Jalandhar, August 4
From an old, four-room complex, the NRI Sabha Punjab has planned to move to a three-storey building by June next year.

The new building is coming up at the same three-kanal site at a cost of nearly Rs 2 crore.

The proposed complex will have a hi-tech conference hall, offices with latest computers and spacious rooms.

Sabha President Kamaljit Hayre said the entire cost will be borne by the sabha. He said while a Ludhiana-based architect had designed the building, a Jalandhar-based agency had been hired for the construction work.

He said the designs and construction part was being monitored by a committee with the Divisional Commissioner, the ADC (Development), the Executive Engineer of the PWD and MC officials as members. He said he and a senior vice president of the sabha were also its members.

Hayre said the ground floor would have a parking lot, while the rooms and halls would be set up on the first and second floors.

Since the demolition of the old building has already begun, the office has been shifted to a premises right across the site as a makeshift arrangement.

Jalandhar, August 4
The two-week-long hectic activity at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall, starting up as a struggle of the Navchintan Kala Manch to groom talent and revive theatre and later becoming the city’s own little theatre project with many citizens patronising the plan and sponsors stepping in, culminated at Red Cross Bhavan with the staging of Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” and “Hum”.

The audience at the near-packed auditorium of the bhawan waited with bated breath for the plays as the rotund voice of Inderjit Singh readied the gathering for the evening. The reactions to the plays were mixed.

Based on Dr Amitoj’s Punjabi version of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”, titled the same as Brecht’s original, was the story of Mehtab, the queen’s housemaid, who fights against all odds to keep alive the child abandoned by her mistress (when she flees from the kingdom following an uprising) only for her (Mehatab’s) devoted motherhood to be challenged in a trial wherein she emerges victorious in the climax.

The characters entering from the auditorium’s main entrance (rather than a regular stage entry) electrified the play’s beginning, setting up the pace for the evening. The medieval Muslim settings were a treat for the urbane grace-starved audience. The folk music was soothing and complimented the play well.

On the other hand, the play was jerky at places. Characters were under rehearsed. It was a Punjabi period drama, Brecht wasn’t really evident.

Next came Probir Guha’s “Hum”. The play began with the silhouettes of men and women moving on stage in a queue, the men pushing the women back in the queue as the movement proceeded.

A self-proclaimed feminist, Guha dealt with the oft-repeated theme of oppression on women with a fresh approach. Stomping of feet, crushed bottles and burst balloons signified persecution on women.

Grotowski’s influence on Guha showed in the plain, minimal costumes and optimal use of bodies and expressions, exposing the city to an all new kind of theatre.

High points: Brilliant symbolism. Good use of faces and bodies. Innovative music (drums, santoor and tribal longsongish vocals). Provided a new theatrical perspective to the city.

Low points: Under rehearsed participants.

All said and done, the city participated enthusiastically and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The fact that the participants got just a week (maybe lesser) to rehearse for the productions, makes the effort commendable. The following two evenings (with the plays being staged at Red Cross Bhavan and Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Hall) saw greater participation of the audience with the city’s esteemed personalities lauding the effort and asking for more such activity.

Jalandhar, August 4
The Punjab Sports Department has declared its calendar of block-level tournaments (boys and girls) for the current year in various disciplines, which started on August 1 in the state. The block-level tournaments would conclude on August 23. This was stated by Director (Sports) Pargat Singh.

An initiative to tap the budding talent at the grass-roots level, the tournaments would be held for two days each at all the blocks of Jalandhar. District Sports Officer (DSO) Hardev Singh said the winners from block-level tournaments will further participate in the district-level competitions in their respective games.

“Besides prizes and certificates, the first three villages in the tournament would be given cash awards,” he added.

The games football, athletics, kabaddi, hockey and weightlifting in Samrai (Rurka Kalan block) would be held on August 5 and 6.

In Mehatpur falling under Nakodar block, the tournaments in kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, football and athletics would be held on August 6 and 7.

Similarly volleyball, kabaddi, athletics, basketball and football in Nurmahal block would be held on August 7 and 8. The tournaments in the discipline of athletics, basketball, kabaddi, kho-kho and volleyball in Lohian block will also take place the same day. In Jalandhar East block, the tournaments would be held at Kukkar Pind in football, hockey, kho-kho, handball and kabaddi on August 12 and 13.

Athletics, football, kho-kho, kabaddi and volleyball in Bhogpur block would be held on August 13 and 14.

In Phillaur block, the tournaments in weightlifting, kabaddi, volleyball, football and kho-kho would be held at Dusanjh Kalan on August 16 and 17.

At Adampur, the players would participate in athletics, football, kho-kho, kabaddi and volleyball at Padiana village on August 18 and 19. Competitions for volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, football and athletics would be held in Malsian (Shahkot block) on August 19 and 20.

The last phase of tournaments in athletics, basketball, wrestling, kabaddi and weightlifting would be held at Khehra Majha (Jalandhar West block) on August 21 and 22. Hardev Singh said arrangements pertaining to the block-level tournaments have been made.

