Whispers Forum

In the years 1960s and 1970s,Amritsar citizens had the comfort and luxury of largely availing the hassle-free and affordable local bus service, managed by the Punjab roadways.After the coming into existence of the Municipal Corporation on 29th March,1977,the control of the local bus service, was gradually handed over to it.By the dawn of the early 1980s,the public started feeling the deterioration in the management and consequently service of local bus system.The hue and cry grew exponentially and by the end of the decade ,the service stopped existing.The government through the Municipal Corporation ,once again,made serious effort to start city bus service in the year 2014.A Bangalore company was entrusted the responsibility of operating this service.However,this great facilitation of the locally travelling public,had been officially stopped more than three years back.The buses have not been put to any alternative use or disposed of so far.Before the city bus service was started in the year 2014,Amritsar Bus Rapid Transit system project,on the analogy of Ahmadabad and Istanbul system had been launched on 19 Sept,2013,with the target of completion by Dec,2015.Though most of the project has been completed ,some crucial areas are still to be completed .However the half cooked soup was served to the public near the end of the year 2016,to garner votes in the then ensuing Assembly elections in Feb,2017.The buses are hardly visible on any route in the city.The minister from the city Mr NS Sidhu,is making serious efforts ,for the completion of the project.After the earlier deadlines failed,he has now targeted to complete the project by Dec,2018 .
BRTS is akin to metro rail service,but the corridors made for its operation, are not without barriers..At many places as chowks and essential crossings,the smooth running of bus operations are impeded .The crossing of roads to reach the middle is most dangerous for the weak and the children.The stoppages are not convenient.The other available transport systems are more convenient and cheaply available.The Amritsar citizens have gone through colossal discomfort ,while the project was being completed.The greenery and oxygen has been substantially depleted.And the buses are still not visible on the routes and public is neither enthusiastic about the system ,nor is it hopeful of its success.Mr Sidhu has offered free bus service to the students and for 3 months free service to other persons.People are still sceptical of the success of the project.600 crore rupees have been spent on the project so far..Most of the residents say that the minister was not seeing the reality.They are of the firm view that project should be shunned at the earliest and the roads should be widened.In my opinion, looking at the fate of the past local bus service,the habits of the people and difficult accessibility of the service,the project ,does not have a rosy future.It has to be shunned.Sooner, the better.In certain portions ,trees can be planted,in some jogging ares can be developed.The other corridors should be merged with the roads enhancing their width.Thus,the wealth of the trees will restored.Furthermore,the minister,while he was MP,had given rupees 50 lakh from his own pocket to the district administration to plant trees.It is good for Amritsar that the Sidhu couple has a very high level of credibility and probity.After the legendary couple of Sh Satya paul Dang and smt Vimla Dang of the city ,Sidhu couple has been able to feel the pulse of the masses and have been delivering to them.
In the month of Sept ,2013,Mr Sidhu had threatened to sit on fast unto death,as the govt was allegedly scuttling his pet projects.He wanted setting up of solid waste management project,construction of flyovers,expansion of Bhandari bridge ,construction of multipurpose sports complex in Ranjit Avenue,and installation of cctv cameras for safer environment,He was also unhappy over the transfer of funds from the coffers of Improvement Trust Amritsar to local bodies outside Amritsar.The fast was not undertaken after the written assurance of the govt.But the projects were ignored.His flyovers and expansion of Bhandari bridge dreams have been rolled over the ground.No headway has been made in the case of the most crucial solid waste management project so far,even after the passage of a year and a half.Is he waiting for the similar threat, which he made in 2013,from some other braveheart?Mrs Sidhu had actually sit on fast in Aug 2015.Should she remind him?Seven years have passed since the foundation stone was laid in Nov 2011 for construction of sports complex.It has been heard that fraud has been played with the Improvement Trust,which has paid the entire acquisition compensation and still,the hassle-free possession was eluding it.If and when the sports complex is to be constructed,Amritsar sportmen like Harcharan singh,Bishan Singh Bedi,,kiran Bedi,and Asian and commonwealth medallists must be consulted.
Amritsar was traditionally a green city.Entire walled city was flanked by the beautiful gardens all around it.The galliara yojna and BRTS project has taken the toll of greenery.But the holy city has still great potential.The UBDC from Verka upto Bohrhu Bridge and even beyond has vast land on its banks,The entire area should be developed as greenbelt and jogging parks,It will give back the lungs to the city.Amritsar has many spectacles to see for the tourists ,but its residents also deserve better treatment.Some portion of the historic Company Bagh is like a garbage dump.Entire garden should be beautified.Recently Jaurha fatak ,has come into news.just nearby are located the 40 wells,from where water was supplied to the city more than 80 years back.Beautiful Chaali khuh Bagh here, can cater to the aesthetic needs of more than 3 lakh people.Its regular maintenance can give added advantage to the city as it is located between the Amritsar- Pathankot and Amritsar- Jalandhar Railway lines and travellers can have beautiful view.
Surinderjit singh sandhu IAS rtd,house number 33,Eblock Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar

Hopefully "The Government" must have realized by now the old saying " policewale ki na dosti achhi na dushamani achhi" .
A Visitor
Murky goings on in CBI – shocking
The murky goings on in CBI with two senior most officers fighting and levelling corruption charges against each other are too shocking to comment upon. Is this the way this premier investigating agency conducts itself. Its credibility has been totally eroded. One reason for this is obviously not posting the right kind of people there. While earlier interventions by the Supreme Court did lay a procedure for selection of Director of CBI by a committee comprising of PM, leader of the opposition and the Chief Justice of India, the other officers are handpicked by the Government and one wonders why no 360 rule is made applicable there while even for empanelment at Joint Secretary level and posting in that level and above this most non-transparent method is followed. The whole episode relating to CBI exposes that the organisation is infested with factionalism, self-aggrandizement and corruption. The house can be set in order only if honest, independent-minded and fearless officers are given charge of the organisation. That is possible only if the agency is not used for political ends by any Government of the day.
Aarti Khosla

It is unfortunate that the government is continuing play its cat-and-mouse game with the GST-payers. The latest instance is the way the last date for filing GST returns due on last Saturday was extended only on Sunday after the expiry of the last date, keeping them on tenterhooks leaving them guessing whether the extension will come or not, and in view of the uncertainty whether to file an incomplete return on the last date Saturday or take the risk of not filing it. Such thirteenth hour extensions of last date are happening in India's tax administration every time. Why can't the government decide and notify these extensions days in advance of the last date, as they have all the unquestioned powers under law to decide on such extensions, which is what any sensible and enlightened tax administration is expected to do.
M S Krishnan

PM Modi's enigmatic silence on the on-going infighting between Alok Varma and Rakesh Asthana, director and special director (No 1 and ,2 respectively) in CBI, is highly disturbing.
Why did the PMO, Cabinet Sectt and DOP&T allow the crisis to escalate to unprecedented level, resulting in avoidable embarrassment to Indian tax payers. PM has been let down by his close aids.
The present NSA being from the IPS, must refrain from intervention. He is Advisor to PM in matters of national security.
The NSA to PM Manmohan Singh was infamous for excessive interference in ordering transfers/posting of IFS officers in MEA. History should not be allowed to repeat itself by the ruling dispensation.
CBI's credibility is at stake. How could the country trust the 'Cage'(CBI), if not, the two 'caged parrots', one wonders ?
PM Modi, as country's CEO, is urged to take the call and arrest India's premier anti-graft agency's intra-competitiveness, going from bad to worse.
Sending the case to CVC, is merely a delaying tactic to coincide with Alok Varma's impending retirement in July 2019.
Lokpal would have been the most appropriate authority to handle such sensitive matters. But,it does not exist due to political slugfest.
Rakesh Asthana,No 2, stands booked by CBI.FIR on CBI's website. No scapegoating out of vendetta. Ends of justice must be met. Allegations of receiving bribe by Asthana, involving moral turpitude, are very serious.
It bodes ill for the country that stands committed to eradication of corruption. Supreme court is expected to step in to prevent politicisation of CBI.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Today among the top states of nation political scenario of Shivraj Singh is considered to be strongest & safest as CM is a well known, Humble & national Political leader. Past politicians of the country have believed & taken the route of Uttar Pradesh for dictating from Delhi, which will be shifted if BJP shines over here. If BJP loses MP state, same scenario can be seen in UP & centre. Now the strategist has to finalize FIRST who should be canvassing often in Madhya Pradesh & the people’s expectations as whom they consider their hero & second above seventy percent of leaders in authority to be made responsible for winning for themselves or with the new name.
Vivek Dhawan

