Ludhiana, June 5
A budding swimmer lost his life learning swimming in Mumbai on Sunday. Swimming pools of Ludhiana depict a story of apathy, as these are lacking in many aspects. The Tribune made a reality check on prominent swimming pools of the city and found that the pools run by the Municipal Corporation are lacking in safety measures. However, pools at Punjab Agricultural University and the Sutlej Club have a decent basic infrastructure, but there is absence of lifeguards in these pools.

Ironically, coaches have been performing the duties of lifeguards during the practice sessions. The depth of the pool is also a major threat to the lives of swimmers. Instead of 6-7 feet, it is 6-18 ft. Even the ground level is not crystal clear. There is 7.64 lakh gallon cube water in the pools, which is also in a filthy condition due to the poor working of water treatment plant and the authorities have to clear such a huge amount of water within two months. Otherwise, it increased slipperiness in the pool. There is no proper seating arrangement at the MCL swimming pool and even the bathrooms of these pools are not well maintained. Anyone could easily find big cracks on diving stands and tiles of pools are also in poor condition.

However, a water treatment plant is installed at the PAU pool, but it lacks clarity. For beginners, there is separate low-level pool of 3ft depth at the PAU, but the situation is the same here.

"My seven-year-old daughter came to the PAU pool for practising and I used to sit at pool everyday as a life guard for her daughter. However, the pool authorities also deployed their lifeguards, but parents, who send their kids to pools, should accompany them," said a mother.

Lucky, a swimmer from the city, said, "Most of the times, the trainee is responsible when in case any accident occurs at pool. Moreover, lifeguards are compulsory at pool.

Rajinder Boparai, coach, MCL pool, said that they were providing their services well. Budding swimmers could not have proper dip due to lifeguard jackets and they could not learn swimming well. Boparai said for the past many years, he had been working as a coach here and he had never faced any unfortunate happening on the pools in his presence. But he feels that there was a need to decrease the depth of the pool and make the existing water treatment plant more effective.

Ludhiana, June 5
In blatant violation of the Electricity Act and conditions laid down in the Electricity Supply Manual, more than 6,000 energy meters, removed from premises of domestic, commercial and industrial consumers during ther past several years, have not been sent to the meter examination laboratory (ME Lab) by officials of various divisions of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in the city and elsewhere in the central zone.

The issue assumes significance in view of the fact that more often than not, the energy meters, whether burnt down or replaced for a variety of reasons, and tested at the ME Lab, are found defective, slow or tampered with, and attract penalty as per the rules. In other words, had these thousands of energy meters been sent to the ME Lab for testing within the stipulated time, the power utility could have earned a huge revenue by way of penalty imposed in cases of defective energy meters.

Information obtained under the Right to Information Act 2005 by Rohit Sabharwal, president of the Council of RTI Activists, reveals that the maximum number of such energy meters, 3849, were lying in the Khanna circle of the PSPCL in the central zone. In the Khanna circle, the highest number of such meters, 1536, were reported by Khanna division, followed by 934 by Amloh division, 726 by Sirhind and 658 by Mandi Gobindgarh division.

In the city, the Focal Point division under the City East circle topped the list, where 351 electricity meters, removed from the consumers' premises, were not sent for testing to the ME Lab, while the least number of such meters, 15, were reported by Model Town division under the City West circle.

The City East and City West circles had reported 832 and 368 energy meters lying with them, which were not sent to the ME Lab for testing. In the Suburban Circle, comprising Dakha, Jagraon, Raikot, Lalton and Ahmedgarh division, 995 meters were lying in different divisions.

Section 57.3 of the Electricity Supply Manual stipulates that all burnt or defective meters, along with the first report, will be sent to the ME Lab within one week of replacement, and further that the officer in charge of ME Lab, after carrying out the test checks, will submit his report to the officials concerned of the division/sub division within 15 days.

The PSPCL chief engineer of Central Zone KL Sharma, however, stoutly refuted the possibility of any foul play or ulterior motives behind the delay in sending replaced meters for testing. He said the PSPCL was carrying out routine replacement of energy meters - from electro-mechanical to electronic in a big way. Moreover, a large number of energy meters lying with various divisions could not be sent for testing due to court cases, having been challenged by consumers or other disputes.

"Even otherwise, just about one or two percent of the meters, replaced in routine, and tested at ME Lab, were found defective or tampered with. Therefore, to say that a huge loss of revenue was involved due to the non-testing of these meters, will be stretching it too far," he added.

The damaged SUV parked near Old Sessions Chowk in Ludhiana on Tuesday. Photo: Inderjeet Verma

Ludhiana, June 5
Parking a vehicle under an under-construction building proved costly for Aman Batra, owner of a grocery store here, as a portion of the structure came crashing down on his new sports utility vehicle (SUV), worth over Rs 17 lakh, today and damaged it.

The incident took place this evening when Aman visited the store and parked his vehicle at a parking lot of the under-construction building.

"I was sitting inside the store when a loud noise shook me from the seat. I rushed out of the store to see what had happened, but was shocked to witness that the structure had collapsed on my SUV," lamented Aman Batra.

