Jalandhar, August 25
The Gujja Peer road, falling under the Jalandhar (North) Assembly constituency, has become one of the worst stretches in the city, thanks to countless deep potholes and pits, which remain filled with water even after several days of rain.

Nearly 1-km-long Gujja Peer Road connects several parts of the city with National Highway 1. Thousands of vehicles daily use this road, but the condition of this area is so pathetic that it seems no road had ever been constructed here.

The wide potholes and pits make the road users think as if they are sitting on a see-saw.

The dust on this bumpy road makes the commuters to have a harrowing experience in normal days.Their difficulties aggravate during rains, as several feet high water accumulates here and the road almost turns into a pond during A downpour.

So much so, the potholes and pits remain filled with rainwater even after a week of downpour, which not only creates problemS in smooth driving but also causes health problems for the road users and nearby residents.

A local Congress leader GS Bhullar, who resides in a locality situated beside Gujja Peer Road, said the Municipal Corporation (MC) is paying no heed to this road.

“We are left with no option but to live in hellish conditions as dust is all around in normal days and water inundates this road even after several days after a downpour due to the poor drainage system,” Bhullar said. “The business of a number of shopkeepers located on this road has also been adversely affected due to the dilapidated condition of this road.”

The road falls under various wards of the MC. The councillor of one of these wards Bhagwant Parabhakar said, “The issue of construction of this road is being pursued with the MC and it would soon be built.”

Jalandhar, August 25
The Dal Khalsa's youth wing, Sikh Youths of Punjab (SYP), today held a roadshow to express its anguish and concern over the rise of drug menace, apostasy, criminalisation of politics and sexual violence against women.

Strongly condemning the gang-rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai, the SYP Punjab head Ranbir Singh blamed drug menace, criminalisation of politics and vulgarity in songs for the rise of crime against women.

"I would like to begin by condemning this horrible incident of gang-rape in the city of Mumbai. He said it's ironic that the incident has happened after the anti-rape law has been passed in Parliament. The fact that it can happen with such impunity points to the fact that people do not have fear in them even after stringent clauses have been added to the anti-rape law. This is very shocking and the culprits should get the severest punishment possible,” he said.

“As active citizens, we all must participate to find out solutions that are required to change the mindset that uses rape as a means of subjugation," he said.

Taking a cue from the statement given by former DGP (Prisons) Shashi Kant in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the alleged unholy nexus among top politicians, businessmen and the drug mafia was ruining youths of Punjab, Ranvir Singh slammed the state as well as Central governments for maintaining their “criminal silence” to contain the drug menace.

Carrying saffron flags and placards with messages written on them, hundreds of youths associated with the SYP participated in the street show aimed to awaken the people against these social evils and urged the society at large to rise to the occasion. The march started from Jandiala and culminated at Sansarpur (on the outskirts of Jalandhar city).

Jalandhar, August 25
Former Punjab minister Manoranjan Kalia inaugurated the construction work of various roads in and around Birring village, falling under ward 12 of the Jalandhar (Central) Assembly segment. The roads will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1.14 crore.

Also MLA from Jalandhar (Central) segment, Manoranjan Kalia said he was committed to development of the areas falling under his constituency. Various development works in different wards of his constituency were in the pipeline and work for the same would be started soon, he added.

BJP mandal president Arun Khurana, Puneet Shukla, Nachatter Dass, Sarwan Singh, Rashpal Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Balbir Kaur, Kulwinder Singh and Jasbir Kaur were also present on the occasion.

Jalandhar, August 25
While in the cities, the elite are invited by corporate firms to live in houses with exclusive, green, hilly views, deep in the hills where tribals have been living for ages in harmony with nature.

The corporates drive them out to rake in the benefits of an environment, which they have never truly understood save for matters of profit and greed.

Land is an issue which stands at the centre of many political and social battles (discreet or open) in the country.

Acclaimed documentary maker Sanjay Kak’s new documentary — the Red Ant Dream (Maati Ke Lal), which was screened at the local Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall today, tells the tale of the tribals of Bastar and Niyamgiri hills.

These tribals, who are at the receiving end of oppression and on the verge of losing their precious land, remain widely misunderstood.

The documentary on the one hand shows weeping locals, who lost loved ones, homes and belongings to the goons of Salwa Judum, and on the other it features a top official at the Counter-terrorism and Jungle Warfare College telling his soldiers how it is important to maintain the order (of things) in the area and to crush those who challenge it.

