Latest news with #Sanghera
Vancouver Sun
02-08-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Big road extension project in Surrey drawing mixed reviews
Surjit Singh Sanghera says he has felt only 'shanti,' or peace, after spending more than 45 years living on a quiet farm in Surrey at the end of a road, surrounded by agricultural land. The blueberry farmer says his four children have all moved away, allowing him and his wife to enjoy the quiet bliss. He hopes to someday pass on the property to his children and grandchildren, who enjoy running around freely when they come to visit. 'I've been living here for so long. Everything is so close by: stores, pharmacy, gas station, the Gurdwara. It's so close to town. Now, it's nice and quiet, kids can run around and play,' he says. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'But soon we'll have to fence it or supervise it a lot more … We have to change with the times I guess. I've been here so long, I've got so many memories, so it's not going to be easy.' Sanghera says a major road-extension project planned by the city means a portion of the land he farms will be paved over. It threatens to reduce his berry production and the tranquillity he's grown accustomed to. 72nd Avenue is a major road that begins just off Highway 91 in Delta and runs east to 152nd Street in Surrey. The corridor takes commuters past homes, schools, including a university, a strip mall and the busy Newton Exchange bus loop before closing out at 152nd Street. Sanghera's property sits just off the intersection where the road comes to an end. This past week, Surrey council voted to begin preliminary work to extend 72nd Avenue another five kilometres east to Pacific Highway, an area almost entirely covered by agricultural land. The city says the intent of the project is to alleviate congestion by creating two travel lanes in each direction, improve ditches and widen the road's shoulders to allow oversized farm vehicles to use the road without impeding other traffic. Although the area falls within the Agricultural Land Reserve, the city says there is a 20-metre-wide, road allowance through the five-kilometre area between 152nd Street and Hwy. 15 that was established in 1875. Since some protected ALR land would be lost, the Agricultural Land Commission said the city is required to submit an application before proceeding with the construction, which it hasn't done yet. Up to 12 hectares of ALR-protected farmland will be lost in the road project, the city said Thursday. Another half hectare may be used to build an intersection at Pacific Highway, but that idea is still under consideration. An application to the ALC for the larger phase of the road extension is being worked on, the city said, while approval for the preloading — improving the stability of the surface by compressing the ground under tonnes of crushed rock — from 152nd to 156th streets has been granted. Surrey city council has boasted the road extension project is part of the 'largest municipal road investment in B.C.'s history.' The city estimates that it will cost $138 million, with a completion date sometime next year. Sanghera said his farm stands to lose up to 1,000 blueberry plants, some that are years old and fully grown. 'They got the road allowance so they're going to do it anyways. Doesn't matter if I like it or not,' he said, as customers stopped by to buy berries by the pound. A wooden stake with a pink cloth tied to the top has been placed on his property. Another stake sits just off his property by the ditch, indicating where construction will take place. 'My property is narrow and long so once they take the road allowance, (they have to encroach on) my own property even more for a roadway to go back and forth. It's going to affect me,' he added. He's been told he will be compensated for any plants removed from his property, but likely not the plants lost in the road allowance. The project isn't bad news for everyone. Hunters Garden Centre and Flower Shop owner Miles Hunter sees the road extension as a benefit to his business, located on 152nd Street and 72nd Avenue. With more traffic able to come from both directions after the project's completion, Hunter says more customers may come as a result. 'I expect it's going to bring some new customers to our area and it's going to improve traffic flow and I think that my suppliers — I have a lot of suppliers in Langley, Abbotsford, Aldergrove — will be able to access and ship to my business more easily,' Hunter said. 'I'm optimistic. 152nd Street and 72nd Avenue are both very busy roads and … so is 64th Avenue. In fact, overly busy, and it's going to provide some relief from that.' Dairy farmer Brian Livingston says if and when the city applies to the ALC for approval of the bulk of the project, the commission should consult with local farmers before giving the go-ahead. He says his 40-hectare farm along the Pacific Highway will be affected by the road extension, as it will split his land and make it difficult to travel between fields. 'We don't know about compensation. We've seen a design, but nothing as a proposal to us,' Livingston said, adding he is left with many uncertainties. 'If the ability for me to farm becomes unfarmable then that should make a difference on the ALC's decision,' he said, adding the road would disrupt his ability to bring the milk from one field to another. Whether he will be provided with some sort of crossing is another unanswered question. He is skeptical how much support he'll get from government. 'The thought of them giving a crap about farmland doesn't seem to exist,' he said. smoman@
