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8 shops, Geeta Bhawan acquired
Volunteers, civic body staff clean Golden Temple periphery
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RTI query: Municipal Corporation silent on hoardings on buildings
Fate of job aspirants hangs in balance
3 booked for dealing in illicit liquor
Improvement Trust provides register, phone for complaints
125 donate blood
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8 shops, Geeta Bhawan acquired
Amritsar, September 12 The acquisition drive was carried out in the morning and no untoward incident or protest was reported. The department handed over the possession of the same to the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT). Besides, officials of the district administration and the AIT were also present during the acquisition drive. The entire procedure was finished without any resistance. The AIT officials, who were present at the site with the workforce, razed parts of these shops with the help of JCB and other machines. The department has been employing various measures like holding talks and serving notices to occupants of shops and residences to get the portion of the Durgiana Temple complex amicably vacated to develop it as another tourist place in the city. Pradeep Sabharwal, Collector-cum-Regional Deputy Director, Local Bodies, said the occupants had been served notices from time to time to vacate their places and claim their compensation and added that the last notice was served in the third week of August. "The compensation award had been announced since May 21, 2008. We have been publishing this notice in prominent newspapers while inviting shop and house tenants to claim their dues as per the land acquisition norms from my office between 8 am to 2 pm on any working day. The tenants who have made any construction in their places, too, have been invited to claim compensation subject to the condition that the landlord certifies his or her claim," said Sabharwal. It has been learnt that the owners of the residential area are being paid compensation amount calculated at an approximate rate of Rs 18,000 per sq yard. On the same pattern, the proprietors of commercial space are being compensated at about Rs 60,000 per sq yard. A final design for the beautification of 3.03 acres around Durgiana Temple has been chosen. The work has already been awarded to an Amritsar-based firm for the first phase of the project which is to build a multi-storeyed commercial complex. As the shops in the Durgiana complex would be demolished, the displaced shopkeepers would be provided 53 shops on a reserve price, said Bharat Bhusan Sharma, Superintending Engineer of the AIT. He stated that two storeys of the complex would be kept reserved for the displaced shopkeepers. About Rs 28 crore was kept aside as compensation for the acquisition of the whole chunk of land required for the beautification project and the remaining Rs 22 crore would be spent on raising the infrastructure for the convenience of tourists, devotees and pilgrims. The AIT would raise an auditorium, open-air theatre, “joda ghar” and information centre besides a four-storeyed parking lot to accommodate about 400 cars and over 150 two-wheelers. According to planners, over 70 per cent of the land would be an open area, which would have greenbelt. Meanwhile, the cost of the project, notified in 2007 by the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT), rose from Rs 36 crore to Rs 50 crore following delays due to various reasons. Sources said nearly Rs 40 crore had already been deposited by the trust to the Local Bodies Department to carry out the development work. All this is being initiated to attract tourists to the city.
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Volunteers, civic body staff clean Golden Temple periphery
Amritsar, September 12 Earlier, the tourism department had roped in Baba Kulwant Singh from Ajnala to keep the route of Panj Sarovar Walk clean. A number of volunteers, along with officials of the MC, today cleaned and dusted the road around the Golden Temple. Ram Singh said a record number of tourists from the country and around the world, belonging to different faiths, visit Golden Temple. However, unhygienic surroundings, rampant encroachments, choking sewerage and sluggish garbage lifting are posing a big challenge to the corporation and the residents of the holy city to keep the area free from dirt and refuse. Various approach roads to the magnificent building of the sacred temple are narrow and have a sewerage system, which date backs to decades. These labyrinthine roads are densely populated. Adding to the problem is that there are both residential and commercial buildings situated in the area. He said he would ensure that volunteers clean the area once a week. Besides, the residents would be made aware of the importance and means of keeping their surroundings clean. Officials of the civic department would be kept informed about the prevailing situation and amendments needed to be maintained to improve the amenities. He said it was high time to look at the trouble regarding the lack of cleanliness as the burden on the limited and outdated civic amenities had risen sharply due to a large number of floating population of pilgrims residing in the inns, lodges and hotels near Golden Temple. “It demands immediate and concrete steps to plug loopholes and add new infrastructure,” he added. A majority of approaching roads to Golden Temple fall on the route of Panj Sarovar and Heritage walk. Both walks are battling with the perennial problem of filth-strewn streets, heaps of garbage on roadside, people passing urine, squalor and dirt. Already Baba Kulwant Singh from Ajnala, with the support of the tourism department, the SGPC and hundreds of devotees are cleaning roads on way to Panj Sarovar (five holy ponds) Walk once a week. Baba Ji Ajnalewale, as he is fondly called, along with his volunteers armed with brooms, big iron bowls, cycle rickshaws, spades and other instruments has been removing filth, garbage and refuse from the streets and small open drains enroute to Panj Sarovar walk. The walk covers five holy ponds Santokhsar, Bibeksar, Ramsar, Kaulsar and most sacred Amrit Sarovar, in the Golden Temple complex. Upon their arrival, volunteers of the Sewak Ishnana Jatha, Gurdwara Santokhsar Sahib offer langar (community kitchen) before they initiate the arduous task of cleaning the labyrinth roads inside the walled city. It took them nearly five long hours to clean the stretch of over 2 km.
