Phagwara, August 19
A major tragedy was averted when a Hoshiarpur-bound LPG tanker (NL-0K-7726) overturned near the Bhullarai crossing on the Phagwara-Chandigarh bypass last evening.

Two electric poles were also damaged in the mishap. Two persons, tanker driver Jagdish Lal and cleaner Moti Ram, sustained injuries in the mishap and were admitted to the Civil Hospital.

The vehicular traffic going towards all sides, including Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Banga -Nawanshahr and Chandigarh, was affected. The police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area to prevent any mishap.

Some passersby said the tanker first rammed into an electric pole on the divider near the crossing and skidded a few feet, overturned and fell in the roadside ditch. The electricity supply to more than two dozen nearby villages remained cut off for several hours due to the mishap. Senior Executive Engineer Sanjeev Kumar said power supply to these villages was restored after repairing the electric poles, which would be replaced.

Fire tenders and heavy cranes were pressed into service and it took a long time for firefighters and other officials to get the tanker on its wheels. Fortunately, LPG did not leak and the tragedy averted. The LPG tanker was coming from Ludhiana.

Jalandhar, August 19
Several recently constructed roads in Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar, falling under Ward 40, have been damaged.

During a visit to the area, several deep pits were noticed on various roads of Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar, located on Gulab Devi Road. Inferior quality material was used for constructing these roads, alleged area councillor Pardeep Rai, who belongs to the opposition Congress.

Rai said the newly constructed roads in street number 5, 6, 8 and 9 of Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar and in street number 11 of New Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar of his area had been damaged at various places. These roads were constructed just one year and three months ago, he said, adding that the deteriorating condition of roads indicated scam behind the construction of these roads.

Besides this, a kutcha road has developed a deep pit adjoining a drain passing through the area at Amar Nagar. As a result, water enters nearby houses during rains. Rai said “I have requested Municipal Corporation officials in writing that a 10-foot pipe be laid in the area for draining water during rains as an immediate temporary arrangement, but they failed to even do this minor work, which may provide relief to a number of residents living in the area.

Rai said, “The workshop to Nagra road falling under his ward is in a dilapidated condition as it has not been carpeted for the last 10 years. This damaged road is causing a lot of inconvenience to the resident of my ward and adjoining areas.”

The Congress councillor said he had also raised the issue in a MC meeting, but no heed was paid to improve the condition of roads. He submitted a complaint in this regard tothe chairman and members of the Assembly Committee on Local Bodies during their visit to the city a few days ago.

Jalandhar, August 19
While majority of the city roads are in a dilapidated condition due to lack of their reconstruction or repair because of paucity of funds, the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities have even failed to remove scattered gravel from the roads.

Gravel lies scattered on almost every road of the city. A number of persons have sustained injuries, as their scooters, motorcycles and cycles skidding on the roads due to loose gravel on them in various parts of the city.

Manu Sharma of Madhuban Colony, who sustained injuries on his left hand after his motorcycle skidded on gravel near the Sodal railway crossing a few days ago, criticised the MC authorities for not paying any attention to providing basic amenities, including smooth roads, to residents.

Meanwhile, narrating his harrowing experience of driving on roads with gravel scattered on them, Inder Singh of Kalia Colony said, “If the MC has no funds to reconstruct the dilapidated roads or patch the potholes, it should at least take immediate steps to remove the scattered gravel from roads, as a number of persons are sustaining wounds due to it.”

Gravel is scattered on almost every major road of the city, as none of the roads in the city has been reconstructed for several years due to the lack of adequate funds. The condition of Guru Nanak Pura Road, railway station road, Pratap Bagh road, Gujja Peer road, roads in and around the Basti areas, Preet Nagar on Sodal Road, Domoria Pull, Ikahari Pulli, Makhdum Pura, Nakodar Road and Kacheheri Road is very bad as far as pits, potholes and scattered gravel on roads is concerned.

Santokh Singh of the Makhdumpura area said, “The MC should take the issue of scattered gravel on road seriously, as a number of persons are sustaining injuries everyday after slipping on it.”

Jalandhar, August 19
The city police has arrested a retired bank manager from Mohali for allegedly running a fake recruitment racket in the Excise and Taxation Department.

