Jalandhar, July 11
After his visit to the mid-day meal kitchen at Khurla Kingra today, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Pawan Kumar Tinu said he would recommend the suspension of the contractor hired for preparing it, both to the Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, and Education Minister, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema.

Ever since schools in Jalandhar opened after the vacations, mid-day-meals at various schools in the district have been found to have insects or worms for the past over a week.

Insects have been found in the mid-day meals at Government Elementary School Radio Colony, Government Primary School Garha, Guru Ravidass High School, Government Senior Secondary School Maqsudan, Government Model School, Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar, Government Primary School Ravidass Nagar and Government Primary School Kot Ram Dass.

Stale food and lesser quantity – than the number of students - for the mid-day meal of food has also been reported in a majority of the schools which were inspected in the past few days.

In fact, the Education Minister, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, sought a report from the CEO, Jalandhar, yesterday, only after parents at the Kot Ram Dass School sent back the stale and insect-ridden mid-day meal on Wednesday and threatened to protest if their children were served such food again.

The CPS has said he shall be personally taking up the matter with the government and carried inspections at the mid day meal kitchen today.

In for a shock, Tinu found extremely insanitary arrangements prevailing in the kitchen, which has been serving food to over 200 schools in the district since February last year.

The CPS said, “My personal recommendation would certainly be that the contractor should be suspended. The deterioration in the meal has started ever since he was hired. The food in the kitchen today was lying in the open. None of the staff were dressed in the proper uniform, their heads weren’t covered. The packed rice tins which I got opened for inspection, had hair on them. Flies were hovering all over the place. This is certainly not the way food is made for children. I shall be sending a report to the CM and the Education Minister soon.”

A report prepared by the ADC (Development) and mid-day meal in charge already lies with the DC K Yadav, but so far no action has been initiated on its basis.

Circle education officer, Jalandhar, Hukam Chand, said he was preparing a report on the issue and would submit it to the DGSE soon.

Jalandhar, July 11
Even as PUDA slashed its reserve price of commercial properties by 15 per cent, none of the 11 properties put up for auction got any response today. Since there were only two applicants today, the auction could not be held.

Of the 11 properties put up for auction, 10 were shop-cum-offices in Canal Rest House on Kapurthala Road. While the reserve price of one of the SCOs was Rs 1.52 lakh per sq m, it was Rs 1.38 lakh per sq m for the remaining nine. This was the third auction for the sites.

Put up for sale for the second time, a commercial chunk in 687.33 sq m area on 120-feet road also could not find any buyer. The reserve price for this property was 26,290 per sq m. The PUDA, however, yesterday managed to sell one residential plot during an auction in Hoshiarpur.

Chief Administrator Jalandhar Development Authority HS Kandhola blamed it on the ongoing slump in the market. He said he had got the reserve price reduced by 15 per cent. 

Jalandhar, July 11
Demanding that the afternoon water supply which was snapped from today for the next 20 days be restored, Congress councillors handed over a memorandum to the Mayor here today.

Led by Leader of the Opposition Jagdish Raj Raja, the councillors said that owing to the prevailing weather conditions, a cut in the afternoon was a big trouble for residents. “With scorching heat and no rains, the snapping of water supply in the afternoon has come as a double blow. Since there are unscheduled power cuts being imposed the day through, even the morning and evening supplies have been affected,” they said.

There currently is an eight-hour supply of water instead of the earlier 10. The water supply is being given from 5 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 9 pm. The afternoon supply from 12 noon to 2 pm has been done away with.

Meanwhile, MC Commissioner Manpreet Singh Chattwal said that the water supply in the afternoon would be restored from tomorrow.

Jalandhar, July 11
Unscheduled power cuts in the city have left residents high and dry. Ironically, instead of improving the power situation in the state, the Punjab Government is giving advertisements, claiming that Power Corporation is ensuring uninterrupted power supply.

In many areas, the condition is such that there are eight to 10 power cuts in a day and residents have been having sleepless nights due to irregular power supply.

People say they cannot even manage to store water without regular power supply.

