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Closure of Mall Road
‘Kundi’ connection costs villagers dearly
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Free blood investigation camp held
Master cadre union holds meeting
Balwant Kapur hockey tourney from Oct 17
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Closure of Mall Road
Jalandhar, August 7 Mall Road was closed for the civilians from August 1. Cantonment residents are not allowed to commute on Mall Road. Residents of Sansarpur, Dhina, Sofi Pind and Khusropur villages have been the worst affected as this was one of their approach road to enter and exit GT Road since decades. It was highlighted that the closing and opening of streets and roads is the sole authority of the Cantonment Board under Section 258 of the Cantonment Act-2006 and that, too, after getting prior permission of the GOC-in-Chief of Western Command or the Principal Director, Defence Estates, after giving a public notice inviting objections and suggestions from the general public. Gurkanwal Kaur said before publishing a public notice on July 14 regarding the issue, the Army authorities were required to discuss it with the councillors, but they went ahead, citing various security reasons. “As our repeated attempts to raise this issue have fallen on deaf ears, we have now sent a written complaint to the Union Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, Chief of the Army Staff, Gen V.K. Singh, GOC-in-Chief of Western Command and Principal Director of Defence Estates, Chandigarh,” she said. The councillors had also written to the president of the Jalandhar Cantonment Board-cum Sub Area Commander, Brigadier Arup Sen, for a special meeting under Section 39 of the Cantonment Act-2006 on August 2, but to no avail. “The Army authorities remained a mute spectator,” they added. Councillor of Ward 3 Avinash Chander Sharma said they had filed a motion against the closure of Mall Road on July 26 and a meeting should have been conducted by serving a 24-hour notice under rule 8 of the Business Regulations but again there was no reply. Chairperson of the Cantonment Board Nistha Goel said the issue dominated the proceedings of the monthly Cantonment Board meeting on August 5. “We expressed our dissent as the Army authorities violated Section 258 of the Cantonment Board Act-2006 by closing Mall Road without any resolution. This decision should be quashed immediately,” she said. “However, when we protested during the board meeting, Brigadier Arup Sen verbally clarified that Mall Road was not closed for the civilians, rather it is an attempt to regulate the flow of traffic by the military police”, she said. “Surprisingly, the Mall Road is still closed. The entire stretch of Mall Road, starting from the entrance of Jawahar Garden till GOC Lt-Gen Munish Sibal’s bungalow, has been completely cordoned off by the military police. Only Army officers are allowed to walk and commute through this stretch,” the councillors added. Meanwhile, Gurkanwal Kaur stated that she would sit on a dharna at the cantonment board office on August 9 and if need be sit on fast unto death. |
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‘Kundi’ connection costs villagers dearly
Aladinpur (Jalandhar), August 7 Since the villagers have not been able to pay up the fine for the past more than three and a half years and have been declared defaulters, they have not even been able to get a regular connection for running the motor from the Powercom. As a result, they have had no option, but to either use a generator, which they cannot because of high running cost involved, or continue to use the “kundi” connection. A few youths, who have been entrusted the job, risk their lives daily twice a day to ensure water supply to some 125 houses in this SC-dominated hamlet. The village had recently got a grant of Rs 1 lakh from the MPLADS for getting fitted submersible pumps. Since the panchayat of the village already is a defaulter, it could not get a new power connection for running the pumps. The smart villagers then devised a plan and took two connections on individual names for solving the problem of some 40 houses. “Two pockets of 20 most affected houses in the area were selected. The connections were installed in two houses selected in each of the two pockets and the system has been working out well for the past two months,” explains a panchayat member, adding that the problem for the rest of the village still continues. Jit Singh, a resident in whose house a submersible pump has been fitted, tells, “An expenditure of Rs 7,400 was incurred on the installation of the pump, which the owners of the 20 houses have collectively borne by paying me Rs 50 a month. As soon as we get the power bill, we will share it equally again.” Sarpanch Ram Sarup explained, “The tank for water supply was installed during the last days of the tenure of the previous panchayat. Perhaps in the run up to the elections, they did not wait for the power connection and to woo the voters started on with “kundi”. The kundi was caught within days by the PSEB and a fine of Rs 50,000 was imposed. Eventually, our tenure started. The villagers resented pooling money to pay up the penalty. The village has no income of its own. The kundi was caught yet again and the penalty amount rose to Rs 1.71 lakh. Since it is a small village of just 125 houses, primarily occupied by poor daily wagers, they again are claiming helplessness. We have now approached the SDO of Powercom to intervene in the matter and waive the penalty partially so that we can avail ourselves of a regular connection.” The villagers have the support of Congress MP M.S. Kaypee, who had raised the matter recently in the Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting. Officials of Powercom claimed that such problem was also seen in Jandu Singhan, Kotlithanpur, Khusropur and Khambra villages. Arun Verma, Director, Distribution, Powercom, said the villagers needed to give the representation in writing to the Chairman for getting their problem solved. |
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Free blood investigation camp held
Amritsar, August 7 Taminder Singh, president of the club, said it was the 26th camp conducted by the club. “We organise such camps on regular basis. These free blood investigation camps are held on first Sunday of every month. The tests are done to check cholesterol, sugar, cretinine, urea and urine. The test costs not less than Rs 250 in clinics, but is done free of cost here,” he said. |
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Master cadre union holds meeting
Jalandhar, August 7 Riar issued a stern warning to the government saying that justice should be given to the master cadre teachers by listening to their demands. It was declared that a protest rally would be held in this regard by the organisation on August 16 in the city. The meeting was attended by district heads, general secretaries, finance secretaries and founder members of the organisation. |
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Balwant Kapur hockey tourney from Oct 17
Jalandhar, August 7 President of the tournament committee Harbhajan Singh said the tournament would be played on the league-cum-knockout basis. “To encourage the budding players at the grass-roots levels, the committee will award Rs 1 lakh to the winners, Rs 60,000 to the runners-up, Rs 30,000 to the second runners-up and Rs 20,000 to the third runners-up,” he added. The committee will also select six best players of the tournament - best goalkeeper, best fullback, best halfback, best forward, highest scorer and most promising player of the tournament. “Each selected best player from the tournament will get Rs 5,000 cash award,” the committee members maintained. |
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