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Schoolkids employed to spray weedicides
Adulterated sweets
Zonal Youth festival celebrated with fervour
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Scattered gravel poses danger to commuters on city roads
Colours of womanhood on display
Citizens Urban Coop Bank to open new branches to target NRI belt
Experts take samples of damaged paddy
From other Punjab towns
NRHM employees hold meeting
Train runs over teenaged student
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Schoolkids employed to spray weedicides
Jalandhar, October 27
They are being made to do so without any mask or covering or any kind of protective gear even though it is largely recommended. During a visit to the school on Saturday, students at the school told Jalandhar Tribune that some of them were regularly being employed to spray pesticides on weeds whenever these grew up on the school premises. Without a mask, these students are being made to indulge in the practice time and again. When asked whether their parents never objected to it, the students said it was a common practice and they did not feel it was important enough to be shared with parents. While the apparatus used for spraying weedicides was first found lying in the store room, it was later discreetly picked up by staff members and kept elsewhere. More than 2,000 iron and folic acid tablets were also found stacked in the school almirahs, which the teachers haven’t been distributing among students for months. While the school has 328 students, of which 160 students (from VIth to VIIIth) are being fed the mid-day meal, only a 10-kg mid-day meal was prepared for students, even as per student strength of at least 45 kg is required. Many students also started having the mid-day meal only eating rice, saying it was common for them to eat it without pulses. On being asked why there was inadequate food for students, staff said they did not eat more than that. Some of the students also reported having found worms in their mid-day meal on the previous day. During Jalandhar Tribune’s visit early in the afternoon, the school in charge was found absent even though he had marked attendance. The school in charge had informed the school during a telephonic conversation that he was away to another school to get admission forms of his students filled. Reacting on the issue of weedicides being sprayed at the school, he said he was doing so as per the needs of the eco-club and not on his whims. “Congress grass, when weeded by hand, is very smelly. So we needed weedicides for the purpose. However, I have only taken children along with me for the task and never let them do it alone. If asked now, we will completely give up the practice.” The in charge said students were spraying the weedicide roundup on weeds. Notably, roundup contains the salts glyphosate which, as per many international surveys, is known to be the cause of cancer. A 2002 study has also linked glyphosate exposure with increased incidence of attention deficit disorder in children. Reacting to the meagre mid-day meal being served to students, the in charge said, “The children eat too little. That is why less dal is being made. The staff only wants that nothing should go waste.” Underfed?Students were seen eating the mid-day meal merely with 2 to 3 gm of pulses. Some started without the dal, saying they had the habit of eating food that way. While the RTE Act says that at least 300 gm of food per student should be fed to students, in the school, less than 50 gm was being fed to students. The school was unkempt and disorganised. Notably, the school’s only sweeper doubles as a cook. Students said it was common for them to be asked to clean up. For 328 students, the school has 19 to 20 sanctioned posts, but the only four staff members (including the in charge). The posts of lecturer were also vacant. Two of the filled posts of teachers also include teachers on deputation. So five PTA teachers are working at the school. Part of the school building has been declared unsafe but it hasn’t received new rooms to make up for the unsafe building so far. In-charge speaks
School in charge said the lack of staff and politics among them was causing a lot of problems. He said due to dearth of people, he personally had to go and get admission forms filled yesterday. “Troubles are regularly being posed by some of the staff members. On the mid-day meal as well, I have asked many of them to take over, but they do not listen. For smooth functioning, I need the cooperation of all. However, we are working in the best interests of our students and we always endeavour to provide the best facilities to them.” |
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Health Department fails to finish sampling process
Rachna Khaira
Jalandhar, October 27 “What is the use of doing sampling now? It is just an eyewash. They should have done the testing much in advance. By now, the results should have been out and the defaulters punished. Now is the time when people would buy maximum sweets and other food items. With the health department missing its deadline, it is the purchasers who would be the sufferers. This is quite shocking,” said Deepak Gupta, a resident of Lajpat Nagar. Last year, the department had taken 366 samples out of which 41 were found to be adulterated. The department is still fighting some of the cases in various courts! “This is a continuous process. We keep on collecting samples throughout the year. Only near Diwali, we get extra vigilant. We had caught some adulterated sweets and destroyed them. We had also fined some shopkeepers for selling adulterated sweets,” said RL Bassan, Civil Surgeon. However, sources confirmed that the samples collected specifically for Diwali, none of the shopkeepers has been fined so far and only once the sweets were destroyed by the Health Department during this festival season. In order to make huge profit, local traders and sweet makers use substandard products, leaving consumers vulnerable to ailments like vomiting, food poisoning, stomach aches and infections. Not only sweets are adulterated but chemicals, artificial colours and aluminium are also being used in the sweets. According to a sweet vendor, more the sweet looks attractive; more are the chances of its being prepared with adulterated material. “Some sweets appear very bright in colour while others are excessively decorated; these should be avoided as such chemicals are harmful for the body. He also said most adulterated items during Diwali is khoya (thickened milk) in which shopkeepers add starch, blotting paper and fine flour (maida) to increase the quantity. Apart from that, the department has also failed to control the overstocking of stale sweets by various shopkeepers who store huge stocks to cater to demands near Diwali. Also, unlicensed sweet shops were raising food safety scare in the entire district. With the health department going slow in its drive to check malpractices in food adulteration, people are bound to have bitter taste of medicines after consuming adulterated sweets during Diwali!
