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Civil Hospital at Dhilwan a victim of official apathy
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‘Upgrade Rajasansi Airport to tap tourism potential of Punjab’
Planning Commission member visits RCF
Lyallpur College wins trophy in BIZ-Fiesta
Woman commits suicide
Bawa Shoes workers hold protest rally
Theft at gurdwara
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Waiting for a possible mishap
Jalandhar, November 20 Once an outhouse of the Maharaja of Kapurthala and now believed to be a property of Punjab State Co-operative Bank, about 180-year-old building has fallen on bad days. Many portions of the roof have already crashed down; and post the earthquake, the rest is hanging as if by a thin thread. The structure is imposing like all royal constructions are, but lacks upkeep. There are giant porches that lead to giant wooden doors. The floor is hard as stone, and the stuccoed white wall stand in elegance. One palatial room even has a mirror clipped on a closet. Windows have their iron nets intact: protection against mosquitoes but not time. The Maharaja’s outhouse or rest-house (as some say) was declared unsafe by the Public Works Department (PWD) 10 years ago. But neither the department, nor bigwigs of the Cooperative Society are willing check the building’s status now. A trip upstairs through the still intact spiral staircase reveals the extent of damage time and official apathy have inflicted. The roof is full of weeds and carries gaping holes that go straight down. Most roof chambers have been closed but employees can be seen milling around. One official points out the deep cracks and the protruding bricks on the rod-fastened ceiling—a legacy of the quake. The ceiling is made of wood — eaten by both time and termites. “We are not sure what will happen next. The fan might fall, the roof even,” says a woman working there. The cracks on the floor could be seen hastily cemented. The ground floor is damp and dark. The rooms here are huge. One even has a white fireplace, now filled with cobwebs. Lonely cupboards sit like shadows. Decaying files lie like mounds of white rocks. Two such rooms recently lost parts of their ceiling and got sun roofs. “We were lucky: last time when a roof fell, it was a Saturday (holiday) and when the quake struck, it was a Saturday again,” says the woman. It might not be a holiday the next time. The building was bought by the bank after 1950, a senior official informs; and has been left to perish. A junior assistant of the society said the office paid a rent of Rs 81 and Rs 41 to the bank for two of its divisions respectively, housed in the same building. The rent, worth peanuts now, may also be one of the reasons the society is clinging onto the old structure. “If we shift to the bank premises, the same rent will touch a staggering Rs 70,000 a month. What revenue will be left then?” adds the official. “We have been asking the authorities to relocate us somewhere else. But there is no response,” infirmed Mr Ashok Kumar Sharma, superintendent and Joint Registrar of the society’s Jalandhar Division. “If any accidents happen, the bank and the PWD will be held responsible.” Next to the outhouse is the futuristic-looking grey building of Punjab State Cooperative Bank, built around 1986. The contrast is extraordinary. District Manager of the bank said his office had nothing to do with the building. “It’s for the society and the Punjab government to decide.” Mr Bishwajit Khanna, Registrar of the society, said he was unaware that such a building existed and was a threat to the lives of the employees working there. He said he would write about the matter to the officer concerned. The officer concerned turned out to be Mr Sharanjit Singh Bham, Joint Registrar of the society. But he too knew next to nothing on the existence of such conditions in the office premises. “But if the situation is this worse, we certainly cannot put the lives of the employees at risk.” |
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Civil Hospital at Dhilwan a victim of official apathy
Dhilwan (Kapurthala), November 20 The societies, which comprise some NRIs from the village and some local residents, had taken the initiative of renovating the Civil Hospital situated in this village on the Amritsar-Jalandhar part of the GT Road. Members of both societies complain that though they have completed almost the entire renovation of the building, no authority from the District Health Department has bothered to visit the spot and guide them, despite repeated requests. The hospital building, constructed in 1968, was in a dilapidated condition. Walls of many rooms had caved in. A water pump installed for the disposal of sewage was out of order, and the toilets, built 37 years ago, were in bad shape. The emergency unit had become a house of wild shrubs. And the building itself had become an abode of snakes, rats and wasps. “Initially, we thought of repairing the emergency unit only. There was a dire need of it because of frequent accidents on the GT Road. Also, there is no hospital nearby except the one at Beas,” said Mr Harjit Singh Dhillon, president, Dhilwan Development Society (UK), adding, “Later we decided to renovate the entire building, and also provide to the hospital the necessary medical equipments.” He said the societies, with their own resources, had laid a sanitation system in the village. In addition to this, the societies had built a mortuary near the village and converted a pond of dirty water into a park, he added. He said the district authorities were not even interested in taking possession of the new building. Probably they were reluctant to provide medical staff and other important facilities, he added. “At present, only one lady doctor is posted at this eight-bed hospital”, said Mr Dhillon. “But there is a requirement of two medical officers, one senior medical officer, one ANM, one sanitary inspector, one multi-purpose health worker and three ward attendants,” Mr Dhillon said. When contacted, Dr J.S. Sidana, CMO, Kapurthala, said the hospital had the staff it needed, and only the post of SMO had been vacant for the past two months due to the premature retirement of the official concerned. He said a 24-hour emergency service would be started soon in the hospital. |
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‘Upgrade Rajasansi Airport to tap
