Jalandhar, October 2
The 6,253 government schools in the state and 440 in the district are all set to get a fresh boost for teaching and learning English.

The Punjab Government has instructed the districts to establish English corners in their respective government schools (upper primary) within a fortnight, for which (Central) grants will be provided under the Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyan.

In an order released on September 24 various districts were asked to set up English corners in their respective upper primary schools.

More than one lakh students in the district will benefit from the project.

The order states that each English corner is to be equipped with materials which enhance the teaching-learning experience in the English language. A sum of Rs 1,000 per school has been sanctioned for the activity, which will include bringing in of objects in schools which will act as aids to promote better understanding and discourage rote learning of the language in government schools.

While the classroom corners will be set up in all 6,253 upper primary schools across the state, for which a sum of Rs 62.53 lakh has been sanctioned for all districts, in Jalandhar an amount of Rs 4,40,000 has been sanctioned for the 440 upper primary schools here.

Classroom corners or vacant rooms in schools shall be utilised to set up the corners.

While there have been previous initiatives to introduce projects which encourage English learning, the thrust on the language is owing to the fact that the Punjab government school students are not well versed with it, despite its global importance and the existing methods of classroom learning largely involve rote learning techniques, which are easily forgotten once the class is cleared.

The suggested equipment schools are to buy with the sanctioned amount of Rs 1,000 under the English corner project include English kits (story flash cards, consonant vowel cards, grammar flash cards, word-pitara cards and teacher manuals), pictionary, dictionary, cornucopia, handmade charts, pictorial charts, models, toys, board games, wooden/magnetic alphabets, puzzles, scrap files, English story books, DVDs/CDs, etc.

The English boosting efforts were already on under the Quality Improvement in English Language and Development Project.

District English coordinator Chandrashekhar said, “There has been widespread demand from English teachers regarding the need for interesting aids or teaching styles to ensure better English skills among students. Due to lack of good base in the language, students are not good at it, which reflects in the results as well. But the project will hopefully change things for better. It is very simple initiative which needs merely a corner in classrooms to place project related stuff. It is sure to change and improve the understanding of English among students.”

Jalandhar, October 2
The Municipal Corporation (MC) finally woke up from its slumber and started reconstruction and re-carpeting of the Guru Nanak Pura road that had been proving a nightmare for motorists for the past many years.

Interestingly, the construction cost of the work, allocated to a contractor some time ago for about Rs 40 lakh, has been escalated to Rs 50 lakh and the cash-strapped civic body now has to spend more to complete the work.

The shameless and thick-skinned political leaders and municipal councillors of the area, who had been evading public queries and wrath over pathetic condition of the road for the past over two years, suddenly appeared at the venue where Manoranjan Kalia, a former Industry Minister, Punjab, and area MLA, along with Sunil Jyoti, Mayor, laid the foundation stone.

The civil body reportedly has asked the contractor to maintain and carry the repair work of the road for over a year after the completion of the work.

While interacting with mediapersons, the Mayor revealed that the civic body had asked the market committee to shift the Monday Apani Mandi from the site to certain other suitable site.

A survey by The Tribune team revealed that the road has been in a low-lying area and light showers are enough to flood the stretch that connects Laddowali Road with the busy GT Road at Chuggitti Chowk.

Unless there is a permanent storm water drain to flush out the water accumulated, the problem is not going to be solved. Or the civic body should construct an elevated cemented road to get rid of the problem permanently, opines Balwinder Singh, a civil engineer.

Putting their lives in danger, scores of motorists and road users are commuting through this link that even lacks streetlights.

Not only the area residents, but also vegetable vendors, who are part of the Apani Mandi, had lodged their protest against the indifferent attitude of the civic body many times.

Jalandhar, October 2
Thirteen years of long struggle for bearing a child by a 36-year-old woman Rashi Sharma has landed her on her deathbed as she developed life-threatening complications during her IVF treatment at Vardan Hospital in the Mota Singh Nagar area here today.

Rashi’s mother being comforted by a doctor, Archana Daver, at Vardaan Hospital in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

While Rashi’s family is calling it a case of negligence by the nursing home, the nursing home authorities are clueless and calling it a rarest of the rare allergy caused due to some very common drugs given during the time of operation for the removal of her uterine septum. The family has now filed a complaint in the Model Town police station, after which the police approached the office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for medical investigation into the case. The doctors treating her at Johal Hospital confirmed that it needs a miracle to save her.