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RTI query: Municipal Corporation silent on hoardings on buildings
Amritsar, September 12 In reply to an application by RTI activist and People’s Party of Punjab youth leader Sandy Randhawa, the MC has stated that “no such information exists”. The MC has only replied to the fifth question on the application, avoiding the first four. Randhawa had also asked for information regarding the number of rooftop hoardings approved by the MC, companies registered with the MC for such hoardings, size of hoardings as approved by it, and action taken against the hoardings which do not comply with the regulations. Sandy said, “The reply indicates that it is an illegal business. Otherwise the MC would have got the information.” In May this year, the MC had acted tough against the owners of these illegal hoardings. Even a special drive to remove these hoardings was initiated. “But only as the MC removes flex printings, it never removes permanent structures on which these hoardings are fixed. So, it is only a matter of time when these hoardings would come up again,” said Sandy. Even as the high court, too, had earlier took a serious view of these illegal rooftop hoardings and asked for a ban on these, a casual ride through the city would bring the truth out. Even if hoardings have been removed from places, iron structures still are ridiculing the ban. “The high court had ordered for the ban in view of the distractions these cause for
drivers. Further, these are nothing less than defacement,” said Sandy. The owners of properties along the roads, especially GT Road, Lawrence Road, flyover, Bhandari Bridge and so many others have rented out their rooftops for fixing such hoardings. “Standing at a higher place, one can only see these large hoardings blocking the view. It brings easy money for the owners, but it is illegal. The MC has done nothing expect turning a blind eye,” said Sandy.
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Fate of job aspirants hangs in balance
Amritsar, September 12 This came to light when the GNDU denied admit cards to over 200 candidates for the post of junior data entry operator despite the fact that they possessed the requisite qualification through the UGC-recognised institutions. GNDU officials justified their stand by saying that these candidates had obtained degrees through distance-learning programme and that they were without practical knowledge. That’s why they were barred from appearing in the recruitment test. Denying this, the affected applicants stated that practical curricula was part of their syllabus and they had been denied admission on frivolous grounds. It has been learnt that around 5,000 applicants had applied for 36 posts of clerk-cum-junior data entry operators for the GNDU’s main campus as well as for its branches located in Sathiala, Sultanpur Lodhi and four constituent colleges in Verka, Mithra, Chung and Narote Jaimal Singh. The requisite qualification for the post was BCA/B.Sc(IT)/B.Sc. computer science/B.Sc. Economics or BA/BSc or any other examination equivalent thereto, with Computer Science as an elective subject, with at least 50 per cent marks or graduate with 50 per cent marks and the PGDCA from the GNDU or equivalent
thereto. The written test for the eligibility has been scheduled for September 16. When some students did not receive their admit cards for this test, they got it enquired from the university counter, only to know that they were not in the line. Sarbjeet Singh (name changed) was one such candidate. He had done BSc (IT) through Punjab Technical University (PTU). Before that, he did diploma in computer engineering after passing his matriculation examination. This PTU-recognised diploma made him eligible to get admission in the BSc (IT) second year directly as a “lateral candidate” (through correspondence) and he successfully completed his degree, conferred by the PTU in 2004-2006. But today, this degree holds no value for the GNDU. ?I was taken aback when the GNDU authorities refused to recognise a UGC-approved degree. Many candidates like me had undergone practical training with governemnt-oriented polytechnic institutions which was part of our syllabus,” he said. Another rejected candidate had done B.Sc (IT) through another UGC-approved Sikkim Manipal University in 2011. He had to his credit a three year polytechnic diploma in computer applications accredited by the Punjab State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training. ?After doing this diploma, I, too, got direct admission to BSc (IT), but it was heartening to know that this UGC-approved degree holds no significance for the GNDU. Like regular candidates, we, too, had put in five years to be IT graduate,” he resented.
