Zirakpur-Bartana link road damaged
From Our Correspondent

ZIRAKPUR, Sept 11 — Plying of heavy vehicles on the Zirakpur-Bartana link road have damaged the road at various places. Loaded trucks prefer this link to Chandigarh and Panchkula to avoid octroi on the border of Chandigarh and Haryana. Trucks reach Chandigarh and Panchkula from Zirakpur over the link road via Raipur Kalan and Mauli Jagran.

The Zirakpur-Bartana link road has at many places virtually turned into a pool of mud and slush. Deep potholes and slush accumulated on the uneven surface of the road has replaced the bitumen carpeting at many places. The knee-deep potholes put the road users to great inconvenience.

The problem aggravates during the rains in the absence of a drainage system. Water from the village also collects on the road, turning it into a "lake". Hundreds of commuters, including school and college students have to wade through this muddy stretch of road.

Deep Narayan, a teenager, said that the road had caused a number of accidents. "I saw a milkman falling from his motorcycle and spilling the milk into a mudpool three days ago."

"Vehicles crossing the road often smear clothes of customers at the roadside stalls. A woman who runs a tea stall on the roadside says customers have started avoiding her stall. The problem gets complicated in night due to an absence of street lights, she added.

Residents of Bartana village complain that trucks loaded with bricks remain parked along the road for days. Unloading of bricks has damaged the road. Authorities, they say, are ignorant about this activity. Truckers get drunk and create nuisance at night.

Residents of this area complained that they had given representations regarding their problem to the Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, but no caution had been taken so far. They have demanded a proper outlet arrangement for the storm water at this place.

Furniture from 'havelis'
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 11 — If it's antique furniture that you crave for and didn't know where to find it, your search should end at Aroma Hotel. Sonia Mehta has displayed beautiful pieces collected from "all over the place" at the two-day exhibition that opened today.

A reminder of the grandeur of havelis, palaces and old English homes in the hills, the finely crafted items beckon you to give at least a corner of your modern room a traditional look. The octagonal Goan coffee tables, Indo-Portuguese mirrors, English beds, Gujarati cabinets and Chinese-style chairs all vie for attention.

Mrs Mehta, who shifted to the business of period furniture after a seven-year stint with Reuters as a journalist, says that Burma teak and rosewood are transformed into artistic pieces in designs more than 100 years old. The wood is first waxed, then spirit is applied and finally, colour is added to the polish to give it an antique look.

She even collects furniture from palaces in Gujarat, especially Baroda, and reproduces them, retaining the original tiles, marble and wood. At times, a fusion of the old and the new is produced by topping a traditional intricate table leg with a glass sheet.

The sofa sets have been left without upholstery — you can put the fabric and colour that goes with the setting of your room.

Mirrors in different styles and sizes stand out. Some are for the wall, another to adorn the lobby, a utilitarian big one for the dressing room and yet more to fill the corner.

School lacks facilities
From Our Corespondent

ZIRAKPUR, Sept 11 — Housed in a community centre,government primary school at Bartana village,3 km from Zirakpur,has a strength of nearly 200 students. The school has only two rooms for the students. Following the indifferent attitude of the authorities,the village panchayat had provided community centre to the school.

The place is also reportedly used for marriages and other family functions.Students have to vacate the rooms of the centre whenever any function takes place.The tiny tots have to sit in the open to take their lessons.On several occasions all classes are combined and it becomes difficult to teach the students,said a school teacher.

the school also lacks other civic amenities.Students have to sit on floor in the absence of any furniture.they have to bring jute spread-overs from their homes. Facility of playground is missing.The school also lacks water facility and toilets.There are also no blackboards.

Baba calls for self-introspection
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 11 — Progress in the fields of science and technology will not lead to happiness in the absence of purity of mind which was only possible through the realisation of God, said Baba Hardev Singh, chief of the Sant Nirankari Mandal while addressing a huge regional 'manav ekta sammelan' here today.

The Baba called for the utilisation of natural human inquisitiveness for self-introspection as the knowledge of the outer environment had not been useful to society.

Referring to the holy personalities of the world, he said the spiritual wisdom was same since time immemorial. He ruled out meaningful development without enlightened spiritual status and good social behaviour.

Mr Kesho Ram, zonal in charge and local pramukh, said the mandal was furthering human integration through a nationwide voluntary blood donation movement.

He said various talent search activities were being organised throughout the country for identifying children of the weaker sections of society. About six lakh children had been imparted training in artistic skills, leadership and educational and professional planning, he added.