Jalandhar, January 29
In the interest of the pedestrians, cyclists, schoolchildren, aged and the disabled commuting across either side of the Lyallpur Khalsa College railway crossing, the state government has recommended the construction of two subways at a cost of Rs 3.25 crore.

A meeting in this connection was convened recently by the administrative secretary PWD at Chandigarh. The PWD and MC officials were directed to work in tandem to resolve the problem. The MC officials were also asked to make provisions to ensure quick drainage of rainwater in the proposed subways.

The addition of two subways in the design of the under-construction ROB follows a PIL filed by one Ram Ahuja in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The complainant had said the design of the ROB was faulty especially because the crossing would be closed later, leaving no passage for the slow moving non-motorised vehicles to move across.

Even the residents putting up in Defence Colony and Ranjit Nagar on either side of the colony had been demanding that the schoolchildren and elderly people walking or pedaling their way would have to take a longer route.

“They would have to cover two kilometers extra across the busy Garha Road crossing many times a day or risk their lives ascending and descending the bridge with the heavy, fast moving traffic to reach their destination,” they had said.

The court has now disposed off the case directing the government to make suitable provisions for passage of non-motorised vehicles in four weeks’ time.

The decision also brings relief to the parents of the children studying in St Joseph’s and Seventh Day Adventist schools on cantonment road and coming in buggies from areas falling across the railway line.

Virinder Sharma, a resident, has said that he had long been insisting on making a change in the plan. “Time and again I have said that the plan should be envisaged in such a way that the convenience does not become a hassle. I am now satisfied with the subway idea for it will really help the users of unmechanised, non-polluting vehicles. I strongly believe that if the government is spending money, it should be utilised in a worthwhile manner with a future planning”, he stressed.

SE PWD Ram Paul said the designing of the subways was under process since the government has now approved of it.

Jalandhar, January 29
“Chandigarh kare ashiqui
munda jattan da Jalandharon aa ke,
kite mar na jave kujh kha ke,
vech ke scooter ohne Hero Honda lai leya
BA di padhai vich teeji vaari reh geya”

If the lyricist is to be believed this song sung by Jassi Sidhu, an apt comment on the impatient, bratty youth of Punjab who leave everything aside to follow his heart, is actually part autobiographical owing to the fact that he himself flunked the BA examination.

But his cool, composed demeanour and the laid-back ease with which he regards life sure does make one doubt the authenticity of the statement. The saga of the unruly Jatt from Jalandhar might have been one of his most preppy hits but a look down his works tells us that he has got much more meaningful stuff in his kitty.

Madan Jalandhari - as they know him in the music circles - isn’t that regular guy walking down a studio aisle doing something that he himself isn’t sure of - this guy’s for real.

From the cozy realm of happily ever after to the bitter pangs of separation and from the exploits of the rowdy bad guys in quest of love to the search for a way to do away with the menace of dowry and female foeticide, he has talked about it all. His childhood had been dotted with the tales of Rani Kokila, Puran Bhagat and Jani Chor. Bred on a continuous supply of folktales of Punjab, which his father exposed him to, he grew up with the fantasies constantly in his mind to give it the shape of something more imaginative and fertile than what it previously had been.

He started off with the tappas, rendering them a bit of his own colour and imagination.

“Asa Singh Mastana and Surinder Kaur’s duet - Paani paar samundaran de - served as a huge inspiration for me to become a lyricist,” he says.

While working with the Industrial Finance Corporation of India, he started attending literary gatherings and soon became a name to reckon with.

It was in 1984 that for the first time he brought a composition alive with his lyrics which would go on to become a popular song with the masses as the song - “Yaar de viah nu yaar talli ho gaya” - rendered in the voice of Hardeep.

The lyricist boasts of finds like Kanth Kaler and Sabar Koti.

He has more than 400 songs to his credit but he says the best compliment he ever got was for his work “Aj beh ke saare manno te manao” sung by Hans Raj Hans.

Madan says, “I am never satisfied with the songs that lack depth.” His favorite songs are “Akkhon digge hanjhu” by Kanth Kaler and “panva kiven khair jogiya” by Sabar Koti to name a few.

Jalandhari, who has penned lyrics for some Punjabi films and has also acted in the film “Kachehri”, says he would love to direct and produce films some day.

Jalandhar, January 29
A memorandum of understanding signed in 2007 between the CT Group of Institutions, Jalandhar, and Derby College, Derby (UK), under the British Prime Minister's initiative, today entered into the second phase.

Under this ongoing programme, both the sides will interact and exchange their expertise to develop a joint curriculum in the fields of leadership, management and entrepreneurship.

Addressing the media, international director of Derby College Rafik Safar said, “On the successful completion of the first phase of the project, the British Council has approved the second phase and released funds for the same.”

He explained that in the first phase, teams from both the institutions visited each other.

Both the teams met last year and developed the curriculum for value-added courses through module software for e-learning which was now used by selected students from Derby College and the CT Group of Institutions.

He said the selected students who had completed the courses would be given certificates by Derby 
College and the CT Group of Institutions.

CT group chairman Charanjit Singh Channi said, “For the successful implementation of the second phase of the project, a delegation from Derby visited the CT Group of Institutions. In this phase, the key focus will be on promoting entrepreneurship among youth.

To achieve this objective, Derby College has been selected by the British Council to lead on a project promoting entrepreneurial skills with their partner the CT Group of Institutions in India.”

