Amritsar, October 7
Piles of garbage are mounting in every nook and corner of the city, posing a serious health hazard for the inhabitants of the city as the state-wide strike launched by Safai Karamcharis continued for the third consecutive day today.

According to an estimate, more than 1500 tonnes of garbage is lying scattered in various parts of the city in the absence of any lifting. The conditions are pathetic in the old walled city where the refuse could be seen spilling over from the containers fixed by the Municipal Corporation for collection of garbage.

It is pertinent to mention here that the safai karamcharis all over the state, under the banner of the Safai Karamchari Sangharsh Morcha, have gone on strike in protest against the non-fulfilment of their demands. They have been demanding the cancellation of the allotment of the solid waste treatment plant to a private company, besides the regularisation of safai sewaks working under the Mohalla Sanitation Committees. They also want safai sewaks to be covered under a pension scheme.

Surinder Tona of the Municipal Corporation Workers Union (AITUC), which is supporting the Sangharsh Morcha, said that no breakthrough has been achieved till now and the strike may continue for a few more days.

“There are about 1200 safai karamcharis in the Municipal Corporation and we have resolved not to lift the garbage till our demands are met,”he said. There are about 441 posts of Safai Karamcharis which are vacant in the MC and the union has demanded their immediate filling up. He said the agitating corporation employees have also not been given the 40 per cent DA, as promised by the state government even as it has already been disbursed in many other government departments.

Meanwhile, the safai karamcharis today held a demonstration outside the Hall Gate. They marched towards the MC office at the Town Hall and raised slogans against the state government.

Heaps of garbage were seen in Putlighar Chowk, near Canal Office, Custom Chowk, Old Sabzi Mandi, Hall bazaar, Katra Bagian, inside Hathi Gate, Bagh Ramanand, Katar Moti Ram and every corner of the streets inside walled city, besides the Lawrence Road Chowk, Chheharta etc.

“Due to the festival season, the filth scattered in various parts of the city has put the residents to tremendous inconvenience. The authorities should immediately break the impasse between the safari workers and government otherwise it would become very difficult of the residents of the city especially for those whose residence falls near these garbage dumps,” said Manoj Kumar, a resident of the walled city.

B R Prenja, a resident of Jagdambay Colony pointed out that the heaps of garbage dumps at every nook and corner of the colony have become a health hazards as a large number of mosquitoes and flies could be seen buzzing around the trash. With the threat of dengue looming large, the corporation should make some alternative arrangements, he added.

“The huge garbage dumps could be a serious health hazard. Mosquitoes and flies emerged due to filth could lead to typhoid, cholera, malaria, dengue, jaundice and water-borne diseases,” said Dr Rajiv Sharma, a lecturer in Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.

Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal laying its foundation stone. Photo : Sameer Sehgal

Speaking out

Amritsar, October 7
Pawan Kumar, alias Latti, a resident of the Namak Mandi area inside the walled city here was stabbed to death by his real brother Kamal Kumar over a monetary dispute last evening. He was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at night.

On the statements of Sushil Kumar of Dhapai Mohalla inside Khazana Gate, the Gate Hakima police have registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC in this connection.

Jagbir Singh, the SHO, Gate Hakima police station said that Kamal was absconding,

Sushil, in his complaint, had stated that Kamal had borrowed some money from the deceased (a fruit vendor), Kamal had allegedly not returned the money and a quarrel began. Pawan came from Gali Kandharian side, had a verbal altercation with him. The verbal duel soon took an ugly turn when Kamal stabbed him with a pointed weapon used to break ice. He said the weapon penetrated into his heart and proved fatal for the deceased.

Amritsar, October 7
Remember how easy it was to just call up few friends and cousins home for a dinner? All you had to do was to prepare some quick yet yummy recipes, ask them to bring in some snacks and drinks and then enjoy the rest of the evening playing antakshari or gossiping. Well, things aren’t that easy now. Being a host means a big deal and needs a lot more than just arranging for few things. Planning a party or get-together demands perfection in terms of food, beverages, ambience and management. And yes, we are talking about a house party!

The festive season is the best time to plan a get-together and arrange house parties. And to make sure that your social success gets to the next level, there is a followed protocol. We call it good manners, the more cosmopolitan crowd likes to call it etiquette management. The idea of social niceties is as old as our civilisation (that’s why we call it ‘being civilised’, remember?) but some of us still struggle when put to practice. “Good manners are cultural. Everybody is taught to behave nicely when in school or at home. They always stand out. While planning social dos, the host is under public scrutiny and by following the basic rules of social etiquettes, one can become popular among one’s social circle,” says Harman Sidhu, a grooming expert providing etiquette training and grooming services in Chandigarh, Amritsar and Ludhiana. A consultant advisor for institutes like Frankfinn and ModelsVilla, Harman says that becoming a good host is a combination of things. But first things first. “Look good. Don’t go overboard with clothes and make-up but make sure that you look elegant and comfortable. Even a chipped nail can put off the guests.”

