Spending of allotted funds in five years

Roads - Rs 1.88 crore

Sewerage - Rs 1.46 lakh

Streetlights - Rs 11 lakh

In my tenure, I have installed six tubewells. To further solve the problem of low water pressure in some of the localities, tenders have already been passed to install two more tubewells. The garbage dump at Shaheed Udam Singh Nagar was rather recommended by the society and not by me, but still I will make efforts to shift the same to some isolated place for the convenience of the ward residents.

— Joginder Singh Tonny (BJP)

Residents speak

Our house is situated near the garbage dumping site. During rains, the garbage smell spreads in the locality. The issue needs to be solved on priority basis.

— Amita Kumra

I feel the water-blocking problem in some localities is the main issue, which the councillor should have addressed in his tenure. Some roads in the wards are also crying for immediate repair.

— Nisha Saggar

Jalandhar, June 4
Besides the issue of garbage dumping, water blocking, ill-maintained park, the encroachments by shopkeepers galore in Ward 36.

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to remove these encroachments, which have been existing for years now. The usurpation of government road by old vehicle dealers and vendors of used clothes starts from Ali Mohalla and lasts till fire brigade’s head office.

Due to the proximity of this road to the fire brigade’s office and Civil Hospital, many times ambulances and fire tenders are seen caught in the traffic. On Sunday, Sunday bazaar is being set up by temporary vendors, which always causes long traffic jams.

Residents feel that these encroachments need to be removed to provide free way to ambulances and fire tenders. People also sough availability of enough traffic personnel to man traffic in peak hours.

Furthermore, residents of Ali Mohalla in the ward are living in pathetic conditions as sewerage pipes often remain clogged.

The beauty of the park situated in the Islamganj area is marred by the encroachments by some religious structures inside the park. In Vijay Nagar, some unwanted garbage dumping sites have been existing for long, but nobody cared to remove them. Residents of Islamabaad Mohalla are also facing problem of contaminated water.

Areas in the ward

Mission Compound Mohalla, Shakti Nagar, Vijay Nagar, District Jail, Islamabad Mohalla, Ali Mohalla.

Spending of allotted funds in five years

Roads - Rs 1.37 crore

Sewerage - Rs 57.4 lakh

Streetlights - Nil

I understand the problems of encroachments on the road and in the park. Many times, I raised the issue with the higher authorities, but in vain. The issue of garbage dumping will be sorted out. I have installed three tubewells in Ali Mohalla and Islam Ganj. To solve the problem of water blocking, storm water drainage facility was also laid.

— Jagdish Raja (Congress)

The Municipal Corporation should act sternly to remove the encroachments on the road. The ward has only one park situated in the Islamganj area, which is also encroached upon by some religious structures.

— Amandeep Singh

The water blocking and garbage dumping problems near Ali Mohalla need immediate attentions. Steps are also needed to be taken to solve the problem of contamination of potable water to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.

— Amit Kumar

Jalandhar, June 4
The filthy park in Ward 37 is the key issue amongst the issues of roads, sanitation and the state of street lights.

For the last few months, the only famous park in Adarsh Nagar locality has been witnessing heaps of garbage dumps along with unwanted mud heaps.

People coming for morning and evening walks in the park has been witnessing the laziness of concerned authority for ignoring the green belt of the area.

Daily visitors to the park said that they are being cheated by the politicians, as they hardly take any interest in developing basic amenities for the residents.

Even the roads in JP Nagar and Aadarsh Nagar are in a bad state for the past several months. Residents said that repairs of these roads have been pending for long.

Residents of Gujral Nagar are unhappy as streets lights are in a poor state in the locality. The Dyal Nagar’s inhabitants are angry due to the supply of contaminated potable water and clogged sewerage. 

Paramjit Singh, husband of a councilor said people of the locality are responsible for garbage nuisance at Adarsh Nagar Park. He said, “Park was developed for morning or evening walkers but many times I have noticed children playing cricket and football inside the park. Hence, they themselves spoiled the beauty of the park”. About the lack of potable water in the park, he said, “some miscreants might have stolen the metal tap of the water source, which hinders the supply of potable water in the park”.

—Manjit Kaur Kahlon, Congress

Heaps of mud and garbage had been lying in the park for long but nobody came to remove it.

