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Teachers’ agitation: GNDU VC shifts stance
Crops on either side of border fence aid smuggling activity
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Much ado about ‘uninvited’ CM’s visit
This chef loves to cook creatively
‘Ply Duronto on Friday and Sunday too’
Passengers chafe & bear the brunt of railway station space crunch
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Teachers’ agitation: GNDU VC shifts stance
Amritsar, October 10 Brar categorically stated today that both the cases-dismissal of Dr GS Bhalla, senior professor of the Department of Commerce and Business Management and the removal of Dr Balwinder Singh as the head of the same department would be reconsidered in the next Syndicate meeting. Besides this, cases of those teachers whose dates of promotions had been altered by the selection committee, too can be reviewed after seeking the opinion of the UGC. “Though both Dr GS Bhalla and Dr Balwinder Singh have committed serious dereliction in performing their duties, yet their cases can be reviewed. Balwinder was asked to step down as the head of the department pending a probe against him for not issuing roll numbers to five students who were eligible as per the 66 per cent attendance eligibility criteria. Dr Bhalla had reported internal assessment of the students in a very irresponsible manner. He recommended an internal assessment for those students also who were not even in his class. He also admitted to the lapse on his part in the Syndicate. Nevertheless, any action against Dr Bhalla would be taken only after observing his response to the show-cause notice, which is yet to be served upon him,” he said. Regarding the cases of those teachers who alleged that UGC norms had been compromised while changing their dates of promotions, Brar said, “The affected teachers can approach the UGC directly and whatever the recommendations we receive from the UGC, will be implemented. No rules were flouted in this regard,” he said. Balwinder Singh, president of the GNDU Teachers’ Association said, “Though the V-C had sent some positive signals to resolve the issues but on the other hand he had issued a circular to pinpoint those teachers who had raised their voice against the alleged arbitrary decisions of the authorities. We have unanimously decided to continue our agitation. It is the intent of the VC to pressurise and threaten the faculty and we will not buckle under such attitude. Either he should change himself or quit as V-C on moral grounds,” he said. No classes
Teaching work on the campus remained affected during the two-hour strike by teachers for the second day
today
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Crops on either side of border fence aid smuggling activity
Amritsar, October 10 The crops act as a cover for the smugglers which also helped in escaping from the spot if their movements were caught by the vigilant eyes of the Border Security Force jawans. In winters the problems aggravated due to adverse conditions and dense fog around the open planes of alongside the highly sensitive Indo-Pak border as these smugglers are not easy to be spotted. Keeping this in view, the Border Security Force authorities have sounded an alert along side indo-pak border and issued instructions to Jawans to keep up strong vigil at the barbed border fence. Admitting this Additional Director General of Border Security Force, Himmat Singh Gill said high growth of crop coupled with darkness during nights provides a cover to the smugglers to carry out their nefarious activities. “We are aware of this as past history also corroborates the fact that smuggling activities increases during harvesting of crops and in winters. We have, therefore, instructed our jawans to step up vigil on the border. We had issued operational guidelines to strengthen border domination so as to effectively check the menace of narcotics smuggling on the Punjab border with Pakistan,” said Gill. Border Security Force field units consequently enhanced their vigil on border and have successfully thwarted attempts of smugglers on Punjab border, he added. Due to the preventive measures taken by the Border Security Force the smuggling activities has comparatively came down during this year. We have also arrested a number of persons this year. “Every yard of border fence is sensitive. That why we have instructed to put every Border Security Force jawan on fence in order to stem the smuggling problem during nights,” said Additional Director General, BSF, said. He claimed that the total seizure in last couple of days is one of the biggest seizures of contraband in a single day during the last more than a decade. official speak We are aware of this as history also corroborates the fact that smuggling activities increases during both the harvesting season and in winter. We have, therefore, instructed our jawans to step up vigil on the border. We had issued operational guidelines to strengthen border domination so as to effectively check the menace of narcotics smuggling on the Punjab border with Pakistan — himmat singh gill, additional director general, bsf
