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NEIGHBOURHOOD

‘Royal’ city grapples with water scarcity
Aman Sood
Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 9
Even as the Patiala Municipal Corporation authorities claim that water related complaints are being disposed off on priority basis, water woes of city residents continues. While terming the steps taken by the Patiala MC as not sufficient, people residing in different areas of the city have strongly flayed the civic body authorities for not paying any attention towards their complaints related to water scarcity.

As per information, since the past few days, numerous localities in the city, including Shera Wala Gate, Gian Colony, Sewak Colony, Desi Mehamandari, Rajpura Colony and Factory Area locality, are facing acute shortage of water. What has left the area residents high and dry is the fact that despite repeated complaints, the civic officials have so far not taken the requisite steps to redress the grievances of people.

“Normally, we get water supply twice a day -- one hour in the morning and one in the evening. The water supply was irregular from the past fortnight, but now the problem has acquired alarming proportions and we have not got even a single drop of water from the past one week,” said Rajmeet Singh and other residents of the New Rajpura Colony.

Children wait for their turn to fetch water in different areas of Patiala on Saturday. This is becoming a common scene in the city due to the shortage of water.Tribune photos: Rajesh Sachar

Expressing his extreme dismay over the problem of water scarcity, Sunpreet Singh Sidhu, a practicing lawyer in the district courts, said: “The situation improved marginally on Saturday as we got water for one hour in the morning. But things were back to square one, as there is no water supply in the evening hours.”

A resident of Model Town, Jatinder Jain, said: “By issuing statements that indiscriminate use of tullu pumps has led to water shortage in some areas, authorities are running away from their responsibility.”

While blaming the Patiala MC for not taking concrete measures to solve problem of water scarcity, Satinder Kaur, a housewife and a resident of Gian Colony, rued: “We get water, but for just half-an-hour and that too at very low pressure. In order to meet our domestic needs, many times we have to travel to other areas with buckets in our hands.”

Residents of many other areas expressed similar views while castigating the civic body for miserably failing to find concrete solution to the problem.

Use of Tullu pumps goes unabated
Umesh Dewan/TNS

Tullu pumps are operational at many houses in Patiala. A Tribune photograph

Patiala, April 9
Notwithstanding the tall claims of the Patiala Municipal Corporation, the unhealthy practice of fetching water from the Tullu pumps continues unabated in the city. Though officials of the civic body have admitted that people in several city areas are drawing water through tullu pumps, so far no action has been taken against the violators.

On the account of the usage of Tullu pumps, those city residents, who do not have the Tullu pumps, have to suffer a lot.

A visit to various city areas, including Model Town, New Rajpura Colony, Lehal Colony, Chhoti Baradari, Lower Mall Road, New Lal Bagh and Officers Colony, brought to light the fact that tullu pumps were there in majority of houses. During interacting with The Tribune, the residents of these areas justified the installation of Tullu pump, while stating that they get water from the MC at a very low pressure, following which they have to face difficulty in managing the water requirements for the domestic purposes.

“Since the water pressure is low, we are left with no other option than to install the Tullu pump. Furthermore, our electricity bills have also gone up drastically due to the usage of Tullu pumps. But we don’t have any other way out,” said Rajni Girhotra, a housewife.

Residents of many other areas expressed similar views. Speaking to the TNS, a senior citizen, Ram Parkash Gupta, who resides in New Rajpura Colony, said: “If the civic body provide us water at proper pressure three times a day, there is no need to install Tullu pumps. Unfortunately, the civic authorities seem least interested in resolving the problem.”

Interestingly, the civic body officials have blamed people for the water scarcity problem stating that considerable chunk of the city residents have installed Tullu pumps, thereby causing problem of low water pressure. However, the officials have no answer to the question that why municipal authorities are reluctant to take action against those violating civic norms.

When contacted, Patiala Municipal Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang said: “We will initiate a campaign against the use of Tullu pumps within a week. Special teams of civic officials will be constituted to conduct surprise checks in the different city areas, so that action could be initiated against all those using Tullu pumps.”

MC to form special team to deal with complaints
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 9
With a view to redress the problems related to water scarcity on priority basis, Patiala Mayor, Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, has announced to set up a special team of the civic officials, who will only deal with the water related complaints.

While confirming this to The Tribune, Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said comprehensive strategy had been chalked out to deal with the water related complaints and the civic body would ensure that city residents did not have to face problems pertaining to scarcity of water.

“Designated staff would be deputed to ensure that water related problems, which generally crop up in summer, are dealt in a proper manner. In case, the civic staff fails to redress the complaints of the residents, the complainant must bring this to the notice of the senior functionaries of the MC, so that necessary action can be initiated against the erring officer,” said Kohli, while assuring that directions have already been issue to redress the present complaints about the water scarcity in some of the city areas.

Kohli said he strongly felt that there was a need to spread awareness among the people about the judicious use of water. “The wastage of water in the form of washing vehicles and watering gardens is wrong. The city residents should also ensure that water should be used for drinking and not washing of vehicles,” he said, while adding that action would be initiated against all those found wasting water.

Meanwhile, quoting some figures, Patiala MC (operation and maintenance cell), SDO, Suresh Kumar said on daily basis, Patiala city required 61,290-kilolitre water and presently the MC was providing 75,000-kilolitre water, which was almost 14,000 kilolitre more than the requirement.

