Amritsar, September 5
The Tuesday’s incident wherein a truck overturned after the portion of road beneath it caved in has exposed the MC’s poor workmanship and shortsightedness. The incident that occurred near the Lohgarh gate area claimed the life of 32-year-old Pardeep Kumar and left two injured.

Also the police action against the truck driver, who has been booked for negligence, has invited strong criticism from all quarters of life. Residents are upset with the police for taking no action against the MC.

Nevertheless, the MC team today started repairing the damaged portion of the road and placed heavy concrete obstacles to prevent motorists from entering the same stretch, now declared as ‘danger zone’ today. It has proposed to install the caution board on the road stretch.

It has been learnt that this outer circular road existed for the past five decades, but it was widened just prior to the MC elections, apparently, to woo voters in haste while little realising that the peripheral base was not so strong to bear the load of vehicles.

Astonishingly, there was a ‘nullah’ on this stretch which was just covered and the storm water drainage was laid over it. Thereafter, in a bid to widen the road, the premix was placed over this stretch, whereas its base remained hollow.

It was only due to this lapse that when the heavily-loaded truck was parked on the roadside, it exerted pressure on the slabs underneath leading to the caving in of the road.

This resulted in the death of a small-time contractor Pardeep Kumar, who was going to a gurdwara, and injuries to truck cleaner Davinder and an elderly woman.

At present, the driver of the truck Bhinder Singh, has been booked on the basis of eyewitness account. Yes, the responsibility on the part of the Municipal Corporation cannot be ignored. We will question the MC officials concerned too in this connection.

— Harjinder Kumar, SHO, Police Station D-division

It’s true that the base was not strong enough to bear the load. It was an old 4-inch-wide RCC slab which caved in due to weight. It was a protected green space not meant for such heavily-loaded vehicles. Now, as a precautionary measure, we are mending its base and till the work is completed, we have deputed two men on the site permanently on this stretch. And we will also fix boards on the stretch cautioning the public. Another aspect was that the shops located alongside the road too were set up in an unauthorised way. This place was vacated in 1988 but post 1996, these shops came up again under the political influence. We are preparing a detailed report to apprise the authorities about the lapse.

— PK Goyal, Superintending Engineer, Civil wing

It was absolutely unjustified to hold the truck driver guilty for this incident. Rather, he should claim compensation for the loss caused to the truck or the loss of material loaded in it. Only the MC is responsible for the incident. If the citizen pays toll tax and road tax, it becomes liability of the state to provide them with safe and good roads.

— Pardeep Saini, president, District Bar Association

Now even parked vehicles on the road are also not safe. How will the commuter know that the road on which he is driving is unable to bear the load?

— Dr Balwinder Singh, prof GNDU

This incident points out huge corruption in all departments of public utility services. A thorough inquiry should be conducted in this case and MC officials who are responsible for this lapse should be dismissed from the service.

— NS Gabaria, ex-railway official

It is improper on the part of the MC officials to divert the attention by raising the issue of authenticity of shops here. The traders here have obtained proper NOC from the authorities before opening their business.

— Darshan Singh, shopowner

Amritsar, September 5
The three-hour rail blockade by a number of farmer organisations caused harassment to hundreds of passengers, including tourists, here today.

Agitating farmers blocked the railway tracks near Amritsar Railway station which did not permit any train to arrive and depart at the state.

A senior citizen, Mukhtar Singh of Daghdhoot village said he along with four of his family members arrived after travelling all the way from his remote village, but he was surprised to find that there was no mention of fresh departure time of Amritsar-Delhi Shan-e-Punjab.

He said on enquiry, the railway officials said they couldn’t announce a fresh departure time of the train as they didn’t know how long the agitation would last. He said they were to go to Delhi for his treatment.

Balbir Singh, a pilgrim from Delhi, said he arrived here two days back to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and his return ticket wad booked in today’s train. “I checked out of my hotel near the Harmandar Sahib at 12 pm and reached the station well on time. However, he was shocked to find that all outgoing and incoming movement of trains has come to halt and there was no clarity when it would resume.”

A resident of Gurdaspur and a teacher in computer academy in Amritsar, Mandeep Singh said the Amritsar-Pathankot DMU was scheduled to depart at 12:30 pm daily. But today the train was delayed by several hours due to the blockade.

Amritsar, September 5
A day-long strike, on the call given by the Punjab Federation of Universities and Colleges Teachers Organisation (PFUCTO) and supported by the Punjab and Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union (PCCTU), today hit the studies at Guru Nanak Dev University and non-government aided colleges of the city on Teachers’ Day.

The teachers of GNDU, government and aided colleges went on a mass causal leave to impress upon the SAD-BJP coalition government to meet their various demands. Study was hit as the campuses of these educational institutes wore a deserted look. Teachers in large numbers took part in the agitation held at Chandigarh.

Prof Gurdas Singh Sekhon, district president, PCCTU, Amritsar, said the teachers had no other alternative, but to go out of classes.

Guru Nanak Dev Teachers Association (GNDUTA) president Prof Balwinder Singh said studies came to halt in the varsity as majority of the teachers went to Chandigarh to participate in the agitation.

