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Election code gone, defacement on
Department not serious about eradicating child labour problem from the city
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Sunday market adds to traffic chaos at Jyoti Chowk
Progressive farmers honoured at Agri Fair
Give salaries and fulfil promises: Computer teachers to govt
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Election code gone, defacement on
Jalandhar, March 11 At the city’s busiest interjections like Rama Mandi Chowk, BSF Chowk, PAP Chowk, BMC Chowk, Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, Nakodar Chowk, Football Chowk and the GT Road all that meets the eyes is billboards with congratulatory messages for the victorious candidates. As if this was not enough, huge billboards by various religious groups for the upcoming Ram Navmi celebrations have also been put up at every nook and corner of the city. Amidst the billboard race, one interesting goof by enthusiastic party workers came to the fore. While the SAD-BJP government is yet to go in for the swearing-in ceremony on March 14 at Chappar Chiri, enthusiastic supporters of the Leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Bhagat Chunni Lal, put up a huge billboard at Rama Mandi mentioning him as the “Local Bodies Minister”. The billboard bearing the pictures of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bhagat Chunni Lal and a host of local BJP supporters had overwhelming congratulatory messages written in Punjabi on it. Similarly, billboards of BJP MLA from the Jalandhar (Central) constituency Manoranjan Kalia have also been put up in a large number. While some mention congratulatory messages, others have Kalia thanking the voters of his constituency for his victory in the Assembly elections. Although party workers termed the billboard race as “enthusiasm” among them, but residents maintained that the city had adorned a clean look during the implementation of code of conduct in the state. “Ever since the code of conduct came into force on December 24, 2011, the city had turned more clean and beautiful. There should be strict rules and laws like the code of conduct to curb the defacement of the public properties,” said Avinash Singh, a retired teacher. City residents said at some places the billboards were put up during night. “The party workers did not spare a minute in putting up billboards across the city. Wherever one goes in the city, all that meets the eyes is billboards of political leaders. It seems that even the administration implement the defacement Act only during the elections, else the Act remains on papers only,” said Manjit Singh, a senior citizen. |
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Department not serious about eradicating child labour problem from the city
Jalandhar, March 11 Despite the fact that the Deputy Commissioner (DC) wrote to the Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) prompted by a complaint to him by an activist of a local NGO regarding rampant child labour in the city on February 29, no action has been taken by the Labour Department, nor have any raids been conducted to deal with the menace of child labour. The Tribune has copies of both the letters (from the NGO to the DC and from the DC to the ALC). The NGO’s complaint letter, which was sent to the DC on December 27, states, “As per a survey conducted by the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), a large number of bonded/child labourers have been found in the city who work at hotels/dhabas/sweet shops/zari workshops, etc, on negligible wages and insufficient food for 12 to 14 hours..” The letter states that complaints had also been made to the DC on the matter previously. The letter states, “Despite the presence of a special task force in the district, as per the Punjab Action Plan constituted by the Punjab and Harayan High Court, why hasn’t the district administration acted on the BBA’s complaints so far? Isn’t it a disregard of the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court?” The DC’s letter to the ALC categorically demands a report on the matter from him within seven days. Dinesh Kumar, activist of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), while talking to The Tribune, said, “I had also forwarded a complaint on the matter to the National Human Rights Commission from whom I also received an acknowledgement letter on February 9.” “I have brought the matter to the notice of the district administration time and again and the NGO has always offered to share its knowledge of places where child labour is rampant, but the response from the Labour Department has been dismal,” Dinesh Kumar added. When contacted, Assistant Labour Commissioner Bipin Parmar (who has additional charge of Jalandhar) said, “I do not remember any such letter at the moment. Though I am aware that complaints such as these keep coming to us from time to time and I instruct the labour inspectors to fix the matter.” When asked when was the last time when special drives or raids to rescue child labourers were last conducted in the city, he said it was on the week following Children’s Day and no special drives or raids had been carried out after that. “Our labour inspectors are on the lookout for such cases during regular inspections,” the ALC said. Dinesh Kumar had sent letters to the Deputy Commissioner on September 13, October 7 and December 9 last year and to the Assistant Labour Commissioner on September 19 and November 14, but since after the week-long raids after Children’s Day, no raid has been carried out so far. Labour Department officials with additional charges
Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) Bipin Parmar only has additional charge of the city, while he is posted at Kapurthala. He said he only visits the district on Mondays and Tuesdays and also another day of the week according to the district’s need. This is also one of the major causes that has made the child labour eradication measures in the district suffer. The two labour officers of the district also have the additional charge of Jalandhar, while they are posted elsewhere (Ludhiana and Nawanshahr). As per experts, to deal with the child labour woes of the city properly, a permanent posting of the key officers is required. |
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Sunday market adds to traffic chaos at Jyoti Chowk
Jalandhar, March 11 It seems that the Municipal Corporation (MC) has been keeping its eyes shut on such encroachments as it has not taken any action against the encroachers. “These vendors, who mainly deal in selling secondhand winter clothes, erect temporary shops alongside the road on every Sunday, which often leads to long traffic jams,” Priyanka Jain, a local resident, alleged. Amandeep Singh, a private company’s employee, while cursing the authorities alleged that neither the officials of the Municipal Corporation, nor the traffic police were taking any action against the encroachers. The proximity of such encroachments to the Civil Hospital and Fire Brigade Department was a matter of great concern, Kapil Dev, a local resident, said. Residents demand that the authorities should allot separate place to these vendors at some other place to ease out the daily traffic chaos. Fire officials feel that in case of fire, these encroachments could prove hindrance for the rescue team. Surinder Pal Singh, Station House Officer of Division No 4 police station, said he would not allow the auto-rickshaw drivers to stop their vehicles on the way. About encroachments, he said, it was the duty of the Municipal Corporation to remove them. |
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Olympians honour Pargat Singh at Sansarpur
Jalandhar, March 11 As expected the event turned out to be more “emotional” than “planned” as Pargat could not stop himself from stepping on the Astroturf, which was all set to witness a friendly practice match between budding hockey players. He took a hockey and started hitting the ball, amidst loud cheers. Pargat received a warm welcome with marigold garlands and a shower of flowers from senior Olympians, namely Col Haripal Kaushik (retd), Col Balbir Singh, DIG Balbir Singh (retd), Varinder Singh and Jagjit Singh Kular, and a host of international and national hockey players. Pargat thanked everybody with folded hands and a gleam in his eyes. Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, Pargat said, “I am short of words at this honour. It is because of hockey that I have reached this stage in my life and now the payback time has arrived. Hockey needs revival and today when I have scaled a new height, it becomes my duty to uplift this national game of the country.” To a query that whether he was keen for the Sports Ministry, Pargat said, “Be it sports or any other field, it would be my effort to wean away the youth from drugs through sports. I have always believed in hard work and be it sports or politics, my approach would remain the same.” When asked about the minimal share of job quota for the sportspersons
in different state departments, he said that it would be his attempt to increase and help create job options for players, which in turn would promote the game too. “Players end up in misery with no job avenues and this is where I would like to help give a fillip to sports,” he added. Col Balbir Singh, national selector of hockey, also addressed the gathering and highlighted the glorious history of Sansarpur in the world of hockey. Col Balbir demanded a “Punjab hockey heritage” to be built at Sansarpur on the lines Khalsa Heritage project at Anandpur Sahib. “We should construct a Punjab hockey heritage at Sansarpur with rare memorabilia of hockey players so that the future generations learn about the glorious past of this village. It would be a befitting tribute to this historic village,” he added. Earlier in the evening, Pargat also held a road show at the Top Khana bazaar and Lal Kurti area and Garha locality of the cantonment to thank the electorate for his victory. |
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Keeping Delightful history alive
Jalandhar, March 11 The Tribune takes a look at two of these places - one for the sweet-toothed, another for those who like it tangy - which have been a cause for delight among city foodies since the country’s Independence. Standing right at the opening points of two city bazaars, both of them were set up by people who started up a little establishment to eke out a living. Their honesty and hard work bore fruit and the once fledgling enterprises are now one of the oldest and most trusted desi snack outlets in the city. Naaz Golgappas
