8 trees felled on Dakshan Marg
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — In a sudden shift from its policy of not cutting trees any more, the Administration has felled at least eight of the 60-odd fully grown trees on Dakshan Marg, which have been awaiting transplantation, during the past few days. These trees have been felled by the horticulture wing of the Engineering Department.

Trees have been felled on the slip road at The Tribune intersection on the newly developed carriageway of Sector 34 and also at the intersection of sectors 34 and 35. The fellings were carried out on Saturday and Sunday.

While officials maintain that there has been no change in the policy of the Administration of not cutting any trees for the widening of roads or for the provision of slip roads, the orders to fell these trees were issued to the horticulture wing some days ago. Sources maintain that after senior functionaries of the Administration, including the Secretary Engineering, Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineer, visited the sites where the work on the provision of slip roads, replacement of rotaries by traffic lights and widening of roads has been held up for decision on trees, it was decided that young and diseased trees should be felled and only those trees with sufficient girth and in good health should be transplanted.

The decision to fell small trees with negligible girth and diseased trees, the sources said, was taken keeping in view the cost factor as transplantation of a tree would be around Rs 10,000.

But in the recent case, at least five of the eight trees felled by the horticulture wing were sufficiently old, had substantial girth and were healthy plants. Two of these cut trees at the intersection of sectors 34 and 35 had a girth of 8 to 10 inches each and were 8 to 10 years old. They would have been ideal cases for transplantation.

Now, a little less than 40 fully grown trees on Dakshan Marg have been left to be transplanted. The Administra-tion, after a considerable debate , had decided to physically shift these trees — transplant them — along the roadside at nearest available open spaces.

Other major areas where similar situation has arisen are Madhya Marg and the Housing Board Chowk on the Chandigarh-Panchkula road. While the work on replacing existing rotary with traffic lights at the Housing Board has started, estimates have also been approved for transplantation of 30-odd trees which intervene the revised design. Work on the provision of slip roads at this busy intersection has already been in progress.

To begin with, an estimate of Rs 3.40 lakh was approved for the transplantation of 40-odd trees at the intersection of sectors 21,22, 34 and 35. Two of these trees have been felled during the past few days.

In continuation of this decision, the Administration is also in the process of approving the estimate for transplantation of six grown up trees which come in the way of link up between old block and new block of the Sector 17 Inter-State Bus Terminus.

The horiculture wing of the Engineering Department reportedly gathered information about a similar exercise which had already been successfully undertaken on the Pune-Mumbai National Highway. Similar experiment has also been successfully carried out in the Union Capital.

According to initial estimates, the cost of transplantation works out to be around Rs 10,000 a tree. Now when the Administration has taken a policy decision for shifting of grown up trees, a number of trees, more than a hundred, facing the axe all over the city, will be saved. Those facing the axe were mainly at the intersections or are positioned in between the proposed or under construction slip roads.

More than 65 of these grown up trees on Dakshan Marg were ordered to be felled early this year when Chandigarh Tribune carried a story on February 15 this year. They were to be axed to make room for slip roads to ease congestion on this busy dual carriageway. The felling was approved in principle by the Chandigarh Administration. After the Chandigarh Tribune story, the felling was deferred and work on completion of these slip roads was also held up.

Though one of the slip roads at The Tribune intersection was completed, both trees which figured in the alignment of the new road were not felled. They were pruned and only a few days ago, both these plants were axed.

On an average, a felled tree of more than 8 to to 10 years gets about Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 depending upon the quality of its wood. Environmentalists and the forestry people, however, put the price of a fully grown tree at more than a lakh of rupees based on its utility, role in ecological balance, paying host to birds and other factors, including release of oxygen and absorption of carbon dioxide from atmosphere.

Municipal Council head sacked
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 26 — In a significant development, the Local Government Department, Punjab, today removed Mr H.S.Billa from the post of President of the local Municipal Council. In his place, the Vice-President of the council, Mr Amrik Singh Mohalli, has been given the charge of the council.

With just over two months left for the completion of the term of the council, the move of the government is seen by many as a calculated one.

Citing Section 25 of the Punjab Municipal Council Act 1911, the order issued by the Secretary of the Local Government Department, says that Mr Billa had failed to hold the mandatory meeting of the council at least once a month.

As per the provisions of the Municipal Act, Mr Billa — who took over as President of the council in January 1995 — should have convened at least 56 meeting during his tenure, whereas only 22 meetings were held.

Earlier a showcause notice was issued by the department to Mr Billa, under Section 22 of the Punjab Municipal Act 1911, asking him to explain as to why he had not called the mandatory meeting of the council at least once a month. In his reply on August 15,1999, and during a personal hearing Mr Billa had denied the allegations. He gave the dates on which he had called the meeting.

