Jalandhar, May 15
It is for an old, crumbling building that the city’s crème da la crème are fighting neck and neck. The biennial poll for the Jullundur Gymkhana Club which is scheduled for May 18 has 24 contestants in the fray for four posts of office-bearers and 10 seats of executive members. Pitted in the battlefield for the post of honorary secretary are vice-president Dr H.S. Mann and sitting honorary secretary Satish Thakur, alias Gora, who had been all-time winners.

While the Gora group is harping on a few achievements, including two tennis courts, a squash court, upgradation of library and renovation of the club building, the opposition is projecting a larger agenda. The Mann group is focusing on ordering a probe into an alleged 3000-litre generator set diesel scam done at the behest of the treasurer from the Gora group.

Interestingly, treasurer Amrik Singh is re-contesting for the same post this time too and the Mann group had appeal before the divisional commissioner S.R. Ladhar to cancel his candidature. However, the matter has been put off and the candidature stands as it is. Denying the scam charges, the Gora group said the record of spill over at the time of repair and maintenance of genset could not be maintained. “Nothing has been proved against us,” said Dr Hardeep Oberoi, contesting for the post of vice-president.

He rather counter-attacked the Mann group saying that the group was fighting with only half the number of candidates for the executive posts. He said there were 10 posts and the Mann group had fielded only five candidates.

Pinpointing flaws in the present system, Dr Mann said, “There is a need to make amendments to the constitution. No person should be allowed to hold a post for more than two tenures as it is in the Sutluj Club at Ludhiana. Besides, an executive meeting should be held every month.” There was a need to promote family culture rather than “men’s drink and only drink sessions,” he added.

Another unique feature for the poll this time is an Independent candidate joining the race. Industrialist Raju Virk is trying his luck for the executive’s post.

Talking to The Tribune, he said, “I intend to usher in a new trend of doing away with groups. I want to introduce a friendly culture in the club rather than indulging in lavish parties to show the other group down. My idea is to have an independent kid’s zone with rides, swings and bowling alleys for their entertainment.”

J.P. Singh, a candidate for the post of executive from the ruling group, has his own points. “A little more discipline and better services are the urgent needs of the members. The catering is poor at the club.” He also intends to develop a floral covered gallery along the passage from the gate to the gym.

Jalandhar, May 15
A legal battle between a teacher and a student of a law college here has reached the apex court, making it a real-life practical for either of the two.

Rajni Verma, head of the department of law, regional campus of Guru Nanak Dev University, Basti Nau, contends that her student Suman Agnihotri was illegally promoted (passed) in different subjects of LLB by former HoD Dr Subhash Sharma and that her admission in the LLM in the same college was in violation of the rules of the university calendar.

The student, who is currently appearing for the second semester examination of the postgraduate course, claims that she had been given admission by the university as per the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. She has even alleged that her HoD, who had struck down her name from the rolls of the college for the LLM course, was not marking her attendance and was threatening her with dire consequences.

While earlier Suman, whose father too is a law practitioner, had filed a petition in the High Court, Rajni Verma has now appealed to the Supreme Court pleading that the “previous HoD had misled the High Court and the university by presenting wrong information and the matter be given a fresh hearing”.

Even as all the students of the batch are currently appearing for the second semester examination on the college campus, Suman is reportedly appearing on the university campus at Amritsar.

She had earlier also not taken her first semester examination in her own college and was permitted to do so on the Ladhewali campus.

While the student alleges that she was doing so for her safety, the HoD has called for a probe into the matter.

The HoD, in an earlier representation to the registrar of the university, had said Suman’s admission was illegal and that she had not attended even a single lecture in LLM even as the minimum requirement for attendance in lectures was 75 per cent. The staff from the registrar’s department had also opined that she was not eligible for admission as dean assistant of the department had admitted her on November 21, 2007, months after the admission period (even with the vice-chancellor’s permission) had lapsed on July 31, 2007.