From CT group, six students of three teams (two in each group) have been selected winners after producing a detailed business plan before the panel. The winners will be visiting the UK in March and the winners of Derby College will also visit India in March.

Jalandhar, January 29
Three students of St. Soldier Divine Public School, Kapurthala Road, grabbed top positions in the 10th national-level science talent examination conducted by the Putani Vignana Children’s Science Group, Chitradurga of Karnataka, in September, 2008. Approximately 1,000 students from all over the country participated in the contest.

According to institution vice-chairperson Sangeeta Chopra, Nandini of class IX and Sahib of class VI got the fifth and sixth positions at the national level, while Ravneet Kaur of class II secured the fourth rank at the state level.

Jalandhar, January 29
It has been raining medals for this judo player from HMV College. Sangeeta won a gold medal in an inter-college championship organised by Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar in the first week of December.

She then participated in the All-India Inter-University Judo Championship held from December 25 to 30 in Manipur where she won two bronze medals. A BA first-year student, she had participated in 78 kg and open category fights winning a medal in either of the two events.

Just two days back, the 19-year-old had again participated in the state championship held at Bathinda in which she won two medals, a gold medal in the junior category and a silver in the senior category.

All these medal fell in her lap even as she has been into the sport for the past just one and a half years. “I was in school at my hometown Batala when one of my teachers, seeing my physique, coerced me to take sports. I began with athletics, joined the hockey team and ultimately switched over to judo. Since judo has helped me get all these medals, I plan to continue with it till I get a gold in inter-university and then a break to represent at the national level,” she outlined her plans.

“But I know I need to work harder. I get up early in the morning and concentrate on my conditioning. This I do by running and doing weightlifting. In the evening, I go to Government School for Boys on Ladowali Road where my coach, Surinder sir, train me in the game for two and a half hours,” she discussed her routine.

Sangeeta said earlier her parents were a bit reluctant to send her for the game. “We often get bruises and injuries. Ever since, I have started getting medals, they have never pulled me back. Rather, they have started encouraging me to put in more efforts,” she pointed out.

Jalandhar, January 29
The city-based sports goods manufacturers will conduct a protest rally on February 21 against the failure of the government to make Punjab a VAT-free state on the lines of Uttar Pradesh.

Convener of the union Ravinder Dheer said it had been more than 10 months since the local sports units had been demanding relaxation in VAT.

“Our repeated meetings with the ministers concerned have fallen on deaf ears. The ruling SAD-BJP combine has failed in safeguarding our interests, whereas the economic progress of the state largely depends 
on the sports manufacturers,” 
he added.

Meanwhile, the sports manufacturers conducted a scooter rally from Basti Nau, which culminated in the Model Town market. 

Jalandhar, January 29
They may have missed a chance to pursue higher studies further but luck knocked their life once again. Away from the rustic lanes of villages with a decision to lead a disciplined life in the forces, these girls have indeed come a long way.

At the local District Sainik Welfare Office (DSWO), scores of girls from across the state flocked to join the free-of-cost coaching classes for entry as women constables in the Punjab Police.

This is the first of its kind large-scale recruitment of women constables in the Punjab Police. And the girls were quite thrilled with the decision to don the khaki.

But ask these girls what encouraged them to take this initiative. Prompt came the reply. The recent recruitment of women in the BSF.

But a majority of them are driven with the charm of donning the uniform as well. And then there are others who don’t hesitate in divulging the need for a secure economic future too.

Simranjit Kaur who came all the way from Barnala said, “One of my cousins recently got selected in the BSF. At present she is under training. It was she who inspired me to join the forces. Somehow I missed the chance of joining the BSF but this time I am determined to make through.”

The girls came from far off places like Barnala, Ferozepur, Moga, Muktsar, Zira, Pathankot, Batala, and Sangrur as well. Babli Devi a resident of village Mehla Chowk from Sangrur who came along with her maternal uncle maintained, “I come from a financially weak family. My father died long time back. And my mother remains unwell. With a family of four it was actually difficult for us to survive. If selected as women constable at least I will be able to improve my economic standard”.

A majority of the girls feel that getting a chance to join the coaching classes means half job done. Kulwinder Kaur another candidate from Batala said, “One of my friends told me to enroll myself for the coaching classes here and then proceed further. And I think the strict training coupled with discipline will help me in fulfilling my aim”.

Lt-Col Manmohan Singh, deputy director of DSWO, maintained the coaching classes virtually provide a peep into the strict training of constables. “So far we have selected 127 girls for the coaching classes. These girls will compete for 466 posts of women constables in Punjab Police. And I am sure that nearly 90 per cent of these girls will get selected as women constables.”

Though the recruitment is open for war widows and wives, daughters of ex-servicemen as well but so far not many such women have reported.

Col Manmohan said, “The free of cost coaching classes will comprise of physical training, preparation for written test and an additional week long training of interview as well”.

The motivating story does not end here. Another candidate Gurpreet Kaur who was serving as a computer teacher at Police Academy, Phillaur said, “My parents were not happy with my decision to join Punjab Police. Most of the people in my village discouraged me and asked to think twice before going ahead. Somehow luck was on my side and I succeeded in convincing my father who is a daily wager. And I came along with him. I am sure of my selection in Punjab Police. Till then fingers crossed”.