Panchkula, November 15
After two ODI matches in neighbouring Mohali and Chandigarh recently, the city is once again gearing up for another 17-day cricket festival starting November 30 at Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium, Sector 3, here.

The inaugural Indian Cricket League (ICL) Twenty20 tournament promises to be a cricket carnival with entertainment the moving spirit. “Besides cricket buffs, we are targeting city residents who prefer enjoying evenings outside their homes. A festive atmosphere will prevade the stadium before the starting of the matches. An entertainment stage will be set up where local artistes will enthral the spectators. Stalls for food and fun games will also be set up,” said Shariq Patel, senior vice-president, operations, ICL.

To attract people’s attention, roadshows will be held in which renowned cricketers will participate.

The ICL plans to rope in Bollywood and TV stars during the matches,” said Patel.

Chandigarh, November 15
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) today extended the stay on promotions of inspectors, general and SC category, of the Chandigarh Police.

The applicants, Yash Pal and others working as SI , were recruited as probationary ASIs during 1986 -1989. They belong to the general category and said they were aggrieved at the action of the UT to grant promotion to SIs belonging to the SCs. They alleged these police personnel were being granted promotion beyond the prescribed quota of 14 per cent.

The total cadre strength of inspectors of the UT police is 50. Out of the 50 posts, 10 per cent, five posts, could be filled by direct recruitment. They averred that out of these five posts, one would be reserved for the SC category and of the remaining 45 posts, six would go to police personnel belonging to the SC category.

They claimed that the tentative list of seniority showed that eight inspectors of the SC category were already occupying the reserved posts.

The court stayed the promotion of police personnel belonging to the SC category on August 14, 2007. Thereafter, a reply was filed by the respondents belonging to the SC category, wherein it was said that as per the rooster by the government of Punjab, seven posts were reserved for the SC category whereas only five were granted promotion on the basis of reservation.

In the meantime, a process was initiated for promotion of the general category candidate to the post of inspector. The court, on October 17, stayed all promotions to the post of inspector.

At its hearing held on October 31, the court asked the Chandigarh administration to deposit an affidavit with details mentioning whether the reservation was14 per cent or 15 per cent for promotion to the post of inspector.

The home department was supposed to deposit the affidavit today but the case was adjourned to December 7.

Subathu, November 15
About a month after a British general, who had served with the Gorkhas passed away, his widow made it a point to attend the regimental reunion here and pay homage to those who had fallen in the line of duty.

Gillian Horsford, whose husband Maj Gen Derek Horsford died on October 5 at the age of 91, travelled from her home in Dorset in UK despite her age and grief to attend the fifth reunion of the First Gorkha Rifles at the 14 Gorkha Training Centre.

“Since my husband was not keeping in good health, he had insisted that I must attend the reunion,” Gillian said. “He said that it was probably the last reunion that they could attend and had asked me to make a diary and write about the event,” she added.

General Horsford had commanded the Fourth Battalion of the First Gorkha Rifles in the battle of Kohima during the Second World War, when Gorkha troops defeated the Japanese. Later, he took part in the Burma Campaign.

Though he was commissioned into the Eighth Gorkha Rifles, he was asked to take command of the Fourth Battalion after its commanding officer had been killed. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his performance in battle.

Gillian also laid a wreath of red poppies at the regimental war memorial along with other Indian and British officers. She stood erect in front of the flower-decked edifice as a ceremonial guard reversed arms and buglers sounded the Last Post.

“The wreath that I laid at the memorial is the same that was laid on my husband’s casket by the association of Gurkha officers in Britain at his funeral,” she said. “I could think of no other befitting place for the wreath than the regimental war memorial,” she added. A memorial service is scheduled in Britain in January.

General Horsford had been president of the Gurkha association in Britain for 28 years. Gillian said that he had kept in touch with regimental officer and used to write to them frequently.

Chandigarh, November 15
Uncovered, scattered garbage near block A on the Panjab University campus is making life difficult for the residents.

Instead of throwing garbage into the bin, people throw it near the road.

The garbage is moved only once a week, making things worse for the people who have to bear with the foul smell.

The problem is so acute that many feel it could lead to health problems like asthma, if not tackled in time.

Repeated complaints to the university authorities have proved futile. “They simply shift the responsibility to the contractor,” alleged a resident.

Mahender Singh, a local resident said, “The foul smell has made our lives miserable.”

“People continue to throw garbage here in spite of objections raised by the residents of this block. In fact, they start quarrelling with us if we try to stop them,” said Rajmal.

Ishwar Singh, the contractor, said, “There should be a garbage bin which has not been arranged by the university authorities,” he said. 

Panchkula, November 15
Challenges before media in present times formed the focus of a seminar organised to mark the World Press Day by the Zila Patrakar Parishad where people from all walks of life presented their expectations of journalists.

Additional PSCM and director, public relations, Haryana, K.K. Khandelwal said the media should not rest on laurels of “exposing” a few cases when a lot still remains undone.

Maintaining that journalists began writing against a corrupt government only after the damage done became irreparable, he said journalists must strive to adopt a pro-active role and nip the evil in the bud.

“Our freedom struggle was all about non-violence and journalists are the epitome of non-violence with the pen as their weapon. In present times, there is need to make the press council and working journalists Act more effective, while ensuring that truth is not suppressed at any level. The tendency among journalists to guard against petty personal losses is a dangerous trend that needs to be checked,” he stated.

SP Sandeep Khirwar said it was a day for introspection as also a day for giving a thought to the course journalism was taking in the present setup.