The Division Number 3 police has arrested Sujan Singh, who retired as a bank manager and is currently running a coaching centre at his place in Sector 65, Mohali. The SHO, Jatinder Pal Singh, said Sujan Singh had admitted to have given insertion in two vernacular dailies about the jobs in the department, but so far none had fallen in his trap.

The SHO said Sujan Singh had claimed that he was only preparing candidates for Uttar Pradesh-based vacancies and helping them fill forms. "The department, however, had provided evidences, including insertions in papers mentioning his three mobile phone numbers, which were sufficient to nail him under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC," he said.

Paramjit Singh, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner-I, had lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner about a week back that some miscreants had wrongfully put an advertisement in a paper about fake recruitments, whereas there were no such plans from the department side.

The advertisements mentioned about regular appointment of plus two-qualified tax collection assistants on a monthly salary of Rs 18,000. The advertisement read, "Permanent government job in the Sales Tax Department for the post of Tax Collection Assistants, qualification plus two, salary 18,000 per month, age 18-40 years, last date for applying August 27." After doing some preliminary inquiries, department officials got a case registered so that the gullible youth did not fall into any lure. The advertisement agency through which the advertisement had been routed had been roped in to seek details of the client.

Jalandhar, August 19
The city police is drawing a parallel between the two incidents in which miscreants snatched jewellery from elderly women at the Vasant Vihar and Buta Mandi localities by entering their houses in broad daylight when they were alone at their homes.

There are quite a few similarities in both the incidents. In both the cases, snatchers barged into the houses in the broad daylight on some pretext, followed the elderly women into the house after asking them to fetch water and took off their jewellery.

Gaurav Yadav, Commissioner of Police, said his teams had found certain similarities in both the incidents and were onto crack both the cases. "The modus operandi, timing and situation in both the cases were the same and it seems to be the handiwork of the same gang," he said.

On July 31, a man had entered the house of 70-year-old Satya Devi Goggian, whose son is posted as IG with the Delhi Police, in Vasant Vihar here. He had come on a bicycle and had followed the woman inside the house, attacking her with an iron rod and fleeing after snatching her earrings. The victim had remained hospitalised for a few days with injuries in her head. The matter is being investigated by the Division Number 7 police, but there has been no headway in the case as of now. The maid of the elderly woman is a witness in the case.

The second incident took place on August 16, wherein two bikers had entered the house of an elderly woman at Buta Mandi and took away her gold earrings and bangles at gunpoint. Ninety-year-old complainant Chano Devi has reported that two youths had come inquiring about her son Resham. The youths had followed the woman inside the house on the pretext of getting water and and took off her earrings and bangles by brandishing a pistol. The Division Number 6 police had registered a case.

The SHOs of Division Number 6 and 7 police stations, however, differ. They claim that they could not see parallels. "The style of crime is same, but there are differences too. The identity of miscreants described by complainants does not match. While there was one person in July 31 case, they were two persons in the incident at Buta Mandi," SHO Rajinder Kumar of Division Number 6 police station and SHO Sukhdev Singh Division Number 7 police station said.

Jalandhar, August 19
A letter announcing rationalisation of over 300 posts of science and commerce lecturers across the state a few days ago, was withdrawn within days. Since then, the government has directed its focus on transfers of teachers in other streams and subjects but at least for the moment, science has been left alone.

While the prime grouse among science subject teachers against the government has been lack of fresh recruitments for ages, any solution in that direction seems unlikely for the moment.

A look at the district science schools reveals a serious crisis.

Out of the total 126 senior secondary schools in the district, science stream remains currently running in only 35 schools.

Out of the total sanctioned posts of as many as 166 science lecturers (physics 56, chemistry 57, biology 53) in government senior secondary schools in the district, 71 lie vacant.

In physics, out of a total 56, 31 posts are filled. In chemistry, out of a total 57, 34 posts are filled and in biology, out of a total 53, 30 are filled.

The collective sanctioned posts in the science (non-medical) and humanities streams across the district, is 83. Out of these, 79 are filled.

The rural schools are almost devoid of posts in most of the science subjects and schools which earlier had many sections are dropping them now.

The fact that science groups were being shifted to other schools from Kotli Than Singh and Sammipur senior secondary schools (both NABARD) in the recent rationalisation, indicate bad state of groups in these schools.