—Shiv Parsad, who runs a tea stall Near the park 

We visit park in the morning or evening to enjoy the fresh air but heaps of garbage inside the park has been rather marring the feelings of being fresh.

—Anil Kumar, resident

ward 38

With the elections round the corner, the authorities have finally paid attention to repair roads at Ward 38.

As per the residents of the ward, besides the issues of water logging, cleanliness of Swaran Park, bad state of street lights; the issue of the Kapurthla road was also one of the main key issues.

While commenting on the ongoing repair work of the road, the opposition leaders said that when elections are round the corner, the repair work has just been started to befool the residents.

But the present councilor said, “Work to repair the road was already issued prior to enforcement of the election code of conduct “.

The residents of Hardev Nagar, New Hardev Nagar and Rose Park have only grudges with the area councilor for the lack of maintenance of the street lights. People alleged that streets lights in their localities often remain off due to some technical faults.

While the residents of Saraswati Bihar said that recently laid road have already developed potholes and needs urgent repair. They also demanded installation of new street lights in the locality.

The worst affected area in the ward is the Gupta colony, where water logging is the key issue. People alleged that the threat of diseases looms largely due to the prevalent unhygienic conditions.

To solve the water logging problem in the Gupta Colony, tenders have already been passed to lay large sewage pipes. Rs 30 crores project to erect flyover over Kapurthla Chowk has also been passed to ease traffic in the Chowk.. 

—Ravi Mahendru-BJP

He is happy that the repair work on Kapurthla road has started. He urged area councilor to keep other imminent issues of the ward in his priority. 

—Robin Kumar, resident

If authority cannot maintains street lights installed in various localities, at least police patrolling needs to be increased for precautionary measures 

—Gaurav Sharma, resident

Jalandhar, June 4
It is testing time for the candidates in fray for the Municipal Corporation (MC) elections. And why not? The candidates are facing trying times not only in terms of rivals, but due the scorching and baking heat, too.

Since the MC elections are just round the corner, the candidates on one side have intensified their campaigning, but at the same time finding it difficult to cope up with the soaring mercury and heatwave in the region.

Hence, almost all the candidates are resorting to early morning and late evening campaigning only. Probably that is why one can easily spot candidates campaigning at 7 am with loud beats of dhol and cheers from supporters. And the mere thought of campaigning in peak heatwave during afternoon is a big no for all the candidates!

Jalandhar Tribune spoke to some of the candidates from different political parties and learnt about their campaigning schedules.

Greenhorn candidate Kavita Chopra, contesting on the BJP ticket from Ward 26, says these days she begins campaigning at around 6.30 am and continues till 9 to 10 am. “In this scorching heat, the ideal time to meet people at home is either early morning or late evening. During afternoon time, it is difficult to locate even a single person outside, hence no point of campaigning,” she said.

She added that during evening time, she along with her family members begin campaigning after 7 pm only. “Leave campaigning, in this soaring mercury, one cannot think of roaming out in the open in the afternoon. We prefer to use the afternoon time in holding meetings either at our own home or at some party worker’s place,” she added.

Similarly, for Congress candidate Uma Beri contesting from Ward 30 campaigning in the afternoon is a big no. Uma starts meeting people in the late evening, while her husband Rajinder Beri, who contested the Assembly elections from the Jalandhar (Central) constituency, starts campaigning in the morning. “My husband holds nukkad meetings in the morning time and ensure that the campaigning is held accordingly later in the evening,” she said.

Uma said the scorching heat was forcing them to confine the campaigning to mornings and evenings only. “But during evening time, we ensure that all party workers reach out to the masses in large numbers. Moreover, campaigning during afternoon is virtually out of question as nobody is found out in the streets,” she said.

Candidates said good campaigning depended on response of the local residents, but since during afternoon people remained indoors, campaigning would turn out to be a big failure.

Arvinder Kaur Oberoi, SAD candidate from Ward 29 said owing to the rising mercury her campaigning was also confined to morning and evening hours.

“What can we do? Look at the scorching heat in the region. Even till 4 pm, weather remains extremely hot, hence I, too, begin my campaign at 7 am and conclude at around 10 am. In the evening, we start campaigning at 6 pm and continue it till 10 pm,” she maintained.

Jalandhar, May 4
The opposition Congress has issued last warning to its rebel contestants trying their luck against the official candidates from over one-fifth wards for Jalandhar MC elections scheduled to be held on May 10.

