IT Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH: In this age of endless and uninterrupted information flow, the UT administration and municipal corporation are sitting poles apart when it comes to interacting with each other. So, in issues requiring joint action the two are not even aware of each other’s plans.

While UT additional director (environment), PJS Dadhwal put the responsibility of implementation the norms on corporation’s sanitary inspectors, MC authorities insisted that the administration had forcibly asked them to ensure prohibition of plastic bags, saying the job should be entrusted to sanitary inspectors.

However, enquiries by TOI revealed that a number of units in the Industrial Area have openly been manufacturing every kind of plastic bags, thus ignoring orders from both the authorities. All vegetable markets, apni mandis and rehriwalas in the city are blatantly using and selling recycled and coloured polybags.

When contacted, the chief sanitary inspector of municipal corporation, Mann Singh, reasoned that they primarily check violators falling under their jurisdiction, and sometimes also carry out joint operations with the administration’s enforcement agencies. But he failed to specify the formula derived by the two bodies for division of labour to control the menace.
(more…)

Chandigarh: A group consisting of experts in allergic diseases and patients suffering from these diseases have launched a support group ‘Saans Sahyog’ on Tuesday.The group was launched under the chairmanship of Prof Lata Kumar, former head, Department of Paediatrics, PGI and an internationally renowned expert in Allergy and Asthma in children.

The primary objective of the group is to educate the public about the various allergies through medical camps and the media. The group will create a fund for the free treatment of patients. It will provide a platform for patients to interact with each other and share experiences. Special focus will be laid on educating chemists and general practitioners in latest treatment and drugs available for the patients.

“Various types of allergic diseases, especially of the respiratory tract such as asthma and nasal allergies are very common in children,” said Dr Neeraj Kumar, pediatrician and managing director, Chaitanya Hospital. “These diseases do not have any permanent cure. They can only be controlled with proper medication,” he said.

(more…)

Chandigarh: The Chandigarh Administration,on Tuesday, directed all departments not to demand affidavits along with applications from the general public for services provided by them. Affidavits are mandatory only, where provisions to obtain affidavits exists in the rulebook.

The administration said that instead of the affidavits, the applications forms will contain a column wherein the applicant would be required to furnish information about his caste, residential status and other details.

At the interview stages, the applicant will have to produce the original document and a self-attested copy of all the documents for verification.

The photograph on the application form will be self-attested by the applicant.

A senior official in the UT administration said “The Administration noticed that some departments were still insisting on affidavits for government jobs or admission in various educational institutes. The Administration has made it clear that no such affidavits or documents attested by Gazetted Officers are required for these purposes.”

Chandigarh: Now, information related to the Municipal Corporation will be just a click away, as UT Mayor Harjinder Kaur today launched the ‘Status of projects’ on the website containing information about developmental projects and their progress.

Addressing media persons, the mayor said this will help make the system more accountable and bring transparency in the day-to-day functioning of the corporation.

By logging on to the site www.mcchandigarh.gov.in , city residents can now go through all the projects being executed in the city by the corporation. E-mail addresses have been provided for the residents to lodge their complaints relating to various wings of the department.

Congress councilor, Chandermukhi Sharma, who had first voiced the adoption of this system during the last review meeting, said datewise entry of the progress of various developmental projects will ensure a speedened completion. He said delayed or incomplete work will be shown in red colour and this will help in detecting which department is lagging behind.

(more…)

Chandigarh: After having failed to ensure that their demands are heard with concern, the Punjab Physical Training Instructor Teachers Union, which has been on a chain hunger strike for the last 17days, resorted to a ’shirtless’ demonstration outside the office of the DPI (Schools) in Sector 17 to seek attention, on Tuesday.

Rakesh Kumar, president, PPTITU, said the SAD-BJP government in Punjab have given nothing but assurances to their demands. He said the union had been demanding de-reservation of the 268 vacant posts in the department.

“‘These posts were for the reserved category but out of the total 849 seats, 581 seats were filled and no one from the reserve category was left to be accomodated according to the vacant posts,” the president said.

He added that there were unemployed general category teachers who could be adjusted against these vacant seats since there are no reserve category candidates left.

Chandigarh: The Sant Samaj of Punjab today started a peaceful sit-in at the main Chandigarh-Sohana road against Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The protesters were, however, stopped by the SAS Nagar Police, when they tried to march towards Chandigarh.

