‘VIP’ violators headache for traffic cops

Rajiv Bhatia

Challans issued in June

* 64 persons for not wearing headgears
* 42 challans for wrong parking
* 26 challans for overloading vehicles

Zirakpur, July 1
Policemen have become helpless, as the motorists with a ‘VIP link’ do not follow traffic rules. In Zirakpur, the traffic police’s campaign of challaning violators has failed despite the 222 challans issued in a month. The traffic violation continues to go unabated in the region.

According to sources, the challans include wrong entry, helmet-less rides, triple ridding, leaving vehicles in the “no parking” zones, driving without wearing seat belts, drunken driven and driving without documents.

“There is no denying the fact that violation of traffic rules is rampant in the town. Driving without helmets tops the chart of traffic rules violations along with wrong parking. However, we are continuously trying to check the violations by laying check points and deploying policemen at various points”, a senior police official said.

Giving details of the challans from June 3 to June 29, sources in the traffic police said about 222 persons were challaned for not wearing headgears, 42 challans were issued for wrong parking and 26 challans were issued for overloading vehicles. Other miscellaneous violations included not using of seat-belts, triple riding, using pressure horns, blue beacon and using ‘press’ stickers without permission. Use of pressure horn, black filming, besides drunken driving and driving without documents also led to issuance of challans, the sources added.

A cop on the condition of anonymity said even before they could issue a challan, the erring driver would ring up their ‘top links’ and try to pressurise them.

DSP (Traffic) GS Mann stated that no violator would be spared regardless of his status or link. He said the traffic police would establish more checkpoints to curb the menace of rash and negligent driving.

Cake walk

Rajiv Bhatia

Residents of Zirakpur now don't have to go Chandigarh for savouring soup or even dim sums. This satellite city is now offering on platter delicious dishes like corn cake, tom yum soup and dim sum.

Hotel Shagun-Zirakpur is proud to present its newly renovated restaurant Vyanjan-a fine multi-cuisine dining restaurant and bar centrally located on Zirakpur-Kalka highway.

Vyanjan means a condiment or a seasoned article in Sankrit.

"Traditional and the unique style of preparing those dishes using a variety of natural ingredients, colours, taste, textures smells is Vyanjan's specialty," says Pradeep Aggarwal, managing director of the newly opened restaurant.

Pradeep Aggarwal, who had done a hotel management course from Chandigarh, says, "Our aim is to provide different kind food that would attract customers." Besides the traditional Indian food, the menu also includes Thai curries, tandoori kebabs, Oriental and Chinese food," Aggarwal added.

He adds, "In appetizer, a special corn cake and dim sum is in main menu. From soups bowl, Tom Yum soup which has been made with Chinese cabbage, broccoli, poches, mushroom, lemon grass and lemon leaves, high ginger is really a fiery. "We are offering verities of dishes like Tiranga kofta, diwani handi and Lackhnavi murg biryani to customers," he adds.

He sums, for non-vegetarians chicken Taipai, murg akbari and Hyderabaddi dam ki biryani are other yummy dishes which remind you flavour of different countries.

Polythene bags to be banned in Chhatbir Zoo

Rajiv Bhatia

Zirakpur (Chhatbir), July 12
Chhatbir Zoo authorities today launched a cleanliness drive at the zoo and decided to conduct such a drive on every Monday. The zoo authorities are also planning to check and ban the use of polythene bags by visitors. The drive was conducted under the guidance of newly appointed Field Director Churchil Kumar.

Giving the information about the drive, he said, the department had decided to conduct cleanliness drive on every Monday as the zoo was closed for general public on that day. It will be easier for the employees to carry out the drive in a proper manner, he said. Around four to five tractor-trolleys of garbage were removed today.

Kumar stated that he had given instructions to the zoo employees to take precautionary measures, so that all animals remained healthy during the monsoon season. He said he had also given instructions to the doctors to start de-worming the animals. “We have also decided to set up drinking water purifier for animals, which be installed shortly”, he added.

Now, water becoming scarce in Zirakpur

Rajiv Bhatia

Zirakpur, July 12
The water supply in Zirakpur is being affected due to long power cuts as only 10 out of 31 tubewells have generators while others run on power supply.

Residents claimed that when the power supply was disrupted, the water supply, too, was affected. The residents were forced to call private tankers to meet their needs. They demanded that the council should install generators on other tubewells as well.

They stated that most of the tubewells were not working properly as the water level had gone down. They said the MC had planned to setup eight new generators for the tubewells but nothing had been done so far.

They also alleged that tubewell operators were working on the orders of councillors and politicians. Last month, a high drama was witnessed when the key of a tubewell room was taken away by the councillor’s husband and residents of another ward had protested outside her house.

SDO, water supply, Mahesh Chawla, stated that 31 tubewells had been installed in 15 wards.

Colonies where generators have been installed are Preet Colony, Bishanpura, Balaji Enclave, Dusherra ground, Preet Colony stadium side, Kalgidhar Enclave, Govind Vihar, Saini Vihar Phase 2 and 3; AKS colony, Lohgarh, and Dhakoli near the hospital.

Kamal Khurana, a resident of Baltana, said since a single tubewell was supplying water to four to five residential colonies, the water pressure was very low.

