Amritsar, August 3
Over 400 students have been admitted to the state government's ambitious Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students set up at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), which would be operational from August 4.

DEO (Secondary) Satinderbir Singh said 403 students were admitted against the 500 seats available in the school.

The break-up of these seats are 300 for non-medical stream, 100 in medical and an equal number in commerce. Earlier, as many as 550 students, including 416 girls and 134 boys, applied for admission.

Most of the students admitted to the model school are girls. Initially, the state government hired 19 faculty members for the school. Four teachers each have been hired for physics and chemistry, two teachers each for biology, mathematics, English, Punjabi and physical education. They were hired on an annual contract basis, which is likely to be renewed, on a monthly salary of Rs 38,000 and Rs 35,000 in case of physical education teachers. Their medical examinations have been conducted and four of these teachers will be staying on the campus.

On the loss of precious time of the students due to a delay in starting the school, as the academic session started on April 1, the Education Department directed these teachers to prepare their plan accordingly to make up for the lost time. Even extra classes would be held to cover the curriculum.

At present, Manmeet Kaur, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Ajnala, has been given the additional charge as the principal of the meritorious school here.

Meritorious schools are registered as the "Society for promotion of quality education for poor and meritorious students of Punjab". Students of government schools, affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board, who have secured 80 per cent marks or above in Class X during the 2013-14 session, were admitted to these schools.

Even as a part of the school building was still under construction, the rooms where classes are to be held, have been made fully operational. The entire school building is likely to be completed by October 31. Besides, labs are ready and benches have arrived. The district education office, meanwhile, has made the accommodation for boys at the Baba Darshan Singh Dera closeby. The school required 45 rooms but only 36 are ready.

The Amritsar Improvement Trust constructed a double-storey building with 20 classrooms, two separate hostels for girls and boys besides houses for 10 school staff members and the principal.

These meritorious students will be imparted quality education for Classes XI and XII free of cost besides preparing them for admission to leading medical and engineering institutes of the country. 

Amritsar, August 3
While the green brigade often finds itself being labelled or categorised for making a hue and cry about saving the world, at times their efforts manage to get things going. So, when Amritsar was listed as one of the most polluted cities in the world and the unhealthy relationship with ecology needing counselling, we happened to come across a few responsible citizens doing their bit to make possible the art of green living. Without any merit or batch or label, they are living a healthy and green lifestyle by choice. With water harvesting and green energy consumption adding to the oxygen content, they are living by the book.

Captain Ajay Verma, a ship manager and environment auditor from the city, who has a sprawling house at the Race Course road, unlike many, chose to keep 60 per cent of it green and concretise the remaining. His humble abode runs on solar power, the 1200 KW solar voltaic panel accounting for most of energy consumption. You will find no tube lights in his home, only CFL and LED strips for minimum energy use, and the huge garden area adding sufficiently to the groundwater level. "I call it my dream house. When I built it, I ensured nature friendly practices and sustainable green energy. Most people think that green energy is expensive, which would seem to be true if considered monetarily. But the way energy prices are going up, given its abuse, I am sure that in the long run, clean energy will be a better option," he said.

Harjit Taneja, a city-based businessman, is also one of the few individuals spreading the message of green and clean energy actively. "I have got a bore of about 100 feet done for rainwater harvesting at my residence and am also planning to install a solar power system. The purpose is for a better future, if not for saving a few bucks," he said.

It is not just individuals. Institutions are also endorsing green energy. Khalsa College has adopted green practices of sustainable energy and developing ideas further. "We have water harvesting systems in all our academic and hostel buildings. In fact, all the upcoming buildings in the premises have been equipped with solar power systems as well. We adopted eco-friendly methods as a policy and have them in place as a mandate," saidDharmendra Rattaul, deputy director, Khalsa College.

HK Clarks INN hotel too has solar power system in place for sharing the energy burden. Most of its water heating system runs on it and it has reduced their total energy consumption by 30 per cent.

Rajesh Prabhakar, principal, Prabhakar Senior Secondary School, Cherherta, has been harvesting rain water for the past 10 years, through installing a system at his school premises and his residence. The school also has an effective system in place for re-use of waste water for maintaining its garden and playground. The school also promotes green energy by installing six kilo watt solar power station.

Dr Rakesh Sharma from the Voice of Amritsar and Gunbir Singh from EcoAmritsar have been actively promoting water harvesting through individual participation. They have also collaborated with various organisations to promote green practices, like the Nature Schools Program by EcoAmritsar, wherein green methods of energy are promoted in schools.

Amritsar, August 3
A local resident was attacked and injured by his neighbours over a minor dispute here at the Majitha road area. The incident occurred on July 21 while a case was registered yesterday evening after all the attempt to reach a compromised failed.