“We have approached the office of the CMO for their review into the case. We will take the necessary action only after receiving a report from them. The board will review the patient tomorrow and will submit the report within a week,” said Manpreet Singh, ACP, Model Town.

According to doctors at Vardan Hospital, Rashi developed angioedema (swelling of the respiratory track) following which her heart collapsed due to the shortage of oxygen in the blood. “She was very happy and fit and came to receive me at the bus stand. I didn’t know that after half an hour I may not be able to speak to her again. She went inside for the surgery and in about 15 minutes, I saw one of the doctors rushing out of the OT and started calling on various phone numbers. Then, suddenly another woman doctor came and asked my son-in-law to sign the declaration. She was fumbling and told us that something went wrong. My heart sank and I told them that I want to meet my daughter immediately,” said Shashi Sharma, mother of Rashi.

Immediately, two nursing attendants took Rashi out of the OT. “I was shocked. I was not able to recognise Rashi as her face, neck and tongue were swollen thrice the normal size. Also, her eyes were popping out and they were covered with cotton by the nursing tape. Without informing us, they put her inside a ambulance.

I started following the ambulance as I was not aware as to where Rashi was being taken,” said Amit Sharma, Rashi’s husband.

However, the authorities at Vardan Hospital are clueless about the sudden deterioration in Rashi’s health. She first developed angioedema, which was followed by the pulmonary oedema (water is filled in the lungs). Finally she developed anaphylaxis (difficulty in breathing) due to which her heart collapsed. “I am clueless as I have never seen such a case before. Rashi underwent a major surgery two months back with the same team of doctors and the same drugs were administered to her during that time. We are yet to find the cause for this,” said Vareesh Kumar, Managing Director of Vardan Hospital. He also accepted the fact that due to the lack of an ICU unit at his nursing home, Rashi was shifted to Johal Hospital for super - speciality treatment.

The doctors attending her at the Johal hospital confirmed that her health was deteriorating every minute. “Her blood pressure is dipping, Her pulse sometimes goes missing.In this condition, she may not be able to survive more than a few days,” confirmed Amit Jeed, medical superintendent, Johal Hospital.

Rashi, a senior lecturer at Ramgharia College got married to Amit Sharma, an advocate in 2001. She conceived during the same year but could not sustain the pregnancy. Later, it was revealed that she had a septum ( a thick wall of flesh) in her uterus, which needs to be removed before the next pregnancy. She approached Vardan Hospital in July this year and was told that the septum would be removed in two surgeries due to extra thickness. She had undergone the first surgery in July in which 60 per cent of the septum was removed and was told to come again. Today, she was called for the removal of the rest of the septum by Vardan Hospital.

Jalandhar, October 2
The many titles, which have been bestowed upon her, include a "bridge (between Hindi and Punjabi)", a "daredevil" and a "beacon of social hope". City-based poetess Dr Kirti Kesar was recently awarded the "Sauhard Puraskar" for her work by the UP Hindi Sansthan.

As a woman critic, poetess, editor, translator and journalist, Dr Kesar has been a pioneer in more ways than one. Taking to writing after her marriage and three kids, she pursued her passion against a number of odds.

Born and brought up in Jalandhar, she moved across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and came back to the city of her birth after she got married.

“I was married into a family where leave alone writing, women weren’t even supposed to read newspapers,” she said.

But getting a chance to live away from the prying glares of her in-laws, owing to her husband’s frequent transfers, she managed to start off in the field.

A casual letter in response to a magazine article in scholar Dr Mahesh Singh’s Delhi-based magazine landed her a spot as a critic after he lauded her analytical abilities.

While her critical essays became a hit among intellectuals, she still blushes thinking about the marriage proposals she got from doting fans in those days, oblivious of the fact that she was a mother of three.

In the 1980s, the family shifted to Punjab. “Terrorism was at its peak and the bad name that Sikhs got unsettled me and prompted me to write again. People were pouncing at untruths and widespread misunderstandings prevailed.”

Her outspoken journalism in print - she wrote for Saptahik Hindustan, Sanchetna, Ajit Samachar, Dhamyug, among others - earned her both friends and foes. “I wrote for peace and a need to rein in the situation which was getting out of hands. Members from the terrorists’ sect once approached me and asked me to write their side of the story. When I said I couldn’t promise the writeup would be taken for sure, they threatened to kill me. I asked them to go ahead since I could not give them false hope. They left without killing me.”

