Learning to live without arms
From Gautam Dheer
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Dec 3 — For eight-year-old Sunil, the terrifying memories of the incident after which he lost both his arms last year have become faint.

Sunil has been staying and studying in the Saket Middle School for the handicapped at Chandi Mandir. He studies in Class III. Recalling the incident, Sunil says when he regained consciousness, he could do nothing but cry on realising that both his arms had been amputated following the electrocution. At that time, Sunil needed more than anything else, care from his parents.

But on realising the boy's condition, his father deserted him, leaving him to face it all alone. Sunil had lost his mother at the age of 6.

He displays a strong spirit to face the hardships of life. Over the year, Sunil has learnt to paint and play carrom board with his feet. He desires to be a painter and has won several prizes in competitions.

The brave boy used to live in a slum colony near the periphery of Chandigarh. His father, a daily wage earner, used to drink heavily and beat him, forcing him to beg.

On being deserted by his father, Sunil spent a few weeks in the corridors of PGI wards, where he was spotted by some officials of the Haryana Social Welfare Department and brought to the Saket institute at Panchkula. Since then, he is trying to get to terms with life. He says, " I miss my parents, my mother particularly."

Sunil does not know his birthday. He finds it hard to cope up without his arms in perform his daily routines. The attendant at the institute helps him to carry out his daily routine. He says that the institute is a great support for him.

Administration losing ST revenue
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 3 — A loss of an unspecified sum which may even run into a couple of crores of rupees, is being incurred by the Chandigarh Administration as owners of several restaurants or eating places, presumed to be 'dhabas' by them, do not pay the mandatory 8.8 per cent sales tax on food items they sell.

However, the administration, in its efforts to mop up revenue, is about to issue notices to bring such offenders to book. The notices might be out by next week, said a source. The only exemption granted from the sales tax is for 'dhabas'. "Just writing the word 'dhaba' in his company name does not qualify an eatery owner to claim tax exemption," the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M. Ramsekhar, who is also the Commissioner of Sales Tax, said.

In March, the Chandigarh Administration had issued a notification regarding the sales tax. Since then, owners of only a handful of major restaurants and hotels have registered themselves as sales tax payers. Several other eateries, despite having facilities like marble flooring, air-conditioned rooms and sales running into several thousand rupees a day, were not paying the sales tax, said a source.

Some of these places are known names in the food business and specialise in non-vegetarian dishes, besides enjoying a regular clientele.

Besides this, the food served by various sweet shops and small items that form part of working lunch for city residents are never taxed by the eatery shop owners.

Some of them project that they do not charge sales tax, using this as a sales tactic. On the other hand, the organised sector which pays the sales tax constitute just 10 per cent of the trade, a drop in the sales tax revenue for the government, another source said.

According to sources in the hotel industry, small eating places are making good sales but depositing no taxes. In Chandigarh, there are five categories of eateries. The first are restaurants in hotels. The second are the usual restaurants. The third are the fast food joints, followed by the rehris. The last category is of the earthern tandoors which exist within various sectors. Going by the structure of Chandigarh, only rehris, tandoors and those having proper 'dhaba' sites are exempted.

Mr Ramsekhar said, "We are not targeting a particular section. The aim is to mop up revenue for the government. All action will be as per the law drafted by the government. "Personally, I have to execute the law and do nothing more than that," he said. He also said no section of any trade should carry an opinion that they were being targeted specifically.

Owners of eateries have been demanding a uniform sales tax structure in the city to avoid any imbalance in the trade.

Villagers demand civic body
From Our Correspondent

NAYAGAON (Kharar), Dec 3 — The demand for a civic body is growing among residents of Chhoti Karauran, Janta Colony, Naya Gaon and some other villages on the periphery of Chandigarh.

They feel that their villages are lagging behind in development in the absence of a municipal set- up.

Mr H.S. Bajwa, President of the Ghar Bachao Committee, says that a notified area committee (NAC) is needed for the development of the area.

Blaming the authorities for the inaction, Mr Bajwa says that they have met several state ministers to press this demand but there has been no progress in this direction. "We have been demanding a civic body for the past two years but the government has remained indifferent. Zirakpur has been made a nagar panchayat but our demand remains pending," he says.

The area has witnessed a sharp increase in the population as people are coming here for cheaper accommodation and land. As a result, the area has witnessed unregulated construction in the past few years.

The absence of sewers, heaps of garbage and leaking drinking-water pipes have made the life of residents miserable. They fear the outbreak of an epidemic if timely steps are not taken to ensure proper sanitation.

"The administration issues notifications to check the sale of cut fruit in the city to avoid any epidemic, but for villagers, their attitude is different," says Mr Krishan Kumar, a local resident.

In the absence of proper garbage disposal, heaps of rotting refuse are seen all along the main road. A local resident, Mr Balwant Singh, said the dumping of waste material in open areas was a big nuisance for the villagers. Despite their proximity to Chandigarh, no attention is paid to keep the village clean.

Sewers get blocked because of poor maintenance. Polythene bags and plastic waste have clogged the open drains. The sewers are overflowing and stagnant slush is spreading its stink.

Roads in the area are also in bad shape. The inner lanes of the village have developed potholes. Mr Lal Singh, another resident, said the roads had not been repaired for at least four years.

Residents of the village also complain of inadequate water supply. The village gets water supply only for an hour, twice a day.

Drinking water is going waste because of leaking supply lines, while people keep crying for potable water supply, residents say.