Jalandhar, June 27
With unprecedented and uncontained spiralling of prices, vegetables are fast zooming out of common man’s reach. The prices have not only affected the poor, but, have also started disturbing monthly budgets of the middle and salaried class families.

Though the prices of common vegetables have been rising steadily during the past two weeks, there has been impact on their availability or supplies. Markets of Doaba have an abundance of all vegetables, which casts a shadow of suspicion as to whether there is an actual scarcity or a condition created one by unscrupulous hoarders.

Tomatoes have given buyers the biggest jolt with a 100 per cent increase in prices. During the past one week they have jumped from Rs 20-25 per kg to Rs 40 per kg. According to vegetable vendors the increase is a result of the end of the local crop. The tomatoes in the market are coming from other states, of course, with a higher price tag.

Potatoes and onions have witnessed a comparatively marginal hike. Fresh potatoes were available at Rs 7 earlier while now they could be bought for Rs 10 now. Onions have witnessed a 20 per cent hike while retail prices of peas have increased from Rs 30 to Rs 35, primarily for a drop in supplies from Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Cabbage and capsicum have also given jitters to consumers as their prices have increased from Rs 20 and Rs 25, respectively to Rs 30 and Rs 40 per kg respectively.

There is some solace for consumers as bitter gourd and arabi have held their ground while ladyfinger has witnessed a slight hike.

Brinjals have brought tears to the eyes of housewives as their price has shot up from Rs 12 to Rs 20 per kg while gourd price has jumped from Rs 5-6 to Rs 15 per kg. Short supply is not to be blamed for the hike. Swami Ramdev’s recent visit to the city may have played a part in the increase.

“Everyone wants to have some quantity of gourd and people tell us that they have been advised to use the vegetable for treatment of various maladies. They might or might not get cured, but, a gap between demand and supply has widened and prices have gone high,” said a vegetable vendor.

There is a vast difference in prices of vegetables and fruits within the city.

Model Town is the most expensive with certain vegetables and fruits being sold at twice the price prevailing at Jyoti Chowk vegetable market. There is a big difference even if prices were compared with the ‘apni mandis.’

Jalandhar, June 27
Trained elementary teachers, who had been eagerly awaiting regular appointments at the nearest places with vacancy, received a jolt as the Zila Parishad office put up the lists here yesterday. The dreams turned sour as majority of them found themselves posted to far off places despite vacancies in nearby areas.

According to a notification by the state government that was released by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats last month, the place of appointment or transfer of any fresh recruit should be to his\her village if there was a vacancy in a school there or else in adjoining villages and towns or blocks contiguous with his block.

The situation here turned out to be just the opposite. Over 60 new recruits have been transferred to blocks at the other end of the district despite vacancies in schools falling in their own blocks. As a result, the newly appointed staff would have to commute as far as 50 to 80 km daily.

An ETT teacher from Kotli Rayan village in the Adampur block has been transferred to a school situated in the Noormahal block, about 60 km from his home. The teacher said he would have to change three buses every morning to reach his place of work which would be very cumbersome.

“I am more frustrated because seven posts are still lying vacant in schools falling in my own block, including those in Sarobad, Talwara and Majara Dhak villages”, he fumed.

Another youth belonging to Rama Mandi area falling in Jalandhar East has been transferred to Kakran village, 10 km away from Shahkot town, which is again at least 55 km away from his home. His wife, who had also applied for ETT teacher’s post, has been transferred to Desal village in mand area of Kapurthala.

“This happened despite the fact that she had a very good merit. There’s hardly any public transport available on that side. I really wonder how we will manage,” said the worried teacher.

He further added, “If there were not enough posts in Jalandhar East block they should have shifted us to Jalandhar West block as per rules laid down in the government notification. As many as 10 seats are lying vacant in Mokhe, Passan, Rajab, Sura and Tahli Sahib villages in Jalandhar West and we could have easily travelled on a motorcycle”.

To the new appointees alarm they found out that some ETT teachers from mand area had been transferred to city areas despite there had being vacant posts in those areas. They said the only appointees who had been transferred as per the rules were those from Bhogpur block, who had been appointed within their own block.

A distraught youth said the teachers had met the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr M.S. Kainth, and apprised him of the situation today. They said they were told that a problem in the software led to a mistake in appointments. But when they contacted the Director, Panchayat Department, they were told that there was no mistake and there was no chance of any change. The teachers had been asked to join duty on July 1.

The ADC, when contacted, confirmed that there had been an error in the computer software, adding that the posts would be rearranged manually soon. He said he had already talked with the Director concerned and appointments would be done in consultation with the youth. 

Jalandhar, June 27
The city residents rose up to pre-monsoon showers and a deluge on the roads.

In a cool and breezy weather, they had to struggle to reach their workplaces, wading through deep and dirty water.

The roads were deluged with in an hour of heavy rain. The water was everywhere— Rama Mandi Chowk, BSF Chowk and PAP Chowk— making the day difficult for the commuters. The worst-hit were the people going to the bus stand, under-construction for sometime now. It was muddy and slippery.

Mr Gaganjit Walia, working with an insurance company, said that even before he could board a bus to Amritsar for a tour, he got soaked in the rain and the mud, and had to return home.

Residents of the city’s interiors, where the roads are usually in a pathetic condition, also had a bad rain day. The under-construction Mithapur Road and other areas, including Guru Teg Bahadur Avenue, Bank Enclave, Cheema Chowk and Kuki Di Dhab were waterlogged.

In the old city areas of Basti Sheikh and Basti Nau, one resident wondered, “If this is the situation pre-monsoon, what will happen during the monsoons?”