Sources in the department said that on an earlier occasion, the outgoing President had been issued a showcause notice on the same grounds in October,1998, and was then let off advising him to be more vigilant. Then meeting was held regularly except in the month of January and April this year.

Upon being issued the last showcause notice on July 30,1999, Mr Billa maintained that the entire staff of the council was busy with the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa.

The Law Officer of the Local Government Department in his observations said that despite a showcause notice issued on May 11, 1998, the meeting were not held in July, August and September 1998. In reply to various explanations given by the outgoing President, the law officer observed that the democratic norms said that the reason for holding the meeting at least once a month was to take overall view of the municipal affairs in public interest.

The Secretary of the Local Bodies in the order said that Mr Billa had violated the norms of the Municipal Act. Holding him guilty of not performing his statutory obligation, the department removed him from the post of the President.

Sources said that though the decision to remove Mr Billa had been taken by the government a couple of days ago, the order was received by the Executive Officer of the council, Mr Yash Goyal, at around 3 p.m today. The Executive Officer said the Vice-President of the council, Mr A.S.Mohali, would perform the duties of the President till the term of the council lasted.

Though Mr Billa was not available for comments, leaders of the Congress party alleged that the President was sacked by the Badal Government as part of a well- calculated political move. Mr Rajpal Singh, Organising Secretary of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee, said there was little reason in sacking Mr Billa, with just about two months left for the completion of the term of the council. Elections to the council were due in January next year.

Movement of goods affected
Truckers’ strike enters 6th day
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARHOct 26 — With truckers' strike entering sixth day today, the long-distance movement of goods has been disrupted and prices of certain commodities have started going up.

A survey of fruit and vegetable markets showed that though there was no shortage of essential commodities, the prices of vegetables and fruits have registered an increase of 25-30 per cent.

Traders said vegetable supplies from the nearby areas of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal were almost normal as farmers were using tractor-trailers and animal-driven carts for ferrying vegetables to the city. In some cases, vegetables had been brought through trucks owned by the single operators, particularly during night time.

The movement of vegetables and fruits from far-off places such as Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh had been disrupted with very few trucks touching the city during the past five days. With certain fruits going out of stock, the situation could worsen if the strike was prolonged, felt traders.

The strike, however, has had no impact on the supplies of the petroleum and diesel supplies from the bulk depots in Ambala as a majority of the petrol owners had their own oil tankers. Besides, operations of the tankers of the oil companies had not been disrupted.

So far, the strike had not affected the industry to a large extent as tempos and other commercial vehicles were not on strike, thus maintaining the essential services.

As there was no big industry in the city and a substantial number of the industrial units had their own fleet of trucks, the impact of the strike was yet to be felt by industry. With the festival season in progress and demand for various commodities rising with each passing day, crisis-like situation may emerge when the old stocks get exhausted, added traders.

'Tell people about defence funds'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Irrational expenditure on the defence budget in India mars chances of many other fields which need immediate attention for welfare, said Mr Gautam Navlakha, a social activist and consultant Editor of Economic and Political Weekly at a talk at Department of Sociology in Panjab University here today.

The people had no complete general information on what, how much and where had the funds been allocated in military account since long. The paramilitary forces, including Assam Rifles, the Central Reserve Police Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Border Security Force, were also directly linked with the defence agenda, he said.

The total expenditure of the country should be seen in a common context where different fields were related. The paramilitary forces and research organisations for advanced weapons also formed a part of the total expenditure. This had resulted in a much-increased expenditure than it was projected under the defence head.

A decent estimate of the total expenditure was Rs 63,000 crore and not Rs 45,000 crore as projected in the official budget. He said that several items like research and Coast Guards alone cost Rs 1000-1200 crore extra.

He said that the AR, CRPF, ITBP and BSF expenditure should not be seen in the contest of police expenditure as their functions also differed. The formation of these papamilitary organisations ran on the Army pattern. The training and intervention in local matters also differed to a large extent.

Mr Navlakha said that a decent estimate suggested that nearly 25 per cent of the total expenditure was spent on defence. Of the total 22 per cent was spent on paying salaries to the staff alone. Excluding other compulsory expenditures, only about 23 per cent was left for investment in development activities.

After the last prominent war in 1971, the government had not clearly looked into or at least not informed people about planning or military deployment for defence purposes. Interestingly, even without an external battle the government spent a huge amount of money on defence, ignoring the needs of the people.

The topic needed greater public information so that people could show their reactions. The important issues like employment and other social problems continued without proper debate and action. The current situation only indicated that people, if ignored for long, can stand up and revolt.

Home Guards jawans await salaries
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Oct 26 — Over 100 Home Guards jawans in this district have not got their salaries for the past two months.

Each Home Guards jawan, working as a daily-wage earner, gets Rs 50 per day which is less than what an unskilled worker gets (Rs 68).