The appellant sought the certified copy of letter no. 1/14/2012-ORR Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, whether the circular issued by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, First Hon’ble President of India on 10.08.1950 is available with their office. The appellant was asked to deposit Rs. 360 for 180 pages of the entire file concerning the information sought but the appellant did not respond and approached the CIC with a second appeal. It was informed to the CIC that file concerning the letter belonged to Ministry of Law and Justice and it is currently with a few researchers. It was also submitted that the files under the possession of National Archives of India are being digitized according to priority basis and the file concerning RTI queries raised by the appellant in this matter shall also be digitized.
The CIC observed that the letter as stated by both parties contains subject-matter of constitutional benefits to Scheduled Castes and categories concerning crucial issues of reservation in education and employment, which as a matter of fact and law should have been disclosed voluntarily on their website under Section 4(1)(b) of RTI Act. The Public Authority should have scanned and uploaded such files on their official website in compliance of section of 4 (1) (b) of RTI Act or even after receiving the RTI application or given the complete document in CD collecting the cost. This information should have been made available by other concerned ministries also. The CIC directed the PIO to provide soft copy of the entire document sought in a CD in fifteen days free of cost and upload the digitized form of the documents on their website as soon as possible.
Comments
The Public Authority is required to upload certain information on their official website in compliance of section of 4 (1) (b) of RTI Act.
Citation: Renu Jain v. Department of Education Dr. Mallikarjun K S - DDE Mr. V.K. Kajal -PIO in F. No. CIC/DIRED/A/2017/188568, Date of Decision: 23.07.2018
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

