Jalandhar, May 19
Even as the average poll percentage from the 11 blocks of Jalandhar was 64.91, Shahkot reported the maximum turnout at 71.66 per cent.

The minimum polling of 57 per cent was reported at Adampur, with that of Jalandhar (East) being marginally up at 57.97 per cent. The poll percentage of Jalandhar (West), Lohian Khas and Mehatpur also remained on the higher side of the average, it being 70 per cent, 69.8 per cent and 68 per cent, respectively.

The polling began late at two polling stations of Arayian and Patara in Adampur block, where ballot papers got inter-changed. While polling was to begin at 8 am, it finally began at 9.30 am here, making early voters wait for about one and a half hour.

Jalandhar, May 19
With President Pranab Mukherjee visiting Lovely Professional University (LPU) for conferring degrees on 19 gold medallist students at the third annual convocation on Monday, the university is going to be the first private university in the North and third in the country where an Indian President has visited so far.

Earlier, Pratibha Patil, former President of India, had visited Manipal University, Mangalore, while Pranab Mukherjee has been to

SRM University, Chennai. This will be the first time that seven choppers will land on the premises of any university at one time.

While three choppers will accompany Pranab Mukherjee, chief guest at the convocation, Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan, will also be landing with three choppers within the university premises,

Another chopper, carrying Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who will be the guest of honour, will land on the university campus. Two temporary hangers have been earmarked for the choppers at different sites.

The President will reach the Adampur airport by a special chartered plane and subsequently fly in a chopper to reach the varsity campus.

The President of Afghanistan, however, will reach by a chopper at the university campus directly.

Both Mukherjee and Karzai will address the gathering during the convocation.

A large number of security persons from different departments have been deployed in and around the campus for security and safety purposes.

The security agencies also conducted a rehearsal, including landing and taking off of the choppers, and providing security cover while being in the cavalcade of vehicles accompanying the President was also performed on Saturday.

LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal claimed that the day would be a historic moment when the two Presidents of great nations, India and Afghanistan, will address the graduating students from the dais. He also claimed that elaborate arrangements had been made for the landing of seven choppers inside the campus.

While the visit by the President of India is being seen as a great honour by the LPU management and staff, his coming to a private institution is also being taken otherwise by educationists and owners of various private and other educational institutions.

Jalandhar, May 19
Afghanistan nationals pursuing their studies at Lovely Professional University (LPU) are likely to face disappointment as the first citizen of their country, Hamid Karzai, will not be interacting with them at the third annual convocation to be held on the university campus, near here, tomorrow.

Though 22 students from different areas of Afghanistan had been eagerly waiting for the day when they would be able to interact with the President of their country, the schedule of the Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has upset them.

“We had never thought of such a good occasion when we will be able to see and interact with our President. It would be utter disappointment if not given a chance to be face-to-face with him,” were the comments of Aboojar, Abdul Baset, Yama Imaan Arify and Hekamatullah, all Afghanistan nationals.

Karzai will share the dais with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee and address a gathering of over 7,000.

An advance team from Afghanistan has already reached the campus to take all important information relating to Karzai’s visit. An illustrative, Honoris Causa

Degree to be presented to Karzai, has been specially designed and published.

This is the first-ever honorary doctorate degree to be given by the university, and it is a great honour that it is being conferred on the President of Afghanistan, said LPU chancellor Ashok Mittal. Meanwhile, according to sources, as per the schedule received by the university, no one will be allowed to interact either with Karzai or Mukherjee. The university management will not permit anyone to approach them.

Jalandhar, May 19
With day temperatures touching 46 degrees celsius, the region experienced one of its hottest days here today.

While the maximum temperature recorded in the region was 46 degrees celsius, the minimum temperature was recorded as 27 degrees celsius.

Hot winds blew through the day.

Meanwhile, some people attributed the relatively low polling percentage during the panchayat polls today to the exceptionally hot weather.

The chief scientist in Patiala, who monitors the only Doppler radar in the region, installed at Punjabi University, said the weather would remain more or less the same on Monday with no likely rain.

Most of the city chowks wore a deserted look today during the afternoon hours and ice candy and lemonade and cold drink stalls across the city did a brisk business.

Jalandhar, May 19
About 150 teachers of the Nakodar block of the district received their salaries pending for the past two months here yesterday.

While The Tribune had highlighted the issue regarding the pending salaries of the teachers in a news story carried in these columns on March 16, the salaries of the said teachers for the past two months was released here yesterday.

The teachers include those teaching in schools in the Nakodar blocks (one and two).

While the teachers had earlier expressed that their problems were going unheard by the Block Officer as well as the DEO, the release of their salaries on Saturday finally provided them the much-needed respite.

Meanwhile, some of the teachers’ pending salaries for previous months and the DA allowances still remain unpaid. Also, the salaries of the SSA/CSS/RMSA teachers as well as computer teachers in the district still remain unpaid.

The CSS teachers have not received their salaries for the past 14 months.