Women’s issues have also been a key concern of hers, “I always saw women being discriminated against; myself having received countless taunts because I happened to bear three daughters. People told me my daughter shouldn’t go for engineering because she is a girl. I needed to write to vent out the ire it caused inside me.”

“Presently, while society pretends to be more open, only the way of exploitation has changed. The woman is still a victim and still considered responsible for crimes against her. One just needs to look at the news,” Dr Kesar says referring to God man Asaram.

Dr Kesar believes that if a fierce love for literature was kept alive, things would have been better today. “Literature breeds human beings and thinkers. Not the self-obsessed zealots which infest society today."

With "Sauhard Puraskar", which she got for service to Hindi language as a Punjabi-Hindi writer, Dr Kesar has won a scholarship of Rs 2,02,000 from the Uttar Pradesh Government. Of the amount, she has donated 25,000 to charity (AWWA - Army War Widows Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Find for Uttarakhand).

Her future plans involve publishing the unpublished writings that lie piled up with her.

With 40 years of experience, her works include poetry "Mukt Kar Do", "Mujhe Awaz Dena", "Astitva Naye Mor Par"; travelogues "Pravas Prasang", "Neelabh Parvaton Ke Rang Mere Sang"; translation "Pash Ka Sahitya Sampadan" among many others.

She has also penned scripts for DD projects like "Birhon Da Sultan - Shiv Kumar Batalvi" and "Krantivaad: Bhagat Singh". She has also been awarded various honours for poetry, writing and journalism.

Jalandhar, October 2
The Punjab police resorted to a mild cane charge on scores of government employees who were protesting against the Punjab government’s indifferent attitude here today.

Under the banner of Sanjha Morcha Mulazim Committee, scores of Asha workers and mid-day meal workers assembled at Desh Bhagat Yadgal Hall . After staging a dharna near the ISBT, when the office-bearers of the Front asked the cops to allow them to meet Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, who was in the city today, the cops resorted to cane charge thus injuring many of them including women.

The protesters were demanding regularising the services of Asha and mid -day meal workers.The protesters have warned to intensify the agitation if their demands were not met by October 9.

The police, claimed that apprehending the protesters might create hurdle in CM’s cavalcade, a contingent of police led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Naresh Dogra rushed to the spot. While pacifying them certain protesters scuffled with the cops which started the trouble.

The protesters complained that the government had given a dark corner to their demand for the past many years and various representations and communication to the authorities have failed to bring any result.

The police then dispersed the protesters but some of them submitted a memorandum of demand to a Sub Divisional Magistrate (I). 

Jalandhar, October 2
BJP national executive member and former Punjab Minister Manoranjan Kalia today paid glowing tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Company Bagh and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Shastri Market Chowk. 

He said Mahatma Gandhi had paved the way for Independence following the path of Ahimsa and Lal Bahadur Shastri had given a slogan of ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kissan’ and paved the way for Green Revolution. Jalandhar Mayor Sunil Jyoti was also present on the occasion.

Phagwara, October 2
The Lions Club, Phagwara Service, celebrated Ghadhi Jayanti and organised a 'Quit Smoking' event under the “Service Week” observations to commemorate its former member late Lion JS Raghbotra, here today.

Two members of the club who were chain smokers today pledged to quit smoking at a function chaired by Dr Baldev Raj, Deputy Medical Commissioner, Kapurthala. While addressing a gathering he asked the club members and office-bearers to spread the message of Quit Smoking among masses and educate public about its consequences.

Jalandhar, October 2
This NRI season may not be that rosy for the real estate business in Punjab as most of the NRIs have started investing in cities like Delhi and Bangalore due to the ongoing dispute of various property-related taxes recently levied by the Punjab government. The cash-crunched government has recently introduced various taxes and set quick deadlines to felicitate immediate cash flow by means of various development charges and the property tax but this has brought the real estate business to the maximum low as the Punjab diaspora has started looking towards South for their real estate investments.

“With the high appreciation value of the Dollar, the NRIs would be more willing to invest this year. But, for investments they are showing interest in mega projects of reputed builders in other cities like Bangalore, Delhi and Pune etc. In Punjab, they are only buying properties for personal use. The government must do something to stop this outflow of the revenue,” said Navpreet Singh, proprietor of Batthsons Real Estate, Model Town.