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Much ado about ‘uninvited’ CM’s visit
Amritsar, October 10 While the invitation for the exhibition stated that the Chief Minister would be the chief guest on the occasion, sources close to the CM said that the visit to Amritsar was never on his itinerary today. He addressed two functions in Mohali and Ludhiana, respectively. But the Amritsar visit was not scheduled. Not only the CM but the MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, was also stated to be the guest of honour on the invitations. Another politician, MLA Bikram Singh Majithia was to speak on “Amritsar - India’s Gateway to Central Asia”. As per the invitation, the function was to start at 3 pm with welcome remarks by the CII Northern Region Chairman Vijay K Thadani, followed by brief on Destination Punjab by the CII Punjab State Council Chairperson, Kamna Raj Aggarwalla and an address on “Road Ahead for Punjab Industry,” by the CII Punjab State Council Vice-Chairman Deepak Mittal. Kamna said that the CII had cancelled the event as the CM had expressed his inability to attend it. Besides, Sidhu and Majithia had already visited the exhibition and had held detailed discussions over the state’s industry and its future requirements. She said that keeping these things in view, they had cancelled the valedictory function. She accepted the slip-up in not informing the media and other participants regarding the cancellation of the event before time. She said the CII was not sure about the CM’s and other leaders’ visit. “That’s why we had got a footnote printed on the card itself that said these people were invited. It was not sure whether they would turn up or not,” she added.
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Pak jutti makers, rich in craft, poor in profits
Amritsar, October 10 Afzal, hailing from Lahore had put up a stall for Punjabi juttis stall in the CII’s convention and was happy to sell a good lot. “Though we have earned a distinct name in the world when it comes to making Punjabi juttis but our government does not help us prosper.
Though, jutti making has been declared as a cottage industry in Pakistan yet in the absence of a policy, the government seldom extends a helping hand to us in terms of providing us any subsidy,” he said. The depleting value of their currency in comparison to India has also hit the industry, he says. “We always look forward to get knowledge about consumer fairs being held in India because people here do not mind paying for juttis. These come to nearly Rs 400 or 450 here but this amount when converted in to Pakistani currency adds up to more than Rs 650, which is a bit on the higher side,” he said. “Secondly, we do all the nitty-gritty of juttis, right from processing leather to the embroidery job done by hand only. It is a very tough and a time-consuming exercise, yet the government never spared a thought to help us,” he said. On the other hand, another seller Satish Kumar said Punjabi juttis from Pakistan are replicated here after some modifications. It sells like hot cakes here, he said. “There is not an iota of doubt that it is their forte when it comes to making stylish and trendy Punjabi juttis. They generally craft it out of thick leather known as tauri which is otherwise not very comfortable to wear. People here specifically ask for Pakistani style juttis. We just replicate their designs and add some comfortable features like pasting extra padding to it through our craftsmen from Bareilli. Similarly, we try to replicate their designs because they are very innovative in embroidery work, embellishing stones, beads and other accessories. Still, it is a profitable business for us. Foreign tourists or even domestic tourists from other states make it a point to buy at least one pair of this traditional footwear. We do not end up before pocketing in at least 20 per cent margin in it,” he said.
