 |
|
|
Who is the real councillor? Madam or husband
11 liquor vends sealed
Murdered youth remains unidentidied
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Wakf Board’s income goes up by Rs 5 cr
3 Left parties to hold joint convention
MC panel chief ‘favoured’ streetlight project
Five women get cheques
2 women held with 18 kg poppy husk
Cheater sent to police custody
City libraries a picture of neglect
Hoshiarpur college students put up unique effort
Residents
complain of contaminated water supply
|
|
Who is the real councillor? Madam or husband
Jalandhar, June 21
Even if the real power is in the hands of the women, it is the men who rather enjoy it more. They are the ones who remain active in the area, hold meetings with residents, address their problems in the Municipal Corporation office and interact with the officials. Further, almost half of these 20 female councillors are accompanied by men folk from their houses, even for the meetings of the Municipal Corporation. While the women councillors sit as a dummy on chairs along the round table, their husbands or fathers-in-law occupy the second row of chairs right at their back, attend complete proceedings of the House and guide the women councillors from time to time. Among the women councillors whose family members have been attending meetings quite regularly are Rimpi Prabhakar, Surjit Kaur, Mamta Sharma, Sunita Rinku, Kamaljit Kaur, Yogita Gupta, Davinder Kaur Takkar and Paramjit Jassal. In fact, since a few of these councillors are members of sub-committees, including those of house tax, their husbands make it to there as well. Yogita, who is a trustee of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust by virtue of being a councillor, is less seen there than her male family members. Bhagwant Prabhakar, Rimpi’s husband, took the call when contacted on the councillor’s phone. Asked why he attended House meetings with his wife, he said, “Often there are public interest issues involved on which I like to gather first-hand information. I am also the mandal chief of my party.” Likewise, Jathedar Pritam Singh took the call on the number listed for his wife Surjit Kaur. Asked why he was there at this Friday’s meeting, he said, “Since my wife is out of station, I thought I should at least know about its proceedings.” While councillor Anita Dhir of Ward 19 had passed away about eight months back and no bypoll has taken place, her widower makes it a point to attend the meetings. But there are women councillors like Surinder Kaur and Narinder Kaur who have the grit and determination to handle all matters of their wards on their own. None of their family members have ever accompanied them for any official purpose. Mayor Rakesh Rathour, when contacted, said he had not allowed the active participation of any male member of women councillors’ families in the House meetings. “They can simply sit as mute spectators,” he said, adding that he even ensured that none of the family members of the women councillors ever marked a proxy in her name in the attendance register. Asked if the 33 per cent reservation had made any impact on women empowerment so far, he said, “As for now, many elected women have a little say in such matters. But they are slowly understanding the system. It will certainly have an impact in the times to come.”
|
|
11 liquor vends sealed
Jalandhar, June 21 The authorities maintained that the instalment of the fee ran into lakhs of rupees and vends would remain sealed until the contractors concerned deposited the pending instalment. B.K. Virdi, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), said the case pertaining to the non-payment of the excise fees by the owners of the sealed vends had been sent to the higher authorities. Sealed vends could not be opened before the contractors deposited the excise fee, he added.
|
|
Murdered youth remains unidentidied
Jalandhar, June 21 The SHO, Satwinder Pal Singh, in charge, Division V police station, said even after over 24 hours, none of the family member or friend of the deceased has come forward to claim the body. The body was recovered by the city police from the abandoned sports factory after it was spotted by a labourer residing in the factory last morning. After initial investigations, the police suspected that the victim’s body was thrown inside the factory premises after murdering him. Satwinder Pal said the body was still kept at the mortuary of the Civil Hospital. “In such a case, if no one comes forward, the postmortem could be conducted only after 72 hours of the recovery of the body,” he added. The police was finding it hard to crack the identity of the murdered youth, despite the fact that his body was ferried in a tempo in various localities situated near the crime spot yesterday, he said. Satwinder Singh said the police was informing the families, who had lodged the complaints of missing members of their family in the recent past.
