Amritsar, June 30
The process for demolition of about 150 shops in front of the Golden Temple started to complete the last phase of the Galliara project, beautification of surroundings of the holiest Sikh shrine, today.

Occupants of the shops had already shifted their belongings and merchandise to the newly constructed market.

Earlier, the administration had demolished a number of bazaars as old as gurus’ period or Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time after Operation Bluestar and Operation Black Thunder. These bazaars included Maniaran Bazaar, Pappranwala Bazaar, Kapda Bazaar adjoining Baba Atal, a portion of Atta Mandi, Mochi Bazaar and the major portion of Mai Sewan Bazaar.

The three phases of the project were completed at a cost of Rs 75 crore. Earlier, many historical buildings, including Ghanta Ghar and its adjoining market, were demolished by the Improvement Trust. The Town Hall school building, the first educational institute, established by the British had been demolished to create a multi-storey parking lot.

In the original notification, it was proposed to demolish 500 buildings. This was later amended to 492, of which 483 buildings were demolished in 1988. As many as 859 families were uprooted and 500 houses and 1,150 shops were demolished. The shopkeepers were rehabilitated in various markets like Pink Plaza, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Market, IDH Market and Green Plaza.

The brainchild of the Central government, its objective was to remove all narrow lanes and bazaars which proved a hindrance for the security forces during Operation Bluestar. The Galliara scheme was announced with much fanfare in June, 1988, after Operation Black Thunder.

Meanwhile, the district administration took another step towards converting surroundings of the Golden Temple into a smoke-free zone with the handing over of 86 new LPG connections to goldsmiths running their workshops near it.

A ban on the use of coal-run hearths in Guru Bazaar near the Golden Temple came into force from tomorrow (July 1). The market which was as old as the city itself, housed gold and silver ornament workshops.

From July 1 onwards goldsmiths would not be allowed to run their operations on coal-run hearths. Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu said the district administration and goldsmiths had taken unanimous decision to stop using coal-run hearths.

Alarmed at the reports of damage to the holiest Sikh shrine due to rising pollution, the state government had asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to demarcate a pollution free-zone around it in which no vehicle would be allowed and all activities that create smoke would be barred.

Reports by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had confirmed negative effects of pollution on the Golden Temple.

The step would help prevent the corrosion of golden plating over and inside the building of sanctum sanctorum. The government desired to ban the use of fuel other than LPG by goldsmiths, hotels and dhabas in the city to reduce pollution.

The data collected by the board revealed that every goldsmith, dhaba and hotel owner used 15 kg to 25 kg of coal or up to 50 litres of diesel or kerosene a day, depending upon the workload and availability of electricity.

In his previous stint as the DC Pannu had instructed the environment engineer of the PPCB to stop burning of coal or diesel, petrol and kerosene in the city.

The PPCB had found high levels of harmful nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide in the ambient air. Experts had cautioned that fireworks release these gases which could react with marble leading to corrosion and blackening.

Miniature paintings and gold plating were under threat from harmful gases, experts added. The PPCB recommended to the Punjab government to ban burning of fuel other than LPG to save the Golden Temple.

The district administration after holding a meeting with representatives of the Association of Goldsmiths which had agreed to switch over to LPG, reached at a unanimous decision. The DC asked District Food and Supplies Controller Anjuman Bhaskar to give LPG connections to goldsmiths on priority.

Earlier, a team headed by Dr R.C. Trivedi, additional-director, CPCB, visited the Golden Temple complex last year to free its surroundings from pollutants on the pattern of Taj Mahal.

He had favoured restriction on vehicles in 500-metre radius of Harmandar Sahib. The team suggested to use low-intensity crackers and fireworks during Gurpurbs and Bandi Chhor Diwas (Divali).

Amritsar, June 30
Learning lessons from its rout in the urban areas of the state in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the SAD-BJP alliance would soon come out with a blueprint to help small traders and other people from the business community with financial and tax benefits.

It is learnt that Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, in order to win back the confidence of the urban masses, constituted the Punjab Small Traders Board (PSTB), the first of its kind in the country.

Madan Lal Kapoor, who has been president of the Bathinda chapter of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal for the past 13 years, was appointed the first chairman of the PSTB.

Talking exclusively to The Tribune here today, he said major characteristics of the plan would be one time lump sum tax for traders with an annual turnover of between Rs five lakh to Rs 20 lakh.