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3 booked for dealing in illicit liquor
Amritsar, September 12 Separate cases under Sections 61/1/14 of the Excise Act were registered against the accused, who were later released on bail. In yet another case, the Cantonment police recovered 24 bottles and some cash, but could not nab the accused, identified as Tarsem Singh, a resident of the Ram Tirath road. Banned drugs seized
A huge seizure of banned drugs was made from Mehul Pharma in the Katra Sher Singh area here today. Drug Inspector Sukhdeep Singh said around 55,000 tablets, 1,000 capsules, 100 syrups and 240 injections were seized. He said the shop owner could not produce any purchase bills for the medicines. The raid was conducted on the orders of the Civil Surgeon, Dr Yash Mitra. Akilesh Kumar, another member of the team, said they had also seized 50 samples meant for physicians. He said the seized drugs would be produced in court.
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Left parties organise protest
Amritsar, September 12 A leader of the CPI, Amarjit Singh Asal, said, “The government should stop categorisation of the poor into APL and BPL families. What we need is a universal public distribution system under which every family gets at least 35 kg of rice or wheat at Rs 2 per kg.” He said the farmers should also be given a 50 per cent profit over and above their input cost. A leader of the CPM, Vijay Mishra, criticised the government’s inefficiency in proper storage of agricultural produce. “Every year crop worth almost Rs 50,000 crore is lost because of the deficiency in the storage system. In the past five years agricultural produce, estimated at 68,000 tonnes, has got damaged,” he said. The communist leaders also criticised the state government for imposing additional taxes to the tune of Rs 900 crore. The leaders stated that the Sanjha Morcha parties would also stage a protest against these taxes on September 21.
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Coal scam offenders should face legal action, says BJP gen-secy
Amritsar, September 12 In the city to convey about the BJP’s parliamentary agitation over the scam, Rai said the party’s agitation against the Centre Government for its involvement in allocating the coal blocks in a fraudulent way would be intensified in the days to come. The BJP general secretary said the UPA government had allocated coal blocks to various companies without making them going through the screening committee. “Had there been more applicants than available resources, there should have been auctions, but no bids were conducted while allocating coal blocks and the whole process was done arbitrarily. Our protest against the UPA government’s endeavour to shelter the culprits has now taken to streets. We demand that all coal block allocations should be cancelled and an impartial inquiry be conducted in which all leaders, including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should also be questioned. Even as the PM in his statement on August 27 had termed it as just a farce, then why did the CBI register six FIRs? he said. While speaking about the Border Area Development Funds (BADF) allegedly been siphoned off by the personal secretary of Cabinet minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, the BJP secretary viewed that it was a lapse on the part of the district-level monitoring committee. “Whosoever is responsible for committing this crime should be punished,” he said. The funds to the tune of over Rs 2 crore were embezzled in the name of rural belt development reportedly in connivance with the staff of the Cabinet minister Ranike. The modus operandi was to open fake bank accounts in the names of elected sarpanches and panchyat members and later on encashing the grant cheques procured from the Block Development and Panchayat Office. The offenders, which included the minister’s personal secretary, were booked, but they all are still at large. Meanwhile, the BJP general secretary refrained from commenting on the issue of new city Mayor and the BJP’s stand on the imposition of additional taxes on sugar, flour, pulses and clothes by the state government to enhance its revenue generation.
