Amritsar, February 3
After the bus service, efforts are afoot to put in practice the Deputy Chief Minister’s yet another dream project of replicating the Turkey’s way of easing traffic snarls in the holy city. It is going to introduce air-conditioned bus service under which buses will ply on the pattern of the bus rapid transit system (BRTS).

The authorities have chalked out a route plan and the feasibility report for the BRTS that has got nod from the Union Ministry of Urban Development and the state government as well. The project will cost around Rs 494 crore in Amritsar under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in collaboration with the Punjab Infrastructural Development Board (PIDB).

Officials said the project would be funded jointly (50:50) by the Central and the state governments. The Municipal Corporation (MC) would be the nodal agency to provide the land for executing the project. The Public Works Department (B&R), will be the executing agency for the project. A 30-km dedicated corridor would be created to facilitate plying of 55 low-floor air-conditioned buses under the system.

Barring the fire brigade and 108 ambulance services, no other vehicle would have an access to this corridor, which would cater to three routes.

One route would be from the India Gate (Attari Road) to the Bhandari Bridge via Guru Nanak Dev University and railway station. The Bhandari Bridge to the Daburjee bypass via ISBT would be the second route.

The third route would be from the Queens Road, Crystal Chowk to Novelty Chowk, Mall Road, Celebration Mall via SSSS Chowk, Kitchlew Chowk, Verka Road from Celebration Mall on the Batala bypass to railway crossing, till the canal crossing.

The move came after a state delegation, led by the Dy CM, had a ride on a bus on a 52-km route of the BRTS at Istanbul recently. Its study a few months ago influenced the delegation to imitate it for Amritsar and Ludhiana.

It is being viewed that the vehicular traffic would be reduced by at least three lakh vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, in the city as people would prefer travelling in these buses, which would be safer, faster and cheaper.

These buses would be apart from the 150 buses that have been proposed to be introduced under the city bus service plan. At present, 40 low-floor buses have already been plying in the city. 

Amritsar, February 3
With an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the government has made the fund-rich Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) to dole out its funds to finance various development projects in the city.

As many as 87 tenders worth about Rs 3,372 lakh were floated few days back, while several tenders were already under process or under the implementation stage. The completion time for a majority these tenders is within two-three months.

Majority of these tenders pertain to basic development works in various wards of the Municipal Corporation, while handful of these tenders sought attention of contractors to provide development at its own colonies.

Mainly these tenders concern installation of tubewells, street lights, besides laying of concrete flooring, sewerage, inter-locking tiles, widening of roads and beautification of certain parks.

Brij Bedi, a social activist, said apparently tenders were floated to woo voters on the promise of development.

He said all politicians in power were eying the cash rich Improvement Trust as majority of the government departments were short of funds. He opined that it would be better if such a huge sum was invested with planning. He said the government must enact provisions under which contractors must give a written undertaking specifying the life span of these facilities.

Another vigilant citizen Prem Sagar said it had been noticed that the political leaders in power venture out on foundation stone laying spree ahead of the elections. Apparently, these leaders wish to send across a message that they were keen for the development of the area and its electorate must favour their party in the election. However, these works to provide basic civic amenities to the residents must be undertaken well in advance.

He wished that it would be a real democracy when these development works were taken off the political game plan and were done on the basis of priority. As it has been noticed that the areas falling under the ruling politicians receive maximum funds while the wards under the leaders of opposition were neglected, he remarked.

Amritsar, February 3
Off late, there has been a lot of talk about passive learning and out-of-classroom methods to transform education into edutainment.

The fact that children need more engaging ways of learning and gaining through self-experience has been highlighted by the growing popularity of alternate ways of imparting knowledge.

Parents, academic institutions and children stand on a parallel line of thought with activities like performing arts given a priority when it comes to learning without being burdened.

Children in the city have been exploring new avenues of learning by attending storytelling workshops and interacting with internationally acclaimed authors and academicians.

While city libraries have become important learning centres with increasing interactive activities, schools and colleges too are chipping in.

“Education has changed from being academic-centric to a whole experience now. It’s not about how many marks you score, but how many skills you can develop into a child,” says Rajiv Sharma, Principal, Springdales Senior Secondary School.

The school, popular for its stage productions, has become a live theatre workshop for its students with annual productions and witnessing participation from primary to senior secondary levels.