The student, on the other hand, alleges her admission was legal as she had been issued roll numbers by the college and the university after having accepted her fees. She has said she was attending her classes regularly but her name had not been included in the list of students whose attendance was being marked.

Jalandhar, May 15
Talk about the NGO, Savi Dharti Punjab, and the first name that comes to mind is that of Ram Singh Dhesi, the England-based NRI who has been working as a crusader in this part of the region with his plantation drive.

In his late sixties, the NRI, along with his wife Surjeet Kaur, has been working day and night to bring awareness among the people. A visit to his house in Lambra village is a sneak into his profound love for plants and dedication towards maintaining the green cover.

These days the couple are working on three projects simultaneously. The couple are busy planting saplings in the Rasulpur cemetery, on a 3 km village road and at Sant Hira Dass Dera.

The wide stretch of 9,000 dek, ficus, mango and jamun trees can be spotted from quite a distance the moment one enters Rasulpur village.

At present, the Dhesi couple and some other like-minded people are working on a scheme to award people who would grow a tree at a public place. “All we want is to increase the green cover and bring awareness among the people,” he said.

The couple have inspired many people to come forward and plant more trees. They have planted more than 1.25 lakh trees at over 200 different places in Punjab. What actually prompted them to start the campaign is in itself an interesting story.

Surjeet Kaur says, “It was on one of our trips to the interior of these villages that we saw some schools which did not have even a single tree. Moreover, we wanted to spend our time in some social and creative work. It was here that we decided to plant trees in the open areas.”

They have been planting saplings since 2000. Initially, the plantation drive was limited to educational institutions but then it was extended to hospitals, gurdwaras, parks, cemeteries and even roads.

“We have planted saplings of species like silver oak, sagwan, dek, jamun, tahli, falsa, anjeer, grapefruit and many others at separate places in Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Amritsar and Gurdaspur,” says Dhesi.

Dhesi has published three books on the need to save environment, “Punjab Kyamat De Rah”, Pardushan De Kehar Ate Hoshmand Jeevan Jach” and “Santali Da Santap”.

In these books he has discussed issues pertaining to global warming and air, water, soil and noise pollution, he said. 

This felonious behaviour of the so-called luminaries disrupted the peaceful management of the 12-year-old Bill.

Women, who constitute half of the world population and perform nearly two-thirds of work hours, are still strangling with the male chauvinistic ideological set-up. Women’s representation in legislatures worldwide is 17.1 per cent, whereas in India it is just 8.3 per cent.

The urgency of this Bill can also be felt by the fact that crime against women has increased. There seems to be no end to the agony meted out to women who have been subjected to all kinds of indignities, incongruities and discrimination.

In spite of all the phosphorescent talk of the elite section regarding some numbered women celebrities, the deplorable plight of common women cannot be denied. Punjab is suffering terribly because of the lowest sex ratio.

Female foeticide has vituperated Punjab’s otherwise untainted image on the world scenario.

In other parts of the country too, women have been facing ordeal in every walk of life.

In such a diabolic set-up it is must to have more and more women representatives who can be of great help to the oppressed and weaker sections of women all over India.

Jalandhar, May 15
A talent hunt competition, “Budding blooms,” was organised at Police DAV Public School for classes III to V. Hundred students gave their performance on classical dance, folk dance, music instrumental and music (vocal).

In classical dance, Nandini, Richa Sharma and Arju of classes III, IV and V, respectively, were declared winners. In Western dance, the first positions were bagged by Swastika, Sulja and Ekta of classes III, IV and V, respectively.

Jalandhar, May 15
In the last phase of the cantonment board elections, the candidates are slugging it out to win the maximum support of residents. 

