Jalandhar, September 24
Even though the Punjab Government had started a public grievances portal four months ago to redress the general problems of the public, city residents have so far not been making any use of it.

There have been only seven complaints lodged by district-based residents through shikayatnivaranpb.gov.in. The state government had got the website started in May this year to make it convenient to the public to get its problems redressed with the click of a mouse.

However, owing to no publicity done in this regard by the government or the officials concerned, not many people know about the provision as of now. Neither are there any posters put up outside the government offices mentioning the web address for the lodging of public grouse nor is any publicity being made in this regard by the government.

The only means of publicity has been a training session and a press note released hence after by the public relations department two weeks ago.

The staff of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) managing the website said that it had multiple advantages. “Sitting at home, the residents can not only lodge a complaint against the departments or officials or office staff not sorting out their problem but even formally make a complaint against the poor response to their problem at secretary or ministry level in Chandigarh,” they said.

The biggest advantage is to the NRIs who, sitting abroad, can make use of the site for their works getting dilly-dallied back home. Any user of the portal gets a complaint number at the lodging of the complaint. This complaint automatically gets directed to the DC concerned and the department officials concerned of the district for the redress. Further, the portal also has a provision to check the status of the complaint while even send reminders for the same using the complaint number initially registered.

The officials have been given user IDs and passwords by the NIC for daily logging onto their account. Accounts of all SDMs and officials of the local bodies and local heads of various departments have been created for the purpose.

Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varun Roojam said he would put up some posters inside the complex about the portal which could promote the use of the website.

Jalandhar, September 24
Even as the state government had claimed that the issuing of the registration certificates (RCs) would become more convenient with the work being decentralised at the dealer level, automobile buyers have rued that they were rather being fleeced with higher charges being levied by the agencies.

The buyers of two-wheelers and four-wheelers have said that they were being made to pay up as high as 10 times more than the charges which should have been ideally levied. They have further alleged that neither the District Transport Officer nor the Deputy Commissioner have been able to redress their grievance.

Suresh Malik, a complainant, said he had purchased Yamaha Fazer motorcycle from a Yamaha agency, which charged a registration fee of Rs 2,900 from him instead of Rs 300. He said he had earlier bought a Honda Activa scooter for which he was overcharged by the agency at that time as well. "Three DTOs and three DCs have changed since then but no one has been able to help me get my money back despite reminders," he claimed.

The customers have also been complaining that even the road tax, which was to be 4 per cent of the actual cost was being overcharged, with the tax being levied on the total cost instead. They have alleged that it was happening as the transport department had given a free hand to the agencies, who had not even put up rate boards, leaving buyers to believe in whatever charges agencies had been levying

DTO Dalwinderjit Singh said he had received a few complaints. "We call up agency owner whenever there is a complaint and try to resolve the matter. We have even been visiting automobile showrooms and making checks. The Yamaha agent has been called tomorrow to reply to the complaint. I will look into the matter and try to sort it out at the earliest."

Jalandhar, September 24
Heavy rainfall threw life out of gear in the city this afternoon. It not only halted the vehicular movement but also created virtual puddles in the low lying areas of the city. The rain, which continued for a few hours, inundated the entire city.

Several roads and many areas, including Neelamahal, Sodal area, Basti Peer Daad, Bus Stand, DC Complex, Railway Station and Police Lines, turned into pools. It became extremely difficulty for commuters to drive through these areas. Even in posh colonies like Model Town, Defence Colony, Master Tara Singh Nagar, Mota Singh Nagar roads were under rainwater. Worst affected were the Kapurthala road, near low lying Basti Bawa Khel stretch, and the 120-feet road. Traffic came to a standstill due to inundation of BSF and PAP Chowk areas.

The condition in narrow lanes of the city was pathetic as the choked sewerage system spilled over roads because of the back flow of water. While the commuters got stranded in traffic jams for hours, in residential areas, the inhabitants had to struggle a lot as the rain water entered their houses.

Today’s downpour exposed the tall claims of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation (JMC) of making proper arrangements to ensure proper drainage system during rains.

Jalandhar, September 24
City businessmen have flayed the SAD-BJP government for introducing the system of various slabs of processing fees while filing the sales tax return.

The businessmen, under the aegis of the Industrial and Traders Joint Action Committee (JAC), have urged the state government to reconsider its decision of the introduction of various slabs for processing fees.

Further agitated over not implementing their demands accepted in principle at the July 30 meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister, the businessmen have reiterated their decision to restart their agitation again on the issues of value added tax (VAT) and e-trip. Meanwhile, a 44-member steering committee of the JAC was also declared. The prominent members of the committee are Ravindra Dhir, Gursharan Singh, Raj Kumar Sharma, SP Sharma, DN Sabharwal, Col JS Paul (retired), Parmod Chopra, OP Jain, Gurmeet Singh Bittu, Sukhwinder Singh Bagga, Pritam Singh Arora, Vijay Dhir, Suba Singh and Gurcharan Singh.

Kapurthala, September 24
The Punjabi University, Patiala, defeated Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, by 4-0 in the fourth round of the being organised at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) near Phagwara, here today.

