Jalandhar, August 12
The district administration is all set to launch the e-district project on a trial run for nine services concerning the District Social Security Office
from tomorrow.

The services will be available from any of the Gram Suwidha Kendras across the district and the applicants will no longer have to make rounds in the offices of the District Social Security Officer, Child Development Project Officer concerned and Executive Officer of municipal councils in the district administrative complex.

Once the project gets fully operational at the month-end, the applicants will also be able to file online applications pertaining to old-age pension scheme, widow/destitute pension scheme, handicap pension scheme, dependent children scheme and the National Family Benefit Scheme from home, track the status of their application and even know about its sanction from the web.

Giving details, Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishor Yadav said the applicants could even visit the Suwidha Centre for assistance in the filing of an application. He said the hardware and software for the purpose had already been set up in the departments concerned. He said that the process for designing digital signatures was also almost complete and all concerned departments would process the file digitally. The DC said that once he was satisfied with the working, the project would be launched formally.

Website upgrade

The district administration is mulling updation of its official website by adding more departmental information and providing more useful local contacts to the users.

ADC (Development) Kumar Amit today issued directions to all departments to furnish the required details to the National Informatics Centre in 15 days in the given format.

All departments, including public transport, health, education, sports, food and civil supplies, PWD, police, DPRO, Municipal Corporation, horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, dairy development, Jalandhar Development Authority, Rural Development and Panchayats, PUDA, excise, district welfare department, district social security office, schools and colleges, had been asked to provide basic information, including names of their heads of the departments, office address, web link, name of Public Information Officer, citizen centric services that they are providing, details of any major ongoing project with picture, bus routes, contacts of taxi unions, list of post offices and nursing homes in the district, and contact details of eminent art and culture, literature and sports personalities.

The staff of the NIC said the entire flavour, look and feel of the website was set to change to make it more informative.

They said contacts of editors and journalists of regional papers, banks, central government offices, hotels, libraries and development pertaining to art and culture would also be available on the web. 

Jalandhar, August 12
The Punjab and Haryana High Court last week issued instructions to the Punjab Government to demolish all unsafe buildings in the state within eight days.

While conservative estimates put the total number of unsafe schools in the district at about 55, sources say the total number of unsafe schools in the district is much more than that.

While about five to 10 elementary school buildings in the district are unsafe, rest of all schools in the unsafe category are senior secondary schools.

Sources allege the unsafe status of many school buildings remains undeclared either due to the carelessness of the heads (who have to send school reports), in other instances, the Education Department does not keep proper records even though information is submitted to them.

Students continue to study in primarily safe buildings with one section or several rooms of the buildings being unsafe.

After the recent High Court instructions, some of the school buildings have also been razed by the school authorities, but as a result, many schools make do in one or two rooms, exposing students to risks and health problems in the rainy season.

Some of the classic cases of lingering problems and long exposure of students in unsafe buildings are at government senior secondary schools in Phillaur, Nurmahal and Adampur.

Government Girls Senior Secondary School Nehru Garden also had large chunks of it declared unsafe. Students have now been shifted to safer classes about the issue came to light.

The unsafe building portion of Government Senior Secondary School was auctioned off just a year ago and now about 450 students shared six to seven rooms which are too less for them.

The land for the new building portion has been allocated and was visited by ADC (Development) Kumar Amit as well yesterday. The ADC has sought a report from the PWD department within a week on the issue. In upper primary schools in Adampur, Phillaur, Bara Pind, Jamsher, schools continue to run with a number of rooms or buildings on their premises.

Even buildings razed recently following government orders have put students to a lot of trouble. While government school buildings at villages Nangal Sempur, Noorpur, Raonwali were razed recently, the students of these schools now sit either in verandahs or share a single room which doubles up as the office.

Nagal Sempur has 65 and Noorpur and Raonwali have over 150 students.

In some of the recently razed schools, with half (or more) of their buildings razed, during rains – students sitting in verandahs are unable to protect themselves from the showers – sometimes even water seeps into rooms.

Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Adampur (19 rooms); Government Senior Secondary School Khurdpur (six rooms) and Government High School Kalran are unsafe. Other buildings across district schools (which are unsafe but haven’t been declared so) include school building at Bhargo Camp, Basti Peerdaad, Boota Pind and Patara.

DEO (Secondary Education) Harinder Pal, who himself sits in an unsafe building, said, “We have moved all schools children away from unsafe buildings. None of them are sitting unsafe buildings anymore. Some of the buildings are yet to be razed but that too shall be done shortly.”

Even as the DEO maintained that there were a very few unsafe schools in the district, many schools languish owing to this problem.

Interestingly, the DEO (Elementary)’s office was shifted to the in-service training centre after the roof of his adjoining room fell earlier this year. The DEO (S) continues to operate from the derelict, unsafe building which as been nicknamed ‘death trap’ by many employees of the Education Department. 

Jalandhar, August 12
Disturbed over the rising incidents of road mishaps involving school buses and the alleged lethargic attitude of the Jalandhar Commissionerate in taking stern action, Chandan Arora, father of four-year-old Aarush who had died in a school bus mishap, today himself ventured on road and chased a bus of Innocent Hearts Public School in the morning.

The school bus in police custody in Jalandhar on Tuesday. A Tribune Photograph

Alleging that the school bus had jumped traffic lights and the bus driver was driving rash, Chandan informed the police control room. Soon, the traffic police arrived at the spot.

Chandan said he, along with wife, was going to drop his daughter to school and when he reached near the press club, he found the bus driver driving rash and also jumping the traffic lights. I immediately stopped and called the police control room number, he added.

ACP (Traffic), Dalbir Singh Buttar, said when the bus driver was asked to submit documents pertaining to the school bus, he failed to produce the same. Accordingly, the bus was impounded by the traffic police.

Later, Aarush’s father also submitted a separate complaint at the police division No. 4 in this regard. He said he also noticed the conductor picking children without paying due care and even the door of bus was not closed by the conductor. I have submitted a separate complaint at the police station, seeking action against the school management, he said.

ASI Ajinder Singh, who was investigating the matter, said, they had received complaint from Chandan Arora, who alleged that the bus driver was driving rash and a door of the vehicle was lying open. We have sent the complaint to DA (Legal) to seek their opinion if a case can be registered against the school management. After receiving the final opinion, further legal proceedings will be initiated, Singh added.

Jalandhar, August 12
With more and more people getting glued to social media, the Independence Day celebrations this year too seem to be more pronounced in the virtual world. Be it the display pictures (DP) on WhatsApp or cover photo on Facebook, there is a mark of Tricolour and patriotism almost everywhere.

Tricolour for display picture on WhatsApp. The National Flag is also being seen as cover photo on FB. A Tribune photograph

Going by a rough estimate, as many as 70 per cent of the WhatsApp users have put the picture of National Flag as their DPs removing their own photograph or any other symbolic picture ever since the campaign started about four-five days ago.

The users have not just changed their own DPs but have also been exchanging a variety of more pictures bearing the Tricolour to one another for the purpose.

The various kinds of pictures being put up include creative drawings such as words “India” or “Vande Mataram” or “Proud to be an Indian” written in three colours, the symbol of freedom — doves flying around in three colours, Tricolour in background with a bold portrait of Bhagat Singh in front and even Gateway of India with National Flag on the top.

Along with such pictures, the users have also been sending messages, “Make this picture as WhatsApp profile picture till 15 August and then see how good it feels when everyone has put the same picture. We are all Indians. Change this picture now and share the message with more friends.”

There are contradictory messages also doing rounds, “Think. It is not just by keeping the DP of a Tricolour that we will become more patriotic. If not sacrifice, we can make small efforts to do our bit for the country: Do not litter on the roads, do not deface public places, follow traffic rules, save power and water.....Do not change just the picture. Change yourself. Jai Hind”.

As the day is drawing close, a new controversy has erupted on whether using the picture is a violation of the flag code. The users have become a bit wary on the use of the Tricolour as another message is going viral.