Time Out
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Marriage Material
Sathnam Sanghera's 2013 novel, Marriage Material took its inspiration from Arnold Bennett's classic, The Old Wives' Tale, transposing the story of two sisters who work in their mother's draper's shop to a Sikh family in Wolverhampton. In it, he introduced readers to Kamaljit and Surinder, the two teenage daughters of the Bains family – and in a parallel narrative set in 2011, Arjan, who has returned home to his mother (an older Kamaljit) after his father's death. Now, it undergoes further evolution, as Sanghera's book is reimagined for the theatre by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti and directed by Iqbal Khan. But, as is often the case with adaptation, the move from page to stage proves a delicate balancing act – with flares of exquisite tension, as well as stretches that feel rushed and flat. The fact is, squeezing down a 336-page novel into under three hours is a difficult task. First, there are the obvious issues of space and structure, and then the subtler challenge of translating the author's tone into the dialogue and action. The strength of Kaur Bhatti's writing is that Sanghera's sharp wit comes through loud and clear. By merging Punjabi words with English dialogue, the script encapsulates the realities of a home for second generation children. At its best, it feels like a sitcom, dancing with spiky comedy unique to the family's experience and place. Add to this a killer ensemble cast, led by Anoushka Deshmukh and Kiran Landa, who play the sisters with unwavering energy and you've got a play that sends ripples of laughter around the audience, again and again. It is the personalities that make this adaptation; as Arjan, Jaz Singh Deol is full of sarcasm and raised eyebrows, while Irfan Shamji is captivating physical performer as Dhanda, aging him before our eyes with shaking hands and a quivering speaking voice. But, perhaps, the greatest character of all is the family's corner shop. In Good Teeth's set we first see its shelves hanging in the Bains' house. But, as the play unfolds, the shop's significance grows into something truly essential. Serving as the central hub of the story, the setting feels alive, witnessing births, deaths, abandonments, and marriages. The tales from past years linger within its walls, with the responsibility of preserving the family's legacy and keeping the shop open hanging over each new generation. And yet, we don't quite get the full effect of Sanghera's original, weaving story. In the novel, the events of the dual narrative play out simultaneously in alternate chapters. Onstage, however, these stories are split into two halves. It becomes less of an emotionally taut family mystery that we're desperate to piece together then, and more like two compartmentalised dramas. The second act in particular feels like it zooms through too many significant moments. Overall, though, this feels like a small niggle as Kaur Bhatti's writing digs into the specifics of the Bains family through the generations. Set to a backdrop of real-life events, including the 1969 battle for Sikh men to be able to wear turbans on buses, with the words of Enoch Powell ringing in the family's ears, and later racial tensions in the 2010s, the Bains are never allowed to forget their difference. In charting the personal alongside the political, Kaur Bhatti honours both the humour and weight or Sanghera's original; it is a resonant night if not a perfect one.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Tension on border, sense of fear & pride in Amritsar'
I visited my parents in Amritsar and was scheduled to fly back on May 9. However, everything changed with the news of the valiant operation undertaken by our Armed Forces. What followed stirred an indescribable sense of pride and fear crept in — especially during the sudden blackouts, the wail of sirens, and the thunderous tremors of the earth — each moment of dread was eclipsed by the sight of the sky lighting up with the successful interception of enemy projectiles. It was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I absolutely feel reassured and safe with our borders being guarded by the brave men and women of the Indian Armed Forces.I was quite familiar with these things since my father was in the Army too. Yesterday, there was a drone attack in the morning in Jalandhar, and I was there at that time at my in-laws' house. There was a siren alert, and immediately after the siren alert, we heard two heavy missile shots, but they were all intercepted by the air defence. There was no loss as such, but the remnants were seen on the land and some houses in the villages because the remnants are also very were asked to stay indoors and not let anybody go out. During the night, there was a blackout for three hours in the past week. They created safe shelters for any emergency. People from villages near the border have