With the levy of the property taxes and other charges, the short time investors have stopped investing in real estate due to which the real estate business in the state went down. Also, due to repeated changes in the policies,a lot of confusion is being created amongst the investors and the sellers.” Earlier, the property was sold on power of attorney. Later, to get some funds, the government declared that the registry would be done by paying 2% of the property’s collector rate and some additional charges. Many people got their registry done during that period. Now, recently the government again changed the policy for the third time by again bringing the power of attroney in force,” said Navpreet of Batthsons Realtors.

It becomes very difficult for an industry to survive due to the repeated change in government policies governing that trade. In Punjab, government keeps on changing its policies to woo its vote bank which has caused huge loss to the exchequer. Instead of taking heavy loans with high instalments, it should focus to felicitate the various means of cash inflow by making concrete policies for the industries to furnish.

“NRIs have started arriving in the state. The government should end all controversy related to various taxes at the earliest. They should open NRI-specific felicitation points to clear any confusion related to property matters. The NRIs have the potential to invest. They cannot be wooed by emotional ties only but they have to be provided facilities also,” revealed Aman Bhardwaj of Satpal Pandit Realtors.

Jalandhar, October 2
Gulistan (a society of senior citizens) paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his birth anniversary by opening a charitable outdoor dispensary here today at the Sant Baba Prem Singh Physiotherapy Centre.

Free medicines will be provided to patients at the dispensary.

The dispensary was inaugurated by Dr MD Bowry, Chairman, Bowry Hopistal and Innocent Hearts Group of Institutions. Sarbjit Kaur municipal counsellor ward number 56 was the chief guest.

He appreciated the initiative by Gulistan in addition to physiotherapy centre. He assured to extend whole-hearted support and help to the society in their social cause. Sarbjit kaur said the dispensary would help the marginalised section of the society in the area.

AK Goswami, president and secretary SK Kapoor along with OP Sharma, Satpal, SM Lala, Subhash DUa, Vasudev Uppal, RC Malhotra, AK Sharma, among others were present on the occasion. 

Jalandhar, October 2
If figures are to be believed, the onion lovers may again be able to buy the rapidly dwindling commodity anywhere between Rs 20 to 30 a kg within two weeks. The onion traders have confirmed the downfall of onion prices after looking at the price fall in the past few weeks. Although, the whole sale price of onions has gone down from Rs 60 to 35 per kg in the past two weeks, the retailers are still selling it between Rs 60 to 70 a kg.

Around 15 to 20 trucks are arriving daily from Afghanistan, Maharashtra and Karnataka in the local vegetable market in Maqsudan, still in the absence of a thorough check on the retail selling and the lack of awareness by the consumers, the retailers are earning huge profits from this rapidly dwindling commodity. “The prices of the edible bulb have gone down and will continue to do so as the supply has started coming from three different sources. On an average, six to seven trucks are coming from Afghanistan, four to five from Maharashtra and three to four trucks from Karnataka. The prices will come down in the retail market also but it may take a week’s time,” said Prithipal Singh,an onion merchant at Mandi Maqsudan, Jalandhar.

Although, the new crop has flooded the local market but it has so far failed to bring down the prices in the retail as people are preferring old stock over the new crop. The new onion consumes more oil due to its high moisture content. The old stock is selling at the same high rates, so due to this the rates in the retail market have not come down.

Also,a huge supply of onions is coming from Afghanistan but most of the crop is either of poor quality or damaged by the continuous loading and uploading done at Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indian borders. Due to its poor condition, the traders are selling the little saved stock at a very high rate.

Once the crop arrival gets stable which will happen in a week’s time, end users will be able to buy it at a cost anywhere between Rs 20 to 30. The scarcity period is almost over, said Rishu Chawla of SK Traders at Maqsudan.

Also, retailers narrate their own story. “I buy the onions from the wholesale market anywhere between Rs 30 to 40 per kg but after including 9% commission to the Mandi Board, the commodity cost me nothing less than Rs 45 to 50 . Add to it my transportation cost and the rent of my shop,” said Babu, a retailer at Sadar Bazaar.

The fact of the matter is that the arrival of the new crop has helped to bring down the onion prices a little and now very soon the prices will cool down further and we can have the aroma of frying onions back in our kitchen.