With a strength of 2,996 votes, Ward 7 covers the following areas: PAP, Corps Headquarters, CMP Unit, Brigade Headquarters, Postal and Telegraph Unit, 202 Bomb Disposal Unit, Mall Road Bungalows from 1 to 65, Topkhana Bazaar, Fauji Road, Honeymoon Park, Haqiqat Road, BD Arya Girls College, Jindan Road, PNT Colony, Military Dairy Farm, PWD Rest House, KV 2 and 3, RA Lines, Shivaji Lines and Bhagat Road. 

Rajinder Kumar Joshi (45): A known name, Rajinder Joshi has served as a civil member of the cantonment board consecutively for five years. Having been associated with the cantonment board for the past 24 years, he is confident of his victory and is assuring people that he would work for their welfare in future as well. He is seeking votes in the name of development works to be done in the Military Dairy Farm. “The military farm is one of the most neglected areas as it has no proper roads, streetlights and drinking water facility. Apart from this, my other priority is to regularise the ration system at ration depot situated in military farm,” Joshi says, adding that maintaining cordial relations between the Army and civilians would remain his utmost priority. He first worked as a member of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) from 1983 to 85 and then worked as general secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress from 1994 to 1996. 

Ashok Kumar (55): A greenhorn in the field of cantonment board elections, Ashok is seeking votes in the name of providing quality education to children studying in cantonment board schools and improving the poor conditions of the Military Dairy Farm. He maintained that if elected he would improve the services of the cantonment board hospital on priority.

A transporter by profession, Ashok was a covering candidate of a contender during the 1997 cantonment board elections. He says, “This time I want to try my luck and serve the people.” 

Pritam Dass (70): This septuagenarian is trying his luck in the cantonment board elections for the second time. A retired railway employee, Pritam is presently working as chairman of the Janata Dal (Secular) as well. While talking about the development issues in Ward 7, he said, “Over the past some years the cantonment board had increased the house, sewerage and water taxes which has become a major problem for the residents. Above all, there ares no good sanitation facilities in the cantonment as well.” He maintained that he would work for the social betterment of the people as well would give the first priority to cantonment board residents in cantonment board schools.

Jalandhar, May 15
The Hind Samachar group of publications observed “shaheedi divas” of its founder Ramesh Chander on Monday. To pay tributes to the founder of the group, the Ramesh Chander Memorial Society organised a “ruhani and Sufi evening”, a musical function. The star singer of the evening was none other than Hans Raj Hans.

Time came to a standstill when Sufi singer Padmashree Hans Raj Hans enthralled Jalandharites on the occasion. Hans with his melodious Sufi qalams left the audience spellbound. He began the musical evening with a “pranam” followed by “bandish” in raag Megh, “Badal garje chamkat daman, dekhat jiyara dar je”.

He sang some passionate qalams leaving the audience asking for more. He sang a qalam of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, “Dono jehan teri mohabbat mein har ke, vo ja raha hai koi shab-e-gham guzar ke”.

The qalams of Hazrat Moinuddin were followed by the more popular qalams of Baba Bulle Shah. He sang the qalam “Charkha” of Baba Bulle Shah and Hazrat Sultan Bahu. “Har charkhe de gere mai tenu yaad kardi” left the audience clapping intermittently.

City’s bigwigs and politicians could be seen enjoying the musical evening. Those present on the occasion included ADGP Rajan Gupta, Parminder Beri, former Jalandhar cantonment MLA Gurkanwal Kaur and the managing editor of Ajit.

Jalandhar, May 15
Channel Guide India Limited would launch its channel “Just TV Punjabi” in mid June. The channel aims at promoting Punjabi culture through a wide spectrum of shows, including daily soaps, reality shows, movies, comedy and horror shows. Addressing mediapersons, managing partner and CEO Manish Vashisht said, “It is a channel of the Punjabis, for the Punjabis and by the Punjabis across the world”.

During the initial phase, the channel would be available only in northern India.

The channel had its head office in Mumbai and a studio in Kurali. Manish said shooting of programmes was undergoing in and around Chandigarh and Ludhiana.— TNS