Jalandhar, May 19
Lovely Professional University (LPU) has spread a red carpet to receive the President of India and his Afghanistan counterpart who are going to share the dais at the third annual convocation

The two dignitaries would taste delicacies prepared by students and staff from the University School of Hospitality.

For President of India Pranab Mukherjee, they have planned mango delights, potato croquettes, teli bhaja, olive peanuts, Bengali sweets - sandesh, chhenna roll, gulab khas, khaskhas roll, while the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai would be served veg shammi kabab, soya tofu cutlets, peanuts, mushroom vol au vent and sweets named as baklawa and madhupak.

Accompanied by the Punjab Governor and Chief Minister, both the Presidents would have a high tea at the Chancellor's office.

The university architects have designed an addressing podium as per the design of the UN Assembly to address a gathering of over 7,000 people.

In addition, elaborate arrangements have been made for the landing of seven choppers inside the university campus.

To accommodate the guests, students and their parents, a huge pandal was given the finishing touches late this evening, keeping in view the safety, security and other facilities for the general public.

Apart from 16 air-conditioners for the VIPs on the stage, 15 water coolers, 15 plasma screens and three big size LED have been set up for the visitors to have a better view.

The university will be sealed from 2:30 pm till 5:30 pm. During the ceremony, the movement of any person has been strictly prohibited in the pandal.

Jalandhar, May 19
About 50 families, residing in the Tower Enclave phase III area of the city, are a harried lot owing to the presence of some dairies in the area, which are a cause of much concern to them.

Accidents caused by cattle left to graze in the area (empty plots), dung and water puddles, proliferation of mosquitoes and flies owing to insanitary conditions and an overpowering stink, are some of the problems which residents complain about.

The residents are in a fix, as the members suffering from dairies fall in a borderline area, which is at the edge of the city. While all dairies fall in the Wadala village, some residents facing the problem reside in the Guru Nanak Nagar area falling under Ward No. 58.

The village panchayat, however, seems to be keen to wash its hands of the problem, with officials asking for "proof" of the inconvenience caused. The councillor, on the other hand, says she can't do anything because the dairies are in the village.

Residents say the dairy owners had initially promised to leave the area by April 14, but so far the same has not been done.

The residents also sent complaints to the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, and the PPCB in this regard in April, but so far they have not received any respite from the problem.

Talking to The Tribune, Balbir Kaur, a resident living in the area for the past 20 years, said, "We cannot grow plants near our houses because their cattle eat them up. There have been five to six accidents in the past couple of months due to cattle left open on the streets."

Residents Sarabjit Kaur and Kaushalya Devi said, "Dung cakes, puddles and grazing cattle soil our houses and walls. Due to the stink, we can't even walk outside or sit on our terrace."

Residents also said that there had been a rise in water-borne diseases in the area. Five dengue cases were reported in the area last year and the large number of mosquitoes and flies only adds to the threat from other diseases.

Gurvinder Singh said, 'The dairy owners had given us time till April 14 to move from the land. They had said that they would move by Baisakhi, but a month after the deadline they still haven't budged.'

Councillor Surinder Kaur said, "The phase III area does not fall under me, but if the residents of my ward are undergoing a problem, they can send in a written complaint and we will look into it."

MC Commissioner Vinay Bublani said he would look into the matter.

BDPO Manoj Dhand said, "We have taken a look at the area, but it is more of a PPCB problem. We need proof from residents that the dairies are causing them harm. Then we can do something about it."

Jalandhar, May 19
Perceived as one of the biggest markets of the country for the sale of musk melons and water melons, the mandi at Rupewal village near Malsian here has not been provided with good infrastructure for farmers, wholesalers and buyers coming from far-off states.

Farmers and wholesale dealers at Rupewal mandi. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

In the peak summer season, the mandi does not have a shed to provide shelter to farmers who come here to sell their produce. While water melons have already arrived in huge quantities, the musk melons have come only in smaller quantities.

With the crop has already started ripening, farmers with scores of their trolleys have started lining- up along the Malsian-Lohian stretch. Farmers have already said that better and more saleable varieties, including namdhari, golden glory and farmer glory are about arrive in a week's time.

Moreover, farmers are expecting a rich harvest of musk melons this time. Sarabjit Singh, a farmer from Badli village, said, "More facilities will mean more business for us. We have buyers here from as far as Chennai, Mumbai, Saharanpur, Meerut and New Delhi. Some big traders purchase as many as 50 trolleys at a go. We open the mandi at 2 pm since all major traders coming from far-off places reach us after that time. That is the time when the heat is unbearable for everyone."

Inderjeet Singh, a wholesaler, too had a similar demand. "If there will be a proper shed in the mandi, farmers will not line-up along the road, blocking the passage. There is no adequate drinking water facility in the mandi. The only provision that the market committee has provided us is a 300-litre overhead tank, which is insufficient for us," he said.

Charanjit Singh, a market committee employee, said Rs 16 lakh would be spent on the extension of brick-layered floor of the mandi. DDPO Avtar Singh Bhullar said a bigger amount was expected from the government as there had been proposals to spruce up the mandi.