Rs 70 crore being spent on lake construction
Sirsa, December 11 The government is spending Rs 70 crore on the construction of the lake and the renovation of the Ottu weir. The lake, once constructed, will develop as a big bird sanctuary due to a lot of forest area near it. According to Sirsa deputy commissioner, S.K. Goyal, the government will develop this as one of the biggest bird sanctuaries for migratory birds. The weir is a barrier on the Ghaggar river on the Sirsa- Rania road. Earlier, a kutcha barrier existed since the pre-Independence era. It was re-constructed in 2002 as the old structure of the weir was in a dilapidated condition, informed C.L. Ganda, superintending engineer, Water Services, Sirsa. Earlier, only two canals, namely the Northern Ghaggar Canal and the Southern Ghaggar Canal, emanated from the Ottu head. Later, the Sheranwali Parallel Channel, the Kasaba Minor, the Mangala Direct Minor, the Bani Sadeva Mamankhera Link Channel, the Ghaggar Sukhchain Link Channel and the Ghaggar Barwali Link Channels were also taken out of the Ottu head, Ganda explained. Now, two more canals, both an offshoot of the Mangala Minor and the Kasaba Minor have been approved by the government. The construction of the lake at Sirsa would result in the supply of water for irrigating over 18000 acres. The proposed Ottu Lake is spread over 1000 acres on the upstream of the Ottu head on the Ghaggar Canal. The excavation work on 330 acres has already been completed while the work on the rest of the 670 acres is to be taken up soon. The lake, according to the irrigation authorities, will serve the dual purpose of increasing the flow of water to the Ottu head, which has decreased due to the deposit of silt and also serve as a big bird sanctuary for the migratory birds.
The Ottu weir and the lake have helped the local farmers in more than one manner. On the one hand, the excavation of such a large area of land near the Ottu weir on the Ghaggar Canal has minimised the threat of floods, while on the other hand the fertile soil taken out of the excavated portion and silt that had deposited near the weir has helped in filling almost all pits in and around the Ottu area. The brick-kiln owners have also been taking this soil for brick-molding, informed the superintending engineer. |
Nod to CDLU’s media centre
Sirsa, December 11 A decision to this affect was taken by the standing advisory committee on radio frequency allocation (SACFA) in its meeting and the same has been conveyed to the university by deputy wireless adviser in the department of telecom, Deepa Aggrawal, said Virender Chauhan, chairperson of the journalism and mass communication department of the university.
Earlier, the WPC wing had allotted the frequency of 90.4 megahertz for this service. It may be mentioned that the state’s first community radio station is being established in the mass communication department here. Media Centre, the new building specially conceptualised and designed to house the CRS is ready for installation of the equipment. With the SACFA clearance in hand, the department has now applied for the signing of the grant of permission agreement (GOPA) with the ministry of information and broadcasting on the basis of which the WPC wing will grant wireless operating licence to the university. Chauhan confirmed that the department had submitted GOPA documents to the ministry along with the requisite bank guarantee for speedy completion of the formalities. Chauhan said the CDLU administration led by vice-chancellor K.C. Bhardwaj was keen for the timely completion of the project. He said the vice-chancellor had allocated adequate funds for the project and the process of purchase of equipment as well as installation of the 30-m high antenna was already underway. While serving the community in and around Sirsa, the radio station would also serve as an effective tool for training students of journalism and mass communication. Asked about the programming pattern and preparations in that regard, Chauhan, who is also nodal officer for the upcoming CRS, said initially the department planned a daily broadcast of two hours plus a repeat broadcast of the previous day’s programs. He said apart from academic programs focusing health, environment and agriculture would be broadcast from this community radio station. While students of the department would produce these programs, local communities would be directly involved in this process, he added. |
New stores change shopping scene
Hisar, December 11 Although malls in cities like Gurgaon are reporting a sharp fall in footfalls because of recession, the smaller retail stores that have opened here are reporting brisk sales. Around 10 retail stores came up in the town over the past few months. Two of these belonging to a popular retail chain have already packed up but the remaining are doing good business. The closure of these two stores was not due to a lack of customers but because of the management’s failure to keep the racks full at all times. Initially, the experience of buying grocery and green grocery in airconditioned comfort was a new experience for the town’s residents. This brought in hordes of visitors but customers were few as they feared the prices would be higher there than those at their neighbourhood kiryana stores. But, within weeks, the town’s residents began to feel more comfortable in these environs and found shopping there a whole new experience. A manager of a popular retail store said the customers took their time in understanding how to shop inside the store as they were used to standing at the counter of kiryana shops and asking for what they needed. Now, of course, even the elderly and uneducated customers did not need to be guided by the staff, he added. These stores have adopted clever ways to attract customers. The prices of essential items like onions, tomatoes and potatoes are slightly below the rest of the market. This ploy helps bring in customers who once inside end up buying other items also. The cash payback offers on purchases of a particular amount or free sugar on a certain minimum amount of bill are also popular with the locals. Frozen pre-cooked or ready to cook food items like potato wedges and cheese poppers are a great