Woman dies during treatment, declared brought dead
Family seeks probe
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 20
A local family has urged the health authorities to conduct an inquiry into the alleged attempt of a private hospital at Ludhiana to show a decrease in mortality rate by showing patients as brought dead instead of giving the cause of death in the death certificate. The staff attending on Amarjit Kaur, who died during treatment there, has been accused of showing negligence.

Mr Naresh Kumar Kashyap of the Bajrang Akhara area has accused the authorities of a Ludhiana-based hospital of manipulating records to lower mortality rate figures. He said Amarjit Kaur, his mother, had been receiving treatment at a hospital, where she was admitted 13 years ago. The treatment resulted in weakness in her left side and she had to continue the treatment for around 12 years.

She fell ill on May 8 and was brought to a local hospital. After knowing the history of the patient, Dr Sunit Hind advised the family to take the patient to the hospital at Ludhiana so that doctors there might see the previous treatment file.

He said the patient was taken to the Ludhiana-based hospital at 6 p.m. the same day.

“Though the condition of the patient was serious, she was not properly attended to. . Instead of giving her life support immediately, they made us shuttle between the cash counter and the trauma ward. My mother ultimately died at 8.20 p.m. and my father, Jaswinder Singh received her body after making the final payment,” he said.

The family was later shocked to note that hospital authorities had shown the patient as brought dead in the column meant for cause of death. The fact came to their notice when they faced a problem in getting a death certificate from an office at Ludhiana. Mr Kashyap said, “The birth and death registration office at Ludhiana argued that the certificate would be issued by the authorities at the place where the death took place. The hospital authorities maintained that the patient had been brought dead.”

To substantiate their allegation, members of the family showed receipts and prescription slips. Receipt 3942 showed that at 7.17 p.m., Rs 20 was received as card fee revisit for enabling the doctor on duty to scrutinise an old file. At 7.30 pm, life-saving injections including atropine fluids and IV sets, were bought. The doctor attending on her had made a written demand for an endo-tracheal tube, injection dobutamine suction cath and airway (adult). Receipt 1800 showed that angio cath, 3-way stopcock, fluids, atropine, adrenaline, ECG electrodis and syringes were purchased for the patient at 8.37 pm. Receipt 3949 showed the deposit of
Rs 300 at 8.33 pm.

Aggrieved family members asked, “If the patient was brought dead, as mentioned in the certificate, why did doctors administer her injections and fluids? Why did they not mention the cause of death and the condition in which she died?” 

Less time allotted for engineering 
entrance, allege candidates
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
Amidst allegations of allotting less time for physics and chemistry papers, 540 candidates appeared in the All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) at Kundan Vidya Mandir here today.

The candidates said while the examination was to commence at 9:30 am, it started at 10 am. They said due to delay on the part of the board officials, they were allowed to enter the centre at 9:45 am. After they settled down, question papers were distributed, followed by four rounds of signatures and other official formalities. They said it was only at 10 am that they were told to open the seals of the papers and start attempting the paper.

The examinees said during the course of the examination, they were told that they would be given extra time. They said that they thought that they would be given half an hour extra time and would be allowed to attempt the paper till 12:30 pm. They said they were told to give the papers back at 12:15 pm, forcing them to leave many questions unattempted.

Some boys in room 7 of the centre said at 12:10 p.m. the invigilator announced that 20 minutes were left. But the bell rang at 12:15 p.m. and she gave them just two minutes and started collecting the papers. The boys said they had planned the paper accordingly, but unfortunately, they were forced to miss at least 15 or 20 questions. They said they resisted a lot and called the CBSE observer, but no one listened to them.

The parents who accompanied the candidates said this was a huge loss to their wards as it could have an adverse effect on their overall rank. They said the career of their children was largely based on their attempt in the test, but the board officials had been injust by allotting them less time.

The test was also held at Greenland Public Senior Secondary School and Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar. At Sacred Heart, the CBSE observer failed to turn up, but Dr A.K. Saxena from the Department of Plant Breeding, Punjab Agricultural University, was called in his place.