The police have now registered a case under Sections 323, 324, 325, 506 and 34 of the IPC on the charge of causing grievous hurt and threatening the victim.

Among those booked were Manjit Singh, his wife Rakhi, Nishat and Parshant, both sons of Manjit Singh.

Joginder Singh, the complainant and resident of Majitha road, said his son Jatinder Singh had applied for a water connection.

The Municipal Corporation employees were digging the road outside for the water connection when the accused came and started abusing him. His son Jatinder and his wife threatened to kill him. He said the accused also stopped the employees from digging up the road for water connection. He said the accused attacked him and his son with an iron tool. His son became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital.

The police said no arrests have been made so far and the investigations were underway.

Amritsar, August 3
The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) has hailed the Union Government’s decision to extend the food safety licence deadline. President, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Amrit Lal Jain, said it would bring relief to 2.5 crore traders dealing in eatables and food items across the country.

He said a delegation of the national body of the mandal led by Shyam Bihari Mishra, former MP, met the Union Health Secretary Luv Verma and apprised him of the practical difficulties being faced by the traders under the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 and Rules 2011.

Jain said the Act has been framed as per the convenience of the multi-national companies. He said the entire exercise was not as per the Indian geographical and climatic condition. He said there was a dire need to reconsider most of the provisions of the act.

The deadline for registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act ended on August 4.

The Health Department here had made the registration process online and a hard copy of the application had to be submitted within next 15 days.

Though the department is on its toes to bring all kinds of food-related establishments under the ambit of the Food Safety and Standards Act, the enthusiasm among the traders was lacking as they were already expecting extension of the deadline.

Earlier, the government had extended the deadline on various occasions.

So far, over 5,000 food related establishments operating in Amritsar district had got themselves registered with the Health Department in keeping with its directive.

Amritsar, August 3
Difference of opinion between Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi and Amritsar Municipal Corporation Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora, apparently over carrying out development works might have sparked controversy, but at the end of the day, it’s the local resident, who is paying the price.

The MC proposed to take Rs 150 crore loan from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and Bank of India. This loan was to be used for the so-called development wave, announced repeatedly by Mayor Arora, in general house meetings.

Out of the total sanctioned loan of Rs 50 crore, an amount of Rs 4 crore was taken from HUDCO. But, with little income from departments, which usually generate revenue and looking at the depressing fiscal health of the MC, Arora has taken a U-turn from raising further loan for development projects as the MC was not in a position to pay back credit.

This had invited the ire of councilors, who were promised that at least Rs 30 lakh would be spent in each ward to augment and revamp civic works. Councillors had approached Joshi and urged him to arrange funds, but the proposal was hard to accept for the Mayor. Ultimately, the promised civic works got stalled for want of funds.

The recent rains have exposed the tall claims of the MC. The whole city was submerged in rain water after brief showers. There is no safe drinking water for residents. Obsolete water supply system, which passes through the sewerage pipelines in most localities, has exposed the residents to various health hazards. The garbage lifting and disposal system too is in a dismal state.

MC’s poor fiscal health

According to official records, the MC does have a total income of Rs 282 crore. It proposes to pass a budget of Rs 390 crore and plans to cover a deficit of Rs 108 crore with loans from HUDCO and other banks.

The Mayor had proposed Rs 91 crore for development works, whereas Rs 65 crore were set aside for expenses and Rs 15 crore was kept for contingency expenditure. The MC’s total expenditure comes to Rs 16 crore per month whereas the income is just Rs 10 crore. It was quite difficult to even meet the salary bills of the MC employees, which is close to Rs 12.50 crore per month. The electricity and fuel expenses cost Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 90 lakh, respectively. 

Officialspeak

Amritsar, August 3
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a car seller to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for delay in handing over registration documents of a vehicle to a local resident. The forum has also directed the car seller to pay Rs 2,000 as litigation expenses.

Earlier, Dr Ranbir Singh, a resident of Majitha Road, had filed a complaint against Waves Cars Private Limited stating that he had purchased a new Fiat Grande Punto car from the dealer. The complainant stated that at the time of sale, the opposite party assured him that they would get the vehicle registered with the local authorities at the earliest for which he was charged the requisite fees.

He said on his subsequent visits to the car seller he was informed that the fees was deposited with the local District Transport Office (DTO) office. He alleged that he was given temporary registration number, which was valid for one month only. Instead of the registration card (RC) he was given a temporary number again.

The opposite party in its reply stated the the RC could not be delivered to the complainant on time due to delay by the local DTO office. During the hearing of the case, the opposite party said the RC was ready and complainant could collect it any time.

The forum observed that the car seller could not produce any receipt to prove that they had deposited the registration charges, including road tax of the vehicle of the complainant, which was charged from the buyer.