attraction, especially for the younger customers. These were not available in the town earlier. Cut vegetables and fruits are another hit with customers especially as women tend to avoid vegetables like jackfruit because of the hassle of peeling it. Now packed ready to cook cut jack fruit is available in these stores. Frozen meat and poultry products are also seeing fast movement across the shelves. Earlier, such items were available only at a particular shop here but there too the sales were limited to army officers. Now, at least two stores are selling these products. It is heartening to see the locals waiting patiently in a queue awaiting their turn to be billed. Normally, a Haryanavi would jump a queue by any means anywhere be it a queue at a cinema ticket counter or outside a polling booth. These stores, are, however, facing a peculiar problem. Whenever they announce buy one, get one free offers for popular “namkeens”, small local shopkeepers buy these from these stores in bulk and sell these at their own shops at normal rates. Store managers say they cannot ask a customer to buy a small number only. But, at the same time customers complain when the stocks run out within minutes. |
Panipat yet to wake up to e-waste menace
Panipat, December 11 Even as the anti-polythene carry bag campaign launched by the district administration has started showing results, the city is yet to wake up to the problem of e-waste. According to environmentalists, e-waste is one of the rapidly growing environmental problems. They say developed nations have been dumping their e-waste into India. Besides, the nation itself is generating huge quantities of this waste every year. As per an estimate there are around two million obsolete computers in offices, business houses, industries and households in the country. Manufactures and assemblers in a single calendar year are estimated to produce around 1,200 tonnes of electronic scrap, with the city also making a considerable contribution to this junk. E-waste includes electronic equipments, products connected with power plugs, used batteries, obsolete electronic devices such as computers, servers, main frames, monitors, TVs and display devices, telecommunication devices such as cellular phones and pagers, calculators, audio and video devices, printers, scanners, copiers and fax machines besides refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, and microwave ovens. It also covers recording devices such as DVDs, CDs, floppies, tapes, printing cartridges, military electronic waste, automobile catalytic converters, electronic components such as chips, processors, mother boards, printed circuit boards, industrial electronics such as sensors, alarms, sirens, security devices. E-waste contains over 1,000 different substances many of which are toxic and require to be handled in an environmentally sound manner. Ramesh Kumar, a local computer dealer, says the consumers find it more convenient to buy new computers rather than upgrade the old one due to the ever changing configurations and technologies thus e-waste is increasing rapidly. According to the Hazardous Waste Management and Handling Rules of 1989, which were amended in 2000 and 2003 under the Environment Protection Act of 1986, which regulate generation, collection, storage, treatment, disposal, export and import of hazardous waste, all hazardous wastes are required to be treated and disposed off in specially designed secured landfills. But, in the city till date there is no separate landfill to dispose off the e-waste. Thus, it is being dumped along with the other sold waste being generated in the city. These rules also provide for the development of common hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility thorough joint venture partnership. But so far none of the local industries or the administration has come up with any such proposal. E-waste contains several substances such as lead and cadmium in circuit boards; lead oxide and cadmium in cathode ray tubes (CRTs); mercury in switches and flat biphenyls (PCBs) in capacitors and transformers and flame retardant on printed circuit boards, plastic casing, cable and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cable insulation that release highly toxic dioxins when burned to retrieve copper from the wires. Senior officials in the pollution control board admit that as of today there are no special arrangements to dispose of the e-waste in the city. They say the city is undoubtedly producing huge quantities of e-waste and the problem needs to be checked at the earliest. |
PWD notices
Ambala, December 11 Notices were issued on the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on November 26 under the Punjab Road Act, 1963. It is stated that the Harayana government moved the court a few years ago and asked for a tab on the construction around national and state highways in the district. The residents of the areas falling in and around the state highway no. 5 which later merges with the national highway no. 73 are now up in arms against the order and refused to accept the notices. The highway, which connects Ambala to Jagadhri, has many small and big shops on it. Those being affected by the verdict include a number of repair shops, tea stalls, restaurants, dhabas, petrol pumps and even a gurdwara. Shops owned by local panchayats are also affected. According to sources, though the ownership of the property falling next to the
highway will stay with its current owners, they will have to shift back their shops a stipulated distance as mentioned by the court order. The shopkeepers for the past 10 days are taking out agitations and meeting local and state-level politicians to reverse the case. Rajinder Garg, Saha block BJP president, who owns a chemist shop in Saha, asks that where were the authorities when these constructions were on and even got NOCs for water and electricity connections. “Why didn’t the authorities realise that the roads would have to be widened and green belts made?” Jeevan Ram Singla, a retired teacher, is in a state of shock. Having invested his life savings into purchasing and building a cycle repair and sale shop, he doesn’t know what he will do if he has to shut it down due to the order.