However, department sources say the groups have picked up after recent admissions and have more than 15 students now.

The stream has been badly affected in other NABARD schools like Nihaluwal, Samrai Jandiala, Mustafapur, Pandori Nijran, Uccha and Pajian Kalan.

Among the rest 27, the science streams suffer in senior secondary schools at Phillaur, Mehatpur, Goraya, Bhogpur, Kala Bakra, Kartarpur and Rurka Kalan.

While officials maintain that Bhogpur, Jandiala, Kartarpur and Nakodar schools are doing well, insiders say the strength in many of these schools has decreased.

In many schools, sections of 40 to 50 students (as opposed to RTE guidelines of a section of 30) are being run. Staff shortage has meant even being student strengths being handled by only one teacher.

District Science Supervisor Baljinder Singh says, “While groups have picked up in many of the schools, it is true that few schools could not sustain science groups. However, the recent statement by the education minister that new recruitments will be made soon, brings hope.”

Jalandhar, August 19
Dr Manju Bala, Associate Professor and Head Department of Computer Science and Engineering, CTIEMT, was given the best teacher award for the year 2013 by the Indian Society of Technical Education. She was awarded at a ceremony held at Rayat-Bahra College of Engineering and Nano Technology for Women, Bohan village, Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road. She was given the honour of meritorious teacher for her research in the field of computer science and engineering. She has completed her PhD in Wireless Sensor Networks from the NIT, Hamirpur (HP). She has 42 national and international publications to her credit and has presented papers in various conferences in India and abroad. The function was attended by Dr R Murugesan, president, ISTE and former Vice-Chancellor, Anna University of Technology, Madurai, Dr S Basil Gnanappa, Executive Secretary and Programme Director, Indian Society for Technical Education and Dr Manoj Kumar, Group Director.

Results declared

Prabhjot Kaur, a student of PCM SD College for Women, Jalandhar, stood 1st in MSc fashion designing securing 2064/2200 marks and Madhuri stood 5th in GND varsity. As many as 16 students passed with distinction. Dr Kiran Arora, Principal of the college congratulated the students.

Kanya Maha Vidyalaya Jalandhar’s students of the Postgradaute Department of Commerce and Business Administration have performed excellently in the university exams. Archna of BCom (P) II semester bagged 4th position with 274/ 350 marks and Kamaljot secured 5th position with 273/350 marks.

Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya's students of BCom (Prof) semester II have shown excellent results. Saisha Anand topped the university, securing 281/350 marks, Sonal Arora got third position securing 276/350, Upma Nanda and Talwinder Kaur got seventh and eighth positions, securing 269/350 and 268/350, respectively. Dr Rekha Kalia Bhardwaj congratulated the students for their achievement.

Himani Bawa, student of MCom (semester II) stood second in the Guru Nanak Dev Unversity, securing 475/550 marks, Manpreet got third position in the university, securing 469/550. Pranika Sharma stood fourth in the university, securing 467/550. Three students were placed on the university merit list. College principal Dr Kiran Arora congratulated the students on their brilliant performance. All students of the college passed in first division.

Neha Rani and Anamika, both BA first year students of BD Arya Girls College, Jalandhar Cantt secured 553/800 marks and stood first in the college and the university merit positions, whereas Bidisha, another student secured 547/800 marks and got second position in the college and the university merit position. College principal Dr Sarita Verma congratulated the students.

Rakhi making activity

Rakhi making activity was held at the DIPS School, Dhilwan during the activity periods. In rakhi making activity students from class I to X participated and all of them decorated many ‘Rakhis’ beautifully. All the rakhis were displayed in a beautiful manner. HOD of Art and Craft, Yesveer selected best two rakhis from each class. Principal, Shanti, appreciated the performance of the students.

Guest lecture on IT sector held

Guest lectures were conducted at the GNA-IMT, Phagwara by eminent professionals. Jatinder Arora, Area Manager, Birla Sun Life Insurance, had apprised the BBA III students about the latest trends in the insurance industry and highlighted the immense potential available in this sector.

In another lecture, resource person, Bharat Bhushan, Senior Technical Director, Scientific, outlined the scope and opportunities in the IT sector. He also spoke on the advantages of e-governance. Gurpeep Sihra, president, GNA-IMT, thanked the speakers.

