Drug trade on the rise
By Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — The graph of trading and supply in drugs in the city has gone only one way : upwards. A disturbing new trend is that the police now has to keep an eye on "narco -terrorism " — a brand of collective smuggling in drugs and arms from across the border.

Besides, the local police has also made a list of 155 hardcore drug addicts. The police will keep a tab on them and also cajole the drug addicts to go in for drug deaddiction. This will be to stop the consumer from using the drugs.

No links of "narco-terrorism '' have been established through the drug dealers nabbed by the Chandigarh police so far, the SSP, Mr C.S.R. Reddy, said. Information regarding '' nacro -terrorism '' is based on general information available through sources of various agencies and "we have to be on the alert to check the leads", he added.

According to information, suppliers from across the border are forcing the smugglers to carry arms in along with their consignment of contraband as it suits the promotion of militancy. The main routes of the drugs are through Jammu and Kashmir and the arms are just dumped on this side of border by the smugglers, who carry on with their consignment for its destined places in India, says the information.

The latest catch by the Chandigarh police was a fortnight ago and it led to the recovery of more than 12 kg of smack , or brown sugar, in two phases. The nabbed supplier, Swaran Singh , a Punjab police cop, was allegedly one of the main suppliers for peddlers in and around the city. He was grilled by the police. Telephone numbers of a Sailkot (Pakistan) based person were found on him but the leads ended there and on a Jammu based person, while no links of arms smuggling could be established.

Meanwhile, in the present decade the number of drug related cases and catches have gone up . The amount of drugs recovered in these catches have risen and so has the number of drug dealers nabbed in the city. '' Despite the rising catches in drug trade, we are not satisfied with the number of recoveries so far, '' admitted the SSP while talking to The Tribune this afternoon.

The persons so far nabbed by the police are of two types — the wholesalers and the peddlers . The smuggler who brings in the drugs from across the border is not caught . The drug chain has five stages — the source, the smuggler, the wholesaler, the peddler and finally the consumer, police authorities say. The Narcotics Cell of the police has been asked to make efforts to penetrate into the gangs and also keep an eye on dealers who come out of jail

The Chandigarh police had also started a secret drive to know about hardcore addicts and has asked the police stations to prepare a list of drug addicts in their respective areas, the SSP said. The beat staff is being used to know details about the these persons ." It is very much possible for the beat staff to know about the hardcore drug users in their respective areas", the SSP rationalised when asked about the logistics of preparing such a list.

Peacock feather sellers in city
From A Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — With the monsoon round the corner, hawkers from Rajasthan, dealing in peacock feathers, have arrived in the city.

Suraj Singh has come from a small village near Jodhpur. He claims to be in this family business since his childhood. He recalls manufacturing goods out of peacock feathers and selling these to ministers and the rich.

He claims to be an exporter of feathers to the USA, England and Italy. He admits that with change in the lifestyle of people, few buyers are interested in peacock feathers.

Jagdish Singh, from the same state, shows a receipt slip of the purchase of 40,000 single stems of feathers at Rs 50 per thousand. The receipt carries the address of Khera Enterprises, Agra, which sells animal parts.

He says these feathers are collected from the forest and fields during the monsoon as peacocks shed their feathers during this period. He says the area around their village, near Jodhpur, is inhabited by a large number of peacocks. He claims that the feathers shed are not of good quality.

He admits that birds are sometimes killed to get good-quality products. He laughs when told that it is a crime to kill the national bird. He justifies it by saying that when people like Salman Khan can get away after killing deer, there is nothing wrong in killing peacocks.

He maintains that his business prospers on Sundays when he visits the gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib. He says a large number of feather-sellers come there. He prices a single stem at Rs 5 but agrees at Rs 2. A hand-fan made of small feathers is sold for Rs 20. A hand-fan made of big feathers costs Rs 50. He claims to deliver a hand-fan of 80,000 feathers in a week.

An official of the Wildlife Department claims that he is unaware of people selling such goods. He adds these are not peacock feathers but artificially-coloured fibres.

An employee of the mini zoo says the feathers are real and collected from various zoos and fields. He says a large number of birds have been found in the fields and these birds shed all their feathers during the monsoon. He does not deny that some people kill the bird for its feathers.

Workshops are fun, masti for kids
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — The concept of summer workshops in the city has turned out to be not just another successful business venture for those running such camps but has also proved to be loads of fun for the kids and a boon, especially for the working parents whose children manage to beat the heat in an upbeat mood in these workshops. Such was the scene — full of 'masti' and mirth — in the various Chandigarh workshops visited by the TNS, most of which are nearing their culmination and are busy with rehearsals for their stage productions.

