|
|
|
|
Waste collection co serves notice on MC
Range of subsidies announced for crop diversification
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Encroachments continue unabated in Landa Bazaar
Giving dreams, changing lives
Students from Milwaukee, USA, interact with the students of Nishkam Sewa Public School in Amritsar on Monday. A Tribune photo
SAD leader booked for putting illegal hoardings
Illegal hoardings at the Queens road in Amritsar on Monday.
Work on Golden Temple entrance plaza gathers pace
An under-construction site for the entrance plaza at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
GNDU under-graduate exams from March 16
Advocates suspend work
Gurbani: An effort to reach out to abandoned NRI brides
The star cast of Gurbani, a new TV show, while on a visit to Amritsar. Photo: Sameer Sehgal
Meet discusses trends in physiotherapy
MG Sangvi (left), Chairman and Managing Director, Syndicate Bank, meets customers on his visit to Amritsar on Monday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal
Inter-university hockey tourney begins at GNDU
Players in action during the first quarter-final match of the All India Inter-University Hockey Championship at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Monday. A Tribune photograph
|
|
Waste collection co serves notice on MC
Amritsar, March 11 MC Commissioner Bhupinder Singh confirmed the development. “We need to ascertain the claims made by the company. Our approach is still positive and we want an amicable solution to the stand-off,” he said. The company had pulled out of the contract on August 7 last year in view of the alleged non-payment of dues by the MC. The MC had claimed a damage of Rs 4.8 lakh from the company for breach of contract which was executed for the next seven years in 2009. Even as company officials said the development was an outcome of non-payment of their dues by the AMC, the civic body countered it by saying that public utility services could not be stalled or suspended under any circumstances and the company was liable to bear the penalty. AMC officials maintained that the company is paid a consolidated sum after every quarter and the crisis occurred only during the last quarter period when the state government could not release the funds on time. The management of the firm made it clear that garbage lifting will not be resumed until its dues were cleared. Manager, Antony Waste Handling Company, Anil Chandala said, “We were forced to hold back garbage lifting operation because our dues to the tune of several crores were not paid. We have already brought it to the notice of the management at our headquarters in New Delhi. Now, things will be settled at their level only,” Chandola said. The company management, in a communication to the MC, had claimed that the firm suffered losses to the tune of Rs 2 crore and continuing with the contract would only escalate their losses further. The management said it was forced to terminate the services of its employees “due to repeated delay in payment of their salaries as a result of which their employees refused to do the job”. The company further wrote that its operations collapsed due to non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 1.48 crore and its machinery too had got damaged due to the pathetic conditions at the garbage dumping site at Bhaktanwala. The AMC, however, maintained that the firm was paid as per the agreement and it was not proper on its part to hold back its machinery all of a sudden and putting the residents at receiving end. The standoff
The company pulled out of the contract on August 7 last year alleging non-payment of dues by the MC The MC claims a damage of Rs 4.8 lakh from the company for breach of contract executed for the next seven years in 2009 The civic body says that public utility services cannot be stalled or suspended under any circumstances and the company is liable to bear the penalty Firm’s stance
The firm claims that since it suffered losses in crores, continuing with the contract would further escalate their losses The management said they were forced to terminate the services of its employees due to repeated delay in payment of their salaries It wrote that operations collapsed and machinery also got damaged due to pathetic conditions at the garbage dumping site at Bhaktanwala
|
|
Range of subsidies announced for crop diversification
Amritsar, March 11 Baaj Singh, Deputy Director, Horticulture, Amritsar, said the government had announced new package for farmers to encourage them to grow kinnows, malta, guava etc. The farmers should devote at least four hectare for kinnow crops under the scheme, he said. “For this, Rs 40,000 per hectare subsidy has been offered to farmers and they can avail Rs 1.6 lakh subsidy by growing fruits on their fields,” he said. He said these were all-season crops and it was an appropriate time to sow kinnow, guava and other varieties of citrus fruits. “The farmers who wish to opt for the scheme can contact their respective horticulture offices in their blocks for seeking technical know-how besides availing the subsidy package,” he said. Besides this, he said, there were mini-kits available at all block-level offices for summer vegetables and the farmers could utilise these kits for growing vegetables for their domestic use as well. For growing pulses on a large scale, the state government would provide subsidies on seeds, pesticides and agro machinery. “There is a provision on seed subsidy of Rs 1,200 per quintal, besides 50 per cent subsidy on zinc sulfide and injections to be used for pulses cultivation. Similarly, there is 50 per cent subsidy on seed drill machines and zero tilling machines,” the Deputy Director, Horticulture, informed.