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Zonal Youth festival celebrated with fervour
Jalandhar, October 27 Other imminent personalities who graced the occasion were Sh Chandra Mohan and Sh Deepak Bali,Member of KL Sehgal memorial Society. Guests were welcomed by Principal Dr BB Sharma and College Registrar Prof Ravi Manuja. Sharma expressed gratitude towards contributors like Sh Sukhdev Raj for making such events a success. He encouraged and appreciated the participants for showcasing a remarkable reflection of Punjabi folk culture. Prof Sanjeev Sharma from commerce department thanked all guests for gracing the occasion. Sh Avinash Rai Khanna, MP was also honoured as the chief guest of the valedictory function. The chairman of Citizens bank Sh KK Sharma was also present and honoured by the Principal. Famous Punjabi theatre artist and singer Sh Balwinder Dyalpuriya was present as guest in the second session. Prof SJ Talwar while introducing them stated that they have judged many university folk song and orchestra events. Result of the day - Overall trophy APJ College Jalandhar, 1st Runner up HMV Jalandhar and 2nd runner up DAV College Jalandhar. Wild Life Week celebrated
The Zoology Department of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya celebrated ‘Wild Life Week’. Dr Rekha Kalia
Bhardwaj, Principal was the Chief Guest. The highlights of the function were Poster Display, Slogan Writing and Power Point Presentation on the theme ‘How to save and conserve wild life’. A lecture was also delivered on the topic ‘Human Wildlife Conflict’ by Dr Kirti
Dua, in charge, ‘Wildlife Centre’ and Prof Veterinary Medicine in Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University
(GADVASU), Ludhiana. Approximately 20 posters and 37 slogans were displayed by students of different science classes and were highly appreciated by the Principal and other guests. A Video film was also shown to the students on ‘Wild Life’. About 10 Power Point Presentations were given by the students. Prizes & Certificates were given to the winner students. Principal congratulated the teachers and students of the department. The function was organised by Kiranjit
Sandha, HoD, the Zoology Department along other members of the staff; Dr Seema
Marwaha, Gurvinder, Ashu Chabra, Ms Avantika, Babu Ram and Amit Kumar. Annual function
organised
Mandeleev Society of Chemistry, Lyallpur Khalsa College
Jalandhar, organised its annual function ‘Spectrum’ on October 25. Teams from all the institutes run by the management participated in eight competitions.In Rangoli making competition the first position was bagged by
Rajbir, Ravinder and Rajat.The poster making competition was on topics ‘Green
Diwali’ and ‘Traffic Chaos on Indian roads’ in which Paramjit Singh Chauhan won the first prize. The best pot was decorated by Charanjit Kaur. Gurpreet Kaur was adjusted the first in Gift Wrapping. The best card was made by Rajwant Kaur. Pooja Thaali decoration was won by Charanjit Kaur. Photography display on topics ‘Our College Campus’ and ‘How Jalandhar Looks’ was another event in which Rajwant Kaur stood the first. Flower arrangement competition was won by
Mitanjli. S Jaspal Singh Waraich was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Prof Surinder Kaur Head of Chemistry Department welcomed the Chief Guest and Principal Dr Gurpinder Singh Samra encouraged the students. There were 38 entries for
Rangoli, 35 for Poster Making, 27 for Pot Decoration, 11 for Gift Wrapping, 15 for Card Making, 10 for Pooja Thali Decoration, 10 for Photography and 5 for flower arrangement. The prizes were given by S Jaspal Singh
Waraich. |
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Scattered gravel poses danger to commuters on city roads
Jalandhar, October 27 Jatinder of the Qila Mohalla locality, who sustained injuries on his right hand and legs after his motorcycle skidded on gravel on the Ladowali road a few days ago, flayed the MC authorities for not making any attempt to remove loose gravel from roads. Meanwhile, narrating his harrowing experience of driving on roads with gravel scattered on them, Sandeep Sharma of the Kishan Nagar locality said, “The MC is not paying any attention to provide basic amenities, including smooth roads, to residents.” Gravel is scattered on almost every major road of the city, as most of the roads in the city have not been reconstructed for several years due to the lack of adequate funds. The condition of Guru Nanak Pura Road, Master Tara Singh Nagar, Ladowali Road, Railway Station Road, Pratap Bagh 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.
