Amritsar, February 11
The state government should clarify its stand on the introduction of BT Brinjal and other genetically modified crops.

While welcoming the suspension of government’s decision on the introduction of Bt Brinjal in the country, Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM) today said state Health Minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla and Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah are surprisingly silent on the issue as it is concerned with the health of the people.

“The Punjab government should come up with its clear stand regarding Bt Brinjal, particularly in context with the statement given by Dr. MS Swaminathan, father of the green revolution”, stated Umendra Dutt, Executive Director of the mission.

He said the state was already reeling under serious environmental degradation, a fact which was also pointed out by Union Minister Jai Ram Ramesh in his report, adding that Bt Brinjal was not the only option for pest control.

Seeking a blanket ban, Dutt emphasised on the study of the hazardous impact on the health of the masses due to ill effects of these GM crops. He said the seeds of such crops should be confiscated and a liability clause should also be fixed on the crop developer in case on any potential leakage during the period of moratorium.

He pointed out that there were long term intergeneration impacts of GM crops on humans and it should not be allowed to introduce only by experimenting on laboratory rats for 90 days.

Expressing dismay, the KVM said they had already given a memorandum for banning GM crops in Punjab, to the state health ministry about a year ago, but it bothered the government little even on such a grievous issue as this. He said the issue required a deliberate discussion before any decision. The mission urged the Agriculture Minister and Health Minister of Punjab to recommend a complete ban on the use and trials of Genetic Engineering-based technology in the state.

Dutt pointed out that many safer and sustainable alternatives exist and the technology was hazardous enough for a country, which has a huge indigenous heritage of food, farming and related knowledge.

“We don’t need to rely on laboratory research to ensure food and nutritional sovereignty in the country”, he said.

Meanwhile, Deepak Babbar, Executive Director, Mission Aagaaz and Jagmohan Singh of Lok Kalyan Samiti supported the KVM’s stand regarding the Bt Technology. They said this poisonous technology should not be allowed anywhere in India as it has the potential to wipe out our future generations. 

Jalandhar, February 11
Health services in some of the departments in the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar are again at their lowest as the X-ray department of the hospital runs without the X-ray films of a particular size.

X-ray films of size 12”X16” have not been available with the department for the last two days and it seems unlikely that the department can procure it in the coming days.

It is pertinent to mention here that X-ray films of this size are required to shoot X-rays for the chest and abdomen test. As this X-ray serves as one of the important diagnostic tools to determine the occurrence of some important diseases, some major departments of the hospital are bearing the brunt of the non-availability of these films.

Authorities say the procurement is delayed owing to some pending payment to the manufacturing company.

“As far as I know, there is some issue regarding the payment of old stock. Issue will be resolved very soon and films will be purchased locally through the same firm. We have no other option as there is only one manufacturer of the film, whom we can approach locally”, said Dr Avtar Chand, who has been serving as acting Medical Superintendent for the last few days.

It is learnt that nearly 40-50 patients, who report to hospital for different ailments, have to go for chest X-ray and all these patients are suffering in one way or other due to non-availability of X-ray films.

“There are some departments where X-ray is as essential as other confirmatory tests to rule out or diagnose any disease. In departments like medicine and Tuberculosis clinic, X-ray is always an important tool. On an average, nearly 20 patients are referred from TB clinic to X-ray department to get their chest X-ray done”, said a senior doctor posted in the hospital.

“If the government has provided the facility of chest X-ray in the hospital, it means that it serves some purpose. We can’t ignore this non-functioning just by saying that chest or abdomen X-ray has little role in diagnosing the diseases,” he added.

Amritsar, February 11
Vigilance sleuths today nabbed Ashok Kumar, a superintendent posted at the Executive Engineer office of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000.

He was taking money for forwarding the file of pension benefits related to Som Raj, a watchman in the office. According to details, Som Raj had taken voluntary retirement from the department on health grounds. Vijay Kumar, son-in-law of the victim, had lodged a complaint in this regard.

Randhir Singh Uppal, DSP (Vigilance), said he was caught in the presence of two government witnesses, including Gurmukh Singh, Assistant Research Officer.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against him.

Nawanshahr: The police has registered a case against Dr Jaswinder Singh, posted at Mini PHC, Aur, under sections 7, 13, 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Sadar police station here today.

The case has been registered on the basis of the complaint lodged by Gulzar Singh of Pandrawal village to the Deputy Commissioner on Decmber 11 last year, in which he had accused the doctor of demanding Rs 10,000 from him for admitting his son to the Mini PHC and misbehaving with him.

The complainant had stated that his son Gurmail Singh got injured in a scuffle at the village on December 3 and when he took his son to the Mini PHC, Aur, for treatment, the doctor on duty refused to admit him. He demanded a sum of Rs 10, 000 for the favour and when he refused to do so, the doctor misbehaved with him.

Pathankot, February 11
The Punjab Beopar Mandal has asked the state government not to implement its proposal of increasing Vat, levying surcharge tax and introducing entry tax as recommended by the Sukhbir-Kalia committee or face the wrath of the trading community of the state.

Amrit Lal Jain, president of the Punjab Beopar Mandal, while addressing a rally of the local unit of the mandal at the Post Office chowk here yesterday said if the demands of the mandal were not met a “mahapanchayat” of the traders of the state would be held in Amritsar within a month.

He alleged that trade and industry of the state were shifting to the neighbouring states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir due to heavy burden of taxes put on the trading community. He criticised the government for making tall claims about the tax sops to promote the trade and industry whereas the fact was that the non-availability of power for hours together was affecting the state industry badly.

The local traders also observed a half-day bandh to join dharna and put a united face to protest against the increase in taxes.

Meanwhile, Gurdaspur MP Pratap Singh Bajwa, who was in the city, also reached the venue of dharna. He assured the leaders of the mandal that he would lead a delegation of the state leaders of different business and industrial organisation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and narrate the problems of the traders.