been evacuated because Jalandhar is less than 200 kilometres from the reached Chandigarh on Saturday, and it was under high alert, too. But on Sunday, since morning, things have slightly changed, and shops have opened up. Today, we received a message from the Punjab govt saying the city is operational and everything has gone back to normal.I used to hear these things from my father and husband, but this is the first time I experienced it myself. My husband, being from the forces, shared a lot of such stories with me. I always experienced the fear, but never felt it in person before. He is right now on the front, so we are in anxiety two kids cannot comprehend the severity of the situation, but there is certainly a lot of fear in their minds. They are waiting for their father to return home. I will stay with my parents for a few more days. Once the situation gets a little better, I will return to Kolkata. (Sanghera, principal of Asian International School who is in Amritsar to visit her parents, spoke to Poulami Roy Banerjee) Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussie newcomers show promise despite Greenock cricketers' loss to Kilmarnock
Greenock Cricket Club's opening match of the new WDCU season ended in defeat at home to Kilmarnock on Saturday – but there were still plenty of positives for the Glenpark side to take from a keenly-contested encounter. Having won the crucial toss, Kilmarnock skipper Paul Flanagan opted to bowl first, a decision that ultimately laid the groundwork for their successful chase later in the day. Greenock's innings commenced very positively, with openers Callum Henry and team captain Aryan Sanghera at the crease; in the very first over, Sanghera hit a fine straight drive to the Fox Street boundary, and then in the second over, Aussie amateur Henry, making his Glenpark debut, struck two fine boundaries to put Greenock on 15 without loss. However, the Kilmarnock opening bowlers, Tom McFadzean and Zeeshan Qamar, quickly found their length and line and put the brakes on the two Greenock openers as only three runs were added in the following five overs. Sanghera and Henry did get back into run-scoring mode and by the 16th over the Greenock score had moved on to 76 without loss. Greenock's players celebrate an early Kilmarnock wicket. (Image: alex craig) A bowling change at the beginning of the 17th over heralded a change of direction in the match; with just his second ball, slow bowler Adam Wilson lured Sanghera into a big hit and the Greenock captain was caught on the Fox Street boundary and dismissed for 27. Kilmarnock then quickly captured the wicket of Henry when the Aussie amateur got a faint edge to a ball from Kilmarnock's South African amateur Daniel Lombard and was caught behind the wicket for 38, leaving Greenock on 83 for two in the 20th over. Three further wickets fell as the Greenock middle order struggled to deal with the Killie bowlers and towards the end of the 23rd over the home score was a precarious 93 for the loss of five wickets. The experience of Sam Sanghera, who came in at number six in the batting line-up, helped to steady the innings and gradually the home score moved along. READ MORE: Captain set to lead Greenock cricketers into new season - at just 20 years old But wickets continued to fall and no really meaningful partnerships were created, and when Sanghera was the team's eighth wicket to fall, adjudged LBW for 30 runs in the 40th over, Greenock's innings had crept along to 150. Just a further 11 runs were added before the innings ended on 161 towards the end of the 45th over; the inability to forge a substantial partnership after the opening 76 runs put on by Aryan Sanghera and Callum Henry ultimately proved costly. For Kilmarnock, Adam Wilson with three wickets for 25 runs was the visitor's top bowler. Kilmarnock's chase began with Greenock's opening bowlers, Will Jenkins and Sam Sanghera, aiming to make early inroads, though it was a mix up between the Ayrshire side's openers which led to a very early breakthrough when Chaudhary was run out off just the second ball of the innings. Jenkins, bowling with with pace and aggression, then had Haider Iqbal caught for five with the score on 12, and Greenock had made a perfect start to the second half of the match. Greenock took three early wickets against Kilmarnock - but were unable to keep the momentum going. (Image: alex craig) A third wicket, captured when Lombard had his stumps knocked back by Jenkins for six runs with the score on 32, could have heralded a collapse from Kilmarnock, but Oelofse and Flanagan steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership which ended at the start of the 18th over when Oelofse was smartly caught by Sehmat Pandher for 28 off the bowling of Greg McDougall. And, as so often happens after a good partnership, one wicket leads to a second; two overs later McDougall and Pandher combined once again to remove Flanagan for 34. But that was to be Greenock's final breakthrough, as Mo Islam and Qamar forged a match-winning sixth-wicket partnership of 79 runs to take Kilmarnock to what had seemed at one stage an unlikely win. For Greenock, while the loss will be disappointing, the contributions of Australian newcomers Callum Henry and Will Jenkins, will offer a significant