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Improvement Trust provides register, phone for complaints
Amritsar, September 12 The trust’s Superintendent Engineer, Bharat Bhushan Sharma, said as per the directions a register had been placed in the office and a provision for releasing a number to a complaint had also been given. He said the physical presence of the complainant was not mandatory while registering a complaint and the same can be done over a phone. He said a dedicated telephone number 5057705 was released for the purpose. As per the newly laid procedure, once registered, a copy of the complaint would be forwarded to the head of the department concerned to resolve the same within seven days. He said an official of the department would contact the complainant a week after the registration of the complaint to know its status.
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Pak writer Manto’s family felicitated
Amritsar, September 12 The function was attended by most of the city’s literary personalities. Manto’s daughter Nusrat Jalal said they had attended a seminar in the memory of her father at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, on September 7. She added that they also visited Manto’s native village Papraudi, near Samrala, in Ludhiana district. She said they participated in a function to lay the foundation stone of a Manto memorial gate in Papraudi. “It was like connecting with the roots. We have seen places where our father had lived. All the love people here have showered on us is because of their love for our father. My father very much belonged to this place,” she said. She said their visit had once again revealed that citizens of both the countries wanted friendly relations. “Had there been any enmity between the people of the two countries, we would not felt any love,” she said. Talking about her father’s connection with the holy city, she said Manto had got his education from Muslim High School in Amritsar. At the time of Independence, he had left for Pakistan along with his family, where he had breathed his last on January 18, 1955.
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Young city designers make fashion affordable for the masses
Amritsar, September 12 But there are some fresh bunch of designers from the city who are trying to make fashion feasible and in all likelihood for the masses. Ask young designers Guncha Chopra and Ramandeep Kaur, students of INIFD, Amritsar, how that’s possible and what you get is a simple solution to the seemingly impossible situation. “Educate the masses about fashion and things will fall in place,” says Guncha. Need to elaborate on this? here she goes, “If you talk about Amritsar, the problem is most of the people have little understanding of fashion and the fact that clothes are not an investment option. A simple jeans and tee can look fashionable without burning a hole in the pocket,” she says. Well said. After being the first ones from the holy city to get shortlisted to be featured in the Gen Next category at the just-concluded Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), the two are busy opening their own labels in the city. “LFW was an experience of a lifetime. To compete at a level with designers from across India and have mentors like Manish Malhotra, Ashley Robello and more was overwhelming,” says Guncha, who also assisted designer Atithi Gupta. Though they could not make the final cut, but their collection was at display at LFW pavilion. “Having our designs with the biggest names in the industry under one roof meant a lot of excitement. Our accessories and styling were appreciated. It feels good when important people take note of your hard work,” shares Raman. Guncha had used historical coins in her collection, while Raman had innovated with zips. Back home, they don’t want to stop just here. “We are preparing to feature in the upcoming edition of Bangalore Fashion Week. Meanwhile, we plan to put our collection on display at the designer exhibition in Amritsar as well,” informs Guncha. They already have a client list that has the who’s who of the city featuring in it. “A lot of people are appreciating my designs and I have started my own label “Haniche”, which focuses on Indian and western formals and casuals,” says Guncha. But both believe that fashion needs not come at a price, “I think it’s pointless to price your label too high as one tends to loose clients, especially in a place like Amritsar. Fashion should be practical, affordable, especially if you are targeting the youth,” says Guncha. Raman, too, says her efforts are to keep her designs low on cost. “As a beginner in the industry, I feel it’s important to build a brand first, make people understand the label and the ideology behind it and then gradually go commercial.”
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Health Dept starts drive on nutritious diet
Amritsar, September 12 Addressing schoolchildren, District Family Planning Officer Dr Ranjit Singh Buttar asked them never to skip their breakfast. “The regular and timely breakfast is the key to good health,” he said. He asked them to reduce the intake of junk and fast food items and increase the intake of green and leafy vegetables. He asked students, especially girls, to have more milk and its products. School health officer Dr Nidhi educated students about the various diseases due to the lack of nutritious food products. She also told them about the problems faced due to deficiency of haemoglobin and blood.
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125 donate blood
Amritsar, September 12 As many as 125 volunteers of the NSS, NCC cadets, Red Cross unit members and other students donated blood. The chief guest and College Principal Dr Neelam Kamra applauded the efforts of the staff and student volunteers of the college for organising the camp.
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