Jalandhar, November 20 The Punjab government should take up the matter concerning the expansion of Rajasansi Airport with the Centre immediately. Also, efforts should be made to convert the Jalandhar-Amritsar and Jalandhar-Pathankot roads into six-lane roads. This was observed by Dr Manohar Singh Gill, MP and former Chief Election Commission of India, who was here to inaugurate the Lala Lajpat Rai College of Nursing Education set up by the Gulab Devi Memorial Hospital Trust on the premises of Gulab Devi Hospital here today. Mr Gill said about 45 per cent of foreign travellers, who took flights to different countries from Delhi Airport were from Punjab. They faced many problems in going to Delhi and taking the flight from the airport there. The problems also kept foreign tourists at bay and discouraged them, despite the fact that Punjab was a good tourist destination, he added. “Expansion of Amritsar airport will not only offer more facilities to NRIs and tourists, but would also give a boost to the economy of Punjab. More tourists would get attracted to the state, which has a large number of historical places,” he said. He also suggested that to give a fillip to trade and industry, an International Export Centre could be set up in Punjab, from where agricultural produce, including fresh vegetables, could be exported to the Gulf and other countries. The proposed centre could also export apples from Himachal, and Jammu and Kashmir, and in turn, the revenue of these two states could increase, and farmers could benefit from the export of their crop. Lamenting that sportspersons (apart from cricketers) were not being encouraged in Punjab, he said, “Budding sportspersons from Punjab have a great potential, but this needs to be tapped. For this, they need better facilities.” Laying emphasis on the need to educate women, he said education was the “real gift” that parents and society could give to girls. “Education enables a woman to fight against all odds,” he said, adding that there was a great demand for Indian nurses in foreign countries. Ms G. Bajwa, Principal of the College of Nursing, Gulab Devi Hospital, also spoke on the occasion. |
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Planning Commission member visits RCF
Kapurthala, November 20 The RCF had put forward a proposal before the Railways Ministry about the supply of metro coaches for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The DMRC has been getting the coaches made from a Bangalore-based company, which imports these from South Korea. The RCF management said it was confident of meeting the challenge of supplying the world-class metro coaches to DMRC and was optimistic about getting the order. This visit by a member of the Planning Commission has brightened the chances of the RCF in getting the orders, said Mr Yashpal Gupta, General Manager, RCF, adding that a recommendation from the Planning Commission to the Railway Ministry in this regard could tilt the decision in favour of the RCF. To make their case, a presentation was organised regarding the manufacturing facilities and design aspects of RCF-built coaches before the official. The expertise displayed by the RCF at the presentation included innovative concepts like controlled discharge toilet system, anti-climbing features of centre buffer couplers, disk-braking system and roof-mounted air-conditioned unit with humidity control system. |
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Lyallpur College wins trophy in BIZ-Fiesta
Kapurthala, November 20 During the fest, which concluded yesterday, more than 350 students participated in various competitions. Mr Samir Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, inaugurated the Juniors’ Zone competitions. Dr Satish Verma, Director, Centre for Distance Education, Guru Nanak Dev University, inaugurated the Seniors’ Zone contests. Juniors’ Zone Results: Extempore — Hindu Kanya Collegiate School, Kapurthala, (1), Christ King Convent School (2), KRM DAV Collegiate School, Nakodar (Consolation Prize). Poster Making — Christ King Convent School (1), Army School, Kapurthala, (2). Poem Recitation — KRM DAV Collegiate School, Nakodar, (1), Govt Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala, (2), Little Angel Co-ed School (Consolation Prize). Model Demonstration — Army School, Kapurthala, and Govt Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala, (1), Hindu Kanya Collegiate School, Kapurthala, (2), Govt Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala (Consolation Prize). Skit — KRM DAV Collegiate School, Nakodar, (1), and Mandi Hardinganj Girls High School, Kapurthala, (2). Fancy Dress — KRM DAV Collegiate School, Nakodar, (1), Guru Nanak Collegiate School, Nakodar, (2). Quiz — Hindu Kanya Collegiate School, Kapurthala, (1), Christ King Convent School, Kapurthala, (2). Seniors Zone Results: Choreography — Hindu Kanya College (1), Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, (2). Debate — Hindu Kanya College, Kapurthala, (1), Doaba College, Jalandhar, (2), Guru Nanak Dev University College, Jalandhar, (Consolation Prize). Advertisement Campaign — Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, (1), KRM DAV College, Nakodar, (2). Hodgepodge — Hindu Kanya College, Kapurthala, (1), DAV College, Jalandhar, (2). Software Development — Kamla Nehru College for Women, Phagwara, (1), Guru Nanak College, Sukhchaina Sahib, (2), Institute of Engineering and Management, Kapurthala, (Consolation Prize). Group Discussion — APJ College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, (1), KMV, Jalandhar, (2). Slogan Writing — Sri Guru Angad Dev College of Education, Khadoor Sahib, (1), Jasbir Singh, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, (2). Hard Selling — Hindu Kanya College, Kapurthala, (1), APJ College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar, (2). |
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Woman commits suicide
Jalandhar, November 20 According to the statements given by the woman’s neighbours to the police, Bindu returned from her job around 6 pm yesterday. Around 8 pm, one of her neighbours found her body hanging in her room. Devi Lal told the police that she had been suffering from depression for some time. The Maqsudan police has registered a case under Section 174 of the IPC. |
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Bawa Shoes workers hold protest rally
Jalandhar, November 20 Meanwhile, in the same rally, the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) flayed the Punjab Labour Minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh for his alleged failure to take care of the Punjab Labour Department. The union alleged that the minister was not paying enough attention towards the Labour Department, and the working class was suffering because of this. |
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Theft at gurdwara
Kapurthala, November 20 The gurdwara’s granthi Rupinder Singh said he saw the doors of the gurdwara open. The golak (cash-box) was found broken and the cash in it missing, he added. |
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Meditation camp
Jalandhar, November 20 |
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Jalandhar, November 20