Expressing his views on the issue, Municipal Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang said present network of the tubewells in the city was 127. “Ten more tubewells would be functional within this month. I am hopeful that during this summer the city residents will not have to face problem of the water shortage,” he claimed. Narang also appealed the city residents not to waste even a single drop of water.

CRIME

Car, mobile stolen
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9
In his complaint, Satnam Singh of Mohali stated that someone had stolen his Esteem car (PB-65-A-8433) and mobile phone from the Sector 22 market.Amit Kumar of Sector 23 lodged a similar complaint alleging that his Maruti car (HR-24-G-0081) was stolen from outside his residence on the intervening night of April 7 and 8, while Manjit Sharma of Sector 20 alleged that his Esteem car (HR-42-A0036) parked outside his residence was taken away on the night of April 7. The police has registered different cases under Section 379 of the IPC at respective police stations.

Three-wheeler stolen

A resident of Attawa, Sanjay Kumar, reported to the police that someone had stolen his three-wheeler (PB-65-G-3230) from outside his residence on the intervening night of April 7 and 8.

A case under Section 379 of the IPC has been registered in Sector 36 police station.

Snatching

A motorcycle-borne snatcher snatched a gold chain from Virender Kaur, a resident of Sector 42. The incident occurred outside her residence. A case under Sections 379/356/34 of the IPC has been registered.

Arrested

Rishi Jain and Bajinder Jain, both residents of Ambala, were arrested on the charges of consuming liquor at a public place at the Sector 8 market. A case under Section 68/1/14 of the Excise Act has been registered at the Sector 3 police station.

2 bikers snatch gold chain

Panchkula, April 9
Anju Chhabra (50), a resident of Sector 4 here, reported to the police that her gold chain was snatched by two motorcycle-borne youths near Satluj Public School. She informed the police that she, along with her mother, was going to the market at the time of the incident.

The two youths, riding a black motorcycle with covered faces, snatched her chain and the locket worth Rs 30,000. She raised the alarm, but in vain. A case has been registered in the Sector 2 police station. — TNS

SPORTS

Harsh fires best card in CGA junior golf
Our Golf Correspondent

Chandi Mandir, April 9
Harsh Gangwar fired a one over par 73, recording the best card of the day, on the opening day of the first tournament of the CGA Junior Golf Circuit 2011 that got under way on the lush greens of the SEPTA Golf Course here today.

Playing in Category B, Harsh sank a birdie on the second, conceding bogeys on the first and seventh to be one over par 37 at the turn. A flawless par back nine saw him finish the day four strokes ahead of Feroz Garewal in
Category B.

Dhruv Sheron carded a four over 76 to lead in boys’ A Category, with Dharvesh Kumar three strokes behind at 79. In boys’ C Category, Tanvir Kahlon led with a score of 81, with Digraj S Gill and Karanveer Sangha sharing the lead in Category D at 82. Tavleen Batra recorded the best score among girls. Playing in A Category, she carded a 14 over 86. This was seven strokes better than the second-placed duo of Natasha Gill and Sukhneer Saini, who could muster an identical score of 93. A poor competition was witnessed in the girls’ category.

Scores

Boys Category A: Dhruv Sheron 76, Dharvesh Kumar 78, Mantash Singh 81, Pranav Mehra and Tarundeep Chadha 82 each; Category B: Harsh Gangwar 73, Feroz Grewal 77, Paramjit Yadav and Khushmanraj Singh 81 each; Category C: Tanvir Kahlon 81, Kartik D Singh, Karandeep Kochar and Varundeep Chadha 84 each; Category D: Digraj S Gill and Karanveer Singh 82 each, Aadil Bedi 88; Category E (nine holes): K Shubham 51, Raunak Jauhal 58, Ayush Krishan 66. Girls Category A: Tavleen Batra 86, Natasha Gill and Sukhneer Saini 93 each, Jaipreet Ghuman 98; Category C: Ashi Jain 91, Category D: Vasundhara Thiara 118, Ashmeet Saini 131; Category E (nine holes): Puneet Bajwa 64.

Chandril, Lakshit cruise ahead
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9
Indian brothers Chandril Sood and Lakshit Sood made it to the next round of the qualifying draw in the singles qualifying matches of the Union Bank ITF Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA), Sector 10, here today.

In a hard-fought contest that lasted for two and half hours, Chandril Sood got the better of Temur Ismailo of Uzbakistan in three sets 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, whereas his brother Lakshit Sood disposed off Amrit Narsimhan of the USA in straight sets 6-3, 7-6.

As many as 16 matches were played today and 10 Indian players made it to the next round, while one each from Japan, Taipei, Uzbekistan, Sweden, Czech Republic and Serbia entered the final qualifying round.

In the match between Murali Muthan and Anand Kunal, Murali Muthan won the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (10). However, Kunal Anand was swept off his feet, as he caved in tamely at 6-1.

Chen Chung-Se of Taipei beat Sri Patel (India) in straight sets 6-0, 6-1.

Out of the six wild card entries, only one Sharan Divij made it to the next qualifying round by beating Duldaev Daniliar of Kazakhstan in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.

Tomorrow, eight qualifying round matches will take place and the winners will move to the main draw, starting from April 11. Vignesh Peranamallur, Vishnu Vardhan, Ajay Yadav of India and Jeson Partrombon of Phillipin have been given a wild card for the main draw.