|
|
Wakf Board’s income goes up by Rs 5 cr
Jalandhar, June 21 However, he said out of 24,334 properties of the Wakf Board, 2,707 properties worth several hundred crore were lying in the illegal possession of various organisations, including government, semi-government, boards and corporations. The chairman was in Jalandhar to address the Annual Budget Conference-2011 of the Wakf Board on Friday. Giving details, he said the income of the board from various prosperities was in the range of Rs 19 crore during the fiscal year, which ended on March 31, and during the previous year it was Rs 14 crore. Talking about the status of Wakf properties, he said at present there were 1,436 cases being filed in various courts to get the illegal possessions removed. He said the Wakf was being run with the income from its properties and it was not getting any fiscal support from the state government. Izhar Alam also highlighted that soon they would be appointing imams in around 636 mosques across the state with a monthly wage of Rs 2,000. “The imams would be responsible for imparting religious education to Muslim kids in their respective local areas,”he added. Izhar Alam said efforts were being made to locate more Wakf properties in the state to enhance its overall income. “After Partition most of the buildings signifying Muslim culture and history were left unattended and efforts were on to restore their glory,” he said, adding that on an average there was about 2,000 Muslim population in each of the established Assembly segments. He said the Wakf had planned to set up its main office with an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore, while a sub-office of Wakf was recently constructed in Hoshiarpur. “The Wakf is running a 40-beded hospital and a girls’ college at Malerkotla, besides seven secondary schools in various parts of the state. Soon we would set up Islamia English School in the state, the place for which is yet to be decided,” he added. Photo on page 4
|
|
3 Left parties to hold joint convention
Jalandhar, June 21 State secretary of the CPM Mangat Ram Pasla announced this today at a press conference. He said the convention would be followed by a demonstration to spread the message in the public. Rajwinder Singh Rana of CPI (ML) (Liberation) and Ajmer Singh of CPI (ML) (New Democracy) said all those nations that had shown opposition to multi-national companies and capitalist approach were now being targeted against as were Iraq and Afghanistan and now Libya.
|
|
MC panel chief ‘favoured’ streetlight project
Jalandhar, June 21 At the same time, he said the three-member committee, including councillors Mamta Sharma and Dinesh Dhall as its members, raised 10 objections on the basis of which the project was rejected in the MC house on Friday. The objections included tendering of installation of energy efficient street-lighting project to an inexperience company and CFLs would not be so Chugh said as far as saving on streetlights was concerned Rs 5 lakh were being saved per month as the issue of overcharging by the PSPCL in the context of unused 402 KW was taken up with its authorities. Similarly, the issue of unused 356 KW had again been taken up with the PSPCL authorities and it was hoped that Rs 4 lakh more would be saved per month after positive consideration by its authorities, he added. Reacting to Kalia’s statement, Chugh said four health centres had been approved for Jalandhar city. One each approved for Jalandhar north and south Assembly, constituencies, whereas two for Central constituency but Cantonment constituency was ignored. That was why he raised this matter in the MC house. Subsequently, one of the two health centres approved for the Central constituency had been sanctioned for the Cantonment constituency, he added.
|
|
Five women get cheques
Phagwara, June 21 In this regard, Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Rajiv Gupta, distributed cheques for Rs 1,000 each among five women at the Civil Hospital on Monday. He disclosed that the scheme was being implemented with effect The SMO said the amount would be given to the women apart from free delivery facility being provided in the government hospitals.
|
|
2 women held with 18 kg poppy husk
Nakodar, June 21 Both women are the residents of Thapadke village here.
|
|
Cheater sent to police custody
Phagwara, June 21 He was arrested in Maharashtra and brought to Phagwara on a production warrant yesterday. He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him in police custody for two days. The SHO, City, Amrik Singh Chahal, said Rajiv Kumar had been working as a goldsmith in Phagwara for the last four years and won the confidence of local jewellers. Rajiv Kumar earned well from the jewellers and gradually started lending them money on a heavy interest of 10 per cent per month, which was acceptable to the jewellers The jewellers started giving him gold and other ornaments for manufacturing without taking any receipt and ultimately he along with his family and a huge quantity of gold and silver ornaments left the town on the night of February 1.
|
|
City libraries a picture of neglect
Chief Librarian G.S. Kahlon has been working for 18 years in Guru Nanak District Library here. “I have never seen the carrying out of the renovation work even once,” he says. Cracks, damp corners and walls, paint and cement chipping off, discoloured, wet patches in the ceiling and walls abound all over the library. And all this at a place which has significant documents like the calligraphic copy of the Indian Constitution and the Jalandhar Gazetteer. Damp walls near book racks, especially in the huge study hall on the first floor, threaten the books. Plaster has also come off on the outer surface of the building at many places.
