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Bogged down by low pay scales, seniority list violations, lack of promotions
Petal delight
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When stones come alive
CT students set to hit NASA with ‘moonbuggy’
PSEB Chairman’s effigy burnt
Be good to consumers, SDM tells gas agency owners
250 examined at free medical camp
Young World
Power punch
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Bogged down by low pay scales, seniority list violations, lack of promotions
Jalandhar, March 16 The fact that even more than three decades after the Anganwadi scheme was launched in the state, more than 70 per cent of the anganwadi centers do not have their own buildings, conforms the lackadaisical attitude of the government authorities. There are around 1,549 centres in Jalandhar district and as per information received more than 1,500 don’t own a building. “The centres are being run on a makeshift kind of arrangement. We have taken some buildings on rent which have to be changed with every panchayat election, owing to certain (mis)calculations of village politicians,” informed Channo Devi, General Secretary of Anganwadi Mazdoor Union (AMU), Jalandhar. “Most of our centres run sans buildings. The government should take up the responsibility to provide us at least with the bare minimum infrastructure. How does the government expect us to provide education and primary health facilities to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers without an assured roof?,” added Kashmir Kaur, President of AMU Jalandhar Urban. The workers assigned with the task of improving health and educational status of the children from deprived sections of the society, cannot even afford ensuring the same to their own children. They are paid a meager monthly salary of Rs 2,163, that too in a highly irregular fashion. “Till 2007, we were being paid a monthly salary of only Rs 1,463. After a lot of struggle and efforts, we could secure a hike of Rs 1,000. But it is much lower than the basic minimum set by the government for a daily wage labourer,” informed Krishna Kumari, the union’s district head. “We have been working for more than 30 years as Anganwadi workers. We should get a third scale salary and helpers that of grade 4. Till then, at least remuneration on par with the minimum wages should be given. We feel exploited as we are not being given our due,” she added. Low pay scales don’t mark an end to their woes. They are also upset over the recent violations in the recent seniority list designed for the post of supervisor. There are around 316 posts for supervisors in Jalandhar, as many as 63 posts are vacant at present. “For the past many years, there have been no promotions at all. Many of us have been working for decades and are competent enough to handle the job. The government should make provisions for a promotion list based on the seniority of staff among us. Nobody from outside should be appointed,” said Channo Devi. The workers are also upset over the supply of feed and fuel by the government authorities. “Instead of dumping the feed at one particular place, it should be distributed at the door of anganwadi centers. We are not paid enough to be able to afford the transportation expense from our pockets. Moreover, the government should make provisions for allotting cooking stoves and gas cylinders. In this era of technology, we are still managing with primitive methods. Cooking meals for around 25 children with cow-dung-cakes or kerosene stoves is really tiresome and time consuming. The government has been making false promises to us,” added Kumari. “We have been fighting for our rights and will continue to do so unless our genuine demands are answered genuinely,” the leaders concluded.
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Petal delight
Jalandhar, March 16 GOC of Vajra Corps, Lt-General, Ramesh Halgali inaugurated the flower show. The show was attended by a large number of senior army and civil officers besides the local residents. This year, as many as 200 varieties of flowers came for display in the competition, which includes flowers like foliage plants, potted flowers, cut flowers and much more. While a special flower arrangement was also displayed during the show, attracting onlookers. Meanwhile, the garden show was divided into two groups. The first group was open for all while the second group was open for serving soldiers. Garden from various educational institutions of the city, individual and public gardens, terrace gardens and regimental gardens also participated in the competition. Apart from this, on the spot drawing, painting and rangoli competitions for children were also held, which saw a good response as children displayed tremendous enthusiasm, talent and innovativeness during the competition. In addition to this, individual prizes, rolling trophies were also awarded for the best-maintained institutional gardens, best maintained round about, best maintained private garden and a best maintained arboricultural project. The competition also tested the skills of ladies and participants for on-the-spot flower arrangement and cut flower competitions.
