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Sea of devotees swamps Sodal Mela
Man electrocuted in posh city mall
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MC levies charges, but vendors get no facilities
ETT teachers threaten to intensify agitation
Two held with country-made liquor
Gurdwara election commission’s norms fall on deaf ears
Tree plantation drive conducted
Tipplers turn bold as eateries openly flout rules
Ex-Army man’s house burgled
No salaries, stipends, uniforms at schools under NCLP
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Sea of devotees swamps Sodal Mela
Jalandhar, September 11 Newly-wed couples and families with newborn babies came to seek blessings. Such was the rush of pilgrims, that it seemed that all the major roads of the city were leading to Sodal mandir. Langars (community kitchen) and chabeels were organised for the devotees at a number of places. Meanwhile, some incidents of pick-pocketing and eve teasing were also reported. The district administration and police made elaborate arrangements. The police has erected several barricades in about one kilometre radius of the temple to avoid entry of vehicle of the general public keeping in view the huge rush of pilgrims. Faith trip l
People, accompanied by bands or dholis, came with their families and friends to pay obeisance at the temple. Newlywed couples and families with newborn babies came to seek blessings. l Langars (community kitchen) and chabeels were organised for the devotees at a number of places. l Some incidents of pick-pocketing and eve teasing were also reported.
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Man electrocuted in posh city mall
Jalandhar, September 11 The victim was engaged in the ongoing finishing work at the restaurant in the mall originally owned by a local Akali leader. Sources, however, said Makkar had leased out the shopping complex to some other party after its inauguration. Makkar was unavailable for comments till the filing of the report. Sources said Vicky, a resident of Abadpura locality, who was employed to carry out the finishing work at the under- construction restaurant, accidentally touched a naked wire leading to the accident. The victim died on the spot. His co-workers rushed him to a nearby private hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. The body was taken to the Civil Hospital for a postmortem examination. The body was then handed over to the family members at noon today. After the last rites, family members and relatives of the deceased assembled at the Division No 6 police station and alleged negligence on part of the owners of the restaurant. They also lodged a protest demanding registration of a criminal case against the owners of the shopping complex. SHO Kewal Krishan said the police has booked the restaurant owners Vivek Sehgal and his partner Sushil Sehgal-for the alleged negligence at the workplace on their part on the basis of the complaint of Jagdish Kumar, father of the deceased. A case under Section 304 of the IPC has been registered against both at police station Division No 6. No arrests have been made so far as the police have initiated investigation in this case. Fact file l The mall originally owned by a local SAD leader in posh Model Town area. l Sources say Makkar had leased out the mall right after its inauguration. l The police has booked two owners of the restaurant that was being built in the basement where the accident took place.
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MC levies charges, but vendors get no facilities
Jalandhar, September 11 Several small vendors who came to the Sodal fair at Jalandhar from different parts of the country, today alleged that they were being charged hefty amounts by the MCJ Tehbazari cell to set up their roadside stalls at the fair. While some of them, who have already paid money for setting up their small vends opposite Arya Samaj Mandir on Sodal-Doaba Chowk road, showed receipts charging them Rs 500, the others said houses they sit in front of, charge an extra Rs 500 from them, making them pay a total of Rs 1,000 for a single stall. While vendors sitting on the footpaths were being charged Rs 500, those setting up shop on the road dividers were being charged lesser (Rs 50 or Rs 100). Ratni and Jagdish, porcelain ware vendors from Rajasthan, who have been coming to the fair regularly, said, “Last year, they charged Rs 100 from us and this year it has been increased to Rs 500. Many of our goods were damaged in the rains day before yesterday and the sales have also been low. The move has come as a big blow to our business.” Beer Das, who came to the fair from Nazafgarh in Delhi, says, “I sell plastic toys, how much can I earn? My goods are worth a couple thousands and I don’t even know how many will sell. Bringing my family here cost me so much now this unjustified Rs 500 amount that we have to pay to the MC will do us a lot of harm. Personnel have come two three times to remind us about the payment. They say they will take money from us or our goods will be seized.” Das’ brother Shivdutt suffers a worse state, “Both the MC and the owners of the house, in front of which I sit, threaten me. While the house owners say they will throw away my belongings, MC employees say they will seize them if I don’t pay Rs 500. Both charge Rs 500.” Jaspal Singh (house owner) said he couldn’t comment on the issue since only his father knew about it and is away. MCJ Commissioner BS Dhaliwal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
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ETT teachers threaten to intensify agitation
Jalandhar, September 11 The fissue of the teachers not getting salaries according to the special grades as per the Fifth Pay Commission was also raised yet again. While the teachers had earlier held a meeting on the issue at the hall premises on August 27, they carried out a protest march today and threatened to carry out a silent, bare foot protest rally on September 28, if the government did not fulfil their demands. State president Ranjit Singh Bath said they plan to protest in the Mahatma Gandhi way on the 28th of this month, if their demands were not met.