MC president NK Sharma stated that the council had been planning to install generators on the tubewells where need be. “We have also planned to install new tubewells in the town to solve water crisis”, he claimed. However, GAMADA will also install 10 tubewells in the town soon, he added.

Zirakpur MC to spend Rs 40 lakh on drainage system

Rajiv Bhatia

Zirakpur, July 9
The Zirakpur Municipal Council has planned to spend Rs 40 lakh on the drainage system to remove waterlogging problem in Baltana, Zirakpur and the surrounding areas. The proposal has been mooted after the waterlogging problem faced by residential colonies in the recent rains. The project will be completed in three months.

MC president Narinder Kumar Sharma along with other councillors chaired the meeting. He said the council has set up a plan to construct an open drain between Vikas Nagar to link road on the Zirakpur-Kalka National Highway; similarly another open drain would be constructed between Wadhawa Nagar and Panchkula road.

However, the council authorities have blamed Panchkula residents for water logging in residential colonies near to Panchkula. They alleged that during the recent rains the seasonal choe at Panchkula was choked, as a result, the water overflowed and entered the residential colonies at Bharat Enclave, Vikas Nagar and Wadhawa Nagar. Taking the matter seriously, they have asked GAMADA officials to discuss this issue with Panchkula authorities.

He said many residential colonies are in the low-lying area, which is leading to water logging problem.

“We have decided to spend Rs 40 lakh on the drainage system to remove waterlogging, the project will be completed in three months,” he said. He said a request has been sent to GMADA to take up this issue. During the recent rains many residential colonies had faced flood-like situation after water entered their houses.

Service roads to decongest highway

Rajiv Bhatia

Zirakpur, July 14
To solve the ever-increasing problem of traffic congestion on the busy Chandigarh-Ambala highway at Zirakpur, the PWD department of central works division has decided to construct service roads on either side of the stretch between the UT barrier and the starting point of the flyover.

Besides, the PWD officials have also planned to lay down proper drainage lines along the highway.

According to officials of the PWD, this project would be completed in six months at an estimated budget of Rs 4 crore. The department has already floated the tenders that would be open on July 23.

A flyover had been constructed on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway more than a year back to facilitate safer and faster road journey for the commuters.

XEN PWD (Central Work Division, Ropar) Karnail Singh stated that the project has been approved by the Central government. The paper work has been completed and the department concerned has been asked to submit their cost estimates. The department has already written to the forest department for removing the trees on either side of the highway.

“We have also deposited the money to the electricity department to shift the power lines and polls, wherever they come in the track of the service roads,” Karnail Singh added.

He said the drainage work would also begin along with other work. The drainage lines from the UT barrier to the flyover would be connected to Sukna choe drains.

Karnail Singh stated that the encroachments along the highways would be removed soon. After the completion of the project, the roads would be re-carpeted again and all illegal medians on the stretch would be closed down with iron grills. He said the problem of sales tax barrier where trucks were parked along the highway would be partially solved after the completion of the service roads.

“Tenders for the project have been floated and the work on service roads and drainage lines would be started in the first week of August,” he added.

Sales tax barrier problem

Commuters on the Chandigarh-Zirakpur highway face traffic jam and bottlenecks at the sales tax barrier, especially during the office hours in morning and evening. They demanded that the sales tax barrier should be shifted immediately to some other open place

Zirakpur to have slaughterhouse

Rajiv Bhatia

Zirakpur, June 17
The Zirakpur Municipal Council is planning to set up a slaughterhouse at Gazipur village to maintain hygiene in shops selling meat.The issue of setting up a slaughterhouse is likely to be discussed in MC meeting, scheduled to be held on Friday. The proposal has been mooted after the Zirakpur MC realised that meat was being sold without verification from veterinarians. Moreover, the animals were being slaughtered in shops leading to mess and the possibility of spread of an infection.

MC sources said they had been receiving complaints from area residents regarding animals being slaughtered in almost all meat shops. They rued that the animals were not being slaughtered scientifically leading to unhygienic conditions.

Sources said the MC had identified a two-acre land at Gazipur village. A detailed report has been prepared and sent for approval. The total cost of the slaughterhouse would be finalised after the approval. It is expected to be ready by the year-end, sources added.

Sources said as the council does not have the technical expertise, a consultant will be appointed to work out the specifications and the tender document.

Ankit Sharma, a resident of Zirakpur said, “It is a serious matter as the waste meat products are not properly disposed of. The sellers slaughter the animals in their shops and dispose of the remnants into the surrounding drains.”

When contacted, MC president Narinder Kumar Sharma said: “The issue of setting up a slaughterhouse will be discussed in coming MC meeting and the site would be finalised after the councillors’ approval,” he added.

Dumping ground

After an objection by the pollution control board on the dumping ground site, the MC has planned to identify a suitable site on the outskirts of the town. An MC official said that in terms and condition, the dumping ground should be set up at a distance of 2 km from the town

Sewerage treatment plant

The Punjab Pollution Control Board has asked the MC to set up a sewerage treatment plant till March 2011. MC officials said the case regarding the land for the plant was in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The pollution control board had asked to finalise another land to set up the plant till March 2011. The board has said that if the MC fails to meet the deadline it would have to pay Rs 2 lakh bank guarantee for an extension