This outlet, which offers mouth watering golgappas and chat, has been running for the past 64 years. Coming to India after the partition, its owner Fakir Chand did not have enough choices to earn his livelihood. A golgappa stall seemed like the only choice to make a start at a business in post-partition India. With his house in Imam Nassar, Fakir Chand started a stall at the place where Shiekhan Bazaar begins. Aged only 15 back then, his hard work and passion to serve the very best and cleanest to his customers made his only choice turn to gold as business flourished and the humble establishment became an ‘adda’ for foodies. Situated right next to the popular Naaz Theatre, the stall got its name from its neighbour. The theatre has closed down, but the golgappas still do brisk business with hordes of takers in the city. The outlet has also branched out. While Chand’s younger son and grandson (elder son’s son) hold two stalls at their old shop, his elder son has started another outlet in the inner bazaar area. They say if you get a golgappa’s meetha (sweet) and khatta (sour) pani right, half the battle is won. Chand has mastered that art. While golgappa vendors mostly use imli (tamarind) for the essential mix, he relies more on sukka amb (dry mango) called Bakria, which he boils to a particular point to attain the right density and sourness of his tangy golgappa waters. The family now gets readymade golgappas, but prepares its own pani. All his masalas are also specially bought from a certain relied shop in the bazaar, whuch they have been playing clients to, for decades now. “The cleanliness of what we serve our customers has always been top priority. You can’t rely on any shop for the quality and purity of masalas (spices) so we have a fixed shop which we know provides the freshest masalas. Also for the golgappa pani, sukka amb is the right choice. It gives you just the right tangy mix. Our customers have always loved it.” He is also proud that his prices are meant for the aam admi. Elsewhere, they give four golgappas for Rs 20 but we give five for Rs 10. At their cleanest, mouth-watering selves, this is the best bet our customers get for the golgappas, so they stick to us,” says Fakir Chand. While the younger generation has embraced the business, Fakir Chand still visits his shop near Naaz Theatre an hours a day and plans to keep up with the routine for as long as he can. Jalebi joint on Jail Road The oldest jalebi joint in the city, it is not your regular jalebi place where you stuff yourselves with a mouthful of fatty sweet delights. Situated right at the point where bazaar goes into the gur mandi, this jalebi is known as much for its magical, therapeutic powers as for its hot, gilded, sweet, deliciousness which (no kidding) has made many eaters swoon. The joint was started by the Late Shri Banarsi Das in 1947. Its characteristic, crisp, melt-in-the-mouth opulence is owed to the fact that, unlike the usual jalebi batters, is prepared with a mix of maida and moong dal. It is said to cure colds and sore throats and the same is also partly the secret behind the long, growing list of customers. Legend also has it that its therapeutic powers have even been endorsed by a medical practitioner. Ashok Kumar, current shop owner and son of Banarsi Das, nods, in a rather matter-of-fact manner, “A hakeem (physician) at Bazaar Nauhrian used to send all his patients with cold or cough to us. If you take some jalebis of ours and gulp them down with boiled milk you will surely get rid of cold or sore throat. We have all kinds of customers who have come and told us it works.” Although the shop is an evergreen favourite among customers, it is still operates from the little shop which it started in. “The shop is more than sufficient for us to run the business from. So we never felt the need to expand,” says Ashok Kumar. At Rs 10 per three jalebis and Rs 120 per kg, it is also pretty reasonable. |
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Progressive farmers honoured at Agri Fair
Jalandhar, March 11 He advised the farmers to use water conservation techniques for irrigation purposes. Lajwinder Singh Brar, Director, Horticulture, claimed that future of horticulture is very bright in Punjab and the government has been offering various subsidies to farmers for setting up of polly houses, drip irrigation systems and other agriculture schemes. He said the farmers should consult the Horticulture Department to take advantage of various government schemes. Nine farmers were also honoured for their outstanding contribution in agriculture diversification, horticulture and dairy farming. Those who were honoured for agriculture diversification are Gurdial Singh of Raipur Kalan village in Amritsar, Sukhdev Singh Bains of Shadipur village in Jalandhar, and Mandeep Kumar of Dholewal village in Fatehgarh Sahib. Rajinder Singh of Dharangwala village in Fazilka, Davinder Singh Sandhu of Mohalla Preet Nagar in Jalandhar and Jagtar Singh Brar of Mehima Sarja village in Bathinda, were honored for their contribution in horticulture. For dairy farming, Davinder Singh of Kishanpura village in Fatehgarh Sahib, Hardev Kaur Kang of Fidde village in Ferozpure and Yadvinder Singh Punnu of Rure Aasal in Patti tehsil of Tarn Taran were honoured. |
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Give salaries and fulfil promises: Computer teachers to govt
Jalandhar, March 11 The government’s nod for a special salary budget for computer teachers was the next demand on their list. State president Gurbinder Singh said the teachers had not got any salary since August 2011. They said the teachers are undergoing financial and mental harassment which is also indirectly affecting students’ studies. They said even as the Punjab government had given a green signal to the release of salaries of computer teachers through a cabinet meeting held on December 17, 2011; the reluctance of the finance department and the administration in releasing their salaries is forcing them to take to the protest path. |
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