He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal personally directed him to enlist the demands of small traders across the state. He informed that in this regard he visited Ferozepur, Faridkot, Patiala, Jalandhar besides Amritsar and Bathinda. He said he would submit the report to the government. Kapoor was in favour of abolishing entry tax on sugar, VAT on bedsheets, bed covers and bringing down VAT from four per cent to one per cent on cereals.

He said all sales tax offices in the state would be directed to construct a separate sitting room for visiting traders. Besides, provision would be made to extend financial aid to small-time traders, especially during the time of a mishap, who have been paying taxes for a long time.

Amritsar, June 30
“I had not expected that I would be a star so early in my life and this was all due to the love and affection showered by people from across the country after seeing my performance at stage.”

This was stated by young child artiste Saloni of Chote Mian, Bade Mian, a comedy show on the Color channel. The young star was here along with Rajeev Kapoor, Kamya Punjabi and Shaveta to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple after winning the contest.

The wonder kid Saloni, who had won the contest for the second time, said she was happy to have clinched the title of Chote Mian and announced that she would work with more zeal in future to achieve success. Rajeev, while talking about Saloni, said her energy, dedication and talent were simply superb and such talent could not be acquired just by training. He said the child prodigy had all the inborn qualities of a star and there was just need to polish them.

Admiring Saloni for her spontaneity and dialogue delivery during her role as Gangu Bai, Rajeev said she was natural when it came to dialogues and their presentation. He said even though she was not able to read the dialogues given to her, she was very quick to learn the words when her mother read these to her. Kapoor said they had planned to visit Amritsar to pay obeisance at Harmandar Sahib if they succeeded in winning the contest.

He said after reaching the finale of several comedy shows like Circus on Sony, Laughter Challenge of Star One this was the first time that he had won a contest. He said the victory was very special for him and he was happy that his hard work for the past 15 years had paid off.

Kamya Punjabi, who was Kapoor’s partner in the two seasons of Comedy Circus said she had planned to visit Amritsar but due to her busy schedule and commitments she could not make it earlier and was happy to visit it now. aThe artistes were felicitated by Dr Jatinder Singh Brar and Inderpreet Singh Chadha, Director of Punjab Naatshala and Director Creator’s Society.

Amritsar, June 30
About 300 special children took training at a seven-day national coaching camp for bocci game, which concluded at DAV Public School. The District Special Olympic Association (DSOA), affiliated to the Special Olympics Bharat, organised the national camp, while DAV Public School provided accommodation to the special children. The association made elaborate arrangements for their meals, transportation and other needs.

The children were taken to the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and to witness the Beating the Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost. The SGPC provided buses for ferrying children.

MP Rajmohinder Singh Majitha and Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu inaugurated the camp. Majitha announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the DSOA.

Association president Kamaldeep, also former Principal of Koshish Red Cross School for Mentally Retarded Children, said 300 special children along with 50 teachers from all over the country took part in the camp.

Association vice-president Capt Sanjeev Sharma said the camp culminated on June 28 with MP Navjot Singh Sidhu honouring those special children who had won a basketball tourney. Sidhu announced a grant of Rs 3 lakh for the association.

Amritsar, June 30
Even as the district administration claimed to have succeeded in planting more than one lakh saplings in Amritsar to enhance the green cover in the region under Go Green Go Clean campaign, many plants have gone dry due to intense and sweltering heat conditions.

Taking a serious view of this, Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu urged the people to adopt the plants and water them in order to save them from being diminished.

The campaign was launched to make the holy city more beautiful and pollution free that had been fast turning into jungle of concrete due to unplanned development.

Due to this, a large number of trees were chopped to pave way for concrete shopping malls and big markets.

A number of plants of the main GT Road and planted on the roadsides have dried up and there is urgent need to maintain them.

Pannu said inordinate delay in monsoons and rains have been badly affecting these saplings and it is the moral duty of every citizen to protect them especially that had been planted near their houses.

He said various NGOs, Municipal Corporation, Improvement Trust and many others have made great contributions in planting trees besides MP Navjot Singh Sidhu had contributed from his own pocket to make the city green and clean.

Making an earnest appeal to people, he said these plants and trees would made the city pollution free besides giving a serene look.

He said earlier Guru Ram Dass, the fourth master of the Sikhs, had also planted many orchards in and around the holy city.

The plantation campaign named "Go Green Go Clean" was started more than a year ago and was intended to bring a visible difference in the green cover in the city.

More than 80 per cent of the planted saplings survived since launch of this plantation drive.

Environmentalists and tree lovers in the city had hailed the special drive being carried out by the local administration with the help of the NGO for improving the greenery.

