Ropar, April 24
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today conducted surprise raids on government offices here. The Chief Minister reached the office of the Deputy Commissioner exactly at 9 am. There he browsed the information about the district on the website of Ropar.
Later, he visited the tehsil complex and asked common people if they were facing any difficulty. He visited the Ropar Civil Hospital and examined the arrangements made for facing the SARS problem. Here also he interacted with patients to know about their problems.
Though the visit of the Chief Minister is said to be absolutely secret and unscheduled, it is quite surprising that all officers were present in their offices before 9 am, which is generally not the practice otherwise.
Later, while addressing a press conference in the committee room of the mini-secretariat here, the Chief Minister said his unscheduled visit was aimed at checking the working of the tehsil complex and preparedners of the district hospital for countering the SARS problem.
He claimed that the suspected SARS case detected in Bathinda yesterday had proved to be negative as the patient was responding to the treatment by antibiotics. However, the government was serious about the threat posed by SARS and had directed the district health authorities to keep ready special isolated units in hospitals to treat the suspected cases of SARS. Special masks for doctors and nurses deployed for treating the SARS cases had also been ordered. The SDOs, sarpanches and councillors had also been directed to keep a close watch on the health of the persons coming to their respective areas after foreign trips.
Responding to a query regarding the Anandpur Sahib Foundation, the Chief Minister said the organisation was not the fiefdom of some person. The government would soon release the information regarding the donations made to the Anandpur Sahib Foundation on the website. Till date, as per the accounts of the organisation, only Rs 11 lakh had been received as donations.
About the Nanakshahi calendar, the Chief Minister said it would become difficult for the governments if different organisations started releasing their own calendars. Till date the SGPC had not sent the details regarding the calendar to the government. Any decision regarding the acceptance of the calendar could only be taken after studying it.
Capt Amarinder Singh said three officials of the district transport office and four officials of the local tehsil complex were found absent from duty today. Action had been recommended against them and the district administration directed to check absentism in future.
While returning the Chief Minister stopped at Government Primary School at Pheora village. Finding the condition of the school in poor state he announced an immediate grant of Rs 2 lakh to the school.