Neeru Gauri, centre head of INIFD and Flying Cats, Ranjit Avenue too agrees. “The best to wear is your smile. A smiling face makes the guests feel welcome. Also, it gives an impression of a confident body language.” Also, communication is the key to succeed.

“Be a good listener and try to interact with all the guests. But don’t force anything, be comfortable and words will just flow out. And its okay if you don’t speak good English, converse in Hindi, Punjabi or any other language you know. You should not look imposed upon,” she says.

}Always plan for the unexpected, be ready for anything from spills to extras. Sometimes you have tag-along guests, but don’t alienate them just because you don’t know them. If you don’t get along well with somebody at your party, don’t ignore them. Maintain a respectable distance but with a smile~

— Neeru Gauri, centre head, INIFD and Flying Cats

Amritsar, October 7
Over 120 exhibitors from India, New Zealand, Holland, Pakistan and Afghanistan opened their technology, merchandise and products to the industrialists and businessmen from the region on the inaugural day of the four-day Mega Expo, jointly organised by the CII and Punjab Government.

The exhibition, spread over more than 6,000 square meters, offers a platform for the businessmen to bring forth new investments and entrepreneurship opportunities for the future of Punjab.

Pakistani traders set up stalls of traditional apparels, footwear and crockery. Mohammad Qasim of Khussa House, Lahore, said it was for the first time that they had hold exhibition here and expected to generate lot of business queries and assignments. He said their belief was based on the fact that both the Punjabs in Pakistan and India shared similar culture, language and life style. It was but natural that the traditional footwear known as Khusa, worn both by men and women, would become sought after. He said they hold exhibitions annually at Delhi and Chandigarh apart from Nepal, Bangladesh and Dubai.

Traders from Afghanistan brought dry fruit items. A trader from Kabul, Mehraj, said his firm decided to take part in this exhibition as a large portion of their products were sold in Punjab. They decided to establish a direct contact with the people here.

Ludhiana-based Bhogal Cycles displayed their new products, like metal-made fancy rickshaw worth Rs 1,65,00, battery operated e-carts, customised carts for selling coffee and cooked food.

Key sectors like farm equipment, implements and machinery; engineering goods; auto and machine tools, leather and sports goods and tourist and hospitality were the major features of the exhibition.

The CII Punjab State Council and Destination Punjab Chairperson, Kamna Raj Aggarwala, said the event offered a great platform for showcasing their strength to the MSME’s, which forms the backbone of industry in the state.

The Mega Expo will offer panel discussions on ‘Increasing Linkages between Farmers and Agri-Retail Sector’, ‘Making Agriculture Remunerative for Marginal Farmers in Punjab’, ‘Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness’ and ‘Destination Punjab- Investment Opportunities in Tourism’. Industry-Institute interface will also be showcased through presentations on Prototype Development and Innovation Fund launched by IIT Ropar with support from the Punjab Technical University, to address the technology gap between research labs and commercial products.

Amritsar, October 7
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal unveiled the foundation stone of Heritage Village at Guru Nanak Dev University today. The university has given 11-acre for the project while the state government has given Rs 12 crore for its construction. Among others, the Vice Chancellor AS Brar, Registrar Dr Inderjit Singh, Tourism Minister Hira Singh Gabaria and the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Principal Secretary Geetika Kalha were present on the occasion.

In a separate programme, Vice Chancellor AS Brar inaugurated the two-day workshop on “Studies on Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Utilisation of Computer and Digital Technology.” The former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti presided over the workshop. Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Vice Chancellor Dr Gurnek Singh was the chief guest. Eminent Sikh scholar Dr Balkar Singh delivered the key-note address.

In another event in the university, more than 22 affiliated colleges of Jalandhar are participating in Guru Nanak Dev University’s Four-day Youth Festival of Zone C which kicked off today. The students would take part in various categories, including, music, theatre, dance, literary and fine arts.

Amritsar, October 7
It’s a case of one tourist destination becoming a tool of promotion for another. Rajasthan Tourism inaugurated its three-day event in the holy city that aims at promoting the state’s domestic tourist flow. Rajasthan Calling, as the initiatve is called, will be a trade activity followed by Mini Rajasthan Gallery that will focus on promoting food, art and cultural exchange.

“Rajasthan Tourism has grown from 17 to 22 per cent this year and even last year the tourist flow to the state crossed 10 lakh. Through Rajasthan Calling we aim to give visitors a pure Rajasthani experience, its rich heritage, with forts, palaces and lakes, colourful festivals and rich wildlife. Taking this across the nation, will help us to showcase state's tradition and culture and we have planned road shows across 24 cities like Mumbai, Lucknow, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Mysore between the months of October and December,” said Hanuman Mal Arya, assistant director, Department of Rajasthan Tourism. The event that opened at Park Hotel will have traditional Rajasthani handicrafts and specialities from different districts of Rajasthan. Going by the city’s love for food, it will also offer authentic Rajasthani cuisine.

The cultural attractions will include folk dances and performances like ghoomer, Kacchi Ghodi and kalbelia. “We hope the live dance performances and food court become hit amongst visitors. Being neighbours, we are sure to have a great response from this region for Rajasthan Calling 2011,” said Arya.