The residents have now started collecting money to appeal against the verdict. |
No funds for stadium maintenance
Karnal, December 11 The stadium management received Rs 81,000 since April 1, 2007, from all sources which were spent on the payment of electricity and telephone bills and other miscellaneous expenditure. The department releases a sum of Rs 10,000 for the maintenance of the stadium, an amount which has already been spent, and the complex is being cleaned by the municipal council with meagre funds given by the deputy commissioner for holding government functions like Republic Day and Independence Day. The district sports and youth services officer claims that there are facilities for 12 sports disciplines and the sportspersons are satisfied with these, but the ground reality is different. There is no cricket coach and some veteran players are giving coaching. The demand for a cricket coach had been made at various levels, but the department, responsible for appointing the coach appeares to be in no hurry. Players themselves prepare the pitch as there is no curator and a water cooler and a grass-cutting machine condemned sometimes ago are crying for replacement. No separate budget is provided for conducting sports competitions and meagre financial assistance is provided for holding block, district and state- level competitions, depending upon the budget provided under different heads. About 200 to 300 sportspersons turn up for regular practice, but there is no proposal to develop any new stadium in Karnal district. The district sports council received Rs 20 lakh for a stadium at Maur Majra, Rs 18.87 lakh for a stadium at Mushru, Rs 10 lakh for the Shamgarh stadium, Rs 11.25 Lakh for a stadium at Kalri Jagir and Rs 2.63 lakh for developing three tennis courts in the Karan stadium, The funds have been released to the executive engineer, Panchayati Raj and PWD (B and R), and the sports department has no control on the utilisation of the money. The only swimming pool in the stadium complex has been given on contract. |
Backward region grant
Sirsa, December 11 Sirsa along with Mahendragarh district of Haryana has been selected for the grants under this fund. The Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), Chandigarh, had conducted a base line survey to find out critical gaps in social and physical infrastructure in the district, according to an official spokesman. Keeping in view the report, a comprehensive prospective plan was prepared to fill up the gaps in social and physical infrastructure. The central government has now allocated Rs 14.35 crore for annual action plan for 2008-09 for this purpose, the spokesman added. Deputy commissioner S.K. Goyal made a presentation before the committee comprising the financial commissioner and prinicipal secretary, rural development department; financial commissioner and principal secretary, urban local bodies department; director, development and panchayat department; and special secretary and director, rural development department recently on the key indicators on social and physical infrastructure. The committee has approved Rs 350 lakh for irrigation, Rs 200 lakh for the construction of 54 additional school rooms and 41 kitchen sheds in schools, Rs 300 lakh for the installation of 24 new tubewells and two boosting station for drinking water supplies, Rs 100 lakh for the construction of 26 new anganwari centres, Rs 100 lakh for promoting institutional deliveries, Rs 100 lakh on the construction of 10 vikas sadans and Rs 285 lakh for providing basic infrastructure in the urban areas of Sirsa, Dabwali, Ellenabad and Rania, the spokesman added. |
Yamunanagar docs on mission to serve humanity
Yamunanagar, December 11 This has been proved by four local doctors, who after completing their PhD in social work, started an NGO, Utthan, 16 years ago. There’s no looking back since then and the NGO has been educating mentally challenged children, providing counselling in the matrimonial disputes, and making people aware about their rights. “After PhD, I wanted to work for the society and help people who have been facing problems in their lives. So I started an NGO in 1992 along three other doctorate friends who had passion for social work,” says the president of Utthan, Dr P.K Vajpayee. Other three workers are Dr Anju, Dr Gurpeet and Dr Gopal Mishra. “We have been running a rehabilitation centre, ‘Koshish’, for persons with disabilities. This unit provides specialised care and education to such people. We not only educate the mentally challenged but also provide training to their parents,” he adds. “It is for the parents to know about their children’s needs and how to take care of them. We have also been providing vocational trainings to these children.” Dr Vajpayee says so far 77 students have been enrolled in “Koshish”. “They should be treated like other children. We involve these children in a number of activities so that people consider them as a part of the society.” The executive director of the NGO, Dr Anju, says we have also been providing free counselling in the matrimonial disputes. So far we have united 4,200 families, she claims. “Our effort has yielded results. Now, Utthan has a multidisciplinary team of professional work, management, medicine, development and law. Besides, we have numerous workers placed over 127 villages across the state, she adds. |
