Jalandhar, June 8
What the councillors or MC officials failed to do despite repeated requests, residents of the city have done it. Realising their social responsibility, residents of several areas have recently cleared garbage dumps from their vicinity.

Not only have they got the garbage cleared after paying sweepers from their own pocket, they have managed to convince their neighbours and passers-by not to indulge in littering. At some sites, fencing has been done and banners have been put up urging people to keep the area clean and garbage free. Some residents have even planted saplings at sites which earlier had huge garbage dumps.

Assistant Professor at Apeejay College of Fine Arts and a resident of Lajpat Nagar Dr Navjot Kaur Deol managed to get the decade-old garbage heap lifted alongside Red Cross Bhawan here. She took up the initiative and wrote letters to the residents in the locality, requesting them to join the campaign. She even stood by the site at times to ensure that the door-to-door garbage lifters do not empty their carts at the site and juice vendors from markets do not spill the waste there.

Her persistent effort did not bear fruit till she finally collected Rs 100 each from houses around the area for purchasing an iron wire for putting up a mesh around pillars at the site to cordon off the area.

“The dump had become an eyesore and a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes. Foul smell had made our lives miserable. The hospital waste was also being dumped here and stray dogs were often seen dragging the waste and littering soiled cotton and other revolting stuff outside houses much to the dismay of residents. The MC trucks use to come to lift the garbage, but only after three-four days. Residents of the area have appreciated my efforts. If one ends up spending a small amount for a social cause, it is money well-spent,” said Dr Navjot Kaur Deol.

Another good Samaritan and advocate Ravinder Singh Sanghera, too, has taken a similar initiative to clear an unsightly garbage heap removed from in front of St Joseph’s Convent Junior School in Model Town. The advocate even managed to get nearly 50 saplings planted at the site. He fenced the area and planted saplings with the help of volunteers of the Jalandhar Youth Club. 

Jalandhar, June 8
The decision of Punjab Technical University (PTU) to drop the third round of online counselling for BTech admissions is likely to mar the prospects of the aspiring candidates from across the state.

The university has decided to limit the counselling to just two rounds and subsequently hand over the vacant seats to the respective colleges where the chance of fair and transparent conduct of admission is unlikely.

Till last year, the university had been conducting third round after putting all reserved category seats in the general pool. A majority of such seats reserved for SC/BC category, physically handicapped candidates and tsunami-hit candidates that remained vacant in top engineering colleges even after two rounds were filled through common online counselling that facilitated the candidates to get admission in more-sought-after colleges or streams in a transparent manner.

Certain middle-rung colleges, however, were against this round as it led to movement of students to upper colleges creating vacancies in their colleges. Without online counselling, the candidates who would be trying for improving their admission prospects would not be able to go to more than two colleges to seek upgradation.

Even as the result of AIEEE, on the basis of which the counselling is to be done for four universities of the state, is expected tomorrow, the university has already started the process of fee deposition. Online registration and choice filling for the first round is scheduled from June 22 onwards. The result of allotment of seats is expected around July 4.

There are over 40,000 seats in various colleges of the state, including those of the PTU, Punjabi University, Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. to which admission is to be conducted through counselling.

Dr AP Singh, Dean, PTU, said the admission was being conducted following the directions of the Punjab government. "We are bound to follow the orders," he said, adding that the decision had been taken to squeeze the admission schedule and start classes in the first week of August.

Jalandhar, June 8
Contrary to the common myth that government schools are no longer providing good education, students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Nehru Garden, has woven a success story.

Besides producing four toppers in the state, three students of the school have cleared the Punjab-PMT and that, too, without any private coaching or tuitions.

It has been after a gap of 10 years that the school shined in the PSEB merit list and emerged with flying colours in the PMT. For the PMT, students were given coaching through EDUSAT classes via satellite.

The toppers include Charandeep Kaur and Bharti of Class XII (science) and Kirandeep Kaur and Sonali from the commerce stream. The Punjab-PMT achievers include Charandeep Kaur (1307 rank), Poonam (503 rank) and Suman (816 rank).

Suman, one of the achievers said: "We studied through EDUSAT for the PMT. It is a matter of clearing your basics first and our teachers taught us well. Even the notes were ready to learn. Moreover, we cannot afford to pay hefty fees of private coaching classes."

Another PMT achiever Poonam said: "More than anything else, it is very important to study the subject books prescribed by the PSEB. A majority of the students instead of thoroughly studying the subject books look forward to extra refresher and question banks, which leads them nowhere."

Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, principal of the school Gurinderjit Kaur said: "Most of our students come from humble family backgrounds. Leave coaching and tuitions, many cannot even afford to pay the PSEB board exam fees. In such circumstances, the accomplishment of our girls has indeed come up as a big fillip. The hard work of our students has brought the school to limelight."

This is the only government school in the district which has a hostel facility. "At present, we have around 61 girls in the hostel, which includes some from the sports quota," she added.

The pre-independence era school in the heart of the city is running all the four streams - science, commerce, arts and vocational courses. "We have three teachers each for every subject - chemistry, physics and biology. The idea is to ensure no lecture is missed and the students are able to make the most of every lecture they attend," said Harinder Kaur, a chemistry teacher.

Last year, the school also started NCC junior and senior wing. "We are constantly upgrading our school to provide better facilities to students. Recently, we got seven rooms constructed in the school," the principal added.

Jalandhar, June 8
This ward is under some development crises. Ward 50, represented by Deputy Mayor Parvesh Tangri like other wards is also devoid of development.

Though the area councillor claims that in terms of roads, water supply, greenbelt and other civic amenities, he has done 100 per cent development, but a visit to the ward presents the gloomy picture in some of the localities.

