Mobility plan for city prepared
The Chandigarh Administration has prepared a detailed mobility plan which lays emphasis on having a joint transport corporation with Punjab and Haryana and a mass rapid transit system to deal with increasing traffic. In the past decade, the population of the city is estimated to have grown 1.4 per cent per annum, and the number of vehicles has increased around 5 per cent in the same period.
“The economic development of the region cannot be imagined without an efficient and fast mobility system. The main focus of the regional mobility plan shall be to study and identify the mass rapid transport system with other systems--bus system, public bicycle sharing and e-rickshaws--well-integrated into the system. Park and ride facilities to integrate the personal modes with MRTS shall also be given due attention.
Construction activity banned
The Chandigarh Administration and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation have banned construction activities in the city after the Supreme Court on Friday ordered a stay on the same until the Municipal Corporation notified rules on solid waste management.
The city has been lagging behind in solid waste management, which has cost it better ranking in the Swachh Survekshan 2018. There is no mechanism in place for waste segregation at the household level, because of which the collection of segregated waste has been hit. Only 30 per cent of the waste is processed and the rest ends up in a dumping ground in Dadumajra.
Milk samples fail quality tests
Out of the 1,275 samples of milk tested at the Mobile Food Safety Laboratory of Chandigarh from April 2016 to July 2018, 734 were found to be of substandard quality and one sample tested positive for adulteration. Two of 407 samples of dairy products were found to be of substandard quality . However, a total of 128 water samples tested were okay. Out of 2,392 food products of 17 varieties (pulses, grains, spices, oil, turmeric, honey and others) tested, 742 were found to be of substandard quality.
Nearly 600 held for liquor consumption
Chandigarh Police have arrested 595 persons for consuming liquor in public places between June 1 and August 31. The police registered 547 cases under Section 68(1) B of the Punjab Police Act 2007. The largest number of such cases was registered in Sector 17, followed by Sector 26. People were mostly caught drinking near liquor vends in Sector 17 and 22. Some 298 people were convicted of the offence.
The courts imposed fines on them. Also, around fifty vehicles which were being used for drinking were impounded by the police. The traffic police have recommended suspension of the driving licence of people fined for speeding, use of mobile phone while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and running a red light, even if it is their first violation.
Teachers want shorter hours
Teachers have been demanding relaxed school timings, till 12 noon, in September owing to exams. Sometime ago, verbal orders were issued to the effect that schools will not function after 12 noon. But these orders created confusion as some schools adhered to the orders and remained shut and others did not. The teachers have threatened to launch an agitation on Teachers Day if their demands are not heeded.
Harpreet Bajwa
Our correspondent in Chandigarh
hsbajwa73@gmail.com