|
|
Encroachments continue unabated in Landa Bazaar
Amritsar, March 11 The market has become a big grey market in the past three decades. Items varying from readymade garments to electronic goods, watches, cosmetics, mobile handsets and shoes are sold here. NS Gabarhia, a local resident, said the area was developed by the Amritsar Improvement Trust as Guru Nanak Nagar. With the passage of time, it was handed over to the Amritsar Municipal Corporation. As per the blueprint of Landa Bazaar, which was officially named Guru Nanak Nagar, has a public park. The vendors and shopkeepers to justify encroachment and to ward off any anti-encroachment drive set up a Shiva temple in 2003, said Gabarhia. Interestingly, lately Prachin (ancient) was prefixed before the temple’s name. This was brought to the notice of successive commissioners but nothing happened, he rued. In response to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the Municipal Corporation (MC) said in October 2010 that the temple was raised in violation of the norms and the matter had been communicated to the Deputy Commissioner. “It added that demolishing the temple building could result in law and order problem. It may be mentioned here that the state government made anti-encroachment law under the then Finance and Local Bodies minister Kewal Krishan in 1995. As per law, encroachment was made a cognisable offence and municipal employees entrusted to prevent encroachment were made liable for three months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20000 or both for failing to do so. Contrarily, local BJP and Congress leaders have been felicitated in the park many a time. Another old timer Harjinder Singh recalled that the residential area started becoming a commercial one in the eighties and Afghan nationals were instrumental in doing so. He said many Afghans were staying in the area after the erstwhile USSR had attacked Afghanistan. “These foreign nationals used to sell dry fruit and woolen items in the area and soon the locals followed the suit.
|
|
Giving dreams, changing lives
Amritsar, March 11 The school, run by Sardar Singh, 65, who has shown the children a life beyond the garbage dump, made the students interact with their guests from USA. Kanchan Mehra, principal, Senior Study Cantt and a volunteer with the school, said, “They were quite happy to see the school and its facilities, though we still have much to improvise on. It’s an annual visit that some volunteers of the school arrange for. They also donated coolers to the school for the upcoming summer season.” The institution is running for over 16 years to provide education and better future for the rag pickers and under-privileged children in the city. “I have seen kids change their destiny, from picking garbage to getting distinction tion and pursuing higher studies to live a different life. Serving these kids with a new dream every day, I still believe more should be done. I have been lucky to have a good circle of friends and peers who have supported this initiative with dedication.”As for the foreign guests, Singh was glad to have made an impression. “The kids from USA were amazed to hear stories of our students’ lives, the balance they maintain with their studies and work. They were quite impressed by the dedication of each student.” Singh plans to get in more students for his school, “I have adopted kids from the slums near railway crossing and other areas and plan to enrol them for the school. Funds are always a problem since we run on donations and voluntary aid, but the education here is given free of cost.” For now, Singh is planning to host more schools who are open to visit and help in the education of these street kids. “Those who think academic excellence comes at a price, this school could be an eye opener,” Singh added.