“The sting operations for publicity recently exposed the problem where the journalist, instead of reporting news, tries to generate the same. This is an unhealthy trend and reporting should essentially be confined to reporting facts after adequate research. We are still way behind the kind of journalism practiced abroad while we are quick to adopt reality shows. We should abstain from adopting the worst from the West,” he stated.

Holding that readers and writers were both in constant search of “spicy news”, deputy commissioner Rajinder Kataria said journalists must strive to maintain a balance in reporting and indulge in constructive criticism to bring about improvement in the system.

Chief guest DGP (prisons) Dr John V. George said mediapersons should debate on whether the integrity and professionalism that existed 30 years back still existed today or there had been a decline in the standard.

“They must ask themselves if meager salaries by way of contracts in the name of competition were good for the system. Lots of young people are getting attracted to journalism without realising that it is more of hardwork and less of glamour,” he emphasised.

Amar Ujala editor Uday Kumar Sinha also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Patrakar Ekta Parishad, Pinjore, also organised a meeting to observe the National Press Day at Rathpur colony, Pinjore. The meeting was chaired by parishad president.

Panchkula, November 15
Streetlighting and its maintenance on all main roads will now go back from the municipal council to the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), while the latter has been asked to give a facelift to marketplace and hand over the charge to the council.

The decision was taken at a review meeting of HUDA officials, MC staff and district administration, chaired by deputy chief minister Chander Mohan.

Expressing displeasure over the delay in laying PVC pipelines worth Rs 85 lakh in Sector 15 to address the water problem in the area, Mohan said the matter should be taken up on priority.

He asked HUDA officials to install flood lights in the Town Park on the lines of the Chandigarh Golf Course to ensure the park was well-lighted even at night.

He also asked them to construct shelters at select places in the park for the convenience of visitors.

He asked officials to explore additional road links between Panchkula and Chandigarh, beautification of entrance road of Panchkula from Chandigarh near the housing board chowk, installation of traffic lights at intersection of Sectors 7, 8, 17 and 18, construction of additional road for Sector-24-25 from new Ghaggar bridge.

He asked officials to prepare a proposal for drawing drinking water from Kajauli waterworks for meeting with future need of the township, utilisation of multi-purpose booths (PUS) built in various markets, proposal to introduce city bus service in Panchkula, immediate shifting of dumping ground from Sector 23 among others.

Chandigarh, November 15
Commuters are irked over the irresponsible behaviour of CTU employees. During peak hours, some reckless drivers and conductors skip several routes, inconveniencing commuters. Missing routes also leads to overloading of buses.

A Sector 47-C resident, Urmil Gupta, who takes a bus to reach her office in Sector 26, said, “Because of irregular bus service, I always reach my office late. Commuters using 5A or 5C buses have been facing problems as drivers often skip routes. Besides, they also do not adhere to the timings put up at bus stops.”

Arun Kumar, a student of the UIT department of Panjab University, complained, “After missing one route, the next bus comes overloaded, resulting in a lot of inconvenience to passengers waiting at the bus stops. I often miss my lectures for no fault of mine.”

Demanding an increase in the frequency of buses during peak hours, Anju Gupta said the authorities should check employees who do not do their duty sincerely.

A senior CTU official said they would look into the matter and if anyone was found guilty, action would be taken. 

Chandigarh, November 15
Anganwadi workers and helpers from across Punjab staged a mass rally in front of the office of director, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, in Sector 34, here today demanding agreed hike in remuneration.

The anganwadi workers and helpers began assembling in Sector 34 in large numbers in the morning and the day-long rally ended only when Chaudhary Swarna Ram, social welfare minister, Punjab, arrived there and assured the protesters that their demands would be given a “sympathetic consideration” in the Cabinet meeting. He also added that discussions were under progress regarding their demands. Meanwhile, representatives of the disgruntled anganwadi workers and helpers handed over a memorandum to the minister.

Worried over the strength of the protesters, the local police remained on its toes throughout the day. With the protesters threatening to come on the roads in case the minister failed to take the memorandum from them, the police officials were at their wit’s end. The cops, however, heaved a sigh of relief when the minister finally agreed to some to the rally.

Demanding immediate agreed increase of Rs 1,000 for workers and Rs 500 for helpers, the representatives insisted on grant of Class III and IV grade to workers and helpers, respectively. Besides, the implementation of pension benefits and provident fund scheme they were also demanding withdrawal of anganwadi centres from social advisory board and child welfare council.

Earlier during the rally, Neelma Maitra, president and Hem Lata, general-secretary of the All-India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers criticised the central and the state governments for ignoring the genuine demands of the anganwadi workers and helpers, who play a major role in forming the future of India by educating small children. She demanded that that the workers and helpers should be regularised.

Highlighting the plight of anganwadi workers and their exploitation due to the government’s policies, Usha Rani, state president of Anganwadi Mulazam Union, Punjab, stated that the anganwadi workers were getting wages lesser than unskilled worker. An anganwadi worker gets Rs 1,400 a month while a helper gets Rs 700 per month, which is far less than minimum wages, set by the government for labourers.

She further rued that from time to time the state government made the anganwadi workers carry out surveys, for which they were rarely paid the requ site allowances. There are 30,000 anganwadi workers in the state, but the successive governments use them as a vote bank by making false promises.

Among others, Raghu Nath Singh, state general-secretary and Vijay Mishra, the state president of CITU, Punjab, also addressed the gathering.