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When stones come alive
Jalandhar, March 16 He is a sculptor who continuously investigates the realms of ingenuity and its possible artistic manifestations, finishing them with utmost love, care and technical expertise. The magnitude of his skills can be gauged from his work called ‘Mixed Media’, where he uses a unique blend of nails, wood and holistic colours beautifully connected to form, what can be termed, a modern antique. It is said a unique piece of art is the result of a unique temperament. His art forms reflect richness of experience and a distinctive way of perceiving things. Born and brought up in the Andamans, Basudeb’s art seems to be rooted in the rich traditions and temperament of the place as folk and tribal art forms dominate his works. His slender and sleek Bronze figures mesmerise one with their simplicity, innocence and grace. “Basu’s almost sparse linearity has an inherent simplicity, a quality most difficult to achieve. The quite dignity that he imbues to his bronzes is remarkable, for without losing its playfulness, he successfully conveys serious thoughts in a very positive manner. It is eros at its best,” commented Dr. Alka Raghuvanshi, art curator and artist. The stone-carving tradition of India is known to be one of the richest in the world, with its proofs dating back to the 7th century BC. The art of cutting and shaping natural stones requires complex skill and dexterity, since a stone leaves no space for rectification. “If your tongue slips, you can say sorry, but if your hand slips in carving, there is no taking it back. Rigid rock accept no excuse… it is altered forever,” says Biswas. “Creativity is about making mistakes and art is the quality of knowing which ones to keep. The only difference between a carpenter and me is that he places nails but hides them; I do exactly the opposite and aim at harmony between the elements. Individually, they mean nothing, but brought together in a balanced manner, they spell creation. That is what art is all about,” he shares. Seeing his works, one can easily perceive the expression of joy he receives in labour, attempted at bringing order out of chaos. It is said art enables us to discover and lose ourselves at the same time. Speaking in the same vein, Dr. Sucharita Sharma, Principal of the Apeejay College of Fine Arts, concluded, “His works are a result of experimentation and innovative perception. They are captivating, stirring the imagination beyond limits.” Biswas, however, is not very happy with the city, as it stays dull on the artistic front. In an attempt to breathe life in it, he along with some other art-enthusiasts, have arranged a stone carving camp at Virsa Vihar Jalandhar. Artists from different streams have come together to experiment with marble. Rajesh Kalsi, a painter and a lecturer with the Department of Design with Apeejay, was busy making a face impression on the stone. “It’s my first experiment with marbles and it is really enjoyable. I have worked on 3 dimensional images but then this one is virtual. It is a different kind of experience and a really appreciable one,” he shared. Also present at the camp was Mohinder Kumar Mastana, a lecturer of sculptures in the college. Almost through with his Badsha engraved on a piece of marble, Mastana delved into the importance of organising such camps. “It gives art enthusiasts a platform to come together, share experiences and learn from each other. The sheer pleasure of working together and sharing inspires the beginners. More such camps should be organised,” he said. Susheel Kumar, who holds a diploma in art and craft and works as a lab attendant in the college, was busy making figures of mother and child on stone. Though not a master of sculpting, he holds on to the mantra that ‘artists cannot fail, it is success to be one’. “Most important is to have the will and determination, success will follow. Such camps are actually very beneficial for students and beginners as they provide the opportunity to learn and perform, without the sword of marking hanging over your head,” he concluded.
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CT students set to hit NASA with ‘moonbuggy’
Jalandhar, March 16 The students have made a “moonbuggy”, which would cross different terrains on a specified route. Students have been invited to participate in the “17th annual great moonbuggy race” scheduled to be held at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center on April 9 and 10 in Huntsville Alabama, US Space and Rocket Center, USA. During the competition, students would participate in a race where the winning team would be awarded on the basic of the team spirit, system safety, best design and much more. A group of six students, Sukhwant Singh, Amritpal Singh, Harshal Thakur, Rajneesh Sharma, Naveen Dhadwal and Maninder Deep Kaur, along with head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) Vikrant Sharma, would be going to the USA for the competition. Talking to The Tribune, Amritpal Singh said the “moonbuggy” has been designed in such a manner that it can easily cross the different terrains of rocks, dusty path, water, marshy and much more.
“We started constructing the ‘moonbuggy’ in November with technical expertise. The ‘moonbuggy’ has been designed in such a way that it can easily be assembled with swift gearing and folding system. Our team completed the project in February,” he added. The highlight of the “moonbuggy” is its peddling system and wheels, which can easily balance the “moonbuggy” in various terrains. “Even if one of the wheels of the ‘moonbuggy’ gets stuck, the rest three can safely move ahead leading to no chance of failure in extreme conditions,” maintained Naveen Dhadwal. Vikrant Sharma said their project had been approved by the manager of this race Durlean Bradford and Project Coordinator Sabrina Pearson. “It is for the first time that our institution has taken part in this race. The cost of the construction of the ‘moonbuggy’ has been borne by both the institution and the students. While the travel expenses have been borne by the institution,” he added. |
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PSEB Chairman’s effigy burnt
Nakodar, March 16 The demonstrators, led by TSU President Surat Ram, burnt the effigy of PSEB Chairman on the rally site. Their demands included better pay scales and abolition of Power Act, 2003. The protesters strongly opposed the move of the privatisation of the board.
