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Relief for people around Tung Dhab
Move to engage pvt filling station for fuel needs irks MC staff
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Hotels out with enticing offers for New Year revellers
Amritsar, December 30 Hotels, clubs, farm houses in the city are ready to welcome the new year and have made elaborate arrangements for the parties. Dance shows have also been organised for party animals. These commercial establishments have come out with different packages to attract people belonging to varied income groups.
Cops to keep close watch on celebrations
Head constable dies of rabies
Cong leaders meet Verka, not happy with appointment of office-bearers
Congress leader Gurkanwal Kaur (C), along with Dr Rajkumar Verka (R), adresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Monday. photo: Sameer Sehgal
6 held with drugs
Year 2013 ender
Drive to check ultrasound machines in city
Now, govt hospitals to have luxury rooms
Nooran wins best short film award
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Relief for people around Tung Dhab
Amritsar, December 30 Water Supply and Sewerage Board Superintendent Engineer Gurmeet Singh said the work would be completed in 2014. He said two sewerage treatment plants (STP) would be set up at Khaparkheri village and Ram Tirath road by July 2015. Each treatment plant would be of 95 million water discharge (MWD) capacity. He said tenders for STPs have also been approved and the work was expected to start soon. Domestic, industrial and agriculture waste is discharged directly into the Tung Dhab drain. It joins the Hudiara drain that immerses with the Ravi flowing towards Lahore in Pakistan. These drains, meant for carrying stormwater, are being used for discharging untreated solid waste (municipal and industrial) of the city as well as agriculture waste, leading to the contamination of underground water. Notably, Guru Nanak Dev University, the Army cantonment and Amritsar Central Jail authorities have installed their own waste treatment plants as these establishments are situated close to the drain. Over a period of time a number of residential localities sprung up along the drain. Bhushan Kumar, a resident of Chand Avenue, said stench, contaminated underground water and unhygienic condition were part of their daily life. He hoped that the situation would improve once the STPs started working. Geography and history
There are two drains around the city. The Tung Dhab passes through its periphery and another one is the City Outfall drain. Former is located in the north while the latter is situated in the south. Both of them merge near Khasa, which is known as Hudiara drain. It leads to Pakistan. According to PS Randhawa, general secretary, PCCA, the Tung Dhab drain originates at Talwandi Bharath village, close to the head regulator of the UBDC near Alliwal village in Gurdaspur district. The Tung Dhab is among the several drains developed across the state in 1955 to prevent floods. Problems emanating
from the drain
Consumers of old refrigerators and ACs near the drain complain of that the electrical appliances break down frequently as the harmful gases emanating from the drain corrodes the copper pipes of these electronic appliances. Earlier, milch animals, especially buffalos, faced health complications as they used to wallow in the contaminated water. However, presently as the drain carries dense form of waste and animals do not enter the drain. Colonies, industries to blame for the mess
Colonies and industries set up near Verka, Maitha and Fategarh Churriyan release domestic waste and industrial effluents into it. The Majitha Municipal Committee and the Central Jail also discharge waste into it. Industrial units in Puttalighar and Chheharta also release waste into it. The matter of concern is that a number of approved and unapproved colonies have sprung up on either side of the drain. Many small-scale units, notably textile, dyeing, electroplating, iron foundries, are situated along and around it. Different studies point towards alarming situation A study by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has expressed apprehensions that the people living along the drain may experience the birth of ailing children with congenital diseases and also predicted mutation of cells after three years. The Chemistry Department of GNDU carried out clinical experiments on 11 kinds of vegetables grown along the drain and found that the quantity of heavy metals was more than the standards laid down by the WHO. The Genetics Department of Guru Nanak Dev University had confirmed damage to the DNA Mahal village residents. The studies stated that women living in the areas close to the Tung drain suffer from DNA damage. The experiments performed by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, had also confirmed that the quantity of heavy metals in the soil exceeded the quantity certified by the WHO. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), India, in collaboration with the Aquatic Biology Laboratory of Guru Nanak Dev University had also carried out a study titled ‘Addressing Environmental and Pollution Concerns across International waters through Strategic Partnerships’ with special focus on Hudiara Drain’. The study had found evidence of eye and skin ailments, endocrine disruptions, cancer and congenital defects among people.
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Move to engage pvt filling station for fuel needs irks MC staff
Amritsar, December 30 Earlier, the fuel to government-run vehicles was being provided by government-run petrol pumps located inside the MC’s auto workshop, which is operated by the civic body’s own staff. Nonetheless, the employees under the banner of the Sanjhi Sangarsh Committee staged a protest against the move at the autoworkshop . Surinder Tona, spokesperson of the committee, said the private fuel pump was engaged on commission basis. “The MC should have invited bids before finalising the fuel pump. It was nothing but a step to prevent the regular employees from participating in official affairs. The authorities may hire private firms for other works too. We oppose it outrightly,” he said. It has been learnt that the MC, in the first phase, has decided to get fuel for around 135 diesel-operated vehicles from the private filling station. As many as 80 garbage-lifting trolleys and six fire brigade vehicles will continue to get fuel from the auto workshop pumps. According to an estimate, the MC vehicles consume 4,000 litres of diesel every day. However, an official said the move had been made to break the inp-house nexus as there were numerous complaints of illegal sale of fuel by the employees.