|
|
SAD leader booked for putting illegal hoardings
Amritsar, March 11 The ruling SAD supporters had recently put up hoardings to greet newly inducted Cabinet Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike on his arrival to the city. Acting swiftly, the E-division police station has booked SAD leader Harpreet Singh alias Happy, a resident of Lawrence Road, under Section 3 of the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Ordinance 1977. Sukhdev Singh, in-charge, Hall Gate police post, confirmed the move and said the Happy had been found guilty of putting up a huge board outside the Hall Gate. Several persons were booked three years ago when the then Commissioner DPS Kharbanda had got FIRs registered against 10 individuals and firms who had put boards and banners on the supporting pillars of the main elevated road on the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road. Kharbanda had even enclosed 10 pictures of such posters mentioning the pillar number on which these were glued and also the mobile numbers of the individuals and the firms concerned mentioned on these hoardings and posters. But with no follow-up action, except for entering their names in the daily diary report, it all ended in a farce as posters are still seen on road pillars. Significantly, the pasting of any material on pillars was banned because the civil experts had cautioned against the same as it could damage the special coated material that sustains the pillars. Defying the orders of the HC and subsequently of the Deputy CM, illegal hoardings continue to dot the key intersections of the city. Most of the posters are put up by political parties, including the ruling alliance. The latest was Ranike’s welcome over his recent induction into the Cabinet while earlier it was the arrival of BJP chief Kamal Sharma and the Leader of Opposition Arun Jailtely in Amritsar. Hoardings conveying wishes on the New Year a Lohri were also seen. Recently, huge hoardings came up on the prominent intersections of the city congratulating winner candidates in the Delhi Gurdwara elections. Defying HC orders
Holding it as a “gross violation” of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the Secretary, Local Bodies Department, to remove all the hoardings put up by political leaders, parties and commercial organisations on the berms or land abutting the national or state highways, municipal roads etc. Apart from the civic authorities, the deputy commissioners concerned were held liable for not complying with these orders
|
|
Work on Golden Temple entrance plaza gathers pace
Amritsar, March 11 The Tribune team visited the project site and found that the basic structure has been raised in around 8,000 square metre area in the basement while a huge ‘jora ghar’ (shoe-keeping facility) has been constructed on the left side of the entrance. The wall in front of the main entrance, known as the Ghanta Ghar, has been demolished to integrate the area with the green belt that was developed after Ghanta Ghar Market was shifted. The road that separated the two parts has been shut as of now but will be thrown open to traffic at a later stage. The road will not be at its original position and will be moved a little farther from where it was earlier (towards Shani Mandir) so that a major chunk of the plaza area falls on the side leading to the shrine’s entrance gate. The information centre, refreshment area, baggage room and washrooms will be on the other side of the road. There will be a corridor right in front of these facilities to ensure safe movement of devotees. Once the new ‘jora ghar’ comes up, the current This means that the entire area in front of the Golden Temple’s entrance will be an open space and the only constructed area on the ground will be that of the jora ghar. It will provide ample space for pilgrims to move in and out without facing any congestion. Most of the facilities in the plaza will be in the basement, including a state-of-the-art interpretation and information centre for tourists, VIP lounge, bank, ATM, airlines and railway inquiry, a multipurpose hall, security and services area, toilets and other public conveniences. The plaza has been designed keeping in mind the fact that there are points of high congregation around the shrine and they have to be provided with safe and convenient access, facilities, pedestrian movement and congregation space.As far as greenery is concerned, the plaza offers little scope. Sources said decorative plants on the either side of the entrance would be planted. The only area where such trees can be planted is where the current jora ghar exists, as the area will be levelled after its demolition once the new facility comes up.
|
|
GNDU under-graduate exams from March 16
Amritsar, March 11 Professor in charge (Examinations), Dr RK Mahajan said a total of 270 examination centres had been established, from which 48 would cater to private students and 222 would be for regular students. He said about 75,000 students were estimated to appear in these examinations. All the necessary arrangements had been done. The roll numbers of all the eligible students had been sent to them by registered post. In case any student did not receive the roll number by March 13, he or she could collect the roll number personally from Examination Branch (I and II) of the university, with their original certificates of lower examination and two attested passport size photographs, Mahajan added. Results declared
The results of BCA Semester-I, BSc (IT) Semester-I, BCom Semester-I and BCom (Professional) Semester-I, held by the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) in December 2012 have been declared. Dr RK Mahajan, Professor In charge (Exams) said the results would be available on university website www.gndu.ac.in.
