Monkeys take over Secretariat building
Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat has been literally been taken over by monkeys. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel guarding the building are using desi slingshots made of fallen tree branches to scare off the monkeys and protect themselves. The authorities have offered them professional slingshots. The Punjab Government had written to the Chandigarh Chief Conservator of Forests & Wildlife Warden seeking to station at least two teams of wildlife rescue staff from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm in and around the secretariat so that employees and visitors may feel safe from the menacing monkeys.
Preserving heritage
Once heritage items such as furniture, tables, cabinets and chairs are identified, protected, preserved, restored and reused, the Chandigarh Administration can auction these items as it would then be legal. And that would also prevent illegal auctions, which had been taking place. These heritage items then would be preserved and kept in museums in the city. A team of experts from France will visit the city the next month to train officials in identification, preservation, protection and conservation of these items.
Waste management
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has given an ultimatum of seven days to both the residents of the city and door-to-door garbage collectors to completely segregate waste or otherwise pay a fine. Dry and wet garbage has not been segregated in the city. Now wooden partition will have to be erected in the rehris (wooden carts) of door-to-door garbage collectors. The MC will deploy staff at Sehaj Safai Kendra and garbage collection centre to check if the waste has ben segregated. If not, a Rs 5000 fine will be imposed on the collector. For a resident, the fine for not segragating waste will be Rs. 500.
An incentive for garbage collectors
The Panchkula Municipal Corporation is mulling encouraging 1,600 door-to-door private waste collectors with a monthly incentive if they assure the civic body of proper waste segregation. The body is eyeing a spot in list of the top 20 clean cities in the country. The corporation vehicles stop at the doorstep and households have to dump waste into them. Presently these private waste collectors pick waste from their houses as it suits them. Now they have to ensure waste segregation.
Harpreet Bajwa
Our correspondent in Punjab hsbajwa73@ gmail.com