An unfortunate north-south divide
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The north-south divide in Chandigarh being so obvious needs no elaboration. The announcements about upgradation of facilities in phase II sectors so as to bring them at a par with phase I Sectors notwithstanding, little appears to have been done to dispel the bias the administration, planners and engineers have for the sectors beyond 30.

The facilities in southern or phase II sectors — be it parks, health centres, open spaces, footpaths, playfields and sports stadia, streetlights, roads, storm water drainage and garbage disposal — can in no way come anywhere near those available in northern or phase I sectors.

Interestingly, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had issued directions, both to the Chandigarh Administration and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, not only for proper marking of roads but also for zebra crossings for pedestrians.

While the roads in northern sectors have been painted three to four times ever since the directions, not even a single road in southern sectors has been painted even once, what to talk of zebra crossings for pedestrians.

While almost all V-1, V-2 and V-3 roads in the northern sectors of the city have been carpeted afresh, a busy V-3 road dividing Sectors 31 and 32 continues to be in shambles. The road was last carpeted with premix more than 10 years.

It has not only developed pot holes of varying sizes, but has at places given way. The entire stretch from the intersection of Sectors 29, 30, 31 and 32 to the intersection of Sectors 31, 32, 46 and 47 is in a deplorable condition. The rotaries are uneven, bumpy and unsafe. Like rest of the southern sectors, none of the roundabouts has been developed on the lines of northern sectors.

It is not only the surface of the road or roadberms, but the general upkeep of this stretch of the road is far from satisfactory. Huge heaps of debris, garbage are a common sight on this stretch of the road. At places, the debris has even covered a portion of the road. So much so that when the electricity operations’ circle of the Engineering Department went for its new 33 KV line from the Sector 32 Sub station, most of the electric poles had to be erected inside the “extended” boundary walls of these EWS dwelling units.

The other major problem has been the encroachments on this road. A number of EWS units in Sector 32 have by recent additions to their dwelling units have almost reached the road berm.

The open spaces along the road, which fall in both Sectors 31 and 32, have thick growth of vegetation, including congress grass. These open spaces are often used by washermen to dry their clothes.

When contacted, the Chief Engineer of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Mr Puranjit Singh, said that estimates for fresh carpeting of this road have already been approved. The work on this road, he said, was slightly delayed as members of the Municipal Corporation wanted that V-6 roads in Sector 46 be completed first. Now when the work has been finished in Sector 46, work on this road will be taken up.

“All will, however, depend upon weather. Cooler weather may lead to a slight break in road construction activity. From December 15 to February 15, because of the low temperature, the construction activity will remain suspended. During the current financial year, we have completed 207 km of roads,” he added.

Mr Manmohanjit Singh, Superintending Engineer, Roads, said that V-6 roads had been completed in parts of Sectors 47, 44, 29 and 33. Of 30 sub sectors chosen for recarpeting, 18 have already been completed and the remaining would be done by March 31. We have also finished V-3 road dividing Sectors 45 and 46 that goes to the PCA Stadium.

‘Emotional intelligence needed’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — Emotional intelligence is a must for the all-round development of students. The EQ (emotional quotient) aided growth of children and promised better future.

Prof T.V. Mathew, Director of the Centre for Human Resource Development, Kerala, said this while talking to The Tribune today. He is holding a workshop at the local St Stephen's School.

Dr Mathew said stress management was the requirement of the hour, particularly in the corporate sector. The resource development centre has developed scientific approaches for work-related problems. These also cover the cardio-vascular aspects and stress.

Dr Mathew argued that executives who strive for excellence are called "star performers". They stand out not only by their personal achievement but also their capacity to work well on terms and with people.

The thrust areas for 'star performers' include skills in working with emotional aspects, motivation, social competency parameters and social skills. Healthy heart and stress negation figure prominently.

Dr Mathew is a masters in such allied fields as industrial and managerial psychology, clinical psychology, medical psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology. He has teaching experience with several universities, including Kerala, Ataneo de Manila, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco, and Christian Medical college, Ludhiana.

Stress management would have bigger attention during the coming times.

Life was more fast paced and the working capacity enhanced which only had telling effects on the body, he said. Dr Mathew underlined the importance of inner changes which affected life.

The medicines seemed to have lost importance independently and the correct combination of exercises for mind, body and medicine gained importance, he added.

No sewer for society
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Dec 8 — The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has appointed Mr Amit Singla, advocate at the District Courts, the Local Commissioner to look into the allegation that the Haryana Urban Development Authority has failed to connect the General Officers Co-operative Housing Society to a public sewer.

The members of the society, in their complaint, had alleged that the society had later been connected to a public sewer which had got blocked. Further investigation revealed that it had not been connected to the main sewer.

The complaint said the society had fully installed the storm-water disposal system on the premises which could not be further connected to the public storm-water disposal system as it had not been laid by HUDA so far. It said the installation of connection to the public sewer was an eyewash and the discharge of waste by flats could not be contained in any manner in the absence of a connection.

The members have alleged that the non-availability of the connection has not only caused them harassment but also financial losses in the form of investment in the society houses.

Because of the impasse, the members have been living in rented accommodations despite having invested Rs 10 lakh each.

The court has appointed the Local Commissioner to find out the actual position at the site and submit a detailed status report by December 20.

Advantage tennis in city
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — Chandigarh and its satellite towns, Panchkula and SAS Nagar, are in the grip of a tennis fever. The CLTA courts at Sector 10 are a living example of this.

The facilities have improved with time and now Chandigarh has many of these like at Lake Club, Sector 6; Chandigarh Club, besides various schools of the city.

The recent decision to have synthetic courts at the CLTA and Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar, will see modern facilities coming up in Chandigarh and nearby towns.

A major tennis event for women at the CLTA will be held from December 27. Earlier, Sunil Kumar had won the men's national championship at Delhi. Akshay Vishal Rao became the winner in the under-18 event, Amanjot Singh won the under-16 title and Tushar Liberhan won the second position in under-14 section of the tournament. All belong to Chandigarh.

Tushar, a Class VII student of St John's High School, Sector 26, was selected to represent India at the Asia Cup Tennis Championship to be held at Islamabad (Pakistan) from January 13, 2000. Tushar is one of the three boys selected by the All-India Tennis Association. Tushar also won the Adidas Junior North Zone Tennis Tournament at Delhi and was the runners-up at another Adidas meet.

The synthetic courts at Shivalik Public School, SAS Nagar, would encourage tennis in that town, said Mr D.S. Bedi, Director-Principal of the school. Its students Akshay Vishal Rao and Sunil Kumar have already donned the country colours.

Mr Bedi said the indoor gymnasium hall in the school would have a synthetic surface where apart from tennis, badminton and table tennis could be played. The second such surface would be laid in the another ground of the school. He said the school spent more than Rs 6 lakh on these surfaces. At the CLTA, such surfaces are being laid at the centre court which was of grass earlier.

Mr Kashyap said the CLTA coaches like Kawaljit Singh, enjoys the status of international coach. Praveen Kumar and Birbal Wadhera had been granted 'White Badge' by the International Tennis Federation. They were in Bangladesh as umpires at the ITF tournaments.