PM may lay rail project stone: Jain

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 25 — The foundation stone of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link is likely to be laid by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, next month, Mr Satya Pal Jain, local MP, said here today.

Speaking at a function after inaugurating a community centre in Mani Majra, Mr Jain said the Central Government was considering many projects for the city, including the power plant and its 3.5 per cent share from the BBMB.

The Mayor, Mr Kewal Krishan Addiwal, claimed that since the inception of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC), an amount of over Rs 2.5 crore had been spent on the development of Mani Majra. More projects would be undertaken for the development of the township next month, he added.

An amount of Rs 49.80 lakh had been earmarked for the community centre to be completed in two phases. Currently the first phase of the community centre had been completed at a cost of Rs 29 lakh.

Leave issue of quota for judges to experts: Jain

Indian Express
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24: Member of the Parliamentary sub-committee on Judicial Reforms and local BJP MP, Satya Pal Jain, today appealed to all concerned, including political parties, to avoid politicising the issue of reservation in appointment of judges. Addressing a meeting of the Central Administrative Tribunal Bar Association, which was convened to honour him here today, he said such a sensitive matter should be left to the legal and constitutional experts for a final decision, instead of going to the media and issuing statements. ...
...Jain emphasised that the government was keen to fill up vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court and various High Courts and was taking steps to ensure that. He added that due to the delay in appointing judges by the previous governments, a large number of cases had piled up in various courts for decision, which exposed the inherent weaknesses of the judicial system as a whole to provide justice in time. ...
...He lamented the lower judiciary had not been given a fair deal by various governments so far and said their salaries, other allowances and facilities should be increased. Jain said the government had proposed a number of amendments in the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), with a view to avoiding delay in courts. They had been examined in detail by the Standing Committee on Home Affairs and a comprehensive report had already been submitted to the Parliament. These amendments, he said, were likely to be passed by the Parliament in the coming budget session and would help in expediting the trial of cases in courts.

Deep Complex residents meet Satya Pal Jain

Indian Express
CHANDIGARH JAN 20: A delegation of the members of Deep Complex Welfare Association, Hallomajra, led by Krishan Lal Billa, today met local MP Satya Pal Jain and discussed their problem.
The Complex residents are protesting acquisition of Deep Complex land and are demanding adequate compensation. According to association president Jagtar Singh, Jain said that all possible efforts would be made to save the houses in the complex from demolition. The resident of the complex are on a hunger strike.

Land acquisition - Admn accepts Jain's suggestion

Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, Jan 19 — A reduction in stamp duty from 12 per cent to 6 per cent on the Punjab pattern, further simplification of the procedure for conversion of leasehold property to freehold property, implementation of the Apartments Act and a review of decision to acquire land for paramilitary forces by uprooting people with "pucca" houses at Hallomajra were some of the issues raised by local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, at the third meeting of the Administrator's Advisory Council here today.

Mr Jain told The Tribune after the meeting that when housing was a major problem facing the Chandigarh Administration, there was no justification in demolishing already constructed houses for acquiring land for paramilitary forces.

He said many other members agreed with him in suggesting to the Administration to have a second look at its decision over acquisition of land at Palsora and Hallomajra villages.

Earlier, the Adviser said that the Administration had decided in principle to allot alternative sites to all those who had constructed their houses at Deep complex before the notification of Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. In view of the new suggestion today, he said the Administration was ready for a second look.

On the issue of simplification of the procedure for conversion of lease hold property, he said he suggested at the meeting that representatives of the public must be associated with all such committees. He also suggested further simplification of the procedures, including enforcement of the Apartments Act, to cover dwelling units of the Chandigarh Housing Board. "The owners must be given absolute rights. Besides, the general power of attorney (GPA) should be fully recognised," Mr Jain added.

Talking about the provision of basic services to people living outside "lal dora" in villages, the local MP wanted the Administration to take a decision in this regard at the earliest. For provision of services, he offered to give money from his MP fund.

Mr Jain said that all members agreed that beauty and character of the city should not be spoiled and any encroachments should be checked effectively. The Administration must devise ways to provide housing and other facilities to those engaged in informal services to the residents of the city, he added.

He added that it was agreed that the next meeting of the Council should be held either in the last week of March or in the first week of April.

Over 1 lakh kids given polio drops

Chandigarh Tribune
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 - Over one lakh children below five were administered polio drops in the second phase of the pulse-polio immunisation campaign in the city today.
According to Dr Y.P. Singla, District Family Welfare Officer-cum-Nodal Officer of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign, 265 stationary and 50 mobile booths covered the city, including various labour colonies. ...
... While 1,750 children were given polio drops at a camp organised by the State Bank of Patiala, Kajheri, the Citizens Awareness Group manned 16 centres and immunised 5,988 children. The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, was among the prominent persons who administrated polio drops to children.

Decision soon on leasehold conversion: Jain

Chandigarh Tribune
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 - The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, in a press note today said the issue of rationalisation of sales tax on various items and a scheme for allotment of booths to the scooter mechanics as well as automobile sparepart dealers were under the active consideration of the UT Administration and a decision on these would be taken soon.
The other issue under active consideration was simplification of the leasehold system. Mr Jain met a delegation of shopkeepers who pressed him to take an early action on these issues. ...
... Mr Jain said that he had decided to call a conference of representatives of various residents' welfare associations to discuss the problems faced by them. He appealed to all welfare associations to send him lists of their office-bearers by January 25 so that invitations could be sent.

Decision soon on leasehold conversion: Jain

Chandigarh Tribune
CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 - The local MP, Mr Satya Pal Jain, in a press note today said the issue of rationalisation of sales tax on various items and a scheme for allotment of booths to the scooter mechanics as well as automobile sparepart dealers were under the active consideration of the UT Administration and a decision on these would be taken soon.
The other issue under active consideration was simplification of the leasehold system. Mr Jain met a delegation of shopkeepers who pressed him to take an early action on these issues. ...
... Mr Jain said that he had decided to call a conference of representatives of various residents' welfare associations to discuss the problems faced by them. He appealed to all welfare associations to send him lists of their office-bearers by January 25 so that invitations could be sent.

'City planning depends on society'

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — "There is no city planning that can succeed in the face of the facts of our society, the habits of our people, lapses of our administration, and poverty and lack of education and health care of our people," says Mr K.R. Narayanan, President of India.

Speaking at a special session of international conference celebrating "Chandigarh — 50 years of the idea" at Law Auditorium of Panjab University here this afternoon, the President complimented Le Corbusier for taking some of these social facts into account while planning Chandigarh and to a degree "his city is better off than most other cities of India in the matter of services, health and educational facilities, greenery and relatively pollution free environment." ...

Mr Satya Pal Jain, MP, stressed the need for a joint integrated approach for the development of the periphery of Chandigarh. The Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, said that Ministry of Tourism would help improve Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake and Museum and Art Gallery besides completing a de luxe five-star hotel at a cost of Rs 34 crore in the city. ...