Amritsar, September 5
Tourists heaved a sigh of relief today as the hospitality industry put off its plan to proceed on an indefinite strike to lodge their protest against the state government move to increase luxury tax on hotels from four to eight per cent after CM Parkash Singh Badal sent a message to them, appealing them to withdraw their strike call.

Though the hoteliers put off their strike, they converged in front of the Jallianwalla Bagh and staged a protest, seeking abolition of luxury tax on hotels.

Over 100 city hotels, primarily around the Golden Temple in the walled city, had earlier planned to down their shutters for an indefinite period under the banner of Hotel Restaurant Welfare Association. They had even put up banners on their hotels, intimating the customers about the strike.

Addressing the protesters, Association President Surinder Singh said the hotel industry had been grappling with problems ever since the SAD-BJP government came to power. The government didn’t hesitate in levying eight per cent luxury tax on hotels which were already paying 10 per cent service tax, 15 per cent house tax and 13.75 per cent VAT, besides conservancy tax ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 25,000 per annum. “While the government has increased property tax and VAT, it is also pressuring the hotel owners to install water treatment plant despite the fact that it doesn’t apply on small hotels.”

He said the hotel owners are paying various taxes to the government, but still they are being “unnecessarily harassed”. The hotel owners alleged that though the government gave them the status of an industry way back in 1996, it hasn’t extended any facility to them to complement the status.

Later, district SAD chief Upkar Singh Sandhu met the protesting hoteliers and conveyed them a message from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, urging them to withdraw their call for strike.

Surinder Singh said Sandhu assured them that he would personally meet the CM and find a wayout within a fortnight. He said they had given the state government 15 days’ time to resolve the matter, failing which they would resort to hunger strike.

German officials being briefed about the scheme in Amritsar on Wednesday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

For Children

A five-member delegation of German officials say the European nation plan to introduce a scheme for children along the lines of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna that India had started for the BPL families.

Amritsar, September 5
Teachers have always been described as the second parents of a child. While the relationship between a student and a teacher has always been simple and strong, of late it has transformed into something quite practical and commercial. On Teacher’s Day, we check out from some of the teachers in the city if the reality differs.

Anjana Gupta, principal, DAV International School, seems to agree with the point. “The guru-shishya tradition has been long lost due to the new-age commercialism. The relationship between a student and a teacher has lost its respect and decorum. Nowadays, it has just become a formality. There is a lot of resentment, misbehaviour and aggression towards each other and certain incidents that we read in newspapers are a proof of that,” she said.

The statement implies to violent incidents where a teacher is stabbed to death by a student or a professor is slapped in front of an entire classroom.

“The respect, regard and fear students had for their teachers no longer exist. Aggression in society is increasing which is adding to such reports. But I think, both teachers and students need to think about where they are going wrong,” said Jyoti Kapoor, a freelance education counsellor from the city.

Though the bond of friendship still reflects between the two, it has become more business-like. “Well, I beg to disagree. Society is itself going through drastic consumerist changes and it does reflect on this relationship as well. But on the whole, I believe that the sanctity of bonding between the two remains intact and some violent incidents should not be taken into account to generalise the student-teacher equation,” said Rajiv Sharma, principal of Springdales School.

While teachers believe they don’t share the blame, they also voice that they are the ones who can help change the equation.

“My advice to teachers is that they need to look at students as their own children and try to inculcate a value-based learning system. Students should also try to be sensitive and seek guidance from their teachers,” said Anjana.

Amritsar, September 5
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission president SN Aggarwal, also retired Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court, said the contribution of the Gadar party to the freedom struggle to liberate the country from the foreign yoke was exemplary.

Addressing a seminar on the “Role of Gadar party in Freedom Struggle of India” organised by the Department of History at Khalsa College yesterday, he said Gadarites ignited the flame of revolution that started from the foreign shores with such an aggression that it took India by storm which had shaken the foundations of the mighty British Empire.

Khalsa College principal Dr Daljit Singh welcomed and honoured Justice Aggarwal calling him a renowned scholar in the field, besides being highly decorative judicial officer.

He asked the students to study the sacrifices made by patriots like Gadarites and persuaded them to take inspirations from their life. Among others registrar Prof Baljinder Singh, Dean, Social Sciences, and Head, Department of History, Prof Satinder Kaur and Prof Arti Suri were present during the seminar.

Amritsar, September 5
“Be professional but do not forget ethics” was the message highlighted during deliberations at a national seminar on “Preparing Professional and Humane Teachers” organised by the Khalsa College of Education, Ranjit Avenue, today.

Dr Ajaib Singh Brar, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, in his presidential remarks in the seminar, said: “The role of a teacher is most crucial today and he must be a creative human being, a role model and beholder of high moral character”.

Dr Brar said the new technology had made the role of a teacher highly challenging, but morality still remained the same. “Science and technology may change, but not human beings,” said Brar as he emphasised on the quality rather than the quantity of teachers being nurtured out.

