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Tricity buzz: HT Chandigarh reporters’ tracker on all those making, or faking, news
Mohali district public relations office is short of hands, No concession for UT engineering dept employees, Too many honours for corona warriors, GMCH security guards contribute for colleague’s kin, and more…
WEEKEND CURFEW A SCARE, NOT REALITY, IN CHANDIGARH
It’s been a month, with every war room review meeting comes the warning that if Chandigarh residents don’t follow social distancing norms and other precautions, the UT administration will impose weekend curfew or limited time lockdown. “A threat or warning loses its scare value if it’s repeated too often without being implemented. That’s what is happening to the weekend curfew warning by the administration,” said a UT official, requesting anonymity.
MOHALI DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE IS SHORT OF HANDS
At a time when Covid-19 cases are on the rise in Mohali, a key government department vital for facilitating information dissemination, the district public relations office, is struggling with staff shortage. There are only two staffers manning the office, the district public relations officer (DPRO) and a photographer. The assistant PRO and a clerk have been promoted and transferred. The clerk deputed for the office is on long leave. It’s time the authorities took note.
NO CONCESSION FOR UT ENGINEERING DEPT EMPLOYEES
While the UT administration issued directions to curtail the staff strength at the secretariat to 50% due to the Covid-19 pandemic, engineering department employees, whose offices are also in the deluxe and additional deluxe buildings of the secretariat, have not got any such concession. “Engineering department employees still report for duty in full strength. The UT order came in the wake of the 11 Covid-19 cases in the education department in the additional deluxe building. The education department staffers were asked not to come to office as it was being sanitised. Some engineering department offices are housed in the same building yet there is no concession for them,” said a disappointed UT engineering employee, requesting anonymity.
SET UP MEN’S COMMISSION FOR GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL, TOO
A resident of Chandigarh , locked in a matrimonial dispute, wants a commission for protecting the rights of men to be set up on the lines of the women’s commission in every state. Having been married for 21 years, the couple’s relations turned sour recently. The man approached the police with a complaint against his wife for walking away with cash, jewellery and property papers. He says had there been a commission in place to listen to the grievances of men, police intervention would not be required.
COMING SOON, YOUR E-CHALLAN BY SPEED POST
Chandigarh Traffic Police recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Postal Service regarding their e-challaning system. Deputy inspector general of police (DIG, Traffic) Shashank Anand said, “We will be sending e-challans through speed post to the offenders. Letters were being sent out before, but speed posts will make it possible to send the challans to offenders in other states while ensuring they receive them.” The traffic police are sending SMSes to offenders as well. Traffic violators can now pay these challans online through the newly launched website of the traffic police.
TOO MANY HONOURS FOR CORONA WARRIORS
While some associations held events to honour Covid-19 warriors, including sweepers, resident welfare association (RWA) heads and policemen, for their selfless service during these challenging times, some RWA heads said this is not the time for honours. “Rather, it’s the time to stay at home as much as possible. Such honours can be delayed for a few months. It is a sombre time rather than one to congratulate each other,” a member of the Chandigarh Resident Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) said.
GMCH SECURITY GUARDS CONTRIBUTE FOR COLLEAGUE’S KIN
Colleagues of Shyam Sundar Pandey, a security guard at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, Chandigarh, who succumbed to injuries after he was beaten up for preventing crowding at the emergency as part of the Covid-19 guidelines last week, have come forward to contribute money for the family. Nearly 300 security guards are paying Rs 300 each even as the process of compensation through government agencies is being completed. UT health secretary Arun Gupta said that the guard was hired through an outsourced agency and compensation will be provided to his family.
GOOD SAMARITAN’S THOUGHTFUL GESTURE FOR NEEDY CHILDREN ON PU CAMPUS
A Good Samaritan, who had heard about Panjab University students teaching children of migrant workers, had come to pay them a visit last week. A PU teacher said that last Sunday, the person was looking for the children and visited all four sites on the campus where the classes are held in the open. Though he was unable to meet the children, he left behind the stationery and other useful items for the children.
(Inputs by Munieshwer A Sagar, Hillary Victor, Shailee Dogra, Rajanbir Singh, Amanjeet Singh Salyal and Dar Ovais)