Around 145 members of the Samaj and their 500 disciples squatted on the road in Phase-VII, Mohali. The protesters were led by Harnam Singh Dhumma, chief of Sant Samaj, Sant Hari Singh Randhawa wale, chief of Damdami Taksal, Sant Lakhbir Singh Ratwara (Balongi), Sant Paramjit Singh Mahalpur, Sant Gurmel Singh Nanaksar and Sant Avtar Singh Dhulkot.

The protesters reached the spot at 2.30 pm, where the police had blocked the roads by placing barricades. The protesters after raising slogans against the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda began the sit-in.

The district police, headed by SSP RS Khatra, remained at the spot to tackle any untoward situation. Two riot-control vehicles, fire brigade etc were also present at the spot.

Badal reached the spot at 3.15 pm and discussed the situation with his media advisor, Harcharan Bains, before approaching the spot, where the members of the Samaj were protesting.

Badal said he has great regards for the Samaj and thanked the protesters for maintaining peace and harmony in Punjab.
(more…)

Chandigarh: For 25-year-old Rita, admitted at the PGI with kidney failure, a wait of 14 months proved to be way too long.

Rita, waiting for enough money to be collected for a kidney transplant, finally gave up the struggle on Thursday night. She had been living at the PGI’s Rotary Sarai since April 2006. She underwent continuous dialysis and was under medication.

“We could never collect enough money for a transplant,” said younger brother Sonu, his voice heavy with regret. “Whatever money we had went into dialysis. Initially, she had to be taken for dialysis twice a week. Later it increased to thrice a week,” he said.

On June 12, Rita complained of severe stomach pain and dizziness and was rushed to the emergency room.

“The doctors took a cursory look and told us that chances of her survival were poor,” recalled Sonu. “They also said we could opt to take her home and just wait for the end. But I insisted on treatment.”

Rita struggled through three days of pain and suffering. “We spent close to Rs 20,000 in those three days. But she just bled to death in front of our eyes,” said Sonu.
(more…)

Chandigarh: The Municipal Corporation, after preparing a proposal of Rs 145 lakh to strengthen the existing storm water drainage system, is confused whether the work will be executed by the UT Administration or the corporation itself. As the proposal is yet to be cleared, the officials say without funds they would be helpless.

During monsoon, waterlogging is a common site in many parts of the city. With pre-monsoon showers already hitting the city, it seems that this time too, the city residents will have to continue with the existing system.

The natural slope of the city is from north to south. Hence, the rainwater gushes towards south, flooding the vertical roads. Though the city has underground storm water drainage system, it’s useless in heavy rains, say official sources.

According to sources, each year, before monsoon, the corporation ensures construction and repair of road gullies and storm lanes besides the cleaning of roads. This time, there are many areas where road gullies and storm lanes are yet to be constructed besides the widening of the road.
(more…)

Panchkula: An inevitable tragedy is staring down Jallah Road. If you haven’t noticed it already, look up. Bearing a load of more than 3,000 heavily loaded trucks passing over it daily, the 30-feet-high and 105-metre-long Ghaggar bridge on the Jallah Road near Burj Kotian village in Pinjore is standing tall, though on its last leg.

Residents in the area around the bridge are keeping their fingers crossed as the bridge is on the verge of collapse. The pre-monsoon rains have further added to their worries, as with each rain, one or the other limb of the bridge like wire network pops out.

Travelling over the bridge is almost like a roller-coaster ride, as the entire path is broken, calling for immediate repair. In fact, so frail in the entire structure that the brigde shakes every time a loaded truck passes over it.

The PWD (Band R) department, despite being aware of the fact that the bridge needs immediate repair, are tightlipped on the issue. When asked, they said that the estimates for the repair work are under process of sanctioning and might take some time to be cleared.

Meanwhile, the 13-year-old Ghaggar bridge continues to serve commuters on a daily basis.

(more…)

Bustling industrial activity has caused Indian corporates in making advance tax payments 28.6% more at an amount of Rs 137.96 billion till June 18 this fiscal, boosting government`s direct tax collections by a phenomenal Rs 374.44 billion net of refunds, report agency sources.

According to the provisional data provided, the government`s total direct tax collection has recorded a buoyant growth of 57.5% till June 18, compared to the corresponding period last year.

Corporates from country`s financial capital Mumbai contributed the largest chunk of amount of Rs 50.07 billion, representing a 47.14% growth year on year, while their peers in Delhi witnessed an annual growth of 26.84% to Rs 26.93 billion. On the other hand, Chandigarh circle experienced a highest increase of 52.71% with corporates paying Rs 1.49 billion as quarterly advance tax.