Erection of towers
Chandigarh, December 11 A spokesman of the HVPNL said here today that the load of electricity was increasing and the state needed more substations and hence more length of transmission lines to meet the requirements. On an experimental basis, the HVPN had erected two tubular towers at Panchkula in place of conventional towers for the first time in the country. The towers had been imported from China. The base size of each conventional tower is 18x18 sq. meters whereas the base diameter of tubular tower is only 2.5 meter. He said two tubular towers had been erected at Panchkula near the Tau Devi Lal Stadium. The use of latest technology had enabled the Nigam to save costly land for accommodating the conventional towers and right of way to the transmission lines without disturbing other services like roads and pipelines. |
Success has made me humble, says John
Gurgaon, December 11 John seemed to be excited after the success of “Dostana”, but this time he had no starry tantrums and no VIP-style late coming. Love and respect is what he feels likes giving and taking. “After a successful film one needs to be more humble and should not be over excited as no one knows when you get a flop,” he says. “I am not solely responsible for the success of ‘Dostana’, it is a teamwork,” John says. He will be soon seen in “Aashayen” and “New York”. “Aashayen”, he says, “Is a film very close to my heart and I love it and hope people will also like the film. It is a romantic comedy on the other hand 'New York' is a thriller”. About being a brand ambassador of Pepsi, he says, “I would love to be associated with the brand for my whole life as it gives me chance to meet my fans whose feedback is must for me”. On being asked that why he always remain simple without any branded clothes in comparison to other actors he stated, "I love to be simple without any ‘weight’ on my body, I don't like jewellery or anything else just want to feel light and comfortable and this is the reason I am not brand conscious. Simple life is easier to live”. We can see John producing a film in coming years but direction is nowhere on the cards as he says, "Who doesn't want to produce, it is just a matter of money and I will soon be venturing in it but not in direction, but what is in store in future no one knows”. On lesser talk about him and Bipasa these days, he comments, “I am happy with the PD (public distraction of action) as now public is concentrating more on new couples coming forward, but we are still sharing the same comfort level we were sharing earlier”. On his role in “Dostana” with AB junior, he says, “Abhisekh is a good pal and my best costar, we share a great chemistry so it was fun working with him”. When asked why is he doing lesser films as he was seen after a gap of around a year, John said, "I am very secure with myself so there is no need for me doing a number of movies at a time. No doubt many new comers have sprouted up and are required by the industry. I would have signed many films together but I don't think I need to do that”. On being associated with football, his favourite game, he says, "I have a contract with ESPN till world cup tour but can't speak much about it. The only thing I would say is that more and more players should come forward to promote the game”. Commenting about the terror attacks in Mumbai, John stated, "Rather than pointing finger towards neighbouring countries India must look in itself first. The terrorist wanted to instill fear in us and has achieved what they wanted to”. About his visit to the city, he said, "I hardly got time to have a look around in the city but I must say one thing that the government has given proper roads and one should take care of it rather than cutting wrong lanes. This is what actually I had seen here”. |
School celebrates founder’s weekend with gusto
Gurgaon, December 11 Like every year, the school had invited the parents to stay with their children for two days as it celebrated the founder’s weekend. It began with an exhibition and workshop by middle and senior school students. They demonstrated design & technology, visual arts, sciences, geography, photography, CAS and IT in which the parents were invited to participate in collaborative works along with the students to create pieces which were later auctioned. The highlight of the first day included a primary school exhibition, a talkathon, a talk show between parents and children and the screening of a senior school production, "The Reluctant Doctor", which was an exuberant celebration of light heartedness. The second day was also packed with loads of action with various activities such as yoga, gym, horse- riding, trekking etc. The day was a complete cultural extravaganza with a blend of different flavours of dance and music. The highlight of the final day was a primary school Production, "Dear Children of the Earth", which is a musical based on a book by contemporary artist and environmentalist Schim Schimmel. The day concluded with an award ceremony to recognise the achievers.