In other matches played today, University of Delhi and Panjab University, Chandigarh, were tied at a score of 2-2; Punjab Technical University and GNDU, Amritsar, were also tied with 2-2; Kumaun University, Nainital, subdued Jammu University by 3.5-0.5; while Lovely Professional University thrashed Lucknow University by 3.5-0.5 and the DCRUST, Murthal, beat CDLU, Sirsa, by 3.5-0.5.

Kurukshetra University routed Islamic University, Kashmir, by 4-0; CCS University of Meerut remained ahead from Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya by 3.5-0.5 and the HNB Garhwal University defeated DRML Avadh University by 3-1.

The status of Association of Indian Universities’ (AIU’s) North Zone Inter University Chess Tournament-2013, being organised at LPU, has now been elevated. The championship is witnessing extraordinary playing skills of 24 World Chess Federation (FIDE) rated players along with others. Rated in accordance to international ELO rating system, these players from different universities are trying their best to excel in the competition. The finals, the 5th round of the tournament, to be played on September 25, will establish notable zonal chess-skills’ supremacy.

The number of World Chess Federation rated players, who are participating in the tournament, is: University of Delhi (six players); Panjab University, Chandigarh (five players); GNDU Amritsar (five players); Punjab Technical University Jalandhar (three players); Kurukshetra University (two players); and one player each from Punjabi University, Patiala, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut and the host LPU.

Among the top rated players is Himal Gusain from Panjab University, Chandigarh, with a rating of 2314, Ritwan Sauntra from Delhi University with a rating of 2075, Akshay Anand from from the PTU with a rating of 1828, Amandeep Singh from GNDU with a rating of 1718, Sukhjit Singh from Punjabi University, Patiala, with a rating of 1698, Anshul Bathla from CCSU with a rating of 1649, Sahil Dhawan from KUk with a rating of 1590 and Jeeru Yaswanth from the LPU with a rating of 1544. The player with highest rating is considered to be tough to beat.

National arbiter Dinesh Gera said teams leading with full points were University of Delhi and Panjab University with seven match points each. The LPU, Phagwara, Punjabi University, Patiala, Kumaun University, Nanital and the GNDU, Amritsar, were trailing with six points each.

Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, DCRUST, Murthal and PTU, Jalandhar, were lagging behind with five points each. Jammu and Kashmir University, Kurukshetra University, HNB Garhwal University and CCSU, Meerut, had amassed four points each, while the Lucknow University got three points only.

Jalandhar, September 24
Judo competition (under 60 kg and 73 kg categories) and wrestling competition (under 62kg category) were held on the second day of the Border Security Force (BSF) Inter Frontier Competition at the BSF Campus here today. Winners from these games will be given a place in the central teams of the BSF and will compete at various national and international-level competitions.

Randhir Singh from Rajasthan Frontier claimed the first place while Rajan Prasad from Meghalaya Frontier and Kali Raman from North Bengal Frontier bagged the second and third place respectively in the Judo competition (60 kg category). In the judo competition (73 kg category), Gulbir Singh and Mohammad Nizam from Gujarat Frontier claimed the first and second place while Gandharva Singh and Narinder Singh shared the third place.

In the weightlifting event (62kg category), Vijay Kumar from Rajasthan Frontier bagged the first place while Prithipal from Jammu Frontier secured the second place. Pradeep Kumar from Tripura Frontier was placed third.

In the past, many Judokas from the BSF have won medals at national and international meets. “Some of our boys are doing very well in various national-level championship .Even in the past our players have won championships and got gold medals,” said Suraj Bhan, Assistant Commandant Sports, BSF Jalandhar Frontier.

“My aim is to participate in the Olympics and I want to get a medal for my country. I am practising hard under my coach and I believe that someday I will achieve my goal,” said Randhir Singh, winner of the Judo competition (62 kg category).

“We have excellent facilities and infrastructure here in BSF, and if we practise hard under the guidance of our coach then I am sure that we can get medals at the Olympics and the world championship,” said Gulbir Singh, winner of the judo competition (73 kg category).

The BSF Inter Frontier Games are being held simultaneously at BSF Campus in Jalandhar, Kharkan Camp in Hosiarpur and 67 Bn BSF Ramtirath in Amritsar. The games will conclude on September 27.

Jalandhar, September 24
The Swami Vivekananda Saard Shati Samaroh Samiti, Punjab, will organise Yuva Sammelans in different parts of the state to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Giving this information, Samiti convenor Vijay Singh said sammelans would be organised in seven cities of the state, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Pathankot, Mohali and Ferozepur.

He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was the chairman of the committee and the objective behind these sammelans was to bring the youth nearer to the ideas, values and philosophy of great national youth icon Swami Vivekananda. Vijay said this was the fourth major programme, which was being taken up by the samiti regarding Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations.

Jalandhar, September 24
On the second day of International Design Week Two, being organised by Apeejay College of Fine Arts in collaboration with Willem de Kooning Academy for Fine Arts and Design (WDKA), Rotterdam, Netherlands, Prof Renate Boere, graphic designer from WDKA Rotterdam, gave a presentation on the topic “Cycling and recycling”, which highlighted the theme of cultural transformation through design.