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Hotels out with enticing offers for New Year revellers
Amritsar, December 30 Hotels like Golden Tulip, Ramada, Una, Holiday Inn (five star), MK, Alstonia, and clubs like Service, Lumbsden, Amritsar are expected to hold New Year eve bash. Participation in these paid parties depends upon the paying capacity of people as the charges range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 9,000 per couple. Radisson Blu Hotel has come out with three different packages for its customers. One of the packages includes an international buffet with DJ at Rs 4,000 per couple besides unlimited food and beverages. Another package includes an extravagant buffet with unlimited food and beverages, along with live band and DJ. Radisson Blu general manager Jitender Pal Sohal said another offer includes a room package and by availing that package a couple could stay in hotel for the night, enjoy late morning brunch apart from the New Year eve buffet with unlimited food and beverages. The cost of such a package is Rs 14,000. Hotel Best Western Merrion has arranged ballet dance and DJ live anchoring with unlimited food on the New Year eve. Hyatt has arranged the live performance of Neha Chauhan, a reality show participant, besides fun games. The hotel has offered New Year raffle vouchers for two nights stay at different Hyatt hotels. The special buffet menu include a wide range of Italian pizzas, tandoori kebabs, pastas, biryanis, western desserts, along with a selection of delectable international mocktails. The package would cost Rs 3,999 for a couple. These hotels are contacting their customers through SMSes. Apparently, the stress is on advance booking. Now, for those who don’t want to be a part of the crowd on the New Year eve, private party is the way to go. With umpteen number of private parties happening on the day, the city party hubs are full to the brim. Security Up
The Lawrence Road is one of the favourite spots for New Year celebrations. Therefore, the police have made special security arrangements at the road. All the parties will be videographed and the policemen would be stationed at rooftops to keep an eye on the road with dragon lights. The DCP said the entry of vehicles would be restricted to de-congest the area.
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Cops to keep close watch on celebrations
Amritsar, December 30 Besides checking drunken driving, the patrolling teams will also regulate the traffic. "I have directed officials to impound the wrongly parked vehicles for at least 15 days to a month. The policemen have been instructed to take photographs of all the vehicles involved in the violation of traffic rules," the DCP said. The policemen will be deputed at various important places in civil dress to prevent the incidents of eve-teasing and sexual harassment. "Heavy security arrangements have been made around the Golden Temple in view of the huge flow of devotees who come to pay obeisance at the temple on the eve of New Year," the DCP said. He said the armed police and anti-riot teams would also be stationed at sensitive locations. He said liquor shops would not be allowed to sale or serve liquor beyond the permissible time. Hotels have been directed to have a record New Year parties and have been asked to install CCTV cameras.
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Head constable dies of rabies
Amritsar, December 30 It is pertinent to mention here that a stray dog had bitten around half a dozen persons in Pandori Waraich village and SG enclave around a couple of days ago. There seems to be no end to the canine menace in the city as well as rural areas, especially near ‘hado rohri’ where animal carcasses are dumped. The recent case has brought to the fore the inability of the Municipal Corporation and other departments concerned, including Animal Husbandry, in controlling the menace. The MC authorities had initiated a couple of projects to sterilide the stray dogs but these failed to produce the desired result. The residents on the other hand had demanded from the government to prepare a concrete policy to end the problem.
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Cong leaders meet Verka, not happy with appointment of office-bearers
Amritsar, December 30 Former Cabinet Minister Gurkanwal Kaur and Madam Rattna today met National SC Commission Chairman Rajkumar Verka regarding the issue. “The staunch party leaders who made supreme sacrifices and dedicated their whole life for the party cause have been ignored,” said Gurkanwal Kaur. She pointed out that she had taken up the matter with Shakeel Ahmad, general secretary, AICC. She said she would write to Sonia Gandhi on the issue. She said state party chief Partap Singh Bajwa had managed to get the names of his brother Fateh Singh Bajwa and wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa included in the state office-bearers’ list while she was deliberately ignored. She said Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh sacrificed his life and tried his best to take the party out of the bad phase but present party leaders were ruining it for their vested interests. Gurkanwal said Jagbir Brar who defected from Shiromani Akali Dal had been made the president of the Jalandhar Congress.Earlier, Ashwani Sunny, general Secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, also met Rajkumar Verka and expressed his anguish over the new appointments. Verka said he would convey their views to the high command.