Punjab Congress vice president Ashwani Shekhri said he himself along with several local party leaders had met the rebel candidates and persuaded them to withdraw their names.

Batala MLA and Punjab Congress observer for Jalandhar MC polls, Ashwani Shekhri said, “If rebels do not withdraw his name from the contest by tomorrow, a list of such candidates will be sent to Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh with the recommendation of expelling such persons from the party for six years”.

Ashwani Shekhri accompanied by former minister Avtar Henry, former MLA Jagbir Brar, Congress leaders Rajinder Beri, Virendra Sharma, Arun Walia, Manoj Arora and Chaman Lal Dada, further said, “We will ensure that no such rebel partyman should be taken into party at least for six years”.

To a query regarding resentment among senior local leaders to nominate former Jalandhar Improvement Trust Chairman, Tejinder Singh Bittu as acting chairman of Congress campaign committee for Jalandhar MC polls, Shekhri said it was the decision of state party leadership.

Ashwani Shekhri claimed Congress would win at least 40 seats provided free and fair elections were held.

Congress leader Avtar Henry said “If the ruling alliance does not work in the direction of holding free and fair MC polls, the Congress will give a befitting reply to them in a democratic manner”.

To a query regarding CM Parkash Singh Badal’s recent statement in which he termed Congress manifesto as a bundle of lies, Shekhri and Brar said “Their party manifesto is realistic and Badal’s statement is baseless”.

Shekhri said “Being incharge of Congress campaign committee for Jalandhar MC polls, I will ensure adequate funds from the centre for the development of this city from various schemes including Jawaharlal Nehru Renewable Mission (JNRM) scheme, the part two of which is going to start next year”.

“Funds of Rs 450 crores were lapsed under JNRM scheme part I due to the neglected attitude of Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP government.” He added.

On this occasion, Henry and Shekhri said Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh would visit Jalandhar on May 6 and would address a workers’ meeting at Prithvi Planet.

Jalandhar, June 4
A free medical check-up and awareness camp regarding computer-navigated joint-replacement surgeries was conducted by Dr Dilbans Singh Pandher, orthopaedician at SGL Hospital, Subhanpur.

Addressing a gathering of around 200 arthritis patients, Dr Pandher cleared the prevalent misconceptions about the joint-replacement surgeries and highlighted the recent advances in it.

Dr Pandher explained to the patients how this type of surgery was a boon for the patients whose knee and hip joints were completely worn out and had almost negligible movement because of pain in the joints.

Highlighting the benefits of this type of surgery, he said computer-assisted navigation surgery significantly increases the precision prosthesis implantation, which had a bearing on the overall life of the prosthesis and functioning of the replaced knee and hip joint.

He told the patients that navigation-assisted surgery not only helps in early rehabilitation of the patient, but also shortens the stay of the patient in the hospital. Dr Pandher said the sedentary life-style coupled with less physical exercises was taking a toll on the health of the human beings, hence such diseases.

Phagwara, June 4
Jasbir Singh (19) of Khangura village, who was allegedly beaten by the family members of Amandeep Kaur (17), succumbed to his injuries at SGL Hospital Jalandhar, yesterday.

Santokh Singh, father of the deceased lodged a written complaint at the police station stating that his deceased son had a love affair with the girl for the last two years. When he went to meet the girl at her house in Vishwakarma Nagar, her brother Stephen Basra and father Zindi Basra along with her mother and two other friends Sanju and Prabhjit, attacked his son with sharp-edged weapons. They then locked Jasbir in the wash room, he then contacted his friends Harjit singh of Village Palahai and Parwinder Singh of Village Rawalpindi through his mobile and narrated the whole incident. His friends then came into action and informed him .Santokh Singh said, “I along with Harjit and Parwinder rushed to the house of the girl, where we found Jasbir lying in the pool of blood. The accused fled from the spot after seeing us”. Santokh said they first took his son to Basra Hospital and then to the local Civil hospital, but the critically injured Jasbir was referred to SGL Hospital Jalandhar, where he succumbed to his injuries late Sunday night.

When contacted, Phagwara SP, Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, said, “We have booked Stephen, Stephen’s father Zindi, mother and two friends under section 302/148/149 IPC. No arrest has been made till now. The dead body of the deceased was handed over to his family members after post-mortem”.

Later hundreds of the residents attended the funeral of the deceased youth and consoled his family members.