Jalandhar, January 6
A PUDA auction of 50 SCOs and booths in the city failed to evoke any response here today.

None of the shops in any of the seven sites, including shops on the Kapurthala road in front of Gandhi Vanita Ashram and PUDA market in front of government school on the Ladowali road, got even a single bidder.

The ongoing strike by the PUDA staff also affected the auction. With the pen-down strike going on, the staff had already refused to work today for the auction. But the prevailing slump in the market further kept the buyers away.

An official said they kept on waiting for the applicants till 1.30 pm. — TNS

Jalandhar January 6
Taking up the cause of the kin of the five migrant labourers who were mowed down by a speeding tipper truck on January 2, the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) has demanded a fair compensation for the next of the kin of the accident victims.

CITU expressed dissatisfaction at the disbursal of Rs 1 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased autorickshaw-driver of Jalandhar while ignoring compensation to the migrant labourers.

Hari Guni, general secretary of CITU, alleged that the Chief Parliamentary Secretary had extended Rs 1 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased auto-driver, but didn’t offer even a single penny to the kin of the five migrant labourers.

Guni said CITU, along with the kin of the deceased, had also met Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Perneet Bhardwaj and demanded a fair compensation for the victims' kin, adding that the ADC had promised to forward their demand to the Chief Minister.

Guni said the kin had also met Chief Parliamentary Secretary KD Bhandari, but he had expressed his helplessness over issuing compensation to the kin of the deceased who were natives of Uttar Pradesh.

Six persons were mowed down by a speeding truck near Kahnpur village on the Jalandhar-Jammu national highway in which five migrant labourers, including two couples, a seven-year-old boy and an autorickshaw driver had died. — TNS

Jalandhar, January 6
A highly polluted water body in Punjab, Kalasanghia Drain, which has reportedly caused cancer and other serious ailments among villagers living along its banks for the past over two decades, will soon be a boon for the farmers of the area, with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) committed to clean this water body.

With the PPCB authorities tightening its noose around the defilers of this drain, especially leather tanning and industrial units and the local civic body, the board seems set to fulfil the demand of the villagers who have been facing many hardships for long.

The worst-affected villages are Janangir, Essewal, Muridwal, Rupewali, Sidhpur, Badshapur and Sunarh-Kalan, where water pollution has been spelling a doom. Various killer diseases like cancer, jaundice, hepatitis, cardio-vascular problems and renal failure have gripped many villages.

Environmental engineer SP Garg claimed that the board had set the target to release 100 per cent clean water into the drain in the next three-four months.

Presently, water discharged in the drain carries effluents like chrome (.1mg per litre), zinc (5 mg per litre), iron (5 mg per litre) and some others used in the tanneries and industrial units.

“The content of these effluents has fallen drastically after the board came down heavily on the Kalasangia defilers,” he claimed.

To clean this drain, the board has set up sewerage treatment plants (STPs) in Pholriwal with a total capacity of 125 MLD, and common effluent treatment plant (CETP), having a capacity of 6 MLD, while another of 1.5 MLD capacity is ready for operation, he claimed.

A 50 MLD capacity STP is nearing completion in the Pir Daad locality, with 80 per cent of the work completed.

Garg said that 40 MLD domestic discharge of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation was being released into the drain everyday and that, too, would be released after proper treatment after the completion of the STPs

The PPCB has already tamed the industrial units (electroplating units) discharging hazardous industrial waste at the common treatment plant in Ludhiana, he added.

Efforts of Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, a member of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, to raise villagers' voice and save the environment has yielded results, with the state government, especially Punjab Chief Minister, taking interest in making the Kalasanghia drain pollution-free. 

Jalandhar, January 6
As teams of the drainage and sewage department, along with the staff of the Municipal Corporation and the police, reached New Rattan Nagar, falling along Kala Sanghian Drain, residents held a massive protest, forcing the staff to return without taking action.

The staff had gone to the site armed with JCB machines, but the residents of the area lodged a massive protest, saying they would not vacate their houses and move to the highest court to avail relief. Residents Daljit Singh, Amanpreet Singh, Lakhwinder, Rashmi and Anita rued that they should first be rehabilitated and provided alternative arrangement before being forced to move.

ACP (West) Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu also reached the spot to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. The staff then gave the residents a time of one and a half months to make arrangements at their own end. 

The city residents are annoyed at the lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Corporation in not making a proper arrangement for waste disposal.

The Jalandhar Tribune spoke to a cross-section of people across the city to know their reaction to the problem and take their suggestions on the matter.

Shashi Sharma, a resident of Mandi Road, said: “Our house falls on the road leading to the railway station. It is the entry point for anyone alighting in Jalandhar and imagines what impression a first timer to the city takes in his mind. Because of proximity to the markets around, our area has a huge volume of garbage. There are days when the sweepers would take make two rounds a day in our area for lifting of filth and also times when they would not turn up for two to three days. The stench becomes extremely unbearable and we remained worried about the health of our families.”

"There is no point in making tall promises like opening 3G fish aquarium and world class cricket stadium in Jalandhar unless and until the basic needs of the residents are fulfilled. Walk around any city market and one is greeted by heaps of garbage. It is extremely disgusting and the MC must ensure that a proper system is in place,” said Pritam Singh Bedi, a poultry shop owner at Central Town.

"There are no proper dumping sites in the city. Anyone just disposes of filth anywhere along the road side. There is no fixed time by which the sweepers take rounds in colonies for collection. Since there are no community bins, we too do not have any option but to fill bags of filth from our place and throw them little off from our house in vacant plots or along some road sides,” said Siddhartha Sharma, a resident of Urban Estate.

