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Pay up for development
The first such camp is scheduled to be organised this Sunday in Bank Enclave, near Mithapur Chowk, in Ward 59. MC officials are in the process of bringing about awareness among the residents there by means of the public address system and distribution of pamphlets urging them to pay up the requisite fee on the spot for betterment of their living standard. As per the MC rules, the facilities will be provided in all those lanes in which at least 75 per cent residents pay up for the purpose. The residents who own up to 50 sq yd space need not pay up. Those living in an accommodation ranging between 50 sq yd to 125 sq yd area will have to pay up Rs 87.12 per sq yard. Those with the plot size from 125 sq yd to 250 sq yd will have to pay up Rs 146.41 per sq yard and those who own a house above 250 sq yd will have to pay Rs 233.53 per sq yard. Quoting these rates, senior town planner B.S. Tuli said the charges would increase up to 10 per cent each year if residents failed to deposit the charges. “It is always better for the residents to pay up fast or else bear with the cost increase to avail the much-needed facilities. We are taking our whole team to the residents and even helping them with the paper work,” said the officer telling that the day had been fixed as Sunday, again for the convenience of the residents. The STP said going by the response to the scheme, it would be extended to other undeclared colonies of the city. “We are taking it up as a challenge and are ready to carry it out as a massive public campaign,” he said. Congress councillor Balraj Thakur said he too was happy with the proposal and only wished that the road paving work too began quickly. “A survey of the area has been done. The estimates of my area have been passed. The only glitch was that it was an undeclared colony and the MC could not execute road laying work here. I believe that the last hurdle would also be crossed after the camp. There are 400 houses in the colony and I hope that most of them would
pay up,” he seemed quite optimistic. The MC councillors, at a house meeting two months back, had passed a resolution for reducing of development charges but the proposal sent forward to the state has not been accepted as of now.
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Slum-free district, a distant dream
Jalandhar, December 9 While the scheme was to roll off with the laying of foundation stones in all the 11 slum areas falling in the first phase of the Rs 18-crore plan, the functions have been cancelled at the 11th hour due to the non-availability of local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia. The scheme is being planned for the past two years but some or the other hurdle is preventing it from taking off. Recently there had been a major cost escalation, forcing the MC officials to either roll back the scheme or pool in more money. The total cost for the first phase of construction has increased from Rs 12 crore to Rs 18 crore. Mayor Rakesh Rathour said, “We are asking mantriji to give us time at the earliest. It is a mega project and we cannot go ahead with it without his presence.” The minister said the programme had been cancelled and would be rescheduled some time after a week or so. Many now fear that a longer delay could again lead to an increase in the project cost. “The Lok Sabha elections may be announced any time now and even a short delay could mean a longer postponement due to the imposition of the election code of conduct. The dreams of the poor slum dwellers to have their own pucca shelter, for a paltry sum of Rs 20,000, still seem far from reality,” remarked a councillor. Over 2,300 slum dwellers are expected to benefit from the scheme which will be taken up in two phases to cover 22 slums in all. The scheme envisages a provision of a minimum area of 25 square metre, preferably a two-room accommodation, kitchen and toilets. In addition, it also includes other provisions such as community toilets, water supply, storm water drains, widening and paving of the existing lanes, sewers and street lights. The cost per unit is coming close to Rs 1.64 lakh. The scheme also provides for community infrastructure such as provision of child and primary healthcare centres, immunisation centres and community centres for pre-school education, non-formal education, adult education and recreational activities. Many believe that the MC is not following the scheme in letter and spirit. Even as a socio-economic survey of the areas preceded the whole planning, many aspects which should have been included have not even been touched. “Had the scheme been properly executed, the slum people should have been first asked to vacate. The construction should have been carried out vertically so that the maximum number of people could be accommodated and some space was also left for welfare activities or even to make up for storage space for occupational needs of the beneficiaries,” said an administrative officer. “The revelations of the survey should have guided the construction work as well. For instance, an area where occupation of most of the beneficiaries is piggery, small units should be constructed in the area for keeping animals so that they do not wander and create nuisance. In case some dwellers primarily included rickshaw pullers, suitable construction should have been done to create a rickshaw shelter,” he said pressing for anonymity. However, the present designs are single storey. Most of the slum dwellers already have pucca houses and are not ready to move out from the area that they have occupied or are even ready to accept a major change other than
upgradation.
