me.”

An arts graduate, Meera is specially considering the core issues of road development, pavements, drains, sewerage, upgradation of Cantt Board hospital and schools. She is meeting people with her slogan ‘sewa hamara dharam hai, sewa hamara karam hai’.

Her husband, Neeraj Mittal, is presently working as senior vice president, Youth Congress, Jalandhar, whereas her father-in-law, Ravinder Mittal is working as general secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. 

Jalandhar, April 24
More water intake by children during summers can prevent jaundice in them. This was stated by Dr Neelam Mohan, paediatric gastroenterologist from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital during the annual conference of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) here.

Dr Mohan said there was a need to create awareness among the people that organ donation had no side effects. In fact, in 80 per cent of organ donations only small piece of the organ was removed which regenerates within three weeks of the transplantation.

A senior paediatrician from Mumbai Dr Rajesh Chokani spoke on diabetes in children and stressed on the need of early detection of such cases. Among others who addressed were Dr Deepak Ugra and Dr Abha Sharma.