I have been hearing for the last more than half a century that magician Ching Fungley could drive a motorcycle in the busy city areas completely blindfolded. I thought he could do this only because of his magic power. But these days hundreds of such magicians are visible on the Indian roads. A family of six is often seen riding a scooter, with the driver using one hand on the steering and other on his ear with a mobile phone in his hand. Even cyclists, tonga-wallas, rickshaw-wallas on roads and pedestrians while crossing the road, keep on attending to the mobile calls, oblivious of the dangers and perils of such activity.
I remember a strange incident, which happened about 15 years back. My friend's son ,who was a engineering student, often indulged in odd behaviour. He was driving his car in the high security sector 39 govt residential colony ,where ministers and big bureaucrats lived. He was passing near the house of an additional director general of police, when he hit the stationary police vehicle, in which its driving was sitting. The driver of police vehicle sustained minor injuries. Before my friend's son could tell his identity, the security men pounced on him and gave him brutal beating. He was handed over to the nearby police station, where with great efforts, he was got released. It was later revealed that like James Bond, he would read a book, while driving his car. This was the cause of accident, which was helpful in bringing him to senses with minimum damage. If one goes on the roads in any Punjab city, nine out of ten car/jeep drivers will definitely be using mobile phones while driving ,even in the thick of mad traffic. A person ,who does any other work ,while driving is akin to a blind person. Should govt give driving licenses to the blind too?
For any person to get a driving license ,he has to be physically fit, which only a qualified doctor can certify. These days most of the drivers use only one hand while driving. Should the govt relax the fitness clause or enforce law more vigorously ? I narrate a incident here. My colleague ,who was a district transport officer. told me one day that a person who had only one hand that too with two missing fingers, applied for the driving license. He had also procured a fitness certificate for the purpose. My friend rejected his case twice. But that person told my friend to take his driving test in the most difficult area. My friend tried it and found out that the less- abled person drove the vehicle better than the able-bodied people. He wrote a long speaking order and granted him the license. However after about three months, when he was driving his vehicle near Simla, it met with an accident as he could not negotiate the sharp curve in time. My friend had to appear before claims tribunal for his dangerously innovative work and face harassment. He was of the opinion, after burning his fingers, that physical and even mental fitness was most essential for issue of a driving license.
During my tenure as district transport officer, I came across many drivers particularly truck drivers, who would keep five driving licenses with them. If one was impounded they would forget about it and start using the other one. These were called Lahori licences in lighter vein. The fear of law is totally missing as far as driving or following traffic law is concerned. Earlier the most dangerous aspect of driving was drunken driving, but the use of cell phone while driving has become more exponentially lethal. I spoke to one deputy commissioner and commissioner police to invoke section 144 Crpc to eliminate this menace. They were diffident about sustaining the effectiveness of such actions. In the year 2014,the govt loudly spoke about bringing about safe traffic/transport by legislating new act. Not a cat has stirred since then except the enhancement in composition fee of such offences. Indian roads must be made more safe.
Surinderjit Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
M. S. Bindra- passes away
A towering personality and exceptionally capable & bold IRS (Customs & Central Excise) officer of 1958 batch is no more. Held in high esteem for his 03 years (1980-83) tenure as Director of Enforcement, for transforming ED into a truly functional & effective Investigating agency, by providing pragmatic leadership. Encouraged & firmly stood behind efficient officers, even to the extent of personally owning up their genuine mistakes. Paid a heavy price for his firmness, when was shifted out, almost at mid-night, apparently being found uncomfortable by the power lobby. Even thereafter, continued his tirade against economic offenders, as Director, Anti- Evasion (Central Excise), which finally turned out to be his water-loo; Prematurely retired, in 1985; the Order was struck down by Hon'ble Supreme Court, but alas many years later, when the relief was just notional, having already crossed age of superannuation. Respectful homage to the Captain, who led from the front, was the best shield & shock-absorber for the Team, besides an unforgettable noble human being.......
Arun Sharma

When the Indian Ambassador called on the new Pakistani Prime Minister, he requested that Indian diplomats be allowed membership of the elite Islamabad club. It is not that only Indian diplomats' priorities are distorted. Pakistani Ambassador has been asking Indian Government to direct Delhi Gymkhana Club and Delhi Golf Club to admit Pakistani diplomats as members. With fast communication and media, diplomacy is reduced to protocol and alcohol. However, it is doubtful whether Islamabad club allows alcohol.
Prof N C Saxena
A N Jha to be new Secretary Finance ?
I had worked with him in Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. He is an honest, dedicated and efficient officer. He is an asset to the Govt. and I wish he is given this responsible assignment.
R S Meena

It is difficult to disagree with Rao that DPE is a white elephant. It has no intellectual capital. IAS Secretary and Additional Secretary have nothing to do except making occasional foreign trips for vacuous seminars and trainings.
M P Bauer
Are all judges entitled for gunmen ?
Any Govt order or order from Supreme court ? Why gunman was with Judge's wife and son if he is supposed to guard the judge from criminals who might have been punished by him. You can also see officers wives moving with a gunman while shopping.
Satish Agrawal, former DGP

Reports of theft and fraudulent use of ATM cards by cloning, assault and theft, theft of ATM machines and attack on cash vans are increasing by the day. While these incidents cannot be entirely eliminated and all concerned should exercise due caution, as a first step to limit losses and give adequate time to affected parties to get card blocked and lodge complaint with banks and Police, Banks should take the following steps immediately: limit cash withdrawal to Rs10000 per swipe, permit only one swipe per week dispense only notes of Rs100 denomination. Cash withdrawal from ATMs are intended to pay for small expenses and not for high value purchases. After all how many can afford to withdraw Rs 20000- 100000 everyday. These steps will force high value spenders to use Banking channels. If SBI implements these steps, surely other Banks will follow. If necessary, RBI should issue a direction in this regard in the public interest.
Raghavan