While featuring the more somber side of the story, the documentary also features the life and songs of the people of both Bastar and Niyamgiri, whom Kak follows through the lush hilly terrains.

Gun-toting women shown going though the rigours of training, are later seen enjoying a dance with associates in the evening and in a more candid mood - relating how they lost their kin.

Shot in a span of 30 to 40 days, Kak said the documentary remains one of the most memorable experiences of his life.

Defending the cause of the tribes and condemning brutal violence (by the government or Naxals), Kak said the lack of understanding the masses had on such issues was primarily due to a massive dearth of information about them trickling through the media.

On queries regarding callousness by Naxals and the source of their weapons, Kak said, “A few incidents of brutal violence by Naxals are condemnable but the entire Jharkhand is steeped in battle. And during such situations there is no clean battle from any side. As far as the source of their weapons is concerned, it is widely known that 80 to 85 per cent of Naxal weapons are seized from security forces.”

When questioned about the relative lack of audience of documentary films, Kak said, “While some people say documentary film audience are still marginal, I do not believe so. I have taken this film to 18 cities and plan at least 25 to 30 screenings. The number of audience varying from 80 to 300, have turned up for screening at all places. Audience isn’t so marginal anymore.”

When questioned did he have to keep some part of the Naxal story to himself owing to the threat these people faced, Kak said, “One has to sport a PLGA uniform and one’s death sentence is already signed. So I certainly had to be cautious. The documentary doesn’t feature any of the people who have to go out of the jungle. While the documentary might not be my full perspective, there is nothing false in it. It is the truth about life in the area.”

The poetic part of the documentary is Kak’s constant featuring of a strengthening peasant’s movement in Punjab. Paash’s poetry constantly features in the Naxal story, which is uncannily relevant to the struggle and fight of the tribals for their bit of peace and land.

As far as drawing comparisons between both the scenarios is concerned - Kak said, “It is a task best left to the audience to undertake. But I do think Punjab has an interesting and vibrant scenario as far as understanding oppression and Communism is concerned in a state, which on the surface is perceived to be happy and satisfied by the rest of the country.”

Jalandhar, August 25
“The recent sectarian violence in Kishtwar (Kashmir) wasn’t a mere accident. Over a long period of time, people have been dividing Kashmir residents on communal lines. It’s a serious issue,” said Sanjay Kak, acclaimed documentary filmmaker here today.

Kak was in Jalandhar to screen his new film Red Ant Dream ("Maati ke Laal"), on the Naxal struggle in the Bastar and Niyamgiri Hills, at the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar hall here.

Speaking further on the Kashmir issue, Kak said, “Arming of civilians and creation of village defence committees (VDCs) has also played an important role in creating animosity among people. The VDCs only aggravate the problem.”

Reacting on claims made by some civilians that the disbanding of the VDCs would leave them without defence, Kak said, “One must not forget that over 20,000 civilians have been armed in Kashmir. That is no little number. For a sensitive state like Kashmir, I certainly do not think VDCs are the solution.”

While his current film is preceded by his 2007 venture Jashn-e-Azadi, which has earned him worldwide approval, his films and writings on Kashmir have constantly been perceived as efforts calling for peace in the state.

While Red Ant Dream talks about the armed struggle of the people of Bastar and Niyamgiri Hills (Orissa), speaking about the documentary, Kak said the about 18 to 20 days he spent in Bastar were the ones during which he laughed a lot.

While his documentary captures the tribals’ reactions after attacks on their homes and their training (especially women) for an armed struggle, it also captures their dances, their songs and their walks across the quaint hills, singing Adivasi tunes.

Expressing concerns about the displacement of a large number of tribals from their native areas to cities, he said, “Chaos, crime and social instability are fuelled by these factors. This sort of social engineering causes more and more people to flood cities. Pressure increases on the system. The resultant crisis is an increase in crime and such scenarios can’t be solved just by the police.”

Speaking on the media role on the Naxal issue, he said, “While the complicated strife in the region has been largely underreported, one can’t entirely blame the media. The trouble is that corporate media and the corporates are becoming one system. While Naxal attacks get wide coverage in headlines, the attacks on tribals find less takers.”