At a dance workshop, being conducted by city danseuse Anuradha Arora in Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, a bubbly group of 35 children in the age group of three to 15 could be seen dancing zealously to the tune of the tabla. With all the girls adorning bindis on their foreheads, and 'ghungaroos' on their feet, and earnestly doing the 'Jai Shardey' dance routine, the workshop seemed more like a merry game than just a simple dance class. Said three-year-old Nikhar, "I like dancing to Daler Mehndi's songs, and this class lets me do anything I want to". Payal, her mother, who sometimes accompanies this youngest student of the workshop added, "She always seems to be the happiest while dancing at home, so we thought why not put her in a class where she could pick up some basics of dancing".

Said 12-year old Brahmleen, whose parents are working, "I like dancing and do not even come to know when the two hours' class gets over".

With most kids shaking their bodies vigorously to the tune of music, all of them said that they were looking forward to performing on the stage.

In the same premises, the husband-wife duo of Rajesh and Manisha, theatre people from Mumbai, who have been conducting theatre workshops in the city for the last couple of years, are holding classes with 102 kids, who have been divided into three groups. At the workshop on Friday the older kids were seen learning how to make various crafts items like basic shapes of cubes and even face-masks. Harleen, who studies in Class I, was jumping around the place while showing her 'craft-creation' piped, "I want to be Madhuri Dixit, that is why I am attending this theatre class". An 11-year-old Bhanuj Kappil added, "These classes have taught me confidence, I don't think that I would be now scared to go on to the stage".

The workshop has also included two special children this year. One of these children, nine-year-old Akanksha said, "The workshop is games, 'masti' and fun".

The 'juniors', who were being made to play theatre games with Jaspal, a known face in the city theatre circles, were a group of boisterous kids who romped and monkeyed about the whole place. "We love being here, and do not want to be reminded about school at all", screamed the kids in unison, when asked whether workshop is better than school.

Pracheen Kala Kendra would hold its production on June 24, which would include dance recitals and three plays. The plays include 'Ghera', an adaptation of the Caucasian Chalk Circle, Bhartendu's 'Andheri Nagri' and a play by the smaller kids based on two short animal-stories.

Meanwhile, at Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16, the three Akademis of the Punjab Arts Council are holding a summer workshop for the first time. This is one of the very few workshops which is not laying any stress on having a production at a later stage.

At this workshop, children, who have been divided into three age groups, could be seen enjoying not only doing theatre exercises but also writing poetry or even reading books. It was fairly interesting to find that the kids were taking delight in doing 'tukbandis' and even deciding what topics to write stories on, which varied from "Aam ka Ped" to "The Guru Sahib"! Even some of the parents were involved in the workshop, who sat down to read story books or pick up crayons to colour the graffiti available at the entrance.

Said seven-year-old Nakshdeep, "I am 'making' a book now, in which on one side I will draw and the other side write the story". Mohit, a class VII student added, "This is such a lot of fun. I can do just about anything that I want to".

One of the organisers, Kanna Singh, a poetess, said, "We had thought that drawing the interest of the children would be very different, but it is amazing how in an informal set-up kids would take to just anything that they are really interested in". The interest definitely showed on the walls, plastered with poems written by the kids, even on Kanna 'masi'. Added, Sumit, another resource person of the workshop, who is doing theatre with the kids, "Through theatre we have tried to acquaint the kids with various kinds of literature of their interest — and not only in English but also Punjabi and Hindi".

Crying for attention
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 15— It seems that the Fitness Trails in the Sector 10-A Leisure Valley is nobody's baby as even after 13 years of its setting up it is still crying for attention of the authorities concerned regarding its proper upkeep.

The Fitness Trails was set up in 1986 with running tracks and exercise bars in it to provide a facility to health conscious residents of the City Beautiful, but years of neglect on the part of the Chandigarh Administration has resulted in spoiling this facility.

Lack of attention of the part of the authorities is clearly visible if the presence of an unauthorised tent and a structure in the garden for the past couple of years is any indication. The encroachment on the place belonging to the UT Administration has allegedly been made for providing accommodation to the security staff of Mr Ravi Inder Singh, a former Punjab Minister, in the backyard his house. So much so that a permanent gate has been set up in the boundary wall of the garden to connect the residence and the tented accommodation. When questioned, a sentry manning the tent and a picket in the garden, he said the structure was there for the past three or four years. "Tuhade ton pahlan vi ek akhbar wale aaye see, asin unhan nu sahib naal mila ditta see, " he said. According to sources, the matter had been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned by certain residents of the area, but no action was taken in the matter.