Mr S.C. Saxena, Principal of KVM and nodal officer of the board for the test, said there had been only a 15-minute delay in starting the test, which was compensated by giving the candidates 15 extra minutes at the end. He said the allegations of the parents and students of being half an hour late were false and fabricated.

Pointing out the reason for the delay, Mr Saxena said several bundles of papers had to be opened this morning. He said the board officials said the process should be started at 8 am, but the time taken in the process was 15 minutes more than the time estimated. Mr Saxena admitted that an observer failed to reach Sacred Heart, but added that the paper started on time at that centre. 

Industry welcomes Manmohan as PM
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 20
Cutting across organisational affiliations the industry across the state, particularly Ludhiana, is elated and excited over Dr Manmohan Singh becoming the Prime Minister of the country.

According to Mr PD Sharma, president of the Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the industry in Punjab is jubilant over the development. He said the industry here is proud of Dr Manmohan Singh’s contribution to the economy of the country in general and Punjab’s economy in particular.

He pointed out, that when there was crisis in getting loan from banks and Punjab was facing law and order problem, Dr Manmohan Singh gave a very good package to Punjab’s industry. Punjab’s industry shall extend fullest cooperation to Dr Manmohan Singh he added.

On the eve of the Lok Sabha elections, Dr Manmohan Singh also visited Ludhiana and had a meeting with industry. The industry brought two particular points to his notice. He was requested that while framing economic policy proper balance between greed of the private sector and inefficiency of public sector should be kept in mind. Secondly to check the volatility in steel prices and save the user from exploitation, a Steel regulatory commission may be set up. With his becoming Prime Minster, Mr Sharma said, it is expected that both these points will find a relevant place in the economic policy of the country.

Mr Inderjit Singh Pardhan, president, and Mr Avtar Singh, general secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU), Ludhiana, have also hailed the appointment of Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister of India. Mr Pardhan asserted that the future of the country will be safe in the hands of Dr Manmohan Singh, who is a world-famous economist and is well conversant with the economic problems of India.

Mr Pardhan said the problems of unprecedented hike in the prices of steel will now be solved with the intervention of Dr Manmohan Singh, who will be apprised of the problems travails of the engineering industry by a delegation of CICU.

Manmohan Singh ‘great visionary’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
Mr Tulsidas Jaitwani, president, Punjab Beopar Mandal, today hailed the choice of Dr Manmohan Singh as the next Prime Minister of the country. In a statement here, Mr Jaitwani said that Dr Manmohan Singh really deserved this post and traders and industrialists had special delight on his choice as Prime Minister. His choice had spread a ray of hope among them that the trade and industry would flourish under leadership and their difficulties would be mitigated.

Mr Jaitwani described Dr Manmohan Singh as soft spoken, visionary noble and humble. An economist of international calibre, a wave of jubiliation had spread all over the country and Punjab in particular. Mr Jaitwani also lauded the exemplary sacrifices made by Mrs Sonia Gandhi which had created a history.

Sonia has shirked from responsibility: BJP leader
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 20
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and a former Member of Parliament, Lala Lajpat Rai, today apprehended that Ms Sonia Gandhi may emerge as an extra-constitutional authority in the country which will not only harm the interests of the country but that of the Congress as well.

Talking to reporters here the senior BJP leader regretted that the Congress president had shirked from her responsibility of heading a government. He said Ms Sonia Gandhi had been elected leader by a majority of the elected members of Parliament. She should not have shied away from taking the charge.

Mr Rai also questioned the claims of “renunciation and voice of conscience” on part of Ms Gandhi. “Why did the voice of conscience come to her so late, particularly after she had already staked her claim to form the government”, he asked, adding, “Ms Gandhi did not feel confident enough to lead the country”.

Welcoming the decision to appoint Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister Mr Rai feared that he might not be allowed to act independently. He pointed out, Ms Gandhi had retained with herself post of the Leader of the Congress parliamentary party and also the party president.

He said he hoped that the government would last its full term of five years. But at the same time, he warned, it was a contradiction ridden government which would be pulled towards different directions by people having no common platform. He remarked, that their only common minimum programme was to keep the BJP out of power.