“Theatre is a good medium to learn skills like expression, confidence, public speaking and facing an audience. Besides, becoming a channel for emoting and expressing their thoughts, children learn about topics that are changing the world like global warming, etc.,”he said.

The alternate method of education has become a part of their school routine.

Regular role plays, activities, workshops and one-on-one interaction with known artistes through planned events has had a positive feedback.

Similarly, ONE-UP library-cum learning centre, too has been introducing children to the world of literature, art and encouraging thinking individuals. It had guests seminars by renowned authors like Ruksana Khan (Wanting Mor), The Puppetarians, Sir Mark Tully and many more to interact with children recently.

“Opportunities when and if provided early in life reap benefits for lifetime,” says Dalbir Kaur, owner, ONE-UP library-cum-experience centre, which makes sure to practice what it preaches.

“We have artistes and authors coming every weekend to interact with children here. All these alternate activities help them to imagine, something that cannot be learnt but only experienced. It doesn’t have to be forced upon instead taken up at leisure and turned into a learning tool,” she said.

“Understanding the requirement of the future generation, there are some out-of-the-school advanced activities offering something different. So, we have storytelling workshops, animation and graphics, mime, theatre and even cooking classes to give children a chance to choose their alternate education, Says Dalbir.

“We organise reading, music and creative competition each season which require children to focus on extracurricular activities and participative learning, catching the young authors in them,” she said.

And then there are also violin and guitar lessons for music-lovers.

As Author Ruksana Khan of ‘Wanting Mor’ fame had shared recently that the education system needs more library spaces, Dalbir agrees, “Libraries are important for intellectual and independent thought process of children who will make future leaders.”

Amritsar, February 3
A state topper and a recipient of the Lokmanya Tilak Award, artist Anuradha Thakur's tryst with tribal art and culture began in her childhood. Her works on tribal people, especially women, spring from a silent harmony, an artist's meditation, on place and culture that stems out of experiences.

The artist from Maharashtra was in the city to open an exhibition of her works at the KTKala art gallery.

Coming with best of her paintings, 25 of these on the theme of her Earthen Harmony have been displayed at KTKala. "It's my first exhibition at Amritsar and to see people appreciate my work feels encouraging," shares the senior artist. With most of her work using black as figurative composition, Anuradha says that is her distinct technique. "Many artists consider black as a heavy, difficult composition and colour. It's very bold to use the colour as such but in my works black also takes delicate tones."

Her works reflect her experiences with tribal traditions, travelling through tribal belts in Rajasthan, Gujarati, Maharashtra, Assay and many other places. One look at her paintings and one can sense the delicate boldness, disciplined creativity, that throbs in the life. The paintings bring together works on tribal regions, traditions, culture and mixture of ethnicity they represent. "Like the tribals of Kuch and Rajasthan use a lot of ornamentation while Nagas have interesting head gears. Similarly, the huts or forest hoods reflect nature's art. I take cue from each region and try to put in in my works." Apart from the exhibition, Anuradha will be attending BBKDAV College as guest faculty, conducting a five-day workshop on compposition. 

Amritsar, February 3
The state government will soon get the high-tension overhead electricity wires, running over a few of the localities in the city, removed, said Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi. He said a budget of Rs 30 crore had been earmarked for replacing all live naked wires in localities of the city.

Joshi said that all 11 KV wires would be replaced with cables with a cost of Rs 105. He said the project of tightening loose electricity wires, removing cobwebs of wires in bazaars had been given to a multinational company.

Joshi was speaking at a function to inaugurate electricity reforms work at 88-feet here today. He said a total of Rs 240 crore would be spent on overhauling the entire electricity supply system in the city under the Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP).

Joshi said the government had acquired land for setting up three power stations in medical college, Islamabad and Sultanwind. The government was in the process of acquiring land for two more power stations in the city.

He said considering the demand for power in the city, the small electricity transformers would be replaced with 200 and 500 KVA transformers.

Residents of localities such as Mustafabad and Indira Colony have been complaining of overhead high-tension wires running over their homes. At some places, these wires are so loose that these are very close to the roof tops. An incident of a dog getting killed after coming in contact with these wires was reported from Indira Colony a few years ago. 