He demanded action against the owner of the building for using sub-standard material and violating building bylaws.

"If the building could not sustain strong winds and came crashing down like a pack of cards, you can well imagine the future of the structure," said Batra.

SHO Division No 4 Vinod Kumar rushed to the spot and inspected the building.

"The outer wall was of just 4 inches width. The place remains heavily crowded during the day. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident. We have established contact with the owner of the under-construction building and action would be taken after receiving the complaint," said SHO Vinod.

Ludhiana, June 5
A maternity row took an ugly turn and made two sisters bitter enemies. The hatred reached such a point that one sister allegedly threw acid on the other. Narinder Kaur, who suffered burn injuries on her face and other body parts, alleged that her sister had thrown acid on her in the Partap Singh Wala area in Haibowal here yesterday.

The incident came to light here today when the victim, undergoing treatment at a local hospital, lodged a complaint against her sister Jaspal. Narrating the incident, she said Jaspal threw acid on her face while she was walking in the park.

"Jaspal Kaur had adopted my son Rubal. Now Rubal (22) is settled abroad and calls me as her mother and Jaspal feels jealous of this. Our relations also strained and I started the legal proceeding to reclaim the right over my child. Jaspal Kaur, who is eyeing the property of my child, was rattled bvy my husband's paternity claims and threw acid on me. She is backed by my elder sister Jaswinder Kaur, who has political connections," said Narinder Kaur.

Kuldeep Singh, husband of Narinder Kaur, said they had lodged a complaint with the police and demanded stern action against the sister.

The investigating officer said he had recorded statements and was in the process of registering a case against the sister. The police, however, was not ignoring the possibility that the case could have been stage managed to settle scores.

Jaspal Kaur was not available for comments.

Ludhiana, June 5
The Congress party is all set to act tough with dissidents. More than 20 party dissidents are likely to face expulsion. According to sources, a list of 23 dissidents has been sent to the party high command for this purpose.

The chairman of the Congress party screening and campaign committee for the Municipal Corporation (MC) Ludhiana polls, Lal Singh, is in the city since Monday. MP Manish Tewari is also in the city. During the past few days, senior Congress leaders have been making attempts to win over the dissidents.

Meanwhile, the Congress Worker Forum Convener Varun Mehta said all 18 candidates fielded by the forum would contest the polls. While claiming that no Congress leader had approached the forum, he said, "We are not against the Congress party. In fact, we are loyal workers of the party. But the forum candidates will contest as Independents in the MC polls."

When contacted, Lal Singh said he had sent the dissidents' list to the party high command. "The morale of the Congress workers is high. We have a team for each of the 75 wards. These teams start the campaigning at 6 in the morning," he added.

Ludhiana, June 5
District Magistrate Ludhiana Rahul Tiwari has declared June 7 and June 10 as "Dry Days" in Ludhiana district under Section 54 (1) of the Punjab Excise Act.

He said no liquor shop, hotel, restaurant, club, marriage places and other establishments selling or serving liquor or intoxicants shall be permitted to sell or serve liquor or intoxicants to anyone on the "Dry Day".

No non-preparatory club, star hotels, restaurant, marriage places authorised for possession, supply and sale or liquor or intoxicants shall be permitted to sell or serve liquor or intoxicants shall be permitted to sell or serve liquor or intoxicants on the Dry Day.

The storage of liquor and intoxicants by individuals shall also be curtailed during the dry day and restriction provided under the Excise laws on the storage of liquor and intoxicants in unlicensed premises shall be rigorously imposed.

He said during the election to the municipal councils/ nagar panchayats, to be held on June 7, and election to the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, to be held on June 10, the closure of the liquor shops by declaring "Dry Day" and stopping the storage and sale of liquor within the jurisdiction of Ludhiana district was absolutely necessary.

Ludhiana, June 5
Major Issues: There is no green belt or park in the ward and residents demand that the councillor should get a park constructed so that this industrial area gives a greener look.

• Residents complain of shortage of potable drinking water.
• Problem of garbage and industrial waste is prevalent in the ward and the residents want this problem to be solved.
• Problem of stray animals, especially dogs, could be seen roaming freely in several parts of the ward.
• Web of wires can be seen passing from top of several streets of the ward.

When I became the councillor, there was some problem of water shortage. But during my term, I have got four new tube-wells installed in different parts of the ward and now there is no such problem. I have always emphasised on providing potable drinking water to the residents and I think I have succeeded in it. Several other development works worth crores were carried out in my ward. — Pushwant Kaur Gohalwaria

Heaps of garbage is a common sight in the ward and the councillor should lay special emphasis on finding a solution to it. — Naseeb Singh

Even though the roads have been re-carpeted, in some parts of the ward, electricity poles and transformers are installed in the middle of the road, which leads to several accidents. — Sukhdev Singh Lotey

Councillor Speaks

Residents Speak

• Heaps of garbage littered in almost every nook and corner of the ward is a common sight.
• Being the Mayor’s own ward, still ward number 72 is one of the worst and most neglected wards of the city.
• Residents complain of shortage of potable drinking water and sewer blockage in many parts.
• The ward is having a large number of “vehras”, most of which are owned by politicians. People living in these “vehras” are living in pitiable condition.
• Due to unhygienic conditions prevailing in the ward, diseases such as gastroenteritis, dengue and water-borne diseases are common throughout the year.
• Problem of stray animals, especially dogs, could be seen roaming freely in several parts of the ward.