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Dal Khalsa to raise youth outfit on Dec 21
Jalandhar, December 9 Dal Khalsa leaders H.S. Dhami and Kanwarpal Singh said this while speaking on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A full-fledged war with Pakistan was not in the interest of the country since all border states, especially Punjab, would be the worst affected in such an eventuality. They alleged that certain elements in both the countries were creating mass hysteria to cause a conflict for their vested interests. There was need for introspection on both sides and there was no better day for it than today, they pointed out. “We must understand that wars have been the result of hurt psyches of the minorities in the world and the longer these conflicts were left unresolved, the harder it would be for us to settle them.” Successive governments had denied the legitimate rights of Punjab, Kashmir, North-East states, including the right to self-determination, and subjugated them to illegal and unlawful acts of omission and commission ever since Independence, they said. The anger of the people after the Mumbai strikes was the result of delayed justice. People were fed up with enquiry commissions that were set up after major incidents and the reports of which never saw the light of the day, they alleged. Joining the issue with those who were advocating the idea to bomb terrorist training centres in Pakistan, they remarked that India was neither a superpower like the USA nor was Pakistan weak like Afghanistan. Any surgical strike within Pakistani territory would eventually lead to use of nuclear weapons, they warned. They criticised the national parties for generating the spirit of nationalism for their political ends. Keeping in view the surcharged situation, their outfit had decided to postpone their conclave on the migrants’ issue in Punjab on
September 14 by two months.
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PTU awaits new VC
Jalandhar, December 9 It has been almost seven months now that the university is functioning without a regular vice-chancellor. Most insiders feel that the politicians from the alliance group have failed to reach a logical conclusion on the matter. A BoG for the purpose has been held twice. The members are learnt to have put in names of three serving and one retired vice-chancellor. The search committee for the purpose had earlier taken a long time for shortlisting the names. The committee was going through the credentials, academic and administrative abilities of nearly 30 nominations it had received. Former vice-chancellor Dr S.K. Salwan had put in his papers in February. He had quit the post in May, days before the admission process was to begin. The first semester examination of the fresh batch is about to begin and no appointment has been made even still.
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Cast Away
Jalandhar, December 9 Interestingly, the office was shifted from a private house in Model Town to Doordarshan Enclave near Wadala Chowk about five months ago. The department was forced to shift its office from Model Town following the court’s directives. Sources disclosed that the department had hired a house for Rs 102 and 50 paise for the office in the mid-sixties and now shifted to a house located in a residential colony and that too a location which seems a bit out of the way for the common man. The tentative monthly rent of the house is Rs 6,000. According to official records, repeated representation to the Jalandhar deputy commissioner (DC) for seeking accommodation in the mini-secretariat failed to yield results. The requests of the department were denied by the DC on the plea that there was a shortage of space in the mini-secretariat. In an effort to cut costs, officials of the fisheries department even approached the building and roads wing of the public works department (PWD) for accommodation, but no to avail. The fisheries department even took up the issue with the financial commissioner (animal husbandry), seeking accommodation for its office within the premises of animal husbandry on Ladowali Road but that too could not materialise, even though the animal husbandry has enough space and buildings, some in a shambles, in its complex. When contacted, assistant director of the department, Jalandhar, Charan Das, revealed that they had approached the PWD (B and R) officials for accessing the building as a rental accommodation as per the government norms. He admitted that farmers seeking guidelines were facing great hardship as the office had been shifted to a remote area.