"It has been over two years that we are hearing of a new company coming to Jalandhar and employing its staff for waste collection and management. The MC has miserably failed to hand over the project in time,” said Sukhwinder Bugga, a resident of Pucca Bagh.

"The Municipal Corporation should install fixed dustbins in markets so that the passersby do not litter around and make the market shabby. Most modern cities like Chandigarh are clean as they have provisions of bins in all markets,” said Sherry Chadda, a shopkeeper at Rainak Bazaar.

"The worst part of garbage disposal was the use of vacant plots by the residents. It is not just the authorities but also the residents who are to be blamed for the problem. There is no lifting of waste from plots and the smell becomes intolerable for those living around the plot. This aspect needs too needs to be redressed,” said Jyoti Sharma, a resident of Dakoha.

Jalandhar, January 6
Secretary of the local unit of the Punjab Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) Dr Tejinder Virli today said all the teachers of the Guru Nanak Dev University would miss their fourth and fifth periods and participate in strikes in their respective colleges on January 9 and 14.

These strikes would be conducted against Dr Daljit Singh, principal of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, against his move to disregard the management's agreement with the teachers' union by filing a case to trouble teachers of the college.

Alleging that the said case was false, Dr Virli said the management of the historic college was attempting to privatise the institution in 2011 for its own interests. He said while many teachers and students were opposing the move, the management - although - could not change the college into a deemed university but managed to convert a specific wing of the college into an autonomous college - clearing the way for their plans.

He said three of the teachers opposing the move then, had been dismissed but were reinstated after an agreement on the issue was reached with the head of the committee.

He said now the principal had got a false case against 22 teachers to harass them.

He said by involving one of the PCCTU office bearers in the issue, the management had tried to sub the union but the union would fight the case to its logical conclusion.

He said after January 17, strike would be held in the university after two periods and dharnas and demonstration would be held in Jalandhar and Amritsar to back the same.On January 21, a solution to the matter would also be taken out after a meeting with the Education Minister.

Virli said while the case had been rendered important to an extent that promotions and increments of teachers working at the Khalsa College were being stalled by the DPI by mentioning the case in their service books, the issue called for steadfast support of teachers.

Jalandhar, January 6
With just 80 milk vendors approaching the district Health Department for getting themselves registered under the Food Safety Standards Act at two camps here today, the authorities seem to have found relief in implementing the Act in the district.

The Health Department had held camps at Boota Mandi and Patel Chowk to register the dairies and dairy-product sellers today.

"With 80 persons coming forward, the total registration across the district has gone to 3,680 while only 1,015 licences have been issued under the provisions of the Act so far," said Food Safety Officer Sukhrao Singh.

He said similar camps would be organised at Phillour, Goraya and Aapra on Wednesday.

On January 1, the district health authorities, while tightening the noose around violators of Food Safety Standards Act, have asked sellers of eatables in the district them to get themselves registered and seek license or face the consequences.

The health authorities have warned them to complete all the formalities till February 4 or be ready for action as per the provisions of the Act. The authorities had asked the eatable-sellers, including bakers, dhaba owners, confectioners, grocery and many others besides owners of restaurants and hotels, to follow the instructions.

The offenders were also warned to pay penalties ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 5 lakh along with six months of imprisonment as per the Act.

Jalandhar, January 6
City is all decked up to celebrate the 348th Parkash Purb of Guru Gobind Singh with all religious fervour and gaiety. Gurudwaras across the city are illuminated with lights. Akhand paths have started since Sunday and thousands of people are expected to throng religious shrines on Tuesday. Prominent kirtan jathas from all over the state have been invited by various gurudwaras to appease the devotees.

Earlier on Sunday, various competitions for children related to religious wakefulness were organised at various gurudwaras. "Various competitions related to Shabad Kirtan, dastaar bandhi and debate were held on the gurudwara premises in which more than 200 children took part. All the children were given prizes and certificates on the occasion," said Parminder Singh Dimpi, general secretary, Central Town Gurudwara.

Prominent kirtan jathas have been called to sing religious hymns from the holy verses of Guru Granth Sahib and enthral the devotees on the sacred occasion.

"Along with other events a special lecture on the life of the tenth guru will be held by SS Iqbal Singh at the gurudwara. Community kitchen will continue to serve langar throughout the day," said Atam Prakash, president, Model Town Gurudwara. He said arrangements have been made by various gurudwaras to cater to lakhs of devotees visiting the shrines. 

Jalandhar, January 6
Employees covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme and Miscellaneous Provision Act, 1952, will start receiving receipts from the State Bank of India (SBI) for cheques or drafts which they used to drop in the drop boxes at the bank branches.

KK Jalan, Central PF Commissioner, in a statement issued here said the issue was taken up with the SBI authorities in the large interest of general public. Jalan said the State Bank of India has directed all its branches to issue receipts of the cheques at the counters against the deposits of the EPF dues.

Earlier, the State Bank of Indiawas not issuing the receipts of cheques or drafts deposited by the employees by dropping the same in the ‘drop boxes’ at the bank branches, he said. 

Jalandhar, January 6
For game lovers, 2014 has brought with it an impeccable gift here at the Puran Video distributors, wherein Play Station 4 has been launched.

Puran Video had introduced Jalandhar to the world of video games, 27 years before and continues dishing out the latest electronic games. PS4 was the much awaited version of play station for its advanced features

“It’s been launched after seven years since PS3 came on Blu Ray resolution in 2006. The city residents are excited about the new entry. We have got immense orders, more than the company’s supply, and there’s a long waiting list. We are trying our best to fulfill the large demand,” said Paramjeet Singh, owner of Puran Video.