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Two held with country-made liquor
Jalandhar, September 11 Ashwani Kumar, the investigating officer, said the duo tried to flee from the spot but were caught. During a search of their vehicle, the police seized seven cases of liquor. According to the police the youth had been involved in the trade for quite some time and sold liquor on a retail basis. Meanwhile, a case under various provisions of the Excise Act has been registered against them at police station Division No 8. |
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Gurdwara election commission’s norms fall on deaf ears
Jalandhar, September 11 While the authorities failed to remove old hoardings, several new hoardings and buntings have also been put up by supporters of different candidates trying their luck from Jalandhar city for Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections scheduled to be held on September 18. Gurdwara Election Commission chairman Justice HS Brar had issued a strict warning about a week ago in which he said, “If he gets any report of violation of the model code of conduct by candidates, the District Electoral Officer (DEO) and Returning Officer (RO) concerned will be held responsible for that.” Earlier, Deputy Commissioner-cum-DEO Priyank Bharti had also issued directions to ROs for strict implementation of the model code of conduct. Bharti had issued directions a few days ago to all returning officers (ROs) to implement the model code of conduct strictly. Bharti had even directed ROs to make flying squads to check violation of model election code of conduct. |
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From colleges KMV Red Cross Society conducted a plantation drive in the college premises to keep the environment clean and green. Principal Dr Atima Sharma, faculty members and students planted saplings. Softball championship
Mamta Minhas, a student of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalya, has been selected for the 10th Indian Women Softball Championship to be held from September 20 to 28 at Nantou, Taiwan. Principal Dr Rekha Kalia Bhardwaj has congratulated her. Folk song contests
Lata and Amritpal Kaur of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya won the first and third prizes in folk song competitions organised by the Rotary Club, Jalandhar. Students also bagged the first and third individual prizes. The college won overall trophies in both the competitions. Seminar on Sanskrit
A two-day seminar organised by the Department of Sanskrit on fate and human endeavour in Vedic literature’, at the Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, concluded successfully on Saturday. Chander Mohan, president, Arya Shiksha Mandal, was the chief guest. Campus placements
The HDFC Bank visited the campus of the Apeejay Institute of Management for a placement drive on Friday. The bank has signed a MoU with the institute and has been a regular visitor here for the past four years, recruiting students for a package of Rs 2.9 lakh. |
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Tipplers turn bold as eateries openly flout rules
Jalandhar, September 11 These joints are not only offering eatables to the customers but allowing them to consume liquor during odd hours as well. Though the city police had issued a prohibitory order under Section 144 of the Cr.PC and directed the owners of all liquor and wine shops as well as the dhabas to install CCTV cameras in their establishments and provide the footages to the police at regular intervals. Despite that, a majority of them have not complied with the guidelines. A visit by the Tribune team to various places, including those on the GT Road, revealed that these hot spots starts flooding with people after 8 pm and tipplers continue to enjoy their drinks in front of the eateries while sitting inside luxurious vehicles or in the open. Even, in eating joint located in one of the posh market- Hotel Town-where Gikky Sekhon was shot dead in April, a large number of them were found serving eatables and liquor during odd hours. This high profile murder case had cast doubts on the night patrolling carried out the police. The police authorities have failed to get roadside dhabas, eateries and taverns, which have become den of crime and criminals, closed till date. While the rural police has turned a blind eye towards these crime spots, it has also failed to keep a check on violators within its jurisdiction. Though the police forcibly closed a few dhabas, liquor vends and eateries after midnight, but it had to suspend the operation within two days. People are feeling insecure due to the spate of robberies, burglaries, thefts, snatching and clashes in the city. Though, the police is equipped with modern PCR vehicles for round-the-clock patrolling, it has failed to deal with the menace, Dilpreet Singh, a resident of Meethapur said. Shutters down Tipplers are often penalised under the Excise Act. A large number of roadside vends were closed during a drive launched against anti-social elements, after the city-based hotelier was murdered in April. The operation is still
on
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Ex-Army man’s house burgled
