Jalandhar, June 20
Even as the PUDA organised auction of 40 properties in the city today, only one of them could be sold that too with only marginal appreciation.

The only site that went under the hammer was a shop-cum-office at the Old Roadways Workshop. While the reserve price for the 101 sq metre SCO was kept at Rs 82,856 per sq metre, it went off at Rs 87,400 per sq metre. There were only four bidders for just one property in the entire auction. The auction was chaired by Chief Administrator of the Jalandhar Development Authority HS Kandhola and Estate Officer Gurvinder Singh.

Significantly, most of the properties were put to auction for the fourth or even fifth time and the officers had to wind up the arrangements without getting any response for them.

The other properties which were put up for sale were nine built-up shops in the old DC/SSP office with a reserve price of Rs 1,37,150 per sq metre, seven shop-cum-shops near Gandhi Vanita Ashram on Kapurthala Road with a reserve price of Rs 88,810 per sq metre and five booths in the same pocket with a price of Rs 81,150 per sq metre.

The nine booths in new bus stand pocket number 1 also did not get any bidder. The reserve price for these booths had been kept at Rs 1,24,400 per sq metre. The only booth in new bus stand pocket number 2 with a reserve price of Rs 1,34,739 per sq metre also did not get any response.

Six booths in front of Government Senior Secondary School, Ladowali Road, priced between Rs 1,22,490 and 1,34,739 per sq metre also did not get any response at all. 

Jalandhar, June 20
After the surprise visit of the Punjab Health Minister, SK Jiyani, at the Civil Hospital at Jalandhar on Thursday, Raj Kamal Chaudhary, Home Secretary of Punjab, paid a surprise visit to the Civil Hospital, the ESI hospital and the Community Health Care Centre (CHC) at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) complex on Friday. He also inspected the de-addiction camps going on at the 12 different health care centres in the city and also directed the officials to work towards making Punjab a drug free state.

Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav and Kunwar Police Commissioner Vijay Pratap Singh also accompanied the home secretary during the inspection.

"He visited the drug de-addiction centre at the ESI hospital and even met the patients there and asked them about the problems they face at the hospital. He had even visited the psychiatric ward of the Civil Hospital to meet the drug addicts who were there for the treatment," said Dr Kailash Kapoor, Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital, Jalandhar. He also informed that around 50 to 60 people are coming to the psychiatric ward daily for the de-addiction treatment.

Later, the team went to the 30 bedded Community Health Care Centre at the Punjab Armed Police Complex in the city. A proposal has been made to open a drug de-addiction centre there at the CHC as it is lying abandoned from the last two years since its inception 2012. The CHC was built with a whooping cost of Rs 5.75 crore but due to the lackadaisical attitude of the health department, it failed to get patients who prefer to visit the adjoining well equipped PAP hospital for treatment.

The home secretary during the visit directed the medical staff and the district administration to continue their efforts in making Punjab, a drug-free state. 

Jalandhar, June 20
While the education minister bragged about the efforts the government is making to encourage quality education in the state, he was probably unaware about the fact that last year two brilliant but poor boys in the city wasted a year of their life even though they cleared the counselling for the prestigious IIT Kharagpur. They didn't have money. A journalist from a vernacular newspaper brought this fact to the fore at the press conference with the education minister here today.

Miinster Daljit Singh Cheema has asked them to write an application to him.

In a city full of NRIs and millionaires, ironically, the two boys - who have completed half their studies working at their father's tea vend at Chugitti Chowk - no one came to the rescue of the two youngsters.

Recalling their pain of missing IIT just because they were poor, Amit said, "We felt like someone kept food in front of us but cut our hands, so we couldn't eat it."

This year, Sumit has bagged 809th position in JEE advanced and Amit 2014th. Last year, they had bagged the 1600th (Amit) and 1800th (Sumit) rank in JEE (advanced).

Sons of Jeetendar Kumar, a tea vendor, and Manju Devi, a homemaker, the story of the grit and determination of these two are probably the one of most illustrious. If it wasn't their strong backing by a well wisher, their story might not even have garnered the attention of the government today. On being asked whether the government will now finally support these boys suffering such a plight. The minister asked them to submit an application to him on the issue.

Having completed their studies at a city-based government school, they completed their classes XI and XII from the Lyallpur Khalsa College (Amit - on scholarship) and the Government Model Senior Secondary School (Sumit).

Their father worked earlier as a rickshaw puller but later took a job as a peon in a company which closed down after some time. Disheartened by failure they returned to their village in Bihar from where they came back to Punjab in the year 2002. Since then, their father has been running vend while Amit and Sumit have studied in Punjab all through.

"We wanted to study in an English-medium school but since it was not available we browed old books and studied independently in English side-by-side," said Amit.

Until now, they don't have proper place to study at home and have been studying at the Victor Classes Coaching Centre where they took coaching for free due to the help of do-gooder Ranjan Pathak who backed them and provided them space to study at his own centre from 8 am to 9 pm.

When their father has been ill or met with an accident (like last month), they have studied even as they worked at vend side-by-side.

They missed last year, but they are probably the most deserving candidates in the city when it comes to monetary help from both the government and do-gooders in the city.

"We have missed food, borrowed old books, worked along with studies and cut on vital expenditures at home to study. Our parents have backed us despite odds. When we couldn't take admission to IIT Kharagpur last year, we thought we are poor, it might be our destiny not to study," said Amit.