"It is an annual event at Pathways, conceptualised to encourage children across grades showcasing their multiple
talents. This year's theme was "Flavour of Fun," mentioned Dr Sarvesh Naidu, director, Pathways World School." The founder's weekend has been devised as an interactive forum allowing the parents to be part of their children's lives at school and witness them shaping up into citizens of the world. During the weekend parents of the students are invited to come and stay with us on the school
campus, he added. "In our day-to-day lives, we do not get ample time to spend with our children". We appreciate the concept of a founder’s weekend. It allows us to spend quality time with our children as part of their school lives watching them grow beyond academics." said one of the parents. "We believe that education is incomplete if one is unable to inculcate a sound value system in children while developing their skills", shared Alka Verma, head, Admissions & Communication. |
Buffalo fetches Rs 1.75 lakh at auction
Sirsa, December 11 A murrah buffalo of a local farmer set a record of sorts by fetching a whopping price of Rs 1.75 lakh for it during an auction held yesterday. The buffalo belonging to Devi Lal Gujjar, a resident of the local Rania Road, was purchased by Rohtash Chander, a resident of Samalkha town of Panipat district. Rohtash, who owns a dairy at Samalkha, said the buffalo was yielding 20 litres of milk at present. Both Rohtash and Devi Lal claimed that this was the biggest deal for a murrah buffalo. "Earlier, buffaloes have been sold and purchased for amounts ranging between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.25
lakh. But, I liked the buffalo and when I was bidding for it during the auction, the cost went up. However, I know this will not prove to be a wrong deal for me," Rohtash added. |
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CM to launch new projects in Rewari
Rewari, December 11 Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would be inaugurating and laying stones of several new projects here on December 16. The Chief Minister would inaugurate a trauma centre, Masanai Barrage Recharge Channel, Rewari-Jhajjar-Delhi bypass and the newly built police line complex. He would also lay the foundation stone of new subzi mandi as well as the four-laning project of the Rewari-Narnaul, Rewari-Mahendergarh, Rewari-Garhi Bolni and the Rewari-Pataudi roads. Local minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav said with the completion of a number of development projects, a new face of Rewari had already emerged. He said while the trauma centre would meet a long-standing requirement of people, the Rewari-Jhajjar-Delhi bypass would ease the traffic congestion in the city. |
Steam engines popular among tourists, filmmakers
Kalka, December 11 Even as these engines stopped running around 42 years back after the arrival of diesel engines, these are still preferred by tourists and Bollywood producers and directors. Initially, mini-steam engines were especially designed for the narrow gauge by North British Loco Company of England and were used to run the toy trains on this section, says Vijender Singh, loco inspector, Kalka Diesel Shed. According to him, old records reveal that 33 steam engines, including K1, K2, KC, ZF and ZFC models, were used for toy trains with five bogies and their maintenance was done at the Kalka Loco Shed. “These were saturated steam engines, which consumed more coal and water,” says Bhagat Ram, a retired senior loco inspector. He says in 1956, these steam engines were converted into super-heated class steam engines. In the same year, the Railways introduced the first German-made diesel engine, ZDM-1, for this section. In 1966, the narrow gauge loco shed was converted into narrow gauge diesel shed and steam engines were outdated. Out of these steam engines, two were sent to a museum in Delhi. Presently, only one steam engine runs between Shimla and Kaithlyghat on demand, which reminds us of the British era, he adds. |
Movie This Week
Producer: Aditya Chopra Director: Aditya Chopra Music: Salim-Suleimaan Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Aditya Chopra returns after a 8-year hiatus as director. His “Rabb Ne Bane Di Jodi” opens today at Suraj-Panchkula, Sun City-Hisar, Shubham, PVR, INOX, (SRS Sector 31, SRS Sector 12, Movietime 20 (All Faridabad), DT City Centre, DT Mega Mall, PVR Ambi Mall, PVR MGF, PVR Sahara, SRS, Big Palam, (All Gurgaon), Sheila Multiplex-Rohtak, Minerva-Ambala Cantt, Fun-Ambala City, Fun-Karnal, Fun-Panipat, Inder Palace-Karnal, Lakshmi-Yamunanagar, Harsh-Kurukshetra, Cinemax-Panipat, Movietime-Karnal, Ashoka-Karnal, New Capital-Ambala Cantt. Special Attraction: A different love story, Aditya Chopra’s story, screenplay, dialogues and Shah Rukh-Anushka pair. — Dharam Pal |
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