The very entrance to the Fitness Trails is untidy. The parking place near the entrance from the Sector 10-B Leisure Valley side is lying in neglect as one could see heaps of garbage along the boundary wall near the petrol pump and the presence of wild growth and potholes at a number of places.

While the tracks have developed cracks at a number of places for want of repairs, the movement of the morning walkers is further hindered due to overgrowth of grass at different places along the footpaths. Another thing which mars the beauty of the place is presence of wild growth along the entire boundary wall separating the place and the Sector 10 residences. Similarly, what has caused disappointment among those visiting the place for exercise is broken jump up bar in a part of the garden. " Actually what disturbs the morning walkers is that the place has become a favourite place for people intending to learn driving. They can be seen driving scooters and even cars in the park, which is also visited by animals as there is no proper fencing," said a regular visitor. He said there was no shady spot where the visitors could sit after a walk or after doing exercise.

Moreover, a number of trees and plants, particularly the ones on the upper areas, have been inflicted by termite. According to sources in the Horticulture Department the damage to the trees and plants, some of which have dried up, have occurred due to lack of irrigation facility in the upper part of the garden.

According to sources in the UT Engineering Department, the encroachment in the shape of a tent at the place has been there for a couple of years, but no action had been taken. " Actually, a lenient view was taken due to security reasons," quipped an official.

The officials of the department said an elaborate proposal had been evolved to beautify the place. "Besides fencing we are going to plant a number of varieties of plants so that the place could be give the shape of a regular garden," said an official, who added that the fencing and repair job would be completed by September this year.

Nullah a virtual death-trap
From Our Correspondent

Premgarh (SAS Nagar), June 15 — Several deaths in the absence of a permanent causeway on a sewer nullah has led to resentment among residents of more than five villages, near here.

Mr Dilbag Singh, a resident of Seaoun village, said that more than a dozen fatal accidents had happened in recent years at this nullah. In most of the cases, accidents happened due to excess flooding of the nullah. Residents said that a permanent bridge should be made to avoid any untoward incident.

Residents of Seaoun, Patton, Kurda, Manak Majra, Premgarh and other villages want to see the bridge constructed soon. The causeway gets washed away during monsoon and villagers have to use other routes. In the absence of any other alternative, villagers have to travel longer distances.

Mr Balwant Singh, a resident of Premgarh village, said that two years ago, a foundation was laid to construct a bridge but the work was not completed. The present temporary causeway was prepared with the help of locals.

Mrs Surinder Kaur, sarpanch of Manauli village, said that villagers had to build it on their own due to an indifferent attitude of authorities towards the area. The pressure of sewerage flow goes so high at times that the causeway cannot resist it.

Premgarh, Manak Majra and other villages are connected through this causeway to Manauli and Sohana. Mr Bachhiter Singh, another resident of Manauli village, said that they faced several difficulties during the rains.

The village cremation ground is across the nullah and villagers have to wait till the water level comes down to reach it. Villagers said they even had to wait several days in peak monsoon season for cremating their dead.

Poor showing by rural schools
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, June 15 — While students from Chandigarh keep on scoring good marks in examinations, their counterparts in peripheral schools are unable to pass with good marks.

out of 605 students, 291 failed to clear the matriculation examination this year, with 185 failing and 106 students being placed under compartment in Mullanpur-Garidass, Manauli, Sohana, Perch and other rural schools. About 121 students failed in mathematics and 55 students failed in english.

This year the overall result of the board was poor. A total of 2,74,275 regular students took the high school examination and only 49.17 per cent passed. Only 42.37 per cent passed in mathematics while 55 per cent were able to clear the english paper. Last year 65.95 per cent candidates had passed.

Government high school, Rani Majra, was among the least-scoring schools. Out of 56 students, 31 failed. Twelve students were placed under compartment while seven were to reappear in March next year.

private candidates also gave a poor performance. Out of 76,665 students, 31,828 cleared the examination. the pass percentage was 41.51, with 30.8 per cent failing in mathematics and 41.63 per cent unable to clear the english paper.

Most of the students cleared the punjabi paper, with 95.2 per cent students being successful. The pass percentage in urdu and sanskrit were 91.83 and 94.52, respectively.