positive for the season ahead. Greenock will need to regroup and learn from this encounter as they look towards their next challenge in the WDCU Premiership Two. Greenock 161 all out (44.5 overs), 3 points; Kilmarnock 162 for 5 (35.3 overs), 25 points. READ MORE: Greenock Cricket Club eager to welcome the next generation to Glenpark Meanwhile, Greenock's second XI, Glenpark, enjoyed a maximum haul of 25 points from their own league opener away to Galloway in Gatehouse of Fleet. Batting first, Glenpark struggled to just 104 all out from their innings, with team captain Eddie Ahmad top scorer with 50. But the Glenpark attack then took centre stage, bowling out Galloway for only 96 to earn the visitors victory by just eight runs. Arun Nair, with three wickets for five runs, and Hamid Safi, who returned figures of three for eight, were Glenpark's two top bowlers. Glenpark 104 all out (33.4 overs), 25 points; Galloway 96 all out (30.1 overs), 0 points. The weekend's Greenock cricket action was completed when a Greenock XI secured a comfortable win over the XL Club at Glenpark on Sunday. Batting first, the XL Club batsmen were unable to develop any good partnerships and were restricted to just 72 runs; Muhib Ahmadzai took four wickets for just four runs from 6.3 overs and Nikhil Kadyan took three for just a single run in the space of only four overs. The Greenock XI then lost just one wicket as they overtook the visitors' score in only 19 overs; Shailesh Prabhu retired having scored 25 runs while Sudeep Chaudhary (16) and Cammy Calder (14) were both unbeaten. The single wicket to fall was Aryan Sanghera who was dismissed for 17 runs. A new club flag donated by honorary vice-president Roger Hardie was unfurled at the tea interval during the 1st XI match v Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon.
Herald Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Millions of Australians have less than $1000 in savings: Finder
Nearly 8.3 million Aussies have less than $1000 in the bank, according to shock new data, sounding the alarm over the shrinking path to homeownership. New Finder data released this week showed 38 per cent of Australians have under $1000 in savings, which equates to approximately 8.294m Australian adults — based on 2025 population figures from IBISWorld. Zippy Financial principal broker Louisa Sanghera said the finding wasn't just a red flag, it was a 'deal-breaker' for anyone hoping to secure a home loan without family help. RELATED: Asian mural creates backyard resort-style oasis at Melb home 'Just three properties': Aus rental crisis hits new breaking point RCA: Cafe in Melbourne's inner north comes with unusual feature 'You can't get into the market with that kind of balance,' Ms Sanghera said. 'Unless mum and dad are stepping in as guarantors, most buyers with under $1000 saved are completely locked out.' While schemes like Labor's First Home Guarantee offer a five per cent deposit towards getting on the property ladder, Ms Sanghera said that was still out of reach for many would-be buyers. 'Yes, you can buy with five per cent, but the bank still needs to see genuine savings, consistent income, and evidence you can service the loan,' she said. 'That means the $1000 crowd are being left behind — even with government help.' M R Advocacy director and buyer's advocate Madeleine Roberts said the figure pointed to a 'massive gap' between financial reality and what was needed to secure a home loan. 'We're talking about people with less than $1000 saved, at a time when even getting taken seriously by a lender means having at least $80,000 in the bank,' Ms Roberts said. 'It's not just the deposit — it's stamp duty, legal fees, upfront costs. And meanwhile, the cost of living keeps climbing.' Ms Roberts said rentvesting and co-buying were on the rise, but warned the emotional toll of being priced out was taking its own form of cost. 'I've got clients in their 30s still in sharehouses, watching prices climb every month while they sacrifice holidays, (and) dining out, just to chase a deposit,' she said. 'Some still make it. But more and more are quietly walking away.' PropTrack senior economist Anne Flaherty said affordability pressures were reshaping the market, with more buyers turning to one-bedroom units and regional alternatives. 'Affordability pressures are driving people to smaller or cheaper markets,' Ms Flaherty said. 'But the broader challenge remains unchanged: saving at all. For many renters, there's simply nothing left over. 'Rents are rising fast. Real incomes have gone backwards. 'The amount of money left after essentials — household disposable income — is at extremely low levels.' The savings figure comes amid broader concerns about housing inequality, with Ms Flaherty warning the divide between those with parental support and those without is growing wider. 'We're heading into one of the largest intergenerational wealth transfers in history, and it's deepening the wealth gap,' she said. 'If you don't have access to family support, getting into the market is significantly harder.' Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Inside quirky Kinglake house made from 13,569 bottles Young family's reno pays off with $1m+ result in Seaford Rare double 'pond' homes for sale next to Vic wombat farm