Jalandhar, August 4
A year back, an Amritsar-based S.K. Bhatti joined the District Sainik Welfare Office (DSWO) with a hope to fulfil her childhood dream of joining the forces. Today, she is a proud constable of the first women battalion of the BSF which passed out on July 25. The constable, along with 15 others, was here to meet DSWO Deputy Director Lieut-Col Manmohan Singh (retd).

“It was due to the rigorous pre recruitment training that we got an edge over others. While a majority of the girls failed to meet the parameters of the recruitment examination, we managed to make it to the first women batch of the BSF,” she added.

The constables of Alpha batch (first batch), all decked up in their uniforms, came to meet Colonel Manmohan Singh whom they termed as their mentor. Standing in a queue in front of their mentor the girls were an apt example of the famous adage, “There is no shortcut to success.”

The girls had joined pre recruitment training at the DSWO in July. At present, the women constables are undergoing combat training at Kharka.

Constable Rajinder Kaur (24) is also another saga of success. A student of stenography at the DSWO, she joined pre recruitment training to fulfil her dream of joining the forces “I would have never been able to fulfil my dream of joining the force, had I not taken the training here. It was only after joining the pre-recruitment training that I was able to make it to the first-ever women battalion of the BSF,” she added.

Sharing their experience at Kharka, the girls said they were given training in frisking, border outpost (BOP), tract checking and enquiring the suspects mentally and physically. “The most thrilling was the commando training and weapon handling. We were taken for a jungle camp at Pandoga in Himachal Pradesh,” said Parveen Kaur.

Besides their demanding job, every constable is now looking forward to complete their higher studies. Constable Ranjeet Madher of postgraduate diploma in computer applications from Kanya Maha Vidyalaya said she would love to pursue a master’s degree in commerce.

Talking to The Tribune, Colonel Manmohan Singh said the girls had proved their mettle and made me proud.

Out of the 83 girls who took part of in the pre-recruitment training, 71 made it to the BSF. “Right from Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta batches, my girls have registered victory everywhere,” he said.

Kapurthala, August 4
Apprehending possible threat of floods due to illegal sand quarrying, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate Raj Kamal Chaudhary issued orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, banning the illegal sand quarrying near dhussi bund near Beas river.

Meanwhile, there were reports of illegal sand quarrying at Booh village, adjoining Jessal village. Soon after getting the information, the department concerned swung into action and stopped the sand quarrying.

The residents of Jessal, Booh and other adjoining villages located alongside Beas demanded from the administration to take strict action against the persons involved in illegal sand quarrying, which not only result in fertile soil erosion, but can also cause floods.

Jalandhar, August 4
Three MBA students of 2008-10 batch of the INC have done the city proud by bagging the award for best interns in the north region. The results of the summer internship programme were declared by ICFAI University, Dehradun.

Jatin Gupta of the INC did his internship with North Star Security Systems Limited, Chandigarh, and generated a business of Rs 6 lakh in 13 weeks. He was awarded the trophy of star performer by Daleep Sharma, Chairman of the PHDCCI.

Indians are engulfed in so many vivacious and colourful celebrations that occur to fall in the month of Shravan (July-August). Tomorrow North Indians will be busy celebrating Raksha Bandhan - the most awaited festival that signifies the importance of love among brothers and sisters. Sisters tie knot of love in the form of rakhi and pray for their long and happy life. The day of Shravan Purnima will also be celebrated with festivals like Avani Avittam in South India, Nariyal Purnima in West India and Pavitropana and Kajri Purnima in Central India. This year the lunar eclipse is also going to fall on this day and according to astrologers this combination is expected to prove good for the health and happiness of all.

Shravan Purnima is also an auspicious occasion to conclude many yatras. On the full-moon day in Sawan, the Amarnath yatra ends and all the Shiva devotees are pleased to have the blessings of Lord Shiva. The jhulan yatra or jhoola festival also culminates on the same day. A spectacular sight can be seen in the market with sisters from all age groups flocking the shops to buy the colourful threads, sweets and chocolates for their brothers. Markets become overcrowded on the eve of Raksha Bandhan. Brothers too purchase gifts for their sisters. Big brands vie with one another to allure customers.

Jalandhar, August 4
The LIC employees of the Jalandhar division today observed a two-hour walk out strike against the introduction of LIC (amendment) Bill 2009 in the Lok Sabha on July 31. The employees also held a massive rally in front of the local divisional office.

A decision in this regard was taken after the All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) declared a nationwide strike. The strike brought work to a standstill, causing problems for the local people.

The divisional secretary of LIC Jalandhar division, Surjit Ram, said the bill is a step towards implementing the recommendations of the Malhotra Committee.

“The bill proposes to raise the LIC capital from Rs 5 crore to Rs 100 crore. This move has widely been opposed by LIC as it paves the way for the privatisation of LIC in favour of MNCs and corporate houses,” he added.

He said LIC does not require any additional capital. “For the past 56 years, LIC has been providing finance for its expansion from its internal resources. We, as an insurance corporation, never demanded even a singe penny from the government for any purpose. LIC has assets worth Rs 9 lakh crore. We will never approve any initiative of the government which would dismantle the most successful financial institution of the public sector,” he maintained.