Some roads are in sorry state in New Avtar Nagar and Arjun Nagar. Residents of these localities rue that waterlogging is a persistent problem here. Large potholes on roads filled with water are a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, say residents.

Asked about the supply of contaminated water in some of the localities, the councillor said the problem was temporary due to the delay in cleanliness of hydrants fitted in potable water supplying pipes.

Amrit Lal, a resident, said the problem of water contamination needed to be redressed soon. The patchwork pending in some areas also requires urgent attention.

Councillor speak
"The MC has given a facelift to the Buddha Mall ground and has developed a full-fledged park for residents. A water supply line has also been laid at a market in Bhargo Camp. When tried to provide civic amenities in undeclared colonies, the Opposition always played spoilsport."

— Parvesh Tangri

Amount spent
Roads: Rs 2.4 crore
Sewerage: Rs 13.33 lakh
Streetlights: Rs 17.89 lakh

Areas in ward
Bhargo Camp, part of Avtar Nagar

Jalandhar, June 8
Like other wards, the Ward 51 is also facing the problem of lack of civic amenities, but the key issue, which the residents want to be addressed, is that of the lack of greenbelt in the area.

Interestingly, the ward has only one park, which, too, has been developed on a footpath behind the TV Centre. Even the area councillor held that his ward had no extra space and due to that he opted to develop at least one park on a footpath.

The councillor feels that the ward is densely populated, hence it is difficult to spare more space to develop additional greenbelt here.

Residents also alleged that the councillor did not ensure the construction of footpaths on the main road leading to Avtar Nagar and the road repair work in some localities had been pending for long.

The residents of New Surajganj are tired of bumpy rides due to the sorry state of roads, which is also causing water blocking in the rains.

The other issue which needs immediate attention is the hanging electrical wires in Avtar Nagar. Inhabitants want that the wires be immediately shifted to other safer places.

The garbage collection and disposal system too needs councillor’s attention.

Areas in the ward

Part of Bargo Camp, Post Office Road, Bhagat Kabir Mandir Road, part of Avtar Nagar.

councillor speak
The road work is already on in the New Surajganj locality and Gali No 13. To solve the water blocking problem, sewerage is always cleaned up in no time after receiving complaint from the residents. For adequate water supply, a water supply line in Surajganj has also been laid.

— Daulat Ram (BJP)

resident speak
I urge the area councillor to approach the Powercom Department to sort out the issue of hanging wires in Gali No 6, which pose danger to the lives of area residents. The issue of cleanliness also needs urgent attention.

— Sarabjit Singh

Spending of allotted funds in five years
Roads Rs 1.52 crore
Sewerage Rs 8 lakh
Streetlights Rs 20 lakh

Jalandhar, June 8
Residents of the ward are bit dissatisfied with the performance of the area councillor. Residents allege that though development has taken place, but still ward is lacking in many things.

The councillor of the ward had won elections as an Independent, but later joined the BJP.

Visit to the ward revealed that many areas are still facing the problem of water shortage and nothing has been done to tackle the illogical numbering of houses in the ward.

Residents of Bhargo Nagar allege that road work initiated in the area is still lying incomplete, supply of muddy water is also a matter of concern and sewerage water often flows back.

Many residents said there was a menace of stray dogs in the ward, but the councillor is mum over the issue. In the past, a number of dog-bite cases had taken place, they added.

Residents of New Surajganj are a bit dejected due to the sorry state of roads in the area and non-functional streetlights.

The good thing about the councillor is her accessibility to the residents. Sources reveal that she has helped about 2,200 persons to receive pension under various social welfare schemes and also developed a lush green park in the Bhargav Camp area at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. She also carried a repair work of a dispensary in the area.

Areas in the ward
Saraj Ganj Mohalla and a part of Bhargo Camp.

councillor speak
Work orders of various developmental works have already been passed, but due to the enforcement of the election code of conduct, the work could not be started. The other issues on which ward is lacking will be taken care of in future.

— Meena Kumari (BJP)

Spending of allotted funds in five years
Roads Rs 1.80 crore
Sewerage Rs 1 lakh
Streetlights Rs 2.42 lakh

Jalandhar, June 8
The key issue in Ward 53 is cleanliness because of the failure of garbage collection and disposal system. In most of the localities, garbage dumps are easily visible and stray animals further add to the woes of the residents by scattering the garbage on the roads.

Residents were all angry when they were asked about the development works that took place in the ward in the past five years.

Residents of the Abadpura locality while criticising the councillor alleged that the sewage often flows back due to the failure of the MC to clean it timely and during rains the whole area virtually turned into a pool of dirty water.

Residents have also been bearing a grudge against safai karamcharis, who allegedly leave the sewage, cleaned from the storm water drains, openly in the streets.

Even the residents of Bhargav Camp allege lack of cleanliness in the area and sorry state of streetlights.

Inhabitants of Link Colony and New Model Town complain of damaged roads and alleged that repair work had not been carried here for long.

About the positive side of the ward, sources said the councillor had replaced the old tubewells with new ones in Abadpura and laid sewerage lines in the area. He also managed to cover the open manholes in the area.

Areas in the ward
Link Colony, Mohalla Abadpura, Guru Ravidass Nagar, New Model Town, part of Bhargav Nagar, Model House, Rameshwar Colony, part of Model Town.

councillor speak
I don’t know about the development works done by me. Better ask the MC, who has the right figure and the details of cost of developments works.

— Sawaran Singh (Congress)

resident speak
The councillor should get the the cleanliness work executed in good spirit. The safai karamcharis, instead of seriously cleaning the area, are in fact doing formalities only.

— Surinder Mohan

Spending of allotted funds in five years
Roads Records not available
Sewerage Rs 50.36 lakh
Streetlights Rs 10 lakh