Most of the jawans find it hard to make ends meet.

The volunteers lament that while a police constable gets Rs 6,000 as pay, besides other facilities, they get a raw deal. Employed on three-month basis, a Home Guards volunteer is not entitled to travelling allowance, dearness allowance, ex gratia, washing allowance and other welfare schemes applicable to policemen.

Promises by successive governments to raise their wages and to assure timely payment have not materialised. The Home Guards volunteers have long working hours without any additional benefits.

Sources in the department say that the delay in paying their wages is due to paucity of funds.

Apart from this, a Home Guards volunteer's family is not entitled to any compensation if he dies or is injured in a mishap while on duty.

Employees stage dharna
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Members of the Coordination Committee of Government and Municipal Corporation Employees and Workers staged a dharna at Housing Board roundabout today.

Employees from various departments of the Administration and Municipal Corporation assembled at the venue and raised slogans against the authorities for their anti-employee stance and casual attitude towards their long-pending demands. A large number of women employees took part in the protest.

Mr Ramesh Kant, Mr Rakesh Kumar, Mr Bal Krishan and other leaders of the committee said the main demand of treating employees transferred from the Administration to the Municipal Corporation as on deputation was pending despite numerous agitations. This had resulted in a sense of insecurity among the employees.

They said if their demands were not met within 10 days, the committee would start a agitation. Other demands raised by them included release of bonus and DA for 1997- 99, implementation of the Supreme Court judgement awarding arrears of HRA and CCA to daily wage workers, grant of uniforms to all class IIl employees, appointments on compassionate ground for dependants of deceased employees at the earliest, release of benefits under assured progression scheme and its extension to work charged employees, arrears for skilled and semi-skilled workers of the technician scale, abolition of contract system and creation of new posts in view of increased workload.

Security steps for Karva Chauth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Women attired in bright clothes and jewellery thronged markets in large numbers to make purchases on the eve of Karva Chauth here today. The women will keep a fast to pray for the long life of their husbands tomorrow.

The maximum rush of women buyers accompanied with their husbands and children could be seen in cosmetic shops, sweet and fruit shops in Sectors 15, 20, 22 and 29. Even persons sitting in the corridors of Sector 22 market were doing brisk business as women were busy getting mehndi put on their hands and feet.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made by the police in various parts of the city. While police personnel were deputed outside the markets in Sectors 19, 20, 22, 29, police parties were patrolling Sectors 29 and 30. They launched a 2-hour drive in these sectors to identify any explosive substance, unclaimed vehicle or any incidence of snatching.

Seminar on Sikhism
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — The Institute of Sikh Studies will hold its annual two-day seminar at Kanthala, opposite The Tribune roundabout in Chandigarh on October 30 and 31. The theme selected this year is “Panthic leadership and decision making” .

The theme assumes added importance in the context of the recent developments, particularly, the split in Akali leadership and the party's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The seminar will be inaugurated by Dr G S Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The keynote address will be delivered by Prof Prithipal Singh Kapur of Punjabi University, Patiala.

Several papers by distinguished scholars from India and abroad, have been received according to the institute secretary, Dr Kharak Singh

GCM student wins declamation contest
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Sajjan Singh of the Government College for Men, Sector 11, won the first prize of Rs 1,500 at an inter-college declamation contest on ''Transparent and accountable administration in the fileds of education, industry, agriculture, health, transport, civic amenities, etc'' here today. The contest was sponsored by the Department of Personnel, Government of India, and the Chandigarh Administration.

While Sindura of the Government College for Girls, Sector 11, bagged the second prize of Rs 1,000, Ruchi Bedwal of the SGGS College for Women, Sector 26, got the third prize of Rs 600. The consolation prizes of Rs 300 each went to Gagandeep Ghuman and Gian Indra Saroa of DAV College, Sector 10, Anupam Jindal of the GCM and Amrit of the GCG.

Mr K.A.P. Sinha, DPI (Colleges), who was the chief guest at the function, gave away the prizes.

Mr D.S. Menon, Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel, Government of India, was the guest of honour. He lauded the interest shown by the youth in analysing the varius intricacies in the working of the administration in various fields. He said that the useful suggestions put forth by the students would be consolidated and discussed at the all-India level for making policies. The idea behind organising such contests was not only to gather views for making government functioning transparent and accountable but also to create awareness and disseminate information to them about policies, initiatives and best practices adopted by the government.

Hyderabad students perform in city
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — A team of 20 students from the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Hyderabad region, had come to Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 31, for a week-long cultural exchange programme, which concluded here today.

These students not only interacted with their counterparts here but also got an oppurtunity to have a personal experience of the culture, traditions, habits, way of living of different states of India. A cultural show was presented to mark the closing ceremony of the programme.