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Apeejay principal makes it to Lalit Kala Academy
Jalandhar, December 9 She was elected by the council as a member, executive board of Lalit Kala Academy, in the month
of November. The other members of the general council include nationally acclaimed figures like Jahangir Sabharwal, Ranjit Hoskote, Yashodhra Dalmia, Hakushah, Sadanand Menon, KG Subramanium, HS Razia, Professor BN Goswami, Raghu Rai and MF Hussain. Considering this as a rare opportunity to bring Punjab to the fore in the art field, Dr. Sucharita said, “My first priority would be to affiliate Dr. Satya Paul Art Gallery with the Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi”. With an aim to provide a platform to the budding artists at the national level, she has planned to conduct a combined exhibition of all the Apeejay Institutions from January 29 to February 4. “This exhibition will include photographs, designs, layouts, posters and paintings with a week-long cultural programme as well. The exhibition would be of international standard.” Talking about lack of awareness pertaining to art among the people of Punjab she said, “Art in every form should reach the masses. The masses should be taught about art appreciation as this will help in giving the much needed boost to this sector”. Dr. Sucharita did her post graduation in fine arts in 1978 from Government College, Hoshiarpur. Then she did History of Arts from Punjab University, Chandigarh, followed by a PhD in “Development of painting in Punjab after 1947 to 2000”. Before assuming the charge of principal, she also attended a large number of workshops and group
exhibitions in Patiala and Chandigarh.
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His dream is to reach London Olympics
Jalandhar, December 9 Meet 30-year-old Faisal Khan who has created a niche for himself in the field of shooting despite his physical problem. In Jalandhar for the ongoing 18th all-India GV Mavlankar shooting championship-2008, being held at Punjab Armed Police (PAP) Headquarters, he is sure of his victory once again. Initially he joined the Bhopal Rifle Club and at present is a member of the MP State Shooting Academy. Faisal professionally joined the shooting club in 2004. And within four years the budding shooter has become a source of motivation for many. Born and brought up in Bhopal, Faisal has only one aim in life. He aspires to finally reach in the next 2012 London Olympics. For which he says confidently, “I know my target. And I also know the way to reach there. For me shooting is a passion. And with the support of my coach and the MP government I am sure of making it to the Olympics.” The shooter spends his whole day practising the game at the MP State Shooting Academy. Even his coach Sunita is also confident of his victory at the international level. Talking to The Tribune, she said, “Unlike other shooters he is very punctual and sticks to his shooting schedule. His dedication, persistent hard work towards the game will definitely pay him rich dividends. He spends more than four hours in the shooting range daily. But above all it is the untiring care and support from his parents that has brought him to this level. His success at the international level would be my victory indeed.” His father Athar Khan, who came all the way from Bhopal along with his son, maintained, “My son has proved that nothing is impossible in life. Rather he is a source of motivation for others.” Faisal has won a gold medal in open side air rifle .22 in the GV Mavlankar championship held in Agra in 2007. He has also won another gold medal in air rifle peep side and .22 peep side in the MP state shooting championship held this year. He has been awarded the Utkarast Khiladi by the MP government, another award by the MP Rifle Association and an award by the Tiger Club, Bhopal.
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Young World
Jalandhar, December 9
About 100 students wore white dress and carried banners and placards with slogans like “Atvad hatao, ekta bachao”, “Atvad hatao, desh bachao” and “Bharat Mata ki jai”.
Prize distribution
The MD Memorial Public School conducted a prize distribution function on December 5. Chief guest Pallavi Khanna gave away prizes to the students.
Tanuja a student of Dr Satya Paul Khosla School for Deaf won a gold medal in frog race and a silver medal in simple race. She was also awarded a certificate of merit.
Annual fete
Tagore Day Boarding Senior Secondary Public School organised its annual fete here on December 7. The main attraction of the fete was the working and non-working models of science, social studies and art and craft made by students. A special raffle draw was also conducted.
Youth festival
Kirandeep, a student of MA-II (Dance) of BD Arya Girls College, Jalandhar cantonment, stood first in the classical dance competition in the youth festival held at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
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MC gets water-testing lab
Jalandhar, December 9 A random sample testing from various wards would be conducted in the
laboratory to ensure availability of safe potable water to the residents, said
mayor Rakesh Rathour while opening the laboratory. While, earlier the MC was getting all water samples tested from the civil hospital, it now has its own in-house service. The SE (O&M), V.P. Singh, said there was a proposal to add
more sophisticated machines so that BoD, CoD and other advanced tests could be carried out on the water sample reaching and being discharged from the treatment plant at
Pholariwal.
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Jalandhar, December 9
Bagful of prizes