Amritsar, February 3
The government health institutions in the city do not seem serious about proper disposal of bio-medical waste generated in these institutions as is evident from the garbage heaps witnessed at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital during a visit today.

In both hospitals, the system of segregating the waste is in place at the point of its generation by placing different-coloured waste bins. However, at both these hospitals, it was seen that it thrown outside in the open along with other waste.

Even as hospitals send bio-medical waste to the incinerators on a regular basis, the authorities have failed to ensure that the entire bio-medical waste is segregated properly and nothing of it is thrown on the heaps.

An employee at the Civil Hospital said, “Sometimes it happens that patients and a few employees unknowingly thrown bio-medical waste in the basket which is meant for food and plastic waste. The sweepers throw the content of the bin on the heap which has bio-medical waste mixed in it.” He said there was a need to sensitise staff and general public about the issue.

At Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, a heap of garbage and bio-medical waste was observed being set on fire. Even as it is against environmental laws to set on fire any garbage heap, the hospital is surely ignoring the norms by burning biomedical waste.

Meanwhile, Senior Medical Officer at the Civil Hospital Dr Hardeep Singh Ghai said they ensured that bio-medical waste was segregated and disposed of according to the prescribed guidelines. He said that if a lapse had occurred, it would be inquired into as to why it had happened. 

Amritsar, February 3
Even as police officials claim that the crime rate had decreased considerably in the city in the past few months, the residents are not ready to buy this statement. The Tribune asked them about what the Police Department should do in order to instill a sense of security among them and curb crime in the holy city.

Localities were particular in condemning political interference in the functioning of the police while they also criticised the political patronage to anti-social elements who were involved in various crimes, especially drug trafficking. They also suggested that people's participation should be ensured in the whole system for curbing the crime problem.

Involving public by way of "Social linking network" in the system would help the Police Department in nailing criminals. This would not only help in controlling incidents of snatching and robberies, but also curtail drug abuse which is rampant in society.

The continuation of crimes such as robberies, snatchings and thefts which affect the residents directly clearly points towards the failure of police intelligence. Besides because of the absence of stringent measures, the criminals have become fearless with no fear of law and its guardians, the cops.

Dr Daljit Singh, Principal, Khalsa College

It is a general feeling that if the police wants, they can curb the crime rate in the city. The only thing lacking is political will. Continued political interference in the working of the Police Department is denting its image. Moreover, police officials also owe their allegiance to their political bosses who patronise a number of criminal elements.

Kulwinder Singh, resident

The Police Department should do their work with honestly. Besides, people can also play a vital role in cleaning society by cooperating with the Police Department. The people should come up against criminals involved in anti-social activities. They should inform the police about them.

Gurbhej Singh, a social activist

There is an urgent need of reforms in the functioning of the police. The common man fears to approach the police as he feels that he will be subjected to unnecessary harassment. The overall impression of the police force is bad. The Police Department should devise ways to be people friendly, for efficient policing and instilling a sense of security among residents. It should take stringent measures such as strengthening its intelligence to bring down the crime rate.

Dr BR Hastir, Chairman, All-India Terrorist Victims’ Association

First and foremost, the government should fix the tenure of a particular police official at a given place and then fix accountability if any crime occurs in his jurisdiction. Secondly, political interference did not allow them to take necessary action against violators and criminal elements.

Dev Dard, artist

Amritsar, February 3
Local textile manufacturers are upbeat over an announement by the Union Government to the effect that 30 per cent capital subsidy will be given on shuttle-less loom which was 20 per cent last year.

Advanced looms are imported from European countries. Reduction in import duty on Rapier shuttle-less loom has been a long standing demand of local manufacturers to decimate global competition especially originating from China.

Besides, reduction in capital subsidy on Rapier shuttle-less looms will strengthen textile industrialists to neutralise an exorbitant increase in the US dollar and Euro rate in the last few months.

Along this line, HS Makhni, general secretary, Textile Manufacturers Association (TMA), demanded that the import duty must also be reduced to the level of 5 per cent from the existing 17.45 per cent.

More than 47 new units of shawl manufacturing with 400 shuttle-less rapier looms with electronic jacquards were introduced to the city in 2002 and its numbers now have now touched the magic figure of over 1,000. Apart from this, about 4,500 latest embroidery machines were being installed by entrepreneurs in Amritsar during 2002-2009 for value additions.