The forum found the opposite party guilty of deficiency in service as it had not handed over the RC within a period of one month as promised to the buyer at the time of the sale of the car. The forum stated that the opposite party must hand over the RC at the earliest, besides compensating for the harassment caused to the complainant. 

Amritsar, August 3
A film from the house of the Punjabi cinema doyen Manmohan Singh, “Aa Gaye Munde UK De”, is all set to take you on a roller coaster ride. Releasing in cinemas on August 8, the movie brings back successful pair of Jimmy Shergill and Neeru Bajwa with fun-filled performances of Gurpreet Ghuggi, Binnu Dhillon, Guggu Gill, Rana Ranbir, Deep Dhillon, Khushboo Grewal, Ihana and Navneet Nishan.

Talking to mediapersons here today at the promotional event of the movie, director Manmohan Singh and producer Sunny Trehan said the movie was a romantic comedy. “It’s about a boy, who comes to woo his lover’s father posing as an NRI and flaunting a fake NRI tag. In the times when NRI grooms are most wanted, our hero Roop is forced to act as NRI to marry Disha, the woman of his dreams,” he said.

Flanked by Jimmy Shergill, Neeru Bajwa and Gurpreet Ghuggi, Manmohan added that the movie has been extensively shot in and around Chandigarh. A romantic comedy set in the lush fields of Punjab and the beautiful city of Chandigarh, “Aa Gaye Munde UK De” is a sequel to the earlier Manmohan Singh’s blockbuster “Munde UK De”.

Giving a peep into the movie’s plot, Manmohan said it’s about lad Roop (Jimmy) and Disha (Neeru), who fall in love at the first sight. Both are perfect for each other as they were born and raised as Punjabis. However, Disha’s father Dilip Singh (Om Puri), a foreign returned Punjabi, believes that only an NRI is a suitable match for his princess. He feels that the NRIs are more educated, classy, cultured and all round worldly. For him local boys just don’t make the cut.

“It is now that our man Roop must not only hide his true identity from not only the love of his life Disha, but also her father to win over his bride with a little help from his best friend and DJ, Gurpreet Ghuggi,” chuckled Jimmy.

Manmohan has written the story as well as screenplay. Nazir Khan is the movie’s cinematographer, while dialogues were penned by Rana Ranbir. Jatinder Shah has lent the music, while lyrics were given by Kumar and Raj Kakra. Singers Mohit Chauhan, Kamal Khan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Lembhar Hussain Puri and Mikka have sung the songs for the movie and Bhuppi has choreographed them.

Amritsar, August 3
Two inmates of Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre at the Government Medical College (GMC) here thrashed doctors, including Dr PD Garg, professor and head of psychiatry, when they conducted a surprise check at the centre last evening.

One of the two security guards checking the inmates sustained injuries on his hand while the other one had a narrow escape.

The police have booked the two inmates identified as Randeep Kumar of Bhagat Nam Dev Colony, Ajnala and Sukhbir Singh of Dublia, Tarn Taran, on a complaint lodged by Dr Garg.

A case under Sections 353, 332, 186, 427 and 34 of the IPC has been registered at the Civil Lines police station on charges of obstructing a government servant from discharging his duties and creating ruckus on the campus of the centre.

While giving details, Dr Garg said, “The incident occurred at 7 pm when I along with my colleagues, Dr Piyush Mahajan, Dr Paras and two security guards, conducted a raid after we got suspicious of the activities of the two inmates.”

“We suspected that the accused, who were admitted in the centre a few days ago for de-toxification, might have drugs in their possession. I asked the security guards to physically check them and their belongings. However, instead of cooperating with the staff they started creating a ruckus on the campus,” added Dr Garg.

They hurled flower pots at the doctors and damaged posters and hoardings displayed on the campus for creating awareness against drug abuse.

They also damaged chairs. The two security guards, HC Sucha Singh and Constable Sukhdev Chand, were hurt badly. The accused fled from the centre after the incident. 

Amritsar, August 3
Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi inaugurated various development projects, including CC flooring in Ward No. 51 and Chinmaya Marg at E block, Ranjit Avenue. Speaking on the occasion, Joshi said the state government was committed for the overall development of the holy city. He said various development projects, which were in various stages, were continuously monitored so that they could be completed within the fixed time frame.

Joshi also gave a cheque of Rs 50,000 to Jan Kalyan Sangam, a local NGO, working for the upliftment of the widows and the poor. He said NGOs must come up to fight against social issues prevailing in society. He also promised to release a grant for the development of Fakrudin Park at Ranjit Avenue area here. An estimate of the expenditure, which would incurred on the park, would soon be prepared for releasing money, added Joshi. — TNS