While the manager of one of the city banks has offered them help through a loan, Amit says, "Yes we have been offered a loan. We are yet to understand the details of it. But at least there is a ray of hope," says Amit.

Amit dreams of pursuing engineering in petroleum mining At Dhanbad and Sumit mechanical engineering.

Jalandhar, June 20
Three persons died in separate road mishaps today. In the first incident, 22-year-old Raj Ram, a native of Bihar and resident of Samrama village here, died in a road accident. Ram Singh, investigating officer, Sadar police station, said Raju, a daily wage labourer, along with his counterparts was heading to work on a tractor trolley in early the morning, when a speeding truck trailer hit trolley from behind. Collision was so intense that Raju sustained head injuries and died on-the-spot while other persons accompanying him escaped with minor injuries. 

The police said a case of negligent driving under Section 304 A of the IPC was registered against the truck driver, who fled away from the spot immediately after the accident.The second incident was reported from Dyalpur village in Kartarpur where a 50-year-old man, Pardeep Kumar, died after falling off his cycle. Deceased was working as typist in Jalandhar courts. An inquest proceeding under Section 174 of the CrPc were initiated by the Kartarpur police.The third incident was reported from Nijamudinpur where a 52-year-old man, Satnam Singh, a resident of Bhogpur, died after his bike skidded of the road. The police said accident occurred after stray cattle came on road and victim lost control over bike and fell down. Inquest proceedings were initiated by the Maqsudan police.

Jalandhar, June 20
Applicants, who visit the district transport office for availing various services, continue to face harassment. Long queues, endless wait and long faces of the applicants, who have no idea as to when would their work be done, is a common site at the office.

The room number 120, where people applying for licence get their photographs clicked, has not become functional even after recent repairs. The rush of these applicants at the other side of windows makes the queues longer.

Earlier, token numbers were issued and the applicants could see their turn on the display. There is no such system working while the renovation work goes on.

With power outages every now and then, the server goes non-functional for hours and the problems of those standing in queues get further amplified.

Paramjit, who had come from Nakodar for renewal of his driving licence, said he had reached the office at 10 am and had to keep on standing in the queue for three long hours to get the work done.

“I really wonder why it was taking so long. It was just a five minutes job once you reach the counter,” he said.

Satwinder from Dhada village near Jandu Singha narrated a similar story. He said, “I read in papers that so many positive changes are done in the administration and public dealing. But everything seems to be stagnant here. The public continues to be a silent sufferer in the government offices at the hands of clerks and officials. We are paying for getting good services and not for being made to stand here in long queues. If there is more rush, there should be more counters for such service. The officials have to ensure a good management.”

As DTO Paramjit Singh is on leave, ADTO JS Dhillon said, “We cannot help if there are more applicants on some days. Our job is to ensure that whosoever comes gets his work done the same day. It is for the applicant to have patience for three-four hours.”

Jalandhar, June 20
City-based Professor, Jaspal Singh, has been selected by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as a spectator to visit the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Associate Professor and head of the Sports Department at the Lyallpur Khalsa College, Prof Jaspal has been working with the college since 1998.

While he had also presented a paper at the Pre-Olympic Conference for the 2013 London Olympics, this is his second official outing for a world sporting event.

Last time, he had visited under the travel grant scheme of the UGC under which 10 -12 people had visited.

He is one among the 300 odd candidates selected by the AIFF from the country to watch the matches.

FIFA has allotted a quota to AIFF through which these chosen persons can visit the world cup at a concession of 60 to 70 per cent.

AIFF invites applications from the states and those who get selected make it to the event. The spectators are sent on merit basis.

Prof Singh, who has himself been a national handball player (a gold medalist), and has also penned a book ‘Khed Chintan’, said his prime motive at the FIFA World Cup would be to watch the matches as well as make a socio-economic study of Brazil and India on the basis of the difference in their sporting talents and performance.

“Both the countries are from the developing world. Both countries have similar sources and resources but still Brazilians are way ahead in sports and football while India isn’t even in the top six. I shall be studying the students of Brazil at Niteroi University in Rio-de-Janeiro,” he said.

Speaking about the weak performance by any Indian team in a team-based event in Olympics in the past many years, he said, “No team of a team-based sport of India has made it to the top six slots in the past 20 years. Infrastructure, backing support and funding are the prime causes for the problem. May be hockey stood sixth once in Olympics.”

“In Brazil, I shall also observe the trial procedures (at the grassroots level) of players and the infrastructure made available to them. I shall study European clubs and their sports culture,” he said.

I might even write about it after I come back, he said.

Speaking about the role of drug-addiction in the degeneration of sports in the state, he said, “Drug-addiction is widespread, so it has its negative influence on sports. Punjab needs to be revived.”

While Brazil itself is Prof Jaspal’s favourite team, he will watch the match between Ghana and Portugal on June 26 and later pre-quarter final matches.

He will leave for Brazil on June 23 and will stay there until July 5. 

Jalandhar, June 20
Tiny tots from the city participated in a fashion show organised by Vivek Aggarwal Institute of Dance, Music and Acting here today.

Donning colourful attires, the children competed with one another as they walked on the ramp. The participants were in the age group of 3 to 18 year.

They were also shortlisted for the grand music dance awards as they also participated in a talent hunt for dance and music. The children who participated in the event included Drishti, Angel, Vani, Jessica, Ruhani, Arshpreet, Garima, Kripa, Japnam, Sanya, Rythm, Vanshika, Ishmeen, Stuti, Aishwarya and Jasnika.