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world mental health day
Amritsar, October 10 The extent to which these patients are being ignored can be gauged from the hapless faces we see wandering on city roads and streets unattended and uncared for in our cities in a rush to go past them any day. Common people or authorities do not seem to give any thought to their plight. On paper it is the duty of the police department to get such patients admitted to mental hospitals. With their inform minds these people can even be a threat to the people or even the law and order situation. The police has to present them in the court. "Sometimes policemen from other districts bring such patients, but it is rare that policemen from the city bring the mentally-ill patients wandering in the city to hospitals because of the cumbersome procedure, both administrative and judicial, involved in it," said Dr BL Goyal, director, Dr Vidya Sagar Institute of Mental Health. The hospital caters to patients from Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh besides other parts of North India, he says. Unfortunately, the mental hospital authorities could not intervene on their own without the support of proper procedures followed by the police, any individual or an NGO. It's a pity that even NGOs dither on working in this direction, he said. “We have been trying to involve several NGOs to identify and admit mentally-ill patients to hospitals. However, all efforts to motivate them could not bear fruit due to the social stigmas attached to it," Dr Goyal said. The number of beds at this hospital, which began functioning in 1949 with a capacity of 811 beds, has been reduced to a mere 350 bed hospital, he added. Call it ignorance or indifference, many abandon their wards suffering from mental illness. The situation is worse in the rural areas, where such patients are even kept under inhuman conditions. They are chained and treated like an animal, Dr Goyal said. "In every village we could find 5 to 6 persons who are mentally ill and require treatment. The families in the rural areas chain and keep such patients in a room while in the urban areas they are abandoned on the roads," he said. "According to reports, one to 1.50 per cent of people suffer from mental illness and require hospitalisation." In March, the then Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Kahn Singh Pannu, had directed officials to identify such patients in their respective areas and get them admitted to the mental hospitals. The administration had even prepared a list of 400-500 such patients. They also urged the family members to get them admitted for treatment. A number of such patients can be seen near the railway station, the bus stand, cross-sections and even outside religious shrines. How to reach out
official speak I will find out the legal provisions in this regard. Whatever the legal provisions, I will ask department officials to look into the matter and shift mentally-ill persons wandering on the city roads to hospitals — R P Mittal, Police Commissioner, Amritsar
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This chef loves to cook creatively
Amritsar, October 10 Sharing his kitchen secrets and first hand experience of a Punjabi hospitality, Pawan doesn’t minces words, “The only place I mince is in my kitchen,” he jokes. “But the fact remains that a Punjabi never compromises on his food habits. If he want a mirchi parantha, he wants just that.” But working in Amritsar for the past ten years now, he has learnt his way to innovate, keeping the Punjabi flavour intact. “Innovation here doesn’t go beyond the Punjabi tastes. So, I work around my recipes in a way that both remain satisfied,” says the chef who is a celebrity in his own right. Cooking being his passion for the last 15 years, Pawan has worked with Sanjiv Kapoor at Khana Khazana in Dubai, then shifting to the Burj group, and finally coming to India with the Sarovar group of hotels. “I spent two and a half years in West Asia, serving Punjabi food. It is an all- time hit there. Then I shifted to India and after stints at Mumbai, Delhi, I settled in Amritsar, The place to be for a foodie.” Heading the kitchen at Best West Merrion, Pawan did what he does best. Innovate. His usual recipes with a twist are a highlight in the hotel’s menu. But there is no secret ingredient here, just a different treatment. “Like Gulab-e-gulkand, which is a gulab jamun stuffed with gulkand served with orange syrup. Or a mutton seekh kebab that is marinated with a mix of mutton and chicken,” he says. Fusion food or innovation, everyone’s loving it. “Fusion food or health food, their tastes are changing and ever-evolving. As chefs, we have to prepare what guests want.” Also, Pawan feels that since more and more people are globe-trotting, their tastes too have evolved. “They know what Italian, Mexican or Oriental cuisine is and so they don’t mind experimenting. No one wants to eat the same stuff every time thay come out to eat. Variety is the pick of the season.” And so it keeps him on his toes and brain-storming sessions are a regular feature in his kitchen. “I make sure every department from bakery to restaurant to coffee shop has its individual brand statement.”