Power point presentation competition held

Power point presentation competition was held by the Group of State Public Schools at Shahkot. The topic was, “Social Networking Sites”. A group of four students of State Public School, Nakodar bagged the first position. Urvashi, Master Nishant, Master Harshdeep Singh, Master Jasnoor Singh mesmerised the audience and the judges by their thought provoking presentation which was full of knowledge and latest information.

Harsimran Singh, in charge, and students were honored by RS Panwar, principal, State Public School, Nakodar. Dr Narotam Singh and Dr Gagandeep Kaur, president and vice-president of the schools congratulated the winners.

Cricket competition

Marthi Marwaha (VII), Pranav Malhotra (VII) and Karandeep (VIII), students of Innocent Hearts School, after clearing the district-level competition reached the state level. Members of the management congratulated the coach, Amit Sharma and students as well as the parents of the students.

Farewell assembly for UK visitors held

Kamla Nehru Public School, Chak Hakim, Phagwara, organised a farewell assembly for UK visitors, Audrey and Hannah. Punjabi folk dance Giddha was performed at the function. Principal PK Dhillon presented certificates and a token of love to both guests and thanked for the exchange of teaching and learning methodologies. Hannah and Audrey said the one week spent in the school was the best time of their lives.

Jalandhar, August 19
As many as 25 students of Vocational Training Centre for Deaf and Dumb were examined by experts at a medical check-up camp organised at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), here today.

The students were examined for ENT, Dental and Ophthalmology problems. Dr Harvinder Kumar, Sonia Seth and Sana Mahajan apart from diagnosing ailments and disorders in the students also organised an interactive session (with the help of interpreters) for providing them the basic health care tips on ENT and speech therapy.

Kapurthala, August 19
The district administration is trying to help farmers improve the breed of milching cows by having procured semen of high yielding varieties in the US and Canada.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) DS Mangat said as many as 3,353 injections had been made available at all veterinary hospitals and dispensaries of the district.

He said cows, bred with the improved semen was producing 15 to 17 thousand litres milk per delivery. He added that the imported semen would put an end to the problem of stray bulls as it would be helpful in producing only cows.

He said 1.95 lakh vaccinations against foot and mouth disease and 35,000 against herpetic septicemia injections would save livestock from various diseases.

Mangat said the Punjab Government had established a Veterinary Polytechnic providing surgical, gynaecological and anthologist services. He added that modern ultrasound, anaesthesia and X-ray machines had been installed for the better treatment of livestock.

The DC said the Dairy Development Department was providing training to prepare good quality green fodder. Around 223 quintal mineral mixture and hybrid seed was distributed on 50 per cent subsidy. He added that 265 quintal seed of green fodder was also provided on 50 per cent subsidy. 

Jalandhar, August 19
The Punjab EDUSAT Society, Mohali has started a unique project wherein students studying science will be introduced to a successful scientist every Saturday.

This will be done to inspire love for science among students. While the 8.15 to 8.55 morning period will be dedicated to this session every Saturday, this Saturday students across government schools got to meet Dr Arvind from the Indian Institute of Scientific and Educational Research.

Called "Meet the Scientist", the session introduced for XII students in senior secondary schools to the major requirements to proceed in the field of science after studies.

While the sessions will often be telecast on the EDUSAT plan, it will introduce students to new scientists who give them practical knowledge about things required in the field after their studies.

District EDUSAT Co-ordinator Jagtinder Sohal, who had also reviewed the EDUSAT arrangements at the Nehru Garden Girls Senior Secondary School, said the programme had caused students to understand the subject better and aided in bringing practical understanding as well. 

Jalandhar, August 19
After sealing a scanning machine that was lying unattended at a Jalandhar Cantonment-based hospital, the district health authorities have also served a show cause notice to the hospital management.

Acting on a tip-off, a health department team, lead by district family welfare officer Dr Gurmeet Kaur Duggal conducted a surprise visit to Akriti Hospital and found the scanning machine unattended by a skilled operator.

The district health authorities said the notice had been served to the hospital management under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.

Under its drive, launched to improve the sex ratio, the district health authorities had also raided a number of nursing homes and hospitals and sealed six scanning machines in the past eight months.