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Colours of womanhood on display
Jalandhar, October 27 The exhibition has seen the participation from nine artists, all of whom contributed four paintings each. Red and yellow themes with vibrant women, vermillion dotting their foreheads, were much liked. While some of the artists went abstract with their presentations, others kept it largely kitschy. The works by artist Ramandeep Kaur were a true find. Her sombre, fluid impressions of women, though languid, had a certain depth which made them towered above the rest of the works. Bharti Malhotra’s Radha Krishna themes with religious overtones were also interesting to watch. Similar themes were also witnessed in Varuna Khanna’s works. Malhotra is otherwise an expert in murals. Among other artists presenting various themes during the exhibition were Aruna Sharma’s cubist takes on womanhood, Kawaldeep Kaur’s pretty Buddha works, Simarjit Kapoor’s ethereal impressions and Teena Sharma’s, mingling colours. Many eminent artists and academicians of the city were present during the inauguration of the exhibition. Almost all the artists in the exhibitions are working women. Some of the artists have also formerly introduced their work to the city in an exhibition held earlier this year.
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Citizens Urban Coop Bank to open new branches to target NRI belt
Jalandhar, October 27 She claimed that a Mohali based branch of the bank (opened last year in the month of October), had captured the business of Rs 109.86 lakh as on March 31, 2013. She announced that the bank has recommended dividend of 11 per cent for the year 2012-13, which is about Rs 1.05 crore and the same was approved along with the audit report and profit and loss account and other agenda of the meeting by the members present in the general body meeting. In an effort to expand its business, by targeting the NRI belt, the management has now decided to open new branches in Tanda Urmur and Kapurthala. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), directives, capital adequacy ratio is to be maintained at 9 per cent, whereas, this bank has maintained the same at 14.61 per cent as on March 31, 2013, she added. In a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the bank has been organising medical check up camps for senior citizens, holding seminars on International Day against drug abuse, besides granting scholarships to the ward of bank employees for their excellent performance and higher studies. A large number of Senior Citizens, Widows, Pensioners, Freedom Fighters are our valued customers in the shape of depositors and members, informed SK Malhotra, chief executive officer (CEO),
of the bank. |
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Experts take samples of damaged paddy
Phagwara, October 27 This was stated by the team head while talking to this correspondent here during the team’s inspection in Phagwara and Rihana Jattan Mandi on Saturday. He said the team visited various grain markets to assess the extent of
damage to the paddy crop owing to unseasonal rains. The reports of the lab would be submitted to Union Ministry within next three days, he added. The team also interacted with farmers, who
had come to sell their produce. Narrating their woes; the distraught farmers stated they had suffered innumerable
losses due to the untimely rains. Kumar said the team heard the grievances of the farmers and
commission agents and would prepare its report and table the same before the authorities concerned in the Central government. While interacting with the experts, the commission agents led by
Kulwant Pabbi, TD Sharma besides former Market Committee Chairman Sarwan Singh Kular and Vice-chairman Tejaswi Bhardwaj demanded
relaxation in the specifications of paddy, which were not in accordance with the specifications of the government to ensure that farmers received the right price for their produce. Meanwhile, the farmers told the team that
their produce was almost ready for harvest when was damaged by rains. “The farmers urged
the team to recommend payment of bonus to them by the Centre,” he said. |
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Amritsar’s oldest guide pedals to mark 20 years of Punjab Darshan
Neeraj Bagga/TNS
Amritsar, October 27 Considered to be a site of Harappan civilisation, the photographs show mural paintings at Mansa Devi Temple in Ram Tatwali Dholba among others. His collection lays emphasis on the lifestyle of rural Punjabi people. Charkha, drawing water from well and women washing clothes at the village pool are some of the recurrent motifs in his pictures that once defined Punjab. He clicked all these photographs while peddalling 2,600 km area across Punjab in 1993. His rare collection includes photographs of Queen Elizabeth II at the Golden Temple during her visit here in 1997. In 1994, he held the first exhibition of his collection at the Thakur Singh Art Gallery, MM Road. He started his career as a professional guide in 1990 and continued till 2008. During his nearly 18-year eventful career, he guided former US foreign secretary Christina Roca, former ambassador to Pakistan William Millam.
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NRHM employees hold meeting
Jalandhar, October 27 AYUSH doctors and dispensers from almost all the districts participated in this meeting. Dr Rana shared the working of the association for the NRHM employees till date. On the occasion all the AYUSH and the NRHM employees thanked the Health Minister for paying heed to their long- pending demands. Dr Rana said the administrative control of AYUSH working under NRHM had been given to their respective directors. Soon they would get the financial powers, the green signal for which was earlier given by the health minister to AYUSH. Notably, NRHM members, on Saturday, had
given necessary documents for the regularisation of AYUSH and all other NRHM employees, as well as release of their deducted salaries, to Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani. Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani agreed to the same and had given instructions to release the salaries of the employees at the earliest. On the matter of the demand of regularisation of ANMs, he had said the department had completed all formalities and soon the matter would be
sorted out. |
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