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‘Ply Duronto on Friday and Sunday too’
Amritsar, October 10 Bhatia said, “According to an estimate, the maximum number of passengers, including students from Amritsar to Chandigarh or vice-versa, prefer to travel on these two days because of holidays. Therefore, there would be a great rush on these days, as compared to other working days, thus benefiting the Duronto train which is running in losses. Terming it a deliberate attempt to ‘derail’ its operations, he alleged in a press conference here that the ruling SAD-BJP government was behind all this mess as a majority of private buses are owned by its leaders, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. “They do not want this train to continue as it would result in great financial loss to their private transport business,” he alleged. Criticising the civic administration, Bhatia questioned the loading and unloading of buses from the Hall Gate area, where private AC buses park their vehicles and from there take the passengers to their destinations, displaying a scant regard for all rules and regulations. He appealed to the Deputy Commissioner to stop the plying of illegal buses which were running without any permits on different routes.
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Passengers chafe & bear the brunt of railway station space crunch
Amritsar, October 10 Being a border town, many long-route trains start and conclude their journey here. Most of the trains either arrive or depart in the morning or in the evening, leaving the limited space at the station and yard gasping. Built in 1859 by the British, the station requires a spacious area for servicing trains and reducing congestion. No new platform has been added to the station for the past many decades; however, the number of trains is steadily rising. As a result, thousands of passengers, including tourists, have to endure pangs of waiting at nearby railway stations or at secluded places. About two years ago an attempt was made to add two platforms but the project was abandoned due to technical reasons. Even after so many years no effort was made to resume the work. On the top of it, the Shatabdi Express and Swaran Shatabdi Express have been stationed in this railway station for nearly 11 hours. The railway authorities do not have an alternative place where they can park these trains. The trains are parked here for washing and cleaning purposes and this blocks the way for other trains. The passengers are obviously annoyed with the railway authorities due to this inconvenience. A merchant of retail apparels, Surjit Singh, said he travels to Delhi every Saturday night to procure material for the week. He generally takes the train back on Sunday afternoon. “Normally it is Hirakund which departs from the Delhi Railway Station at 3:15 pm for Amritsar and reaches at around 11 pm,” he said. He rued that the train generally waits at Manawala station for some time. Passengers who travel in Sachkhand Super Express trains and other trains, which run on the Amritsar-Jammu railway line, share similar grievances. The then Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in the 2009 railway budget named the Amritsar Railway Station as one of the 50 stations in India which has ‘world-class’ service. Apart from the budgetary allocation, the Centre had also prepared a plan to upgrade this station in 2006. However, nothing constructive has taken place till date. The Divisional Railway Manager, Vishwesh Chaubey, said, “The approved plan changed during the construction. However, the work would begin again. Revision of the plan is under active consideration. The remodelling of the Amritsar yard is the top priority of the division.”
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Vendors sell eatables in unsafe building
Amritsar, October 10 These vendors have even made seating arrangements for their customers under the roof of the building. Lying unused for years, long grass has grown over the top of the building, which by itself is a clear indication of the constant risk the building poses to those sitting underneath it. As it is obvious for the owner of these eateries to feign ignorance about the risk of sitting under an unsafe building, their customers too seem to be taking it lightly. Talking to The Tribune, an advocate Sanjeev Kumar said, “The building is unsafe and everybody knows it. This was one of the reasons why offices from this place were shifted elsewhere.” Apart from the building in question, there are few more buildings which were abandoned a few years ago. The administration has not yet taken a decision to demolish these buildings, a decision which would solve the problem of congestion to a great extent. Balwinder Singh, a shopkeeper in courts complex said, “After demolishing these buildings, new ones can be constructed which can be rented out to small-time shopkeepers here.” Navjeet Singh Turna, general secretary of the bar association said, “The matter would be discussed with the concerned authorities.” He added that general public and workers should avoid going under these buildings. There had been few incidents in the where advocates and administration were at logger-heads because the latter had tried to demolish chambers constructed by few lawyers, stating these to be illegal. The abandoned and unsafe constructions, which are posing public to risk, were not demolished, rued lawyers.
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