In his keynote address, Dr PK Sahoo, Professor, Department of Education, Allahabad University, said it was Teachers’ Day today and the topic of the seminar was highly conducive to discuss.

“There has been a paradigm shift in the education sector today. It has been affected by globalisation and privatisation. We need to re-impose ethical values and those should come from within and not enforced from outside,” said Dr Sahoo.

Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, honorary secretary, Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC), earlier welcomed the chief guest, Dr Ajaib Singh Brar, and other experts.

He said it was high time to hold discussions as a teacher in the words of Rabinder Nath Tagore must “knock at the doors of mind” and not just disseminate information or knowledge.

Chhina said the world was changing and so education. “We need teachers who are well-informed and well-versed with the latest information in their respective fields. They also need to adopt a humane and friendly approach,” he said.

Prof NK Dash from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Prof YK Sharma from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, also read their papers giving an insight into the new paradigms in the teachers’ education.

Dr Surinderpal Kaur Dhillon, principal of the host college, welcomed the guests and other delegates.

He said: “In the wake of a new revolution in the teachers’ education, professionalism is need of the hour and we all must incorporate reflective pedagogies and integrate emotional and spiritual intelligence to rejuvenate educators today”.

Among others KCGC joint secretaries Sukhdev Singh Abdal and SS Mannan, Dean, Education, GNDU, and principal, Khalsa College of Education, Dr JS Dhillon, Khalsa College Public School principal Dr Sarvjit Kaur Brara and Khalsa College International School principal DK Sandhu were also present on the occasion.

Amritsar, September 5
Various educational institutes held programmes to mark Teacher’s Day in the city today.

Sri Guru Ramdas School of Planning of Guru Nanak Dev University celebrated the day in the department. Prof Balvinder Singh, Head of the department, stressed upon the students to follow the path shown by Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Khalsa College Chawinda Devi celebrated the day with great enthusiasm. Students and teachers exchanged greetings on the occasion. A cultural function was also organised, which was presided over by Dr Parmjit Singh Dua, principal of the college. Students delivered speeches on the importance of the day.

Delhi Public School hosted an Inter-School Hindi competition, “Padawali Gyan Pratiyogita”, to contribute towards the promotion of Indian language, culture and learning among students in this age of globalisation as propagated by Dr Radhakrishnan. As many as 21 schools participated in the competition.

Teachers of Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School, Majitha Road Bypass, were felicitated on the day. A cultural show was also presented by senior secondary students on the occasion. The function was presided over by chief guest RP Singh, principal, Khalsa College of Engineering.

Holy Heart Presidency School celebrated the occasion with a cultural programme in which teachers sang songs and took part in various other activities. Fun games were organised and teachers shared their experiences with students. Chairman of the school Vijay Seth, director Anjana Seth and principal Vikram Seth congratulated the staff members and felicitated them with gifts.

DAV International School remembered Dr Radhakrishnan’s contribution to the field of education. Anjana Gupta, principal of the school, congratulated the teachers on this significant day. Teachers exhibited their best potential by enacting a play titled “Sab ka Samna” at a cultural show. Besides a rip-roaring mimicry act, a dance performance and qawwali were the highlights of the show.

Shri Ram Ashram Senior Secondary School, Batala Road, celebrated the day by holding a cultural programme in which students and teachers presented mesmerising performance in a play, “Guru Siksha”, which highlighted the significant role of teachers in the traditional as well as the modern era. Vonodita Sankhiyan, principal of the school, motivated teachers to excel in their chosen profession. Balbir Bajaj, president of the school management, congratulated the staff on the occasion.

Amritsar, September 5
The existing House of the Municipal Corporation would be dissolved tomorrow.

Till the new house takes charge, all the decision-making powers would be with the MC Commissioner Dharampal Gupta.

“The present house would be dissolved tomorrow and the new house would be constituted probably by September 10,” said Gupta.

Amritsar, September 5
Mohit Sheherawat of Delhi outplayed Sanchit Sikka of Uttar Pradesh by 2-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the U-14 boys’ category of pre-quarterfinals held under the AITA’s Talent Series Tennis Tournament organised by the Punjab State Lawn Tennis Association at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Tennis Complex yesterday.

Navneet Singh of Delhi defeated Aditya Vashisht of Rajasthan by 6-2, 6-3, Neel of Madhya Pradesh beat Jaskaran Thapar of Punjab by 6-1, 6-1, Saurabh Prashar of Chandigarh beat Sagar Shehrawat of Delhi by 7-6, 6-4, Vikas of Punjab defeated Sundar of Karnataka by 6-0, 6-1, Rishabh of Chandigarh got better off Bhavraj of Punjab by 6-1, 6-1, Sahishnu of Jammu and Kashmir slugged out Daksh Yadav of Delhi by 6-0, 6-1 and Manav Bhrany of Punjab beat Srijjan Singh of Uttar Pradesh by 6-2, 6-4.

In girls’ U-14, Ishwari of Maharashtra, Prakriti Banwani of Madhya Pradesh and three Punjab girls, Seerat Kaur Pannu, Harleen Kaur and Kvya Gupta, won their matches in pre-quarterfinals.