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Amritsar, December 30 Malkeet, Kashmir and Balkar were held with 300 gm smack, 20 gm smack and 100 capsules of proscribed drugs respectively.— TNS
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World-class city still a distant dream
GS Paul Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 30 The city having a population of over a million is grappling with civic woes like inadequate road network, chaotic traffic, beggars on the road, poor sewage system, haphazard urbanisation and insufficient drinking water supply. The hopes from the new MC house for bringing about a change in their lives could not bring desired results. The residents feel ditched by the political class. With a view to garner money, the MC put several of its properties under hammer and even after imposing new taxes, quality life is still a distant dream for the city residents. Around 36 per cent residents are still devoid of any sewage facility and the water supply network does not reach 20 per cent houses. The quality of water can be gauged from the fact that the water supply gets mixed with the sewage because of breakage in pipelines at several places and inadequate gap between both lines. There is absolutely no scientific system available in the whole district to treat or check the quality of water. The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), in collaboration with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), has also started to rejuvenate the existing sewage system under the JNNURM programme, with an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore, but it too is running at a snail’s pace. Dilapidated storm water system
Around 80 per cent of the city stands outside the purview of the storm water drainage network. The walled city’s open drains remain choked. The choking of drainage leads to overflow of the sullage and backflow of the sewage water. Insanitary conditions
A major issue which remained unsolved till date is the installation of solid waste management plant. The city’s main garbage dumping yard at Bhaktanwala, located just adjoining the main grain market, poses health hazards to the residents living in the locality. Heaps of garbage keep on mounting with each passing day and the present situation is that in the absence of adequate arrangements for dumping the city garbage, it is piled up right on the roads leading to the residents’ houses, their place of work and their fields. The constant foul smell coming out from this dumping yard and the burning of garbage which emanates smoke at the dumpsite are the other environmental issues which are too obscure for the authorities to address. Another major project of covering of ‘ganda nullah’, which was the major poll issue of various political parties, could not be completed till date. Though, the work is in progress, a major portion of the ganda nullah is still lying uncovered while exposing residents, living nearby to various diseases. Projects which never met deadline or still underway
It was on December 12, 2011, when Sukhbir Badal, during his much hyped tour to the city laid foundation stones of numerous projects in a single day, which included introduction of magnetic pods under the Personal Rapid Transport System on bus stand/railway station on the Golden Temple route (Rs 220 crore), four-laning of Majitha road (Rs 8.35 crore), but except for a multilane stretch over the UBDC canal near Taran Wala Pul, no other project could be completed till date. While the MC has promised to start the city bus service in January, other projects like the entrance plaza project in front of Golden Temple, Rose Garden at Ranjit Avenue, environment park near Taran Wala Pul, the slaughter house at Chheharta, the installation of CCTV cameras in key pockets of the city and multi-speciality sports complex could not kick off beyond drawings. Even as over six years have lapsed since the administration received Rs 25 lakh as initial installment from the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, for establishing a food street, this project could not take off for want of ‘site’. Same was the fate of the heritage village project conceptualised at GNDU (Rs 12 crore), three years back Areas of concern
Non-execution of solid waste management plant, dilapidated sewage and drinking water system, city with old topography has immense illegal encroachments making narrow lanes narrower, inadequate provision for storm water disposal, traffic snarls in the absence of adequate road infrastructure, declining industrial activities and inadequate facilities for visitors and residents are some major areas of concern.
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Drive to check ultrasound machines in city
Amritsar, December 30 The department officials had earlier checked 16 ultrasound centres in the city on December 27 and found violations of guidelines under the Pre Conception Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. Sources in the department said show cause notices would be served to the owners of the said centres. The department in its drive that started earlier this month to check the ultrasound centres in the city has so far inspected 51 ultrasound centres. The department sealed three ultrasound machines after these were found to be operating without following proper procedure. District family welfare officer Dr Ranjit Singh Buttar said the department had so far served show cause notices to at least six centres, which were found violating rules. He said that another six centres had been issued warnings. Civil Surgeon Dr Usha Bansal said all the ultra sound centres in the district would be checked during the drive initiated recently. She added they would not allow any centre to function without following each and every guideline laid down for these under the PCPNDT Act and other laws.
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Now, govt hospitals to have luxury rooms
Amritsar, December 30 Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jiani, who visited the city yesterday, said according to the plans, at least 10 per cent of the rooms at each government hospital would be converted into super deluxe rooms. The super deluxe rooms would have facilities like television, refrigerator, air conditioner, air warmer and quality beddings, he said. Government hospitals presently have private rooms and the occupants are being charged Rs 150 per day. Jaini said the introduction of new facilities at government hospitals would certainly help in attracting rich people toward public sector hospitals.
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Nooran wins best short film award
Amritsar, December 30 In a press conference here today, Sandhu said around 173 films, which included two Punjabi films, were screened during the festival. The film was earlier selected for screening at the international film festival held in Goa in November.
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Amritsar, December 30
Amritsar, December 30
While Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal intends to develop Amritsar as a world-class city with eye-catching gates and beautification of roundabouts on the ‘heritage theme’ and the SAD-BJP ruling combine may hum the ‘development wave’ by claiming to dedicate over 22 projects with a combine capital cost of over Rs 2,550 crore to the city, the reality is that many of these projects either failed to materialise or are too far from being completed before their targeted dates.