Recently, power supply remained suspended in the Phagwara Gate area, as the transformer developed a snag. Residents in a majority of the areas said that despite repeated complaints to the authorities concerned, cables were not being changed.

Amit Dhall, councilor, ward number 9, said areas such as Kot Kishan Chand and Janakpura were the worst affected in their ward. There were about 10 joints in every 100m cable.

Complaints to the PSPCL do not yield any result. They just come and repair it temporarily, he said.

Sources in the PSPCL said there had been unscheduled power cuts in the city. Nobody in the Jalandhar office knows the actual reason for these cuts, as they get instructions from their head office in Patiala. Deputy Chief Engineer, Gopal Sharma, said Rs 192 crore had been sectioned to renovate the cables in the city and the work was going on. It would take around 26 months to complete this work. He said he did not know anything about the unscheduled power cuts. 

Jalandhar, July 11
An unidentified bike-borne youth allegedly snatched the purse of a woman on the Ladowali road this evening.

The victim, Sonia, of Jawala Nagar is working as a receptionist in a vernacular newspaper.

The victim said she was heading towards market for some purchases when the youth, who was wearing a helmet, stopped near her and suddenly snatched her purse.

She claimed that her purse contained Rs 3,800 and some important documents. She could not note down the registration number of the bike. The New Baradari police has started investigating the matter.

Jalandhar, July 11
After the death of 5-year-old Aryan on Wednesday, 8-month-old Preet from Gandhi Camp area is now struggling for his life at a private hospital in the city.

Contamination of water being reported from the area for the last few days is said to be the cause of area residents falling ill.

Preet has been detected with severe dehydration and acute septicemia and has been put on artificial oxygen.

“His condition has deteriorated in the last two days. He was repeatedly passing loose stools, vomiting and was even crying of abdominal pain. We had approached around 3 hospitals but all of them refused to take up his case due to his critical condition. Now, here too, the doctors have hinted towards 10 per cent revival chances,” said Sunny, father of Preet.

According to Dr Bhutani, who is treating the child, Preet’s condition is very critical as he is suffering from severe dehydration and septicemia.

“He has been detected with severe infection in his body. His survival chances are very low.”

He also informed that even the Civil Hospital refused to take up Preet’s case due to his critical condition.

Meanwhile, around 66 people have got themselves checked at a camp organised by the Health Department in the area. Five new cases of diarrhoea were diagnosed today.

Two cases were referred to the Civil Hospital, out of which one has been reported to be in a serious condition.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has completed its job on the fresh water supply line and has confirmed the water to be without any contamination.

Jalandhar, July 11
Reduction in excise duty on footwear (up to maximum retail price Rs 1,000) from the existing 12 per cent to six per cent in the union budget has brought smiles on the faces of shoe manufacturers in the city.

While maintaining that reduction in the duty will primarily benefit the consumers, the shoe manufacturers are of the opinion that the decision would also help in increasing the production, which will benefit the manufacturers as well.

Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, managing director of Hawk Industry, SPS Virk, said, “The reduction in the duty will mean that a shoe with MRP of Rs 1,000 will be cheaper by almost Rs 40. Though a difference of Rs 40 appears to be tiny, in the case of the bulk production, the overall impact will be considerably high.”

Atamjeet Singh, owner of renowned brand Lotus Bawa, too hailed the decision. He said, “Even if the benefit of reduction of duty goes to the consumer, it is a welcome step.”

Rajesh Kharbanda, owner of famous brand Nivia, said six per cent cut is considerable. Mohit Prabhakar of Freewill Sports Private Limited said, “Cut in the duty will certainly lead to an increase in the sale of shoes and the consumers will get the direct benefit. At the same time, the shoe manufacturers in the organised sector will be able to manufacture good quality products.”

Though, the managing director of Drish Shoes, IS Paul, appreciated the decision, he said a slab of Rs 1,000 MRP for the cut in duty will have a limited impact.

“Majority of middle class consumers buy branded shoes with MRP higher than Rs 1,000. Hence, the move will benefit a section of consumers only.”

Expressing similar views, Gaurav Sood, partner in Prime Leathers, said, “The reduction in duty is not a big relief and will not have much impact. The MRP limit is very less,” he said.