When I became the councillor, the main focus was construction of a Mini Rose Garden. Being the Mayor of Ludhiana, I had to focus on all 75 wards, but still have managed to do a lot of development of my own ward. Several tube-wells were installed and in the last five years, I have spent an amount of around Rs 8 crore on different development works. — Hakam Singh Giaspura, Mayor

You name it and this ward has every possible problem. The Mayor has done very less for the overall development. — Bhuwan Bharti

Ludhiana, June 5
Major Issues: Roads and streets in major areas of the ward are uncarpeted.

• Most of the areas are deprived of basic civic facilities like potable water supply, sanitation and sewerage.
• The problem of garbage disposal is one of the major problems in the area, as a number of empty plots of the area have turned into dumping grounds.
• Residents complained that the area has no parks and playgrounds.
• Water blockage during the rainy season becomes a menace for the residents in some of the areas.

I have spent a big amount of grants on installation of sewer pipelines. Potable water was provided to a number of colonies. Development work in some illegal colonies is also going on. I have re-carpeted all major roads in my tenure. — Baby Singh Thakur

}Nothing is favourable in this area to live. There is no maintenance of streets. Most roads have not been carpeted. There are no parks in the area for children to play. People have encroached upon the parks and the MC is helpless to remove them. Roads turn into dirty slush pools during the rains. — Bitu, a resident of Ajit Singh Nagar

Ludhiana, June 5
While administration wants the boundary wall of Government College for Women to be shifted for widening the road opposite Durga Mata Mandir, the college authorities, especially staff and the students, do not seem to be happy with the proposal.

Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari today visited the college and sought objections from the college authorities on the proposal to acquire18,000 square feet of the college land for widening the road.

Principal of the college, Gurminder Kaur, commenting upon the proposal, said they never want the wall to be shifted. “If the boundary wall is shifted, it will result in reducing the area of the playground. We will never want that to happen but since it is a government institute we will have to comply with the instructions. We will be writing a letter to the deputy commissioner tomorrow citing the reason for not shifting the boundary wall," she said.

Sharanjeet Kaur, head of physical education department said if the boundary wall is shifted it would not be fair on the part of physical education students. The space of the playground will be reduced which should not be done.

“Instead of shifting the boundary wall of the college, the administration should try and uplift the unauthorised shops that have mushroomed around the temple. In addition to this, proper traffic management is required around the area since many people come to pay their obeisance at the temple and some even indulge in distributing eatables to the beggars sitting outside the temple by parking their vehicles in between in road which results in traffic jams,” she added.

Further, she suggested that the road could be made one way on the lines of Ghumar Mandi. “Instead of shifting the boundary wall of the college, the need of the hour is proper traffic management by deputing traffic cops round the clock on the specific road. Even if the wall is shifted, I am sure after few days we will be seeing the area encroached either by vendors or beggars,” she pointed.

One of the physical education students said they do not want the area of the playground to go. “The playground area should not be reduced by shifting the wall. This is the place where we practice and we strongly condemn the shifting of the wall," she added.

— Tribune Reporters

Ludhiana, June 5
It is going to be a visual treat for those interested in astronomy and sky gazing, as planet Venus is going to appear as a small disc, as it comes between Earth and the Sun. The phenomenon is known as the transit rare of Venus and was last seen in 2004 and would not happen again until 2117.

According to experts, the planet is visible in North India tomorrow morning, as the planet appearing as a dark disc would be seen crossing the Sun from one end to the other.

Youngsters in the city are excited about the celestial event. “I have heard about the event from our teacher and I am super excited about watching the event in the morning,” says a student.

Vinay Sharma, vice-principal Don Bosco School, who teaches physics, said only seven such occurrences had been recorded in the past, the last being in 2004. He further said appropriate measures should be taken to watch it, as watching the Sun with naked eye could harm the eyesight.

Dr Narinderjit Singh, educator-cum-coordinator at Nehru Planetarium, said the transit would start at about 3 am in the morning and would continue till 10 am. “The best time to watch the transit would be right at the sunrise,” he said. He further said watching the Sun with naked eye was harmful and people could use X-ray film to see the phenomenon in the absence of proper equipment and telescope.

Ludhiana: A summer camp was organised on the Tagore Public School premises from May 25 to June 5. The students had varied options to choose ranging from creative spheres like dance, art and craft to sports field like badminton and skating and finally to improve the necessary skills like spoken English and handwriting. The 10-day package had a lot for the teachers as well. Various workshops in the subjects of English, Hindi, Punjabi, mathematics, science and social science were organised to improve the learning methodology of the students.