Amritsar, June 30
A three-day northern zone master resource persons’ training programme on “Total Solar Eclipse - 2009” was inaugurated at Guru Nanak Dev University today.

The programme has jointly been organised by the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences of the university and Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh, and will conclude on July 1.

Prof Raghbir Singh, Registrar, and Dean (Academic Affairs) of the university, inaugurating the training programme stressed upon removing superstitions with the help of science.

Earlier, Dr A.K. Thukral, Dean, Students Welfare, and Director (Research) of Guru Nanak Dev University, welcomed various experts of Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology and delegates from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh participating in the programme.

In the inaugural session, Ujjwala Tirkey, scientist of the DST, New Delhi, briefed the participants about the scientific awareness programmes of the Department of Science and Technology and their benefits to the children. Dr Neelam Gulati Sharma, Additional Director, PSCST, Chandigarh, spoke about the role of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology in the popularisation of science programmes like Technology Day, Science Day, etc.

Dr V.B. Kamble, Head, Vigyan Prasar, DST, spoke about the history of astronomy and telescope, etc, with a focus on International Year of Astronomy (IYA)-2009. He spoke on the importance of resource persons to be trained to achieve the goal of popularisation of science among children and masses.

In the technical session, apart from Dr Kamble, Dr Sandeep Sehajpal of Panjab University and Prof K.E. Rangarajan from Bangalore delivered expert lecturers. In the first expert lecture, Dr Sandeep Sehajpal traced the entire history of the universe and the solar system. He stressed that the lunar and solar eclipses are astronomical events. He rubbished all superstitions associated with eclipses.

In the other lecture, Prof K.E. Rangarajan from Bangalore explored the secrets of the Sun. B.K. Tyagi of the DST demonstrated 
the astronomy kit in the activity room.

Amritsar, June 30
Punjabi theatre and cinema have played a decisive role in preserving the culture and heritage of the state. But behind its success story there is a hand of a number of diligent artistes and Ved Sharma is one of them.

Ved Sharma, a renowned personality of theatre and cinema, has contributed a lot to take Punjabi culture to its zenith. His scores of thrilling performances have won the hearts of Punjabi people.

Born on February 11, 1941, at Khiala village, proximate to Ram Tirath, Amritsar, Ved Sharma had a passion for acting and was ready to face odds and challenges.

Right from his childhood, he started playing roles in inter-school stage shows and got a lot of exposure. After completing his studies he got a job in Railway workshop, Amritsar.

However, the job at Railway workshop could not stop Sharma from fulfilling his passion. Sharma, as a professional artiste, did his first play in 1958 doing the role of a woman.

Eventually one after another he gave a plenty of great performances, which included Khali Botla Bhare Piale, Dhuni Di Aag and Kacha Ghara. He played second innings as an artiste with Kewal Dhaliwal in the plays Paydaan, Court Marshal, Maha Pandit, Pulsiye and Kudesan.

Besides this his utmost contribution to Jalandhar Doordarshan can never be sidelined, where he participated in plays like Band Darwaza, Rab Khair Kare and Chak Dholia and got a place in the hearts of people living in far flung areas.

Once with Amritsar Natak Kala Kender, he went to play a role in Mumbai where noted film personality late Balraj Sahni advised Ved to join the film industry. However, as he was working with a government department he could not get ample time to take part in films.

Noted artiste late Prithvi Raj Kapoor after watching his performance told him to never give up acting. These words did wonders to his morale. Result: Ved Sharma is still active in the field of acting.

Besides plays, he has taken part in a movie, Bagha, and recently acted in the flick Heer Ranjha, which is yet to be released.

Besides being an artiste Ved also had a keen interest to serve the country by putting on olive green uniform and joined the Territorial Army as Hawaldar at the age of 22.

He took keen interest in sports as well. He was a state-level player of Table Tennis and a keen player of cricket.

Tarn Taran, June 30
Jagmeet Singh and his younger brother Gursimran Singh have brought laurels to the country by getting the USA’s best student award given to them by White House. The brothers after taking the Principal Award were awarded by White House with the USA’s Student Award. 

Jagmeet and Gursimran, are sons of Rajwinder Singh of Khadoor Sahib. With the help of Baba Sewa Singh, head of the Kar Sewa sect, Khadoor Sahib, Rajwinder moved to the USA 10 years back. Jagmeet is student of class VIII and Gursimran of class VI. Both got 100 per cent marks. Jagmeet of Me Hansali School got the ninth position in all the schools of California, whereas Gursimran was at 16th place among the 18 students of the state. — OC