|
|
Advocates suspend work
Amritsar, March 11 Panesar said work would be resumed as usual from Tuesday as the FIR registered against advocates in Chandigarh had been quashed. But today, most of the litigants were harassed, as the advocates refused to attend court hearings for their clients. The people who had came to the district court complex from far-off rural areas said their visit had been in vain. They said in most of the cases, the clerks of the advocates appeared in courts .
|
|
Gurbani: An effort to reach out to abandoned NRI brides
Amritsar, March 11 The cast and crew of Gurbani interacted with the media at the launch of the show and spoke about the show and the women it's dedicated to. “Punjab has such a huge number of NRI brides and their wait sees no end. Through our show, we are trying to bring out certain facts, pressures and awareness about the issue and help them know their rights. There are many NGOs and women’s organisations working to help such women, involving Indian embassies for police verification and many such steps to aware people” says Prashant Bhatt, weekday programming head, Colors. The show stars Navni Parihar, Suraj Thapar, Rita Bhaduri and marks the debut for Amritsar girl Shefali Sharma, as the lead character Gurbani. It also experiments with the concept of a storyteller as singer Harshdeep Kaur plays the sutradhaar in the show. Making an entrance Playing the Punjabi kudi is Shefali Sharma. The Amritsar girl, who has been doing theatre for the past 12 years, plays Gurbani. The 21-year-old, pursuing her studies from BBKDAV, was happy doing theatre when her coach informed her about the auditions for Gurbani. “Having grown up in the heart of Punjab, I was aware of social issues like abandoned NRI brides. One of my acquaintances too has been waiting for the past five years for her NRI groom. The problem has become a way of life for these women who are suffering an endless fate. I want the show to reach out to at least some of them.” Bridal woes Actor Navni Parihar is back on small screen with the show, playing Ranno, a shunned bride who is still waiting for her husband. A role that in her own words is ‘emotionally and physically demanding’, the actor seems pleased to be doing it. The MP born and bred Rajput actor had no qualms playing a Punjabi character since the culture seems to be the same, “It’s not a Punjabi or MP thing, it is the Indian mentality. We feel a sense of socio-economic pride with anything imported, whether it’s a bottle of perfume or a husband for our daughters. That is what has caused this social menace.” But despite the problems, Navni says she loves Punjab. “We shot at Khasa Railway Station, Attari village and various other locales in Punjab. I was stunned to see the beautiful sarson fields, which we only saw in Yash Raj movies. And I just love the food and hospitality of Punjabis.” Telling the tale Singer Harshdeep Kaur too is a part of the story, playing the sutradhaar. “It’s a unique concept and the first one on television. The musical expression is the gist of the story, telling the tale where words are not necessary,” she says. The singer, who has given playback for upcoming Punjabi film Sarsa and has other projects in her kitty is excited for her small screen debut.
|
|
Meet discusses trends in physiotherapy
Amritsar, March 11 He said the technique was a minimal invasive surgical procedure in which joint was not opened fully, thus reducing the recovery time. He added that arthroscopy was a useful technique in diagnosis and repair of torn tissues such as ligaments, menisci and cartilage. A new executive body, with Dr Rajesh Mahajan as the president of the association, was also elected during the meeting. The association members also honoured the outgoing president Dr Siddharth Sharma for his services to the fraternity.
|
|
Bank plans more ATMs
Amritsar, March 11 He was in the city today to meet the High Networth Individual customers of the bank. He said the target of installing ATMs at all the branches would be positively meet by the next year. Earlier, he paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and paid floral tributes at the martyrs’ memorial in Jallianwala Bagh.