Ancillary units like dyeing and finishing, woollen and worsted spinning mills, cone dyeing of yarns and printing industries are well established here to support the textile industry in Amritsar which now measures up to international standards.

According to the data available with the Punjab Industries Department, there are about 856 registered textile units. Majority of the units fall under the Small-Scale Industry (SSI) sector here.

Currently, the investment limit of the SSI sector must be revised from Rs 5 crore and the chorus is growing to hike it to Rs 10 crore. 

Amritsar, February 3
Constant vigil by the Health and the Police Department has failed to make any dent in easy accessibility to habit-forming drugs, if the seizure of huge quantity of drugs from a youth in the city is anything to go by.

The drug traffickers were finding habit forming drugs to transport through road and rail route very easily.

On Sunday, the city police arrested Ajay Kumar (25) of Navi Gali, from Katra Sher Singh which is the famous medicine market of the city. The police recovered 6,090 tablets of proscribed drugs from his possession.

During interrogation, he told the police that he used to procure the drugs from an unidentified person, who used to contact him on telephone. He said he did not know the source of the habit-forming drugs. He was remanded in police custody for further questioning, said SHO, D-division police station, while a case under Sections 21, 22, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered in this regard.

These drugs find routes to the slum area besides the rural belt of the district, where these are sold on exorbitant prices.

Recently, the Government railway police had confiscated thousands of capsules, tablets and syrups used for intoxication from the waiting hall of the Railway Station, here. Earlier, it had arrested a youth with habit forming drugs who revealed that he procured the drugs from Uttar Pradesh and used to sell the same in the slum areas.

Meanwhile, the Civil Lines police nabbed two persons Danial Masihand and Jolly Shahzada of Housing Board Colony and seized 100 intoxicant capsules from their possession. The police also recovered a stolen motorcycle from them. A case under NDPS Act and under Sections 379, 411of the IPC has been registered against them and further investigations were under progress.

Amritsar, February 3
An alumnus of Khalsa College, Anmol Singh Mahal, who is a California-based surgeon, today visited the college and held talks with the Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) on its proposed project of Khalsa Medical College (KMC).

Dr Mahal announced to extend all possible help, including expertise, in medical administration, technology and finance for setting up the college.

He held talks with KCGC joint secretary (finance) Gunbir Singh and said the KMC was a timely project envisaged by the college management.

He said India needs more doctors and health care experts in the days to come and the KMC would help the nation meet up the increasing demand.

Dr Mahal, who is one of the prominent doctors who were the architect of the US’s much publicised ‘Obama Care’ hoped that the KMC would emerge as a major medical education and research institute.

The KCGC had laid the foundation stone of the KMC recently, which will come up at the cost of Rs 200 crore.

Dr Mahal suggested some changes in the KMC’s plan in the presence of officials who have designed the plan.

Gunbir Singh said they were happy that Dr Mahal, who passed out as graduate from Khalsa College in 1967, visited the college and extended help to it.

“We welcome the new inputs provided by him and will keep taking his advice for the project,” he said.

He also thanked Dr Mahal for the financial help he had extended to the institution for setting up a students centre.

KCA Principal Dr.Daljit Singh, project manager NK Sharma, KCGC SDO (civil works) Kamaldeep Singh were among those others present during the meeting.

Amritsar, February 3
Shopkeepers of Jahajgarh and the transport area are at the receiving end as their business has been getting affected due to the poor road infrastructure in the area. The Municipal Corporation had dug up roads to lay the sewerage pipes. But after this, they have forgot to relay the same, said residents.

Driving on these potholed roads was dangerous. It has also become difficult to walk on the muddy roads. they said.

They alleged when they raised the issue, the MC passed the bucks to the Amritsar Improve Trust (AIT) while claiming that the area falls in their jurisdiction.

They said the MC authorities assured to take up the matter with the AIT for allotting the Budget for construction of the roads.

On the other hand, AIT officials said the area was handed over to the MC months ago.

They said the AIT had asked the MC to construct the roads and hand over the bills to them, which they would clear soon.

They added that its been four months, but the situation remains the same.

Sukhjinder Singh Mehndiratta, an advocate who has his office in the market area, said the area lacks basic amenities. There was no streetlights in the area that was proving a boon for anti-social elements. He said the shopkeepers have decided to approach the court if the authorities failed to resolve their grievances soon.