He said it was a moment of pride for the people of Punjab that the son of the soil had been elevated to such a position. He said the countrymen had great expectations from him. “The job of Dr Manmohan Singh had become more difficult as people will compare him with Mr Vajpayee,”, he said. 

Those who couldn’t vote

The following names have been found missing in the voter's list during parliamentary election:

PSEB asked to improve working
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
Citing specific instances, the Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) has charged the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) with causing harassment to the consumers and has called for immediate and effective steps to improve its working, particularly with respect to billing operations.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chairman of the PSEB, ABGP press secretary Dr S.B. Pandhi has demanded that defective meters be replaced immediately and bills for the period during which the meters have malfunctioned, be claimed on an average basis rather than on the basis of maximum consumption.

He wants the ME laboratory of the PSEB to function in a fair and transparent manner, alleging that there has been a tendency to penalise consumers to show efficiency.

The ABGP has pointed out that billing operations of the PSEB leave much to be desired and clerical errors and totalling mistakes are not rectified for months together. The billing staff of the board has been misusing the sundry charges column as a weapon to harass and fleece consumers, it has alleged.

Dr Pandhi has observed that disputes settlement committees set up by the PSEB have failed to serve their purpose of dispensing justice to consumers due to their non-representative composition and a strong bias against consumers. These committees comprise of 3 or 5 members, who are all PSEB officials, and consumer organisations are not given any representation on the committees. The provision of not being able to move consumer courts once a dispute is referred to the committee is loaded against the consumers. 

Farmers seek uninterrupted power supply
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 20
The Bharti Kisan Union has urged the state government to ensure 10 hours of un-interrupted power supply to the farmers for the paddy season which begins from May 25.

Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and Prof M. S. Qadian, president and general secretary of the outfit, said power was needed if the state government wanted to bring about diversification in agriculture. Paddy was one crop which the farmers of the state could not do without and the same had been recommended by economist S. S. Johl in his report.

He said the farmers who had opted to sow mentha, sunflower, potatoes and sugarcane were anxiously awaiting an announcement regarding power supply since they were in the process of readying their fields and needed water for irrigation. A number of farmers opting for paddy across the state would be benefited and the load on the transmission network would also be minimised, they pointed out.

The kisan leaders also added that the PSEB should undertake major repairs so that the farmers could be saved from the breakdown of equipment and transformers during the season. They demanded that the tubewell connections of the farmers, who had deposited the requisite fees, should be released forthwith. The board should also stop levying 10 per cent penalty on the farmers who have not paid their bills well in time.

The farmers said the government should also stop charging water cess from the farmers whose fields were irrigated by canal water. Efforts should also be made to ensure free power to this sector as announced by the Chief Minister as per poll promise.

Since the financial health of the state had improved, the government should come up with more welfare schemes for poor farmers. More concessions should be announced and the ones taken away should be restored at the earliest, they demanded.

Dust haze engulfs city
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
Even as the sun did not shine bright and the temperature came down by at least three degrees today, it did not provide much respite to the residents here as the city remained engulfed by a dust haze.

The dusty weather caused problem to the commuters. Weather experts at Punjab Agricultural University have said the conditions will remain the same in Punjab and adjoining areas for the next 24 hours.

While the maximum temperature yesterday was 45°C, it dropped to 42.8°C today. The relative humidity also lowered to 39 per cent in the morning and 30 per cent in the evening today as compared to a maximum of 60 per cent and a minimum 20 per cent yesterday.

MC to step up development works
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
The Municipal Corporation has decided to step up the pace of development, both in the fields of infrastructure development and delivery of services. The MC Commissioner, Mr S. K. Sharma, told this correspondent that work had already been started for the completion of Rs 20-crore project under which all major roads and streets of the city would be resurfaced. Out of 2,985 km within the city, only 50 km were still to be surfaced while a fresh coat was being provided to other roads.

He said more than 400 parks in the city localities falling in Zones A, B and C had been handed over to the contractors for maintenance whereas the remaining more than 300 parks in Zone D would be looked after by the horticulture wing of the civic body.

The supervisory officers were told to keep a close vigil on the work being carried out by the contractors.