Nagnika, Jyoti, Nonita, Samarpita and Radhika, all students of the Hyderabad region, presented a colourful folk dance. Besides, folk songs and group dances were presented giving an insight into the culture and traditions of Andhra Pradesh. The highlight of the programme was ''gidda performance'' by Sector 31 Kendriya Vidyalaya students.

Dr Piya Thakur, Education Officer of Kendriya Vidyalayas, presided over the function.

She said that the main objective of such programmes was to promote national integration and develop understanding of the composite culture of India in the minds of children.

Science fair concludes
From Our Correspondent

DERA BASSI, Oct 26 — A two-day "science fair" organised at Government High School here concluded here today.

As many as 133 students from 15 government senior secondary and high schools of the subdivision participated in the fair. The theme was ''science and technology and its utility and consequences in various fields''.

The models on topics such as food, health and nutrition, industries, transportation and communication, energy and environment were displayed by the participants. Hundreds of school children thronged the fair.

Science quiz and chart making competitions were also held.

Mr S.S. Sidhu, SDM, gave away prizes to the winners.

Mayor visits Nevedac Prosthetic Centre
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — The Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, and the all-India Chairman of the Environment and Wildlife Protection Samiti, Mr Narinder Malik, visited the Nevedac Prosthetic Centre, Daulatsinghwala, near here, yesterday.

They appreciated the services provided by the institution to the needy and disabled by way of providing artificial limbs and other rehabilitation aids for the past 26 years. The institution was doing a great charitable service towards the welfare of the suffering community, a press note said here today.

The dignatories were impressed with the sophisticated technology used for the manufacturing of artificial limbs at the centre.

Dr V.J.S. Vohra, Managing Director, conducted the dignatories round the centre.

'Kabaris' to get sites in Sector 39
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — The Chandigarh Administration has finalised a scheme for allotment of sites to the ''kabaris'' in Sector 39 (West) as per its plan to rehabilitate the oustees of the Burail chowk and other junk merchants. Under this scheme 39 sites would be allotted to them out of which 11 sites would be given to the oustees of the Burail chowk only.

The allottees will have to pay 25 per cent of the amount at the time of allotment to them and the rest of the amount is to be paid in 10 annual equated instalments. Those who will be allotted corner sites would have to pay 10 per cent extra of the total amount. The rate of interest to be charged for those paying in instalments would be 12 per cent.

Implementation of this scheme would settle a long-pending demand of the oustee junk merchants of Burail.

SNIPPETS

Reinstatement of manager decried
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — The executive body of the the CITCO Workers Union, at its meeting here yesterday took serious view of the reinstatement of Mr Anurag Walia, Senior Food and Beverages Manager of Hotel Shivalikview, on the day of his suspension.

According to the president of the union, Mr Kashmir Chand, Mr Walia, who had already been served two charge sheets for alleged corruption, was suspended on October 18 and reinstated after two hours. This had been done under pressure from senior officials in the Chandigarh Administration and the Haryana Government, he alleged.

Mr Walia demanded a high-level probe into the matter.

Dhanas residents seek amenities
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Residents of Milk Colony, Dhanas, have not been provided adequate basic amenities by the Chandigarh Administration. According to a resident of the colony, Mr Amar Singh, the people are getting unfiltered, dirty water. A tubewell, which is under construction for the past several years, is yet to become operational. Power supply to the colony is very erratic.

In the absence of cow dung pits and dustbins, the residents throw cow dung in the open which has turned area a breeding place for mosquitoes. This could help spread of an epidemic any time, according to Mr N.K. Sharma, another resident.

Kids immunised
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 26 — As part of the first phase of the pulse polio immunization programme, 1,225 children up to five years of age have been immunized by the Phase VII governmernt dispensary. Dr R.S. Kang, in charge of the dispensary, said 897 children were given polio drops on the first day. During the door-to-door survey on October 25 and 26, at least 336 children were given polio drops.

‘Withdraw Rajiv’s name from charge sheet’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 — Local leaders of the Congress, led by Mr Harmohan Dhawan, have demanded that the name of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi be withdrawn from the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the infamous “Bofors kickbacks” case.

Mr Dhawan, who joined the Congress a few months ago, said if the name was not withdrawn, the party would be forced to carry out an agitation. He said the name of a dead person is never mentioned in court cases nor are allegations made against them.

The entire episode smacks of political vendetta and malafide intention to defame the party and a former Prime Minister. It was actually immoral on part of the Prime Minister to allow such a thing, Mr Dhawan said, adding that the CBI had been influenced by the BJP. The CBI should have questioned Mr Gandhi during his life time. Incidentally, Mr Dhawan was an MP from Chandigarh in the VP Singh government that had ordered investigations in to the Bofors case.