Jalandhar, December 15
The joint action committee (JAC) of lecturers of non-government colleges today blocked traffic for two hours on the busy Ladowali Road, putiing thousands of commuters to inconvenience.

While those on two-wheelers somehow manage to pass through the traffic jam and alternative routes, cars, auto-rickshaws and buses were left stranded. The agitated lecturers raised anti-government slogans and said that the government was harassing them. A huge posse of police was also deployed on the spot to avoid any untoward incident.

Since a majority of schools fall in the vicinity, children were also struck. An auto-rickshaw driver commuting from one of the alternative routes was left waiting for a long time. He said: "The pre-nursery children are already late in reaching home and I am getting phone calls from their parents."

Even city residents approaching the District Administrative Complex, the Jalandhar Commissioner's office, courts and the Tehsil Complex were also struck in a long traffic jam. 

Jalandhar, December 15
Encroachments on Garha Road by temporary vendors have virtually turned it into a narrow lane. This often leads to long traffic jams and inconvenience to commuters. However, the district administration seems to have kept its eyes shut to the rampant violations.

The problem has been compounded by the cemented divider between the road, which has further narrowed the road. The encroachers have set up shops juxtapose to the outer wall of Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT) and the Punjab Roadways Workshop for the past many years, but no official of the district administration ever dared to deal with them with stern hands.

Opposite to the vendors, a few shopkeepers have also extended their sales counters on the road, hence compounding the traffic problem.

Some encroachers said they had been running their shops for the past many years and if the district administration would try to displace them, the move could push them in utter penury and unemployment. “We have been earning our livelihood from these small shops and we will be left with no other option if the authorities remove our shops,” a vendor said.

Besides these encroachments, some private bus operators often park their buses virtually in the middle of the road without taking into care the traffic congestion. One of the shopkeepers alleged that buses of one of the operators, who is said to be close to politicians, are being parked on the road.

Similarly, a number of auto-rickshaws have made makeshift auto stand on Garha Road which often disrupt the smooth flow of traffic.

One of the bus operators alleged that due to illegal auto stand on the road, they are always stuck in traffic jams when their buses come out from the bus stand.

When contacted, Municipal Commissioner BS Dhaliwal said encroachments were always common outside the bus stand. He, however, said strict action would be taken against violators. 

Jalandhar, December 15
If you want to download a few landscape pictures as wallpapers, you can go to the official portal of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT), for this is the only service that the trust website is offering.

While any visitor to the site would expect details regarding new policies, notifications, certain forms, checklists and contact numbers of officials, none of the menus on the website, www.jld-jit.com, pop up to furnish any required details.

The only official detail available on the site is regarding the result of the draw of Surya Enclave Extension scheme, which was held on November 4. The site also flashes picture of the BMC Chowk flyover, which was constructed by the JIT this year.

Chairman of the Trust Baljit Singh Neelamahal has also proudly put up his picture on the website with a message, “Keeping in view the vision for development of Honourable S Parkash Singh Badal, I am feeling very glad to introduce this website for convenience.”

However, visitors to the site claim, “There is no convenience that we can get from the site. What is the idea of having a public portal when there is no information or online service available at all?” Perhaps for the same reason, there have been only 2,500 visitors to the website to date.

RTI activist Sanjay Sehgal asks: “What is the use of such half-hearted attempt which is of no good for the general public? The website should at least specify procedures for various works. If the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation and the improvement trusts in other cities can put in official details on their websites, why not the JIT? The Trust should also make minutes of its meetings public.”

Jalandhar, December 15
Agitated over the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government regarding the fulfilment of their demands, the lecturers of non-government colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh have decided to urge the students in their respective colleges not to caste their votes in favour of the SAD-BJP combine in the ensuing Assembly elections.

A decision in this regard was taken by members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), in which it was decided that as soon as the classes resume, they would inform the students about the failure of the government, hence the reason for not casting their votes in its favour.

While the strike has been further extended till December 17, the non-government colleges in the state remained closed for the third consecutive day today.

Convener of the JAC Dr Jaspal Singh Randhawa said, “Before commencing any lecture, all lecturers across the state will deliver a five-minute message to students requesting them not to cast their votes in favour of the SAD-BJP combine. We will definitely pursue this path as despite a week-long protest across the state, the government has failed to fulfil our demands.”

He said the government was humiliating the managements, principals, lectures and the non-teaching staff of the non-government colleges by not accepting their demands. “After holding meetings with the Cabinet subcommittee, the Principal Secretary, Finance Minister and Education Minister, yesterday the leaders of the Joint Action Committee met Local Bodies Minister Tikshan Sud on his invitation at Punjab Bhawan, but sadly that, too, was a big humiliation for the academicians,” he added.

Surprisingly, despite a message for meeting by adviser to the CM Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema and Chief Parliamentary Secretary KD Bhandari, the members of the JAC were left waiting till 10.30 pm at Punjab Bhawan.

“We sent repeated reminders about the meeting, but none of the government representatives agreed to offer us any help. This has shown the government’s concern towards the teaching fraternity”, the union members added.

Women Wing convener of the JAC Jasbir Kaur said they would hold “Rasta Rokko” till December 17 in all district headquarters.

Jalandhar, December 15
Residents of Model House, supported by former MC councillor Major Singh, held a dharna at Mata Rani Chowk today for nearly an hour protesting against the decision of the MC to construct a centre verge on the road.

While Major Singh has been claiming that the construction of the divider would lead to congestion on the road, his rival Deputy Mayor Parvesh Tangri is all out to restart its construction in the next few days. The protesters even burnt tyres. The issue had even been discussed in the recent MC House meeting. It had been decided that the councillors of ward numbers 48, 50, 54 and 58, in whose area the road fell, should sit down and settle the issue. However, no meeting has been conducted and the issue remains unresolved.

The supporters of Deputy Mayor Parvesh Tangrii and Major Singh had clashed last month as well on the same issue.

Jalandhar, December 15
The district Department of Posts today organised a philately exhibition, “Sampex-30”, in which more than 20 philatelists across the state showcased their collections of stamps.

Gopal Singh, Deputy Director of Accounts (Postal), Kapurthala, inaugurated the exhibition.

The exhibition showcased postage stamps of various countries but the majority of stamps were of India.

Contrary to the expectation, only a few youngsters were seen on the occasion. Rajeev Kouli, member of the Jalandhar Philatelic Club, said he had been pursuing the hobby for the past many years.

He said he had collected numbers of old commemorative stamps, whose prices at that time were just a few paisa, but now their value was in thousands of rupees.

Another philatelist felt that the exhibition had turned materialistic as most of the philatelists were selling their old collected stamps. “If we will sell off our old and antique stamps, which we have been preserving for a long time, our hobby will no longer persist,” he alleged.

Bawa Surjit Singh Bhalla, an elderly philatelist from Ferozepur, exhibited some commemorative postage stamps of the pre and post-independence era. “Despite busy schedule, I always spare time for this activity, which gives me pleasure and knowledge.”

Though some students turned up at the exhibition, but due to the lack of guides at stamp counters, they could not know much about the stamps and the hobby.