Jalandhar, September 11 The owners were not present in the house when this incident took place. Harbhajan Singh’s wife, who had gone to Dera Beas early in the morning, returned at about 11 am and found the house ransacked. Harbhajan, said burglars broke open cupboards and decamped with 45 tolas of gold jewellery and Rs 1 lakh in cash. A case has been registered in this regard. |
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No salaries, stipends, uniforms at schools under NCLP
Jalandhar, September 11 Run by the government and NGO INTUC (Indian National Trade Union Congress), the students of both the schools (the current batch started in 2010) have also not received their monthly stipends of Rs 100 (increased to Rs 150 in April 2011) since October 2010. Since their batch started, only Rs 600 has been received by students. Importantly, the stipend is one of the key factors to lure child labourers to NCLP schools. The school at Model House was started in 2000 and the one at Garha was started more recently. In both the schools, teachers use wood as cooking fuel because they have no cooking gas or stove. And at the model house school, a bucket and a cooking pot are all they have in the name of utensils to cook, store and serve food for 50 children. The food is cooked in the open and when Jalandhar Tribune team visited it, peon Pooja was using collected papers, plastic and silver foil spread on the little terrace of the school (run on the first floor of the Government Senior Secondary School, Garha) as fuel in the makeshift brick oven “to save wood”. Pooja said, “If I have to make kheer and dal on the same day, I first have to shift one of the dishes to the bucket to cook another one. We desperately need a pressure cooker and cooking gas. We also cook and store supplies in a room under the water tank because we don’t have a kitchen.” Another aspect that dampens the spirits of the students in both these schools is the lack of necessities like uniforms, school bags, stationary etc., things that other NGOs distribute regularly. Mandeep, the teacher in charge at the Model House school, says, “We are without salary and our students are without stipends. Both my father and mother are patients. I am the sole bread-earning member in our family. I have to pay my brother’s fee too. Earlier too, our salaries have regularly been delayed. There are times when I have called people 10 times a day for our funds and salaries. But they don’t respond. We have to beg for our hard-earned rights.” “Our electricity bills have also not been paid for a year because we are not getting the money. Rs 1,000, a month, have to be spent from our own pockets, on buying the wood itself. Recently, stationary was distributed to our school students by the Rotary Club (NGO). Students got these amenities after a time of 10 years, because our own NGO doesn’t bother.” Sunita Rani, in charge of the Garha school, says, “We haven’t been getting our salaries for more than six months. Earlier too, our salaries have been delayed. Though we were told arrangements for cooking gas and gas stoves will be made, we are yet to get them.” The schools also witness a problem of meagre attendance. While only 35 (out of 50) students were present at the Model House School (where students sew footballs and work at shops during the day) the problems at the school at Garha are even worse. Students there are mostly rag pickers and are very irregular. “It is an ordeal to get kids to class. On most days we don’t see more than 30 to 35 students. The school starts at 3 pm but teachers set out earlier to go to houses and shops to get kids to school. They don’t come otherwise,” says Garha school in charge Sunita
Rani. Official Speak ‘NGO responsible for not spending Central funds’ The funds from the central government’s Ministry of Labour have never been coming on time. It’s been like that for the past nine to ten years. We can only release them to the NGOs and NGOs further to the teachers when we get them from the ministry. INTUC, the NGO concerned, has also not been co-operating with us. Schools with other NGOs are better placed. We are planning to move these schools under the Rotary
Club. |
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Jalandhar, September 11
One person was killed in a mishap inside a shopping complex here on Saturday night.
Vicky, a resident of Abadpura locality, here was electrocuted in a restaurant in a mall in the Model Town.
The ETT Teachers’ Union took out a protest rally from Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall to the bus stand today.
Reiterating on their demands of shifting of the teachers under Zila Parishad to the education department and the constitution of a directorate for the remaining teachers, the speakers said the same had not been done despite issuance of orders.
Despite strict directions from the Gurdwara Election Commission, there has no stopping model code of conduct violations.
A number of hoardings, banners, posters and buntings still could be seen at Model Town locality, Preet Nagar Sodal road, near BMC Chowk flyover, Pathankot Chowk flyover, Alaska
Chowk, Doaba Chowk, Kacheheri Chowk and Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar.
