Jalandhar, May 19
Even as some areas in Ward Number 13 have seen development in the past five years, much needs to be done in most of the localities of the ward.

The MC authorities seem to have learnt no lesson from the dengue and cholera outbreak last year that claimed precious lives as most of the localities in the ward are full of filth and garbage.

The situation in Gali No 2, which was under the grip of dengue, has not improved a bit. Perturbed at the indifferent attitude of the MC authorities and the elected representative, residents of the area are planning to boycott the MC elections.

Though the MC has laid sewerage lines and has made potable water available to residents, the streets are still bumpy. Water also accumulates on streets during rains which may again lead to outbreak of water-borne diseases and dengue. The manhole covers of the sewerage line are above the level of the streets, making it difficult for resident to commute.

Moreover, high-tension power cables pass very close to houses, putting the lives of residents at risk. However, pillars were fixed on the streets to fix loosely hanging power cables, but they are still lying unused.

Surprisingly, MLA Manoranjan Kalia and the area councillor are boasting of getting funds earmarked for fixing electricity poles and getting the work completed, nothing has been done to fix the problem of overhead power cables.

Sewage still overflows in streets and the filthy environs of a slum at the entrance to the area, which was also blamed for the outbreak of dengue and cholera, have not been cleaned despite lofty promises by the authorities concerned. Slum dwellers continue to dispose of garbage and waste in the open. Though the Mayor had promised to construct a wall separating the slum and the other localities of the ward, nothing has been done so far.

In the British Town area, a majority of roads are in a bad shape and in many areas sewerage lines have not been laid.

There are some areas in the ward which are devoid of even basic amenities, including streetlights, roads and sewerage s system.

The major garbage dumps, one right next to the railway colony, has also been a concern for the residents.

Prospective candidates

The ward has been reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. Husband of sitting councillor Bimla Rani is likely to be the Congress candidate from the ward and the SAD is likely to field Mandeep Jassal.

Amount spent

Congress councillor Bimla Rani says the MC spent between Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore in the ward during her tenure. A tubewell for Shri Guru Ravidass Colony, construction of Shri Guru Ravidass Park on Dakoha Road, laying of roads, drains, sewerage in several areas is what she boasts of. She says British Town is an unapproved colony and a separate estimate has to be prepared for laying of roads in Gali No 2 at Baba Budha Ji Nagar. 

residents speak

A few months ago, my daughter received an electric shock after coming into contact with loosely hanging power cables. A live electricity wire fell on my car recently and another power cable fell on the street when children were playing. Danger is always lurking here. Though the poles have been fixed, power cables still pass close to roofs of most of the houses. 

— Palwinder Singh

The MC authorities have learnt on lesson as it was sewage and stagnant water that caused dengue and cholera in the area last year in which two persons died. The area is still full of sewage ponds and dirty water overflows on streets.

— Rajesh Kumar

Almost all the streets and roads in the area are in a bad shape. The condition of roads worsened after laying of sewerage line. It is difficult to commute on the roads, especially for two-wheeler riders. 

— Jamiat Singh

The area has become a safe haven for criminals and anti-social elements. Just yesterday, a chain snatching incident took place in the area. Other petty crimes are also common here. We feel unsafe. The crime rate has increased as the area is close to slums. However, the authorities concerned have failed to check the menace.

— Lovely

Jalandhar, May 19
BJP activists seem excited ahead of the MC polls as the district committee of the party has received a total of 225 applications for 38 wards.

There are 38 wards in the BJP’s kitty out of the 60 and the remaining with its alliance partner the SAD. The Congress, which is contesting on all 60 seats, has got 280 applications. In contrast, the SAD has got the least response with only 63 applications from 22 wards.

While the BJP district president Subhash Sood relates good response to a better chance of a comeback of the party in the MC, its rivals have taken a dig claiming that the party was suffering from infighting as there were multiple contestants even from the wards represented by the party councillor.

Leader of the Opposition in the MC House Jagdish Raja claims: “We have seven wards from where there has been just a single application”.

The party leaders confided that Jagdish’s wife and former Senior Deputy Mayor Anita Raja was the only applicant from Ward 26, currently represented by her husband. Sitting Congress councillor Balraj Thakur is unlikely face any opposition from within the party from Ward 57. Sharvan Grover, husband of sitting councillor Kamlesh Grover, is also likely to be declared as a candidate from Ward 49 for the same reason.

Interestingly, there are some wards where even the last term’s losing candidates of the Congress have applied owing to no other applicant. Rakesh Seth, who had lost to SAD’s Kamaljit Gandhi, has his wife Anita applying from Ward 21, which is reserved for women. Mahinder Kaur from the Congress is the only applicant from Ward 39 (reserved for women), currently represented by SAD’s Gurdeep Singh Nagra.