Shaina Bhardwaj, a collegiate, said she was thinking on changing her picture as she received a message last night which read, “Using Indian Flag as entity or group symbol, icon, or in any form of title representation is illegal under the Prevention of Insult to National Flag Act 1971. The Tricolour should only be allowed to unfurl or flutter freely in air and as an Indian, it is our fundamental duty to give all due respect to the Tricolour. Hereby request everyone to remove their DP of Indian Flag and let it fly high.”

Seema Sharma, another student, said she also got a bit cautious after she got the same message and consulted her lawyer uncle before putting it as her display picture.

Former District Bar Association president Mandeep Sachdev said he too was getting the same queries since morning, “I have been telling people that there is no issue in using the National Flag as display picture on social media, provided there is nothing derogatory in its use.

Earlier, no one could even erect it at his/her homes but after the implementation of the Flag Code of India 2002 that restriction too has gone.” 

Jalandhar, August 12
Even as earlier Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishor Yadav had attempted to track unscrupulous elements in the Revenue Department by making calls to the property buyers and sellers, he has now come up with another experiment.

The DC has got feedback forms printed which will be kept in all five tehsils for the applicants to fill, list any complaint that they have in dealing with the staff and give suggestions for improving the system. The DC said the forms had been printed and would be made available in the tehsils shortly. He said he had even asked the tehsildars to keep drop boxes available which would be opened only by him or his staff to get the direct feedback.

The DC is learnt to have got the feedback forms designed from Tehsildar Shahkot Inderdev Singh and Jalandhar-II Harsharanjit Singh. The form has various queries to be answered by the applicants such as their purpose of visit with options such as registry, mutation etc the kind of problem they faced and at what level, clerical, tehsildar etc and where they faced problem — tehsil, Suwidha Centre or fard kendra.

Earlier in mid-July, the DC had begun an exercise of making random calls wherein he had found that some deed writers and numberdars had charged over and above their fee for which they were even issued a showcause notice. He had said that he had been daily getting computerised lists of the registries done in the tehsil complex with the name and contact numbers of buyers and sellers, names of the deed writer and registry clerk concerned and stamp fee and other charges levied. — TNS

Jalandhar, August 12
The Labour Department recently rescued as many as three children working in various restaurants and tea stalls. Instead of rehabilitating them, they were handed over to their parents, who may force them to go back to work. However, the business establishments have been issued challans by 
the Labour Department for the offence.

Acting on the basis of complaints filed by some NGOs and media reports, the Labour Department conducted raids at various places in July. As many as eight complaints were received by the Labour Department. Six children were rescued from different places during the raid. Three of them produced the documents that proved they had crossed the limit of childhood as per the Child Labour Act. All the children belonged to migrant labourers.

Assistant Labour Commissioner JP Singh said the children have been handed over to their parents after being rescued since rehabilitating them does not come under the jurisdiction of the department. "Our job is to take action on the basis of complaints, rescue the children and then hand them over to their parents. Apart from this, we prosecute the person found hiring child labour," he added.

JP Singh said in some cases where a child is proved to be an orphan, he is sent to the child house, through the District Social Security Department.

He said the rehabilitation programmes are undertaken only by the District Social Security Department.

District Social Security Officer, Jalandhar, Avinash Chander was not available for his comments. However, DSSO Satish Kapur, who has been transferred from Jalandhar, said, "Generally, we do not rehabilitate the child who still has any of his parents. Rather, we counsel the parents to avoid sending their child for labour."

He said the parents are counselled to send their children to a school where they would get free education as per the Right to Education Act.

It is notable that addressing a meeting, Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishor Yadav said as per the guidelines given by the state government, vigilance committees have already been constituted at the block level to eradicate child labour.

On the other hand, the Labour Department has been directed to conduct raids in case of a complaint.

Jalandhar, August 12
The district administration is planning to recommend the names of two Nurmahal-based cops for the bravery award for having saved the life a woman, who attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the Satluj river in Ropar yesterday.