— OC
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Be good to consumers, SDM tells gas agency owners
Phagwara, March 16 Addressing meetings of the advisory committees of various departments, he advised the owners of gas agencies to instruct their staff to be friendly with the consumers. In another meeting of the advisory committee of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the SDM instructed officials to check the alleged irregularities of ration depot holders. Assistant Food and Supply Officer Khushpal Singh disclosed that 40 more ration depots would soon be allotted to the deserving unemployed persons in Phagwara subdivision. Addressing the third meeting of the advisory committee of the SC/ST Welfare Department, Paul said different kinds of pensions, since September 2009, had been distributed among deserving persons while pensions for October would be distributed in the next week. Different officers belonging to various departments i.e. BDO, AFSO, CDPO, Senior Medical Officer, Phagwara, were present in the meetings. |
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250 examined at free medical camp
Jalandhar, March 16 Around 250 patients were examined and treated in the camp. The camp was unique since it introduced different techniques and modalities of physiotherapy and panchkarma to treat ailments related to diseases of eye, gynaecology and orthopaedics. Experienced faculty of the DAV Institute of Physiotherapy, Jalandhar, provided the physiotherapy services. Staff from Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, provided free consultation and panchkarma services. |
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Young World
Jalandhar, March 16 Visit to Parliament
Students of class XII of Saffron Public School, Phagwara, went on a visit to Parliament on March 11. The students and their teachers attended the Budget speech and witnessed the proceedings of the Budget session. The students interacted with some of the politicians and senior journalists during the session. NTSE toppers
Zaheen, a class VIII student of Apeejay School, bagged the second position in the all-India ranking while Abhipsa Sharma and Tarik Gupta, both students of class XI bagged 57th and 72nd rank, respectively. While the students who bagged top positions in the city include Sharanya Marik of class VI (first), Anuj Dhawan of class VII (second), Kanav Khanna of class VIII (first), Aditya Bathla of class IX (first), Akshay Gupta of class IX (second), Pahur Jain of class X (second), Prabal Partap Singh of class XI (second), Varis Kumar Kalia of class XI (third), Abhisar Sharma of class XII (first), Virat Sharda of class XII (second) and Inderjot Kaur of class XII (first). Farewell function
Postgraduate students of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya were given a farewell on March 12. Senior students handed over the customary “gyan jyoti” to the junior students, while a cultural programme was also held. Meanwhile, Harshul was declared “Miss Farewell”. Principal awarded
The Principal of Mehr Chand Polytechnic College was recently honoured with Rashtriya Vidya Saraswati Puraskar at a national seminar in New Delhi organised by the International Institute of Education and Management, New Delhi, in collaboration with the Indian Solidarity Council for his contribution in the field of education and literature. He was presented jointly a trophy, a gold medal and a certificate of merit by Mukesh Virchooli, High Commissioner of Mauritius in India. Industrial visit
The Department of Fashion Designing of the Kamla Nehru College for Women, Phagwara, organised an industrial visit for its students to JCT Mills, Phagwara. During the visit the students were given practical information about the process of manufacturing textile from raw material to the final product. Rajesh Sharma, General Manager of the HR Department, answered the queries of the students and informed them about the new techniques in textile production and latest fashion trends. Competition
An inter-college competition of folk dance was organised at St Soldier Management and Technical Institute on March 11. The competition was aimed at making the students aware of the Punjabi culture and traditions. The students dressed in traditional Punjabi outfits presented giddha, tappay, sithanian, koorian and suhaag. World Kidney Day
World Kidney Day was observed by students of St Soldier Nursing Training Institute, Khambra, in which the students of GNM prepared charts depicting the causes, symptoms and preventions of kidney damage. The students also explained peritoneal dialysis, dietary changes in rental disease and causes of acute rental failure through pictures. Campus placement
A joint campus placement was organised by Larsen and Tourbo at Mehr Chand Polytechnic in which 14 students were selected at an annual package of Rs 1.35 lakh with accommodation facility. The selected students include Gagandeep and Ravi Preet from civil engineering, Pratham, Angrej, Gaurav and Maninder from electrical engineering department, Amrinder Singh, Kashish, Gaurav, Mukesh, Jatin, Gurmeet, Balvinder and Maninder from mechanical engineering department. |
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X-Pression at LPU
Jalandhar, March 16 The event witnessed the work of students, manifested through more than 220 pieces of art works in the form of paintings, pencil sketches, clay modelling, collage making, posters, cartoon making and calligraphy. Among the various themes depicted in the work put on display were womanhood, equality, spirituality, economic development and world harmony. The outstanding student artists included Gurinder Singh for his pencil sketches, Rechal for her clay models and paintings, Om for his paintings and Zia for his calligraphy.
— TNS |
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Power punch
Jalandhar, March 16 “We were not able to watch some matches of tournament as no power is available during those hours. As duration of boxing match is only a few minutes, it is quite different show if compared with games like cricket. The final match is going to held tomorrow but we are expecting the least both from the electricity board and the government,” said city resident Naresh Kumar. “The best way of promotion any sports is to see the live performance of iconic players of any game. It is totally irrational to imbibe inspiration in the hearts and minds of budding players if they cannot even see their icons in action,” he added.
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Jalandhar, March 16
Jalandhar, March 16
Jalandhar, March 16