The library gets funds worth Rs 1 lakh per year for books and acquires about 1,000 books per year. Currently, the number of books in the library are 1,09,000. Kahlon says the library is understaffed. “We have a total of 11 people working at the library. Six people are on the library staff and the rest are Class IV employees. It’s a big building and has a substantial collection of books. We need more people both for cataloguing and/or record keeping and maintenance of the place.” The library’s earnings comprise money earned from memberships (a security of Rs 500, which is returned once a member changes station or dies, Rs 5 for membership form and Rs 20 for library membership) and by giving the small unkempt auditorium on hire (on Rs 300 per hour basis). Since the DPI (C), which handles the grants of the library, is responsible only for the library’s funding for books and staff, the question about who will take care of its upkeep and maintenance remains unanswered.While the city’s biggest library and the one with the maximum number of books, Guru Nanak District Library, suffers neglect and degeneration, the state of other government-run libraries in the city could be called worse. While the little libraries of the Punjab Information Bureau (PIB) and Public Relations Department lie in deplorable conditions, the MC library has been lying defunct since the time the books were shifted to the new building. A closer look at the state of affairs prevalent: MC Library
Situated in the Nehru Garden complex, the library was being visited by many city residents, both adults and students, who read books and newspapers in it. When the MC complex was shifted to its new location last year, the 27,000 books of the library were shifted with it, but the services didn’t. Currently, the library’s 27,000 books (on many special issues and streams, including encyclopaedias like Britanica and Oxford Dictionary alphabetic volumes), eat dust as they lie closed up in almirahs in the new MC complex. The library has been closed down for the public. Assistant Comissioner D.P. Bhardwaj calls it a “buried issue”. “For now the library has been closed for the public. Whether or not it will be opened again is a policy decision and is up to the higher-ups to decide. Other than the library, we have 120 reading rooms running in various areas of the city for the last 8-10 years.” Librarian Meenakshi, who had been working at the library since 1986, says, “At the time it was shifted, about 30-40 people were visiting it everyday.” Meenakshi now works as an officer on special duty with the B&R Department. PIB Library
The Press Information Bureau’s library is probably one of the most unkempt libraries in the city. Despite the fact that the library has important government documents - books published by the ministries, government annual reports, Punjab Government gazetteers and booklets published by the government and EC as well as the complete records (since 1984) of three daily newspapers (the records before that were burnt by a fire, employees say) - it is not the best places to visit due to its dank, dark, mildew smelling interiors and ill-maintained books. The almirahs have loads of dust settled on the glass panes (some of which are broken). The paw marks of an animal mark the top glass pane of one of the almirahs. Employees are not able to decide whether they were left by a cat or a dog. They say some days ago they found seven snakes on their premises while the doctor in the adjoining clinic found 12 in his. Some rotted books lie dumped on the top of
one of the shelves of the record room. Balwinder Atri, Director, Media and Communications, Press Information Bureau, Jalandhar, says, “We used to get younger people earlier, but now only people interested in records or ministry books come in. The library is open for all and about 35 to 40 people come in daily. We have 7,000 books, 24 newspapers and 24 magazines here.” Talking about the ramshackle PIB premises, Atri says, “Once our office shifts from here, we will be able to take batter care of our books.” The office is due for a shift but he doesn’t know when. Library of PR Department