|
|
Inter-university hockey tourney begins at GNDU
Amritsar, March 11 Brar met the players and gave her blessings to the teams. Dr HS Randhawa, Deputy Director, Sports, welcomed the chief guest and other dignitaries present on this occasion. The first quarter final was played between Kurukshetra University (KU), Kurukshetra, and Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, in which KU beat PU by 5-4. In the second match, MG Kashividyaeeth, Varanasi, won the match against BHU, Varanasi, by 6-0 goals. In the third match Sambalpur University defeated VBS, Jaunpur, by 3-2 goals. The championship will conclude on March 13.
|
|
Amritsar BJP youth president booked: The Kotwali police has booked Rahul Maheshwari, district president of BJP Yuva Morcha, for allegedly violating the district administration’s ban on conducting a rally at a public place. He has been booked under Section 188 of the IPC in this regard. Maheshwari had conducted a rally at the congested Katra Jaimal Singh area on September 9, 2012 without taking the requisite permission from the police administration and the Municipal Corporation. The rally had resulted in a severe traffic chaos and mismanagement at the spot at that time. Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa, SHO, Kotwali police, while confirming the development said the case was registered following the enquiry conducted by the senior police officials. Maheshwari on the other hand said he had written to the Police Department and MC before conducting the rally and both the departments had made the necessary arrangements on the spot. He said the police might have taken the action that too six months after the rally under some ‘pressure’.Case registered: The city police has registered a case against unknown persons on charges of fraud under the Information Technology Act. Ashok Kumar, an advocate, had alleged in the case that he and his family had been receiving threatening calls from unknown numbers. He said the persons had been threatening to eliminate him, besides sending vulgar messages to his daughter on her mobile. They had also opened a fake account in the name of his daughter on a social networking site, the complainant alleged. Baljit Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said a case under Sections 419, 420, 500, 506, 292 IPC and 66-A of the Information Technology Act had been registered. He said further investigations were under progress.Bag snatched: Two unidentified motorcycle-borne youths snatched a bag from a tourist who had come to pay obeisance at Golden Temple. Rahul Trivedi, a resident of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, said he along with his wife was going to the railway station from the Golden Temple on a rickshaw when the accused came from behind and snatched away the bag of his wife containing four mobiles, a digital camera, Pan card, ATM card, Rs 20,000 cash, besides other valuables. However, the police have registered a theft case under Section 379, IPC, in this regard.Drug peddler arrested: The city police has arrested one Danial Masih, a resident of Housing Board Colony, for allegedly possessing 300 gm of intoxicant powder. The police registered a case under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in this connection, while further investigations were under progress to ascertain the source of the contraband.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Limited, the garbage collection company which earlier pulled out of the contract with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC), has served a legal notice on the civic body.
Nishkam Seva Public School in the city hosted a team of 20 school students and teachers from Milwaukee in USA. The purpose of the visit was to see the way 230-odd students at the school live up to their dream of having education, despite making a living from the dump.
During his visit to Amritsar yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal took a strong note of the illegal hoardings put up at key intersections in the city despite repeated warnings.
With work on the Golden Temple entrance plaza picking up pace, devotees can look forward to a more spacious entrance to the holy shrine within a year or so. The work on the project had started in May 2011.
According to a report, Punjab has over 30,000 brides, abandoned and left to suffer social outcast by their NRI grooms. These statistics have given way to Gurbani, a new show on channel Colors which will premier on March 18. An emotional story of many Punjabi girls who have been enticed into the NRI dream, the show is inspired by true stories and goes beyond the ‘happy ever after’ and tries to show the harsh realities faced by the shunned NRI brides.
The quarter final matches of the All India Inter-University Hockey (Men) Championship started today on the Guru Nanak Dev University campus. Dr Sarvjit Kaur
Brar, vice-chancellor of the university inaugurated the matches.