Hoshiarpur, March 25
Resentment prevails among 28 MGNREGA workers, including 24 women, of Uchi Bassi village of Dasuya subdivision against the sarpanch of their village and Block Development Officer, Dasuya, for not providing their wages for 21 days for doing work under the MGNREGA in November last year, despite their repeated requests.

One of the workers Madan Lal, along with Kashmir Singh, Satpal, Devinder Kaur, Paramjit Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, Sharda, Kuldip Kaur, Ranjit Kaur, Kudip Kaur, Sukhwinder Kaur, Surinder Kaur, Shakuntla Devi, Kanta Devi, Sumitla Devi, Ajay Kumar, Kaushalya Devi, Meeta Rani, Pushpa Rani, Charna Rani, Meeda, Kamjit, Manjit Kaur, Raja Rani, Kamlesh Rani, Jeeta, Kirna and Reeta Rani said here today that they were card holders of the MGNREGA scheme and on the instructions of the village sarpanch had worked for 21 days in November, 2010, in the village. But they had not been provided their wages i.e. Rs 124 each for a day, since then.

Whenever they had approached the sarpanch for getting their wages, he sent them to the Block Development Officer, Dasuya. They had become a “shuttlecock” between the sarpanch and the Block Development Officer. Meanwhile, the village panchayat was suspended.

A deputation of the workers, led by President of the Christian Front, Punjab, Lawrance Chaudhary met Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dharam Dutt Tarnach here today and presented a memorandum to him.

The deputation urged the DC to get released their wages and provide them employment under the MGNREGA scheme in future also.

Tarnach said he would look into the matter and get their wages released and provide employment to all of them at the earliest. He said action would be taken against the erring officials.

Jalandhar, March 25
In a break from the uneventful World Theatre Days of the past years, drama seems to be oozing out of the nooks and corners of the city this time. It’s a problem of plenty this World Theatre Day with 14 plays (by first timers, regulars and those making a comeback) being staged in the city and its periphery within a span of six days - March 22 to March 27.

The Desh Bhagat Yaadgaar Hall (the only public place for theatre artistes to rehearse) bustles with activity these days.

A theatre festival at Lovely Professional University in association with the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, which started on March 22, will see six plays - by Sumeet Sharma (Mind Games), Kuldip Sharma (Gaj Foot Inch), Aziz Qureshi (Ek Aur Sach), R.C. Pathak (Moteram Ka Satyagrah), Kewal Dhaliwal (Gaddi Charan Di Kahal Bari Si) and Sukhwinder Singh (Raunakan).

Patriotism also seems to ride high with the Navchintan Kala Manch, headed by playwright Hansa Singh, along with NGO Pahal staging two street plays, “Basanti Chola” and “Mitti Roodan Kare”, at Vivekanand Park on Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev’s death anniversary on March 23.

Playwright Kranti Pal (Hansa Singh’s son) of the Navchintan Kala Manch, a regular at Punjab theatre’s left circuit and youth festivals, would pay his tribute to Bhagat Singh with his play “Gagan Damama Bajeo” at the Red Cross Bhawan on March 27.

This would be Kranti’s first directorial outing in theatre after a hiatus of more than a year. Bed-ridden owing to a road accident, he was last seen sitting with a plastered leg perched on a cushioned chair at the Mela Gadri Babeyan Da last year.

Jalandhar’s eternal cynic and hypocrisy-basher, Neeraj Kaushik, would also stage three of his plays, “Pol Matt Khol”, “Baccha Hai Bhagwan” and “Parde ke Peeche”, on March 27 at Saigal Memorial Hall.

In addition to this, Kewal Dhaliwal (with the same play) and Anita Devgan (Kujh Tan Karo Yaaron) will stage their plays today in an event organised by AIR Jalandhar at Saigal Memorial Hall.

Talking of the urban side of theatre - Namrata Goyal, daughter of Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and herself a trainee at Jet Airways, has presented her play “Black Comedy” (the only English entry) at Bath Castle here today.

Hoshiarpur, March 25
Keeping in view the heavy increase of vehicular traffic and increasing menace of road accidents as many as 86 signboards of speed limit had been installed on various roads and on the national highway by the Public Works Department, Central Works Division and Municipal Council (MC) in the district.

Disclosing this while presiding over the meeting of the District Road Safety Committee here today, Deputy Commissioner Dharam Dutt Tarnach said to ease the traffic rush in the town, the entry of heavy vehicles would be restricted from 8 am to 8 pm on the Phagwara Chowk-Clock Tower-Committee Bazar-Session Chowk route.

Only one-way traffic for light vehicles on the roads would be allowed during the day hours.

He strictly instructed the SDM and Executive Officer of the MC to remove encroachments from the public places to widen roads in the bazaars and lanes.

He appealed to the residents to observe traffic rules to avoid accidents. 

Nawanshahr, March 25
With a view to bringing efficiency in the functioning of the government departments for ensuring delivery of public utility services to the common man, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Shruti Singh conducted surprise checkings at the Civil Hospital, health centre and anganwari centre at nearby Kulam village today.

The Deputy Commissioner found two doctors absent from duty at the Civil Hospital and incomplete record of stock of medicines at the health centre, Kulam. The Medical Officer of the health centre was on leave. The DC has asked the ADC to verify about the sanction of the leave of the Medical Officer.