The story here is almost similar. There is overgrown grass, a haunted-looking building and a puddle of water right outside the library door. The library almirahs are dust laden and some with broken glass panes. It’s also the preferred meeting place of employees during lunch sessions. The bright light flooding in through the big windows and the constant presence of employees are the only consolations. District Public Relations Officer Gurmeet Singh Dhugga says, “The library has 2,000 books. We get 20 newspapers. If the funds are lesser, sometimes we stop taking a few newspapers a year, to meet the budget.” Talking about the lack of awareness or maintenance of library infrastructure, he says, “We would like the public to be aware of the libraries, but we also need to have sufficient budget for that.” District Language Officer, Dr Manpreet Singh Bal: “Dedicated work is needed from the functionaries of such institutions to promote better institutions and hence a better society. More work needs to be done but the government is also doing its bit. When I was a student, my university library used to be open all night. Things change with time. The government functionaries and the society need to work in tandem to promote better infrastructure as well as readership.” Writer Ajay Sharma: “It’s a public loss when libraries lose memberships. Certainly less people read books or visit libraries now. The district library lost many books when people didn’t return them earlier. Now it is in a bad shape and very few people visit it. Without readership it is difficult for a society to grow.” Writer Keerti Kesar: “Libraries are important to mobilise movements and thoughts. The membership at the district library has certainly declined and services received in the rest of the government-run libraries are also fickle. Sometimes you find stuff sometimes you don’t. About 20-25 years from now, people will realise they have lost touch with their roots. Books are important to keep us close to reality. The government should promote better readership and take care of their upkeep.” |
|
Hoshiarpur college students put up unique effort
Jalandhar, June 21 Moods, a two-day (June 14 to 16) painting exhibition, by a bunch of fine art students of the Government College, Hoshiarpur, (including a couple of pass outs), has been lauded by artists in the city. “Students of MA first year and final year thought of undertaking this effort through which we could promote our art. Exhibiting stuff at college is different but many artists come here and it helps us get a lot of exposure,” says Rekha Sharma. “So we collected money and with guidance from friends and teachers held an exhibition here,” she adds. Rohit, who was also a part of the group called ‘Pious’ - the originators of this concept - which held an exhibition at the Virsa Vihart last year, says, “We were criticised as well as praised. But people encouraged us and wanted to see us come back.” His water colours and oil paintings are the highest priced among all artists. “This year’s batch also understood and supported the concept so here we are,” he adds. “Some people here are just displaying their paintings without an intention to sell them. But I don’t want to be a burden on my family so I have begun selling my works for a living. I also get many commissions for school projects and portraits from people,” he says. But both Rohit and Rekha agree that it’s a long way to go for painting to get due respect in Punjab. “People think its fun and no hard work is involved.” “I have even done many portraits for people for free,” says Rekha. “But exhibitions like these give us hope that our work will be noticed and better opportunities will come,” they quip. Though the art of many of the artists is amateurish, some paintings reflect extraordinary brilliance. Rohit’s ‘Balika Vadhu’ and water colour landscapes as well as Babita’s geometric Krishna with a flute stand out. The rest of the paintings include landscapes, still life and abstract patterns.
|
|
Residents
complain of contaminated water supply Phagwara, June 21 Baldev Bansal of New Model Town and Sonu Bhamra of Hargobind Nagar said despite repeated complaints lodged before the Nagar Council authorities, nothing was initiated by the Nagar Council or the Health Department. When contacted, Nagar Council presidet Balhadhar Sein Duggal expressed his ignorance about the problem, but assured to act soon to redress the problems of the people. Meanwhile, a deputation of the Ambedekar Sena, Punjab, led by its president Surinder Dhadhey, met Tehsildar Harminder Singh and submitted a memorandum demanding adequate arrangements of sanitation in several streets of Dalits’ colonies, ensuring supply of fresh drinking water, removal of dumps of garbage from the old post office road and repair of lights in the parks named after Dr
Ambedeker.
|
||
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Jalandhar, June 21
Three Left parties - CPM, CPI (ML) (Liberation) and CPI (ML) (New Democracy) - have decided to hold a joint convention at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall against capitalism on June 26.
Jalandhar, June 21
Jalandhar, June 21
“Some repairs have taken place but only when conditions were dire and for that too, funds had to be squeezed out through requests made to the local administration. I made requests to the PWD and DC during the construction of Virsa Vihar that I needed some funds for immediate repairs of the library,” says Kahlon. “Save for these repairs which needed immediate attention, even a whitewash hasn’t taken place for decades,” Kahlon adds.