Further elaborating on the issue of revolts or revolutions in areas which have been at the receiving end of government and/or corporate atrocities, he said, “Revolution is a word which people are scared to say these days. One needs to understand that it is not by choice that the people of these areas have chosen to become revolutionaries. Circumstances pushed them to do so.”

Sanjay Kak’s previous documentaries include Punjab - Doosra Adhyay (1986), Harvest of Rain (1995), One Weapon (1997), In the Forest Hangs a Bridge (1999), Words on Water (2002), "Jashn-e-Azaadi" (2007) and Red Ant Dream (2013). Red Ant Dream was funded by the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and the Busan International Film Festival.

Jalandhar, August 25
The Local Bodies Department has disbursed a grant of Rs 60.98 crore to urban local bodies of Jalandhar district.

Making an announcement in this regard here today, the Minister for Local Bodies, Punjab, Chunni Lal Bhagat, said the grant had been released to the local bodies from the collection of the value added tax (VAT).

Notably, after the abolition of the octroi, the state government compensates all urban local bodies by paying the funds equivalent to octroi from the VAT collection. "The respective local bodies, including municipal corporations and municipal councils/committees will utilise the funds for providing better basic amenities and setting up modern infrastructure," he said.

The minister, while giving details of the amount disbursed to different local bodies, said the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar had been disbursed an amount of Rs 51.99 crore, Municipal Council Nakodar Rs 1.86 crore, Municipal Council Phillaur Rs 1.82 crore, Municipal Council Nurmahal Rs 77.37 lakh, Municipal Council Kartarpur Rs 62.43 lakh, Municipal Council Adampur Rs 55 lakh and Municipal Council Alawalpur Rs 13.14 lakh.

Bhagat reiterated that the SAD-BJP government was committed to giving a total face-lift to all cities by providing basic amenities and ultra-modern infrastructure.

Phagwara, August 25
During last two days valuables worth Rs 3.5 lakh and cash of Rs 2 lakh was stolen in three different incidents of theft reported in the city. The office of M/s Sarawsati Enterprises was burgled at local Khalwara Gate locality on late Saturday night. Burglars removed a window AC fitted in the office from outside and entered the premises. They decamped with cash of Rs 2 lakh and other valuable goods of more than Rs 1 lakh. The police has registered case.

In another incident, valuables, including one computer, one LCD, one CPU worth Rs 2 lakh, were reportedly stolen from Shaloo Rubber Industries in the city on Friday night. Nand Kishore Chopra, owner of the factory, lodged a complaint with the police.

He said miscreants entered the factory showroom and took away his scooter along with other valuable goods.

The thieves, however, were forced to leave the scooter in the midway due to its empty fuel tank.

The police has registered a case.

A mobile shop was also burgled on the Friday night.

The thieves entered the shop after breaking open the shutters and took away mobile phones worth Rs 50,000 from the shop.

Jalandhar, August 25
Relatives of a young man, who died near Chugitti after his car rammed into a truck this evening, alleged that the youth died due to negligence on part of the Satyam Hospital authorities.

Suraj, a young architect, was seriously injured after an accident on the night of August 15 at Chugitti, when the car he was driving rammed into a truck. He was admitted to the Satyam Hospital with multiple infections and injuries. He died last night.

Patient's relatives raised uproar at the hospital today. They blamed doctors for alleged negligence. Family members of the deceased were irate and inconsolable. One of Suraj’s relatives said, “Suraj was operated upon last night after which he did not gain consciousness. Repeated requests for a doctor to come and have a look at the patient fell on deaf ears. No doctor turned up, following which he died.”

Dr Rajesh Pasricha, CMD and Chief Neurosurgeon of the hospital, said: “There has been no negligence on the part of the hospital and the family’s allegations are baseless. The patient in question had serious injuries. His skull was fractured and lungs were choked. He had difficulty in breathing. He was brought to the hospital when he was about to die. From the day of his arrival the patient had been put on ventilator.”

Pasricha said: “The patient’s relatives have been threatening us that they will take the issue to consumer court - without any premise. We asked them to go to another hospital but they refused. We have also been getting documents signed by them stating they were satisfied with treatment. These documents have also been submitted to the police. The chaos the relatives created at the hospital today is unwarranted.”

The hospital authorities called the police when Suraj’s relatives raised allegations of negligence at the hospital.