He said the Municipal Corporation had taken up the matter regarding the occasional cut in supply of water due to mechanical or electrical faults or power cut during the water supply timings with the Chief Engineer of the PSEB here.

According to Mr Sharma, development works worth Rs 21.6 crore were in progress at the end of the last financial year.

In the last meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee held on February 26, approval was accorded to 80 new works, including 31 of the electrical wing, estimated to cost Rs 11 crore. However, work could not be started on these projects due to the imposition of model code of conduct.

Process had already been initiated to invite tenders for development projects costing Rs 30.87 crore, including the works cleared in the last meeting of F&CC.

The MC Commissioner said the builder had resumed work on the 32.68 crore elevated road project after the MC served a notice upon him warning him of cancellation of contract if further delay was caused. The F&CC had already granted an extension of 15 months for the completion of the project by end of this financial year.

Similarly, work was in progress on the Civil Line area for the replacement of Lakkar Pul with Rs 13.26-crore bridge to be aligned with the elevated road. 

1 killed, 7 hurt as bus overturns
Our Correspondent

Khanna, May 20
One person was killed and seven others were injured when a mini-bus overturned near Nasrali village on the Malerkotla road this morning. According to an injured passenger, Ashwani, the bus was going to Rauni. When it reached near Nasrali village, the driver took a sudden turn to save a jeep coming from the opposite side, making it go, out of control and overturn.The conductor of the bus, who tried to save himself, came under the bus and died on the spot. He was identified as Charnjit Singh, a resident of Bakshiwal village.

The other injured were identified as driver of the bus, Balwinder Singh a resident of Jarg, Manjit Kaur of Khanna Khurd road, Avtar Singh of Jarg, Rashwinder of Kotla Dhak and Ashwani Kumar, Jiwan Kumar and Jagar Mal, all brothers and residents of Bank Colony Khanna. The injured were admitted to Civil Hospital Khanna.

In another accident, a motor cyclist was injured near Malerkotla chowk. The injured man was identified as Kulwinder Singh, son of Darshan Singh, and resident of Kauri village. He was rushed to Civil Hospital Khanna from where he was referred to a Ludhiana hospital.

Safai workers demand wages
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
The sangharsh committee of safai workers of the municipal corporation today organised a protest against the non-payment of salaries to more than 200 workers deployed on garbage containers for the last two months.

Led by committee convener Vijay Danav, the workers later submitted a memorandum to the Joint Commissioner of the corporation Ms Babita Kler, demanding the immediate payment of wages to the safai workers.

Mr Danav said the Joint Commissioner gave them a sympathetic hearing and assured them that the payment would be made to the workers within the next 10 days. He said she further asked the workers to carry out their duties.

Godman dead
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 20
Swami Braham Chetanya died at Brahanpur village, near here, today. His body was handed over to the authorities of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital at Ludhiana as he had donated his body to the hospital for research. A large number of politicians used to come his cottage. He had been ill for quite some time.

Dr Iqbal bereaved
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
Mrs Harjeet Kaur (85), mother- in-law of Dr Iqbal Singh Ahuja, the Ludhiana doctor who brought the test tube baby technology to northern India in 1991, died here yesterday. She was the mother of Dr M.Chawla, who was also part of the IVF team in 1991. She leaves three sons and four daughters, including the wife of Dr Iqbal. Her cremation last evening was largely attended.

Lance Naik cremated

Doraha, May 20
The body of Lance Naik Rajinder Singh of 32 Battalion, BSF, was cremated today with honours at his native village Shahpur.

Rajinder Singh (42) was posted at Tripura where in a gunbattle with terrorists he was injured. He was taken to Agartala hospital where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday. He is survived by his wife and daughter. OC

Shopkeeper booked for abetting suicide 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 20
The division No. 2 police yesterday booked a shopkeeper of Karim Pura bazar under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC for allegedly driving a person to suicide. Ms Neesha, wife of Ramesh Kumar, who lives in Islam Ganj Mohalla, complained to the police that her husband had taken some loan from the shopkeeper, Surinder Pal Singh Chawla. Shedded that when her husband expressed his inability to pay the money, the shopkeeper insulted him. This led him into depression and he took some poisonous substance which led to his death.

