J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

PPCB begins training of firemen at brick kilns
Patiala, November 21
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has started giving training to firemen working at various brick kilns in the state. As many as 500 firemen were given training during the past week.


A view of a brick kiln in Rajpura. Tribune photo: JS Virdi

PPCB to appoint vendors for disposal of e-waste
Patiala, November 21
In view of the ever increasing electronic goods in the state, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to appoint vendors for the safe disposal of waste of electronic items called e-waste.

900 net houses set up in Punjab for quality vegetables 
Hoshiarpur, November 21
To improve the quality of fruits and vegetables and to increase the yield, more than 900 net houses have been set up in Punjab of which 150 are in Hoshiarpur district.

Are sniffer dogs turning into white elephants?
Gurdaspur, November 21
In Gurdaspur district, sniffer dogs have proved to be totally inefficient in detecting crime.

2 killed in road mishaps
Hoshiarpur, November 21
Two persons have been killed in separate road accidents in the district since last evening.

PPCB begins training of firemen at brick kilns
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

PPCB to appoint vendors for disposal of e-waste
Gagan K. Teja/TNS

Patiala, November 21
In view of the ever increasing electronic goods in the state, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to appoint vendors for the safe disposal of waste of electronic items called e-waste.

Talking to mediapersons, PPCB chairman KS Pannu said globalisation, consumerism, economic affluence and modern day requirements had led to exponential increase in e-waste.

He said fast revolution of technology upgradation in the production and quality of electronic goods resulted in sharp fall in the prices of such gadgets. “This has also increased the tendency of discarding the old items rather repairing them. The e-waste includes computer, laptops, mobile phones, LCD/LED, air conditioners, TV and washing machines etc. which contribute significantly to the production of mercury, lead, cadmium, and chromium-rich toxic e-waste. Such e-waste can pose major health hazards if not managed and disposed of properly. Further, many microprocessor-based gadgets also contain metals like gold and silver which can be recovered and recycled,” he added.

He further said approximately 10,000 MT of e-waste was produced in Punjab during the last year and this quantity was likely to increase this year and in the years to come.

Keeping in view the toxicity and dumping problem of e-waste, an urgent need was felt to create an e-waste management, recycling, disposal and treatment facility in the state. At present, there is no e-waste disposal facility in this part of the country.

Pannu said they had already invited expressions of interest from reputed organisations to set up collection, dismantling, recycling and safe disposal centres in the state. The facility shall be made available to the consumers during the next fortnight. The bulk consumers like government departments, private and public enterprises, besides general public and dealers of electronic items shall have the facility of proper disposal of e-waste in a scientific manner.

900 net houses set up in Punjab for quality vegetables 
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, November 21
To improve the quality of fruits and vegetables and to increase the yield, more than 900 net houses have been set up in Punjab of which 150 are in Hoshiarpur district.

Disclosing this here yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Dipinder Singh said to encourage farmers for opting to sow vegetables and fruits the State government had formed Punjab Farmers Commission which had been providing subsidy of Rs 50,000 each per kanal to the farmers when they opt for net farming. A farmer can build net houses up to 4 kanals in his land. In Hoshiarpur district farmers of Mirzapur, Lambra, Bulhowal, Ajowal, Mahilpur, Garhshankar, Makhanpur, Budi Pind, Khanpur and Thiara had built 150 net houses and are growing vegetables round the year and are earning huge profits.

They are growing vegetables, including cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, green beans, cauliflower, advance and late spinach and coriander. Net agriculture had not only improved the quality and production of vegetables but had also increased the income of marginal farmers. The former Minister, Punjab, Naresh Thakur, who had recently opted for vegetable agriculture said on the account of increase in the population, farmers are unable to grow vegetables as per the requirement. Farmers should opt this profession to improve their income.

Horticulture Development Officer Dr Naresh Kumar said there was a great scope for growing vegetables and fruits in the district. 1,370 hectares of land is under horticulture in Punjab and also 70 per cent subsidy is given on horticulture. To cultivate fruits poly houses were being established in the district. Farmers are regularly being sent to other states where they get training in latest technology.

To cultivate vegetables and fruits through net houses with organic method, Punjab Farmers Commission had registered various societies. Drip Irrigation could also be introduced to increase the production for which soil conservation department would provide subsidy. He said there is a dire need for opening of tissue-culture laboratories in the district.

Are sniffer dogs turning into white elephants?
More than Rs 6 lakh is spent on sniffer dogs
Ravi Dhaliwal/TNS

Gurdaspur, November 21
In Gurdaspur district, sniffer dogs have proved to be totally inefficient in detecting crime.

There are four dogs in the police lines named Brutal, Daring Boy, Gypsy and Fighter. They normally can be seen at the scenes of crime or are set up against criminals in an attempt to identify their hideouts.

However, the contents of an RTI reveal that in the last five years these dogs have either not been used by police or they have failed to detect crime. The police officials admitted that “the dogs are more or less White Elephants.”

Police stations at Puranashala, Taragarh, Behrampur, Dorangla and Tibber have never pressed the dog squad into service even once in the last five years.

Narot Jaimal Singh, Kahnuwan and Dinanagar police stations have used dog squard but the success rate has been zero. However, Dhariwal police station officials have unsuccessfully used the dog squad to solve seven robbery and two murder cases.

All the four dogs are between the ages of 8 to 10 years. Each dog is given a daily diet of 2kg including 400 grams of milk, 400 grams of dog feed and four eggs.

The amount spent on each dog comes out to be Rs 13,800 per month which means that police department has spent more than Rs 6 lakh per annum.

However, Gurdaspur SSP Varinder Pal Singh said these animals are immensely useful when it comes to detecting explosives during public rallies. “Recently, we pressed the squad into service during the World Cup Kabaddi match held here. We also use them during political gatherings to ensure that no untoward incident happens. Moreover, thieves and other criminals these days have gone hi-tech and seldom leave room for getting traced by a dog.”

Romesh Mahajan, Project Director of the Red Cross De-addiction centre here has a solution. “We have reports that every third household in Gurdaspur is on drugs and that school and college children consume drugs in their respective institutions. It will be good if dogs, trained to sniff drugs, are used in schools. 

2 killed in road mishaps

Hoshiarpur, November 21
Two persons have been killed in separate road accidents in the district since last evening.

According to police sources, Jaswant Singh of Megowal Gunjia died on the spot when an unknown vehicle hit the motorcycle he was riding.

In another accident, Bhagat Ram of Kunta died on the spot when an unknown vehicle hit the bicycle he was riding while he was going to his village.

The Bulhowal police has registered cases. — OC