The administration is reportedly in touch with the Jalandhar rural police to consider the case on a priority basis.

Deputy Commissioner, K K Yadav said he held deliberations with the rural police after he came to know about the bravery of the two Nurmahal-based cops. "I have asked the rural police to send the names of cops for further recommending them for bravery award to the state government," he said, revealing that if the list of state awards, scheduled to be given on Independence Day, had already been finalised by the government, then the district administration could think of awarding the cops at the district level.

It may be recalled that ASI Ragunath Singh, along with his counterpart Surjit Singh, was returning to Jalandhar from the Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday. "We were standing near the door. The moment the bus reached near the Satluj overbridge, I noticed a woman who jumped into the river. I immediately stopped the bus and went ahead to save the woman's life," he said, claiming that he and his colleague took off their shoes, reached near a tree in the river and rescued the woman from the waters.

Jalandhar, August 12
The Punjab Roadways Employees Union is furious over the timings provided to private buses belonging to some politicians. Union representatives said as many as 20 slots have been provided to buses plying from Jalandhar to Pathankot in the new time-table, which is against the direction of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, Avtar Singh Tari, a representative of Punjab Roadways Joint Action Committee said a new time-table was prepared on June 9 this year in which nearly 20 slots have been provided to certain private buses belonging to the politicians and influential people.

As per the rule and regulations of the Punjab Roadways, these timings were not supposed to be allotted to private buses. He said it was also a violation of the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling. However, a plea for contempt of court has already been filed.

According to Tari, private buses have been given slots in the newly prepared time -table at peak hours including morning and evening. This stance of the Punjab Roadways shows it wants the Punjab Roadways to collapse in connivance with the ruling party, he alleged.

Tari said these slots have been given to certain private buses at a time when government buses belonging to Punjab Roadways, Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC), Haryana Roadways, Himachal Pradesh Roadways Corporation and Jammu and Kashmir Roadways Corporation are run.

Tari alleged that it was a well-planned conspiracy to let down the Punjab Roadways and other government buses and benefit the private bus operators.

"We have staged numerous protests and raised the matter before the officials, yet nothing has been done as yet. Now we are planning to organise protests at Patiala and Talwandi Sabo where by-elections are about to take place to let the people know about the anti-public sector policies of Punjab Government," he said.

Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, Punjab Roadways GM 1, Harjinder Singh Minhas said the time- table is prepared by the Secretary, RTA. The matter is before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Jalandhar, August 12
Two houses were burgled in Mohalla Purani Gali in Shahkot last night from where the miscreants decamped with cash and valuables worth several lakhs.

Interestingly, the miscreants decamped with the cash, valuables and mobile phones while the families were asleep. It was only after the victims woke up in the morning that they came to know about the burglary.

Pardeep Nayyar, one of the victims, said he and his family members slept in a room when some miscreants made their way into the house from the roof. After passing through the two rooms, the miscreants decamped with Rs 2 lakh in cash, silver ornaments lying in the almirah and three mobile phones. "Since the almirah was not locked, the thieves easily managed to decamp with valuables and cash," he said and added that since the miscreants engineered the crime despite knowing the family was at home, it seemed to be the handiwork of persons who were in the know of things.

"We have suspected the role of known persons, who knew about the house and the almirah where the valuables are kept. The police have been given the names of suspects," Nayyar added.

After committing theft at Nayyar's house, the miscreants entered another house located opposite to it and stole a mobile phone. "We were sleeping upstairs and it was only when we woke up in the morning that I found my mobile phone missing," the victim added.

Meanwhile, fingerprint experts had reached the spot and started the investigations. Manjit Singh, SHO, Shahkot police station, said some suspects were rounded up for questioning. — TNS

Phagwara, August 12
Kamla Rani, a resident of Agra who was on her way to Hoshiarpur to tie rakhi on her brother was run over by a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train at Phagwara railway station when she alighted from a train and was crossing the railway track to board a bus for Hoshiarpur.

Government Railway Police (GRP) has handed over the body to the family after the post-mortem examination conducted at the local Civil Hospital.