Two killed in mishaps: The Salem Tabri police on Wednesday registered a case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC on the statement of Mr Jagdish Kumar of street No. 5 of New Kailash Nagar against the driver of a bus.

The complainant stated that the suspect hit Satnam Singh on Kali Sarak near the G T Road on Wednesday killing him on the spot.

The Sadar police also registered a case on Wednesday under the same sections of the IPC on the statement of Mr Balbir Singh of Laddowal village against Bansi Lal of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The complainant stated that the suspect, who was driving a truck, hit Gurmit Kaur near Hardy World on the Jalandhar road . Gurmit, who was on a cycle, died on the spot.

Fraud alleged: The Model Town police on Wednesday registered a case under section 420 of the IPC on the statement of Mr Aprail Singh of Sudhar Gill Patti village against Surinderjit Singh of Model Town.

The complainant stated that he had paid Rs 6,40,000 to the suspect for taking him to a foreign country but he was neither sent abroad nor returned his money.

In-laws booked: The Sarabha Nagar police has registered a case under various sections of the IPC on the statement of Ms Lavinder Kaur, an NRI now living in Jeewan Preet Nagar, against her husband Navdeep Singh, father-in-law Kuldeep Singh Uppal and mother-in-law Narinder Kaur.

She stated that the above said used to beat her up and harass her for more dowry. She had been incarcerated in a room and was rescued from there by her grandmother.

4 booked for eve-teasing: The division No. 4 police has registered a case under various sections of the IPC on the statement of Mr Dharam Pal, who lives near the Tuttianwala Mandir on the Shivpuri road, against Ravi Parkash, Deepak, Shiv and Happy, residents of Gandhi Nagar.

The complainant alleged that the accused had been teasing schoolgirls

Opium seized: The Model Town police on Tuesday arrested a widow, Mindo, of Abdullapur Basti , and seized 250 gm of opium from her under the NDPS Act.

Cases of assault: On the statement of Ms Rajwinder Kaur, who lives in street No. 5 of Kishore Nagar, the division No. 7 police on Wednesday registered a case under sections 323 and 324 of the IPC against Gurmit Singh of Indra Puri locality on the Tajpur road.

The complainant stated that the suspect attacked her on Wednesday with a sharpedged weapon and injured her.

The Jodhewal police registered a case under various sections of the IPC on the statement of Ms Pinky of Subhash Nagar Mohalla against Sushil Kumar, Ravinder Kapoor, Vimla Devi and Sunita.

The woman alleged that her in-laws beat her up and intimidated her on Monday night at Subhash Nagar.

The Koom Kalan police on Tuesday registered a case on the statement of Mr Sukhdev Singh of Machhian Kalan village against Surjit Singh, Gurjit Singh, Baldev Singh, Bhajan Singh and Gurnam Singh, all residents of Garcha village.

The complainant alleged that the accused attacked him and his nephew with sticks and sharpedged weapons injuring them.

Injured: The Civil Lines police on Wednesday registered a case under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC on the statement of Mr Ravi Bhatia of Nandpur village near Sahnewal against Arun Kumar of College Road.

The complainant stated that the accused, who was driving an Indica car, hit his motorcycle near the Rose Garden on Wednesday evening, injuring him.

Bookies held: The Civil Line police on Wednesday arrested Rajinder Kumar of Guru Arjan Dev Nagar and Rajiv Kumar of New Kundan Puri and recovered Rs 10, 700 from them and booked them under the Gambling Act. The police said today that the accused were apprehended from the Aarti chowk where they were indulging in satta. Both were later released on bail, added the police.

Body found
Our Correspondent

Doraha, May 20
A body, bearing injury marks and brutally tortured, was recovered by the police near Sirhind canal at Landa village today. The body has been identified as that of Gurdyal Singh, son of Rajinder Singh, a resident of Doraha. It has been sent for postmortem by the police. The deceased was 25 years of age.

According to the boy’s relatives, Gurdyal Singh went along with his friends last night but did not return till they were informed that his body was lying at Landa village, under mysterious circumstances. The police is making preliminary investigations. A case is yet to be registered.