He said despite raising the issue with the the MC and the AIT authorities, nothing had been done so far.

"The air-pollution level in the area has reached an alarming level due to the flying dust, thus causing health problems to people,” said Amrik Singh, a shopkeeper.

"It is the responsibility of the authorities concerned to provide basic facilities to people as the latter is paying huge taxes to the government in the name of property and house taxes. The authorities should construct the roads at the earliest,” said Gurcharan Singh, another shopkeeper.

Amritsar, February 3
Residents of airport road having their houses near Heir village are irked at the dumping site for carcasses near their colony, as they are facing various problems including stray-dog menace due to it.

A resident of Palm Grove Colony, JS Sokhi, said continuance of Hadda Rodha, as carcass dumping site is called in Punjabi, is causing health hazards to the residents. He rued that the matter was repeatedly brought before various authorities including Minister of Health and Family Welfare but to no avail.

Another resident of the colony, Nitin Mehra, said birds and stray dogs roam around all day and night. These animals pose a threat to residents especially children and frail and old persons. Besides a foul smell emanates from the site making life miserable for residents. “There is always a fear of outbreaking of epidemics, forcing residents to remain indoor.” He said their colony was approved by PUDA and regularisation fee had been deposited with the authority. Hence, delivery of quality basic amentities must be ensured, he remarked.

Meanwhile, Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials here had written to the Deputy Commissioner, who is also Chairman of the Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC), for removal of the dumping site, way back in 2010. The communication stated that “after de-skinning, carcasses are dumped at the site. It is situated at a distance of about one km from the boundary wall of their village and adjacent to Palm Grove Colony. It attracts birds, vultures and stray dogs”.

It also mentioned that similarly a low-lying area where stagnant water exists in Rajasansi village near the airport fencing also attracts birds. Both these sites fall within the approach area of aircraft landing and taking off.

Citing the aircraft rules 1937, section 81 B, it is stated that animal carcasses and waste could not be permitted within the 10-km area of the airport. Such activities attract birds which are detrimental to aviation safety.

Animal activist Vineet Randhawa said a thought must be spared for the rights of the dead animals. It was a visible instance of rapid urbanisation as a result of which human colonies were extending up to animal carcass sites.

Amritsar, February 3
Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) won the overall Championship of the All India Inter-University Judo (Men) 2013-14 while Panjab University, Chandigarh, remains first runners-up.

The championship concluded here today at the Indoor Multipurpose Gymnasium Hall.

International Cyclist, Gurpreet Singh Gill, SSP, Majitha, was chief guest, whereas Dr HS Randhawa, Deputy Director Sports and Head presided over the function.

GNDU got five gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal in total. In 81 kg category, Karanjit Singh Maan of Guru Nanak Dev University remained winner, Jaswinder Singh of Panjab University got the second position and Shubham Kumar of HNBG Srinagar and Danish Sharma of Delhi University bracketed the third.

In 90 kg category, Pramod Kumar of Guru Nanak Dev University remained winner, Naveen of Kurukshetra University got second position and Dinesh Rana of CCSU Meerut and Yadwinder Singh Brar of Punjabi University, Patiala obtained third position.

In 100 kg category, Amit Dhull of CDLU Sirsa got first place, Sheran Mirza of Jammu University got second and Sunil Sheoran of Kurukshetra University and Sohim Takkar of GND University remained third.

In 56 kg category, Jasbir Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University was placed first, Vikas Thakur of Panjab University, Chandigarh second and Punit Kumar Arya of CCSU, Meerut, and Gobind Rai of MGSU, Bikaner, remained third.

In 60 Kg category, Amit Kumar of Guru Nanak Dev University remained first, MD Naushad of Delhi University got second and Nitin of Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Hitesh Saini of Kurukshetra University remained third.

In 66 kg category, Amandeep of Guru Nanak Dev University remained the first, Rahul of Panjab University got second and Rakesh of MDU, Rohtak, and Anup of Punjabi University, Patiala, third.

In 73 Kg category, Vishal Ruhil of Panjab University, Chandigarh remained first, Inderdeep Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University second and Vashist Gill of Panjabi University Patiala and Narinder Saini of Kurukshetra University remained bracketed third.