SC women reserved Ward Number 3, too, has single applicant Surinder Kaur.

Likewise, the SAD, too, has three wards from where there has been just one applicant. Ward 39 only has sitting candidate’s wife Jaspal Kaur Nagra in the race for party ticket. Ward 45, too, has Kamaljit Singh Bhatia as the only candidate from the party. Also, Ward 40 has sitting councillor Davinder Kaur Takkar as the solo candidate from the party.

There is not even a single seat of the BJP from where there has been just one contestant. Even Ward 20 represented by Mayor Rakesh Rathour reportedly has five applicants other than him.

Jalandhar, May 19
Employees of the Block Development Panchayat Office (BDPO), East, are forced discharge their duties from a dilapidated and unsafe building in Abadpura on Nakodar Road.

Nearly 27 employees of the office have been working in the crumbling building, facing the risk of a roof collapse. The building located in street number 5 has cracks all over its walls due to peepal roots.

The staff disclosed that the office had been running from the rented building since the past nearly three decades. They said since the building was on rent, no government grants could be used on it for renovation. The owner, they said, wanted them to vacate the building.

They pointed towards the ceiling of the building from where large pieces of plaster had already come off and a few bricks were missing. They revealed that all the six rooms were in the same condition. Patches of cement and dust keeps on falling every now and then, they added.

The employees said the office was paying meagre Rs 250 a month as the rent. They added that the government did not want to shift office owing to a pending court case with the building owner.

As if this was not enough, the post of the BDPO has been lying vacant since the previous incumbent, Bhupinder Singh, was transferred to Dhilwan. The new BDPO is yet to take charge. District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Sarabjit Singh Walia said he had asked the staff to look for some alternative place for the office. 

Jalandhar, May 19
Functioning of two city-based beauty salons came under a scanner with the seizure of publicity material relating to a company dealing in cosmetics.

Accompanied by a commissioner appointed by a Delhi Court, a team from the office of the company reached the city and with the help of the city police, raided two beauty salons and seized publicity material being used illegally by them.

Kamal Naresh, the counsel of the company, who was leading the team, revealed his company had filed a civil suit in the Patiala House Court, New Delhi, againt illegal use of publicity material in certain salons located in Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr.

The raids were conducted at two saloons located in Johal and Vijay Nagar markets. The team seized brochures, pamphlets, T-shirts, aprons and display boards having a logo of the firm.

Jalandhar, May 19
The owner of a mini-bus was assaulted with sharp-edged weapons and was left to die by seven youths at Droli Khurd village in Adampur late last night.

The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Palwinder Singh, a resident of Bhama Khurd village in Ludhiana. The victim is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Adampur and is still in a critical state.

The police said the victim used to ferrying employees of a private company to Rahon town in his bus. Last night when he came to park his bus near the grain market at the village, several unidentified armed youths attacked him.

Assistant sub-inspector Baljinder Singh said the victim was still in a critical state and was not in a condition to give his statement to the police.

Mystery shrouds woman’s death

Mystery shrouds the death of a 28-year-old married woman whose body was found at her in-laws house in the New Rajan Nagar locality here this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Jyoti. The exact cause of death was yet to be ascertained. The police said the deceased’s parents at Ludhiana had been informed about her death, adding that police was awaiting their arrival and would initiate further legal proceedings only after recording their statements.

Accused identified in assault case

The Adampur police today identified seven persons in an assault case at Lutera Khurd village in Adampur in which a youth was wounded by some unknown persons.

The police said that seven assailants had been identified in the assault case and a case under relevant sections of the IPC had been registered against them.

However, the police refused to reveal the names of the accused, but said raids were on to nab them. Amandeep Singh (26) was attacked by several youths last night at a gym. The assailants, who were already present in the gym, attacked him with sharp-edged weapons.

Jalandhar May 19
Hundreds of Congress workers today gheraoed the Division No 5 police station demanding cancellation of the first information report (FIR) registered against their party workers a few days ago.

Led by Youth Congress worker Sushil Rinku, scores of workers staged a dharna in front of the police station and raised slogans against the police.

While terming the FIR as fake, Congress leaders demanded that case should be immediately dropped. The protesters claimed that on May 8, some persons attempted to loot Congress worker Shingara Singh and instead of acting on the complaint, the police registered a case of manhandling against their party men, including Shingara Singh, Rakesh and Joginder under Sections 323, 324 and 506 of the IPC.

ADCP Gagan Ajit Singh pacified the protesters and promised them to deliver justice.

Jalandhar, May 19
The Maqsoodan police today arrested two persons with intoxicants. The accused has been identified as Kuldip Singh of Sarai Khas village and Bheema of Jinda village.