Amritsar, April 20
Beggars can’t be choosers. The beggars in the holy city have belied this old adage. The Amritsar Administration’s ‘kind gesture’ to bring them into the mainstream, apparently, has failed to transform their basic character and they are back on the streets, on the traffic signals thereby creating chaos and bluffing the people in every possible way.

It is to mention that the Amritsar administration had, recently, lifted hundreds of vagabonds roaming in the city from different pockets of the city and chalked out plans to rehabilitate them under Operation Beggar.

On the other hand, the administration now say the move was for homeless only and not for beggars.

Under the programme, they were put up at a building in Dr Karam Singh ward, provided with three square meals a day, the clothing and the medicines but it was probably not enough to capture them, if the hoard of beggars spotted at various parts of the city again is any indication.

A random round of the city by The Tribune team revealed that most of these beggars were found near Dussehra Ground, Shiv Dev Mandir, Longawali Devi Mandir, Bhandari Pul and Lohgarh area. The prominent signals where they could be found in abundance include Novelty light points on the Lawrence Road and Four S Chowk.

Besides being a security threat, Amritsar being a border city, these beggars have made the lives of residents nothing short of hell. “Come what may, the police should scrutinise all beggars including their antecedents as some of them may be working to gather information for neighbouring Pakistan,” opined Nirmal Jeet Singh, a resident.

Nevertheless, be it on traffic signal or at homes or markets, they are omni present. They do not shirk playing shrewd tricks to draw the attention of the people. They tell all sorts of lies possible to draw and grab the commuters’ attention.

Some beg for their health treatment, sometimes they distribute flowers offered as puja and ask for money.

This reminds the famous Bollywood movie “Traffic Signal” where there was shown the racket of beggars going around the whole city and earning for the larger profit in connivance with their counterparts having control over other points of the city.

Each beggar was shown to be allotted a specified time and a specified place for their work. The beggar members were taught all the tricky enticement to reach to their pray. 

Amritsar, April 20
The Government Medical College authorities have constituted a two-member committee to look into the allegations of detaining of a poor patient in the hospital by a doctor as the family was unable to pay the expenditure on the treatment.

Harjinder Singh (35), a labourer, was admitted to the medical ward number one with blockage in the food pipe as he had accidentally drunk acid more than a month back. Dr Santokh Singh conducted ballooning for widening the food pipe for which he asked the patient’s family to deposit Rs 15,000, it has been alleged.

Lakhbir Kaur, mother of the patient, alleged that the doctor did not inform about the process prior to the operation. She said when they pleaded that the poor family could not afford such an expensive treatment, the doctor pressurised them to either deposit the money or bring a new balloon and did not discharge the patient for nearly a week.

Dr Santokh Singh, however, had rebutted the charges saying that he had brought the balloon from the USA, which could be reused for about 10 times. He said the condition of the patient was critical when he was admitted to the hospital and the balloon was to be used for widening the food pipe and removal of the blockage. He claimed that he often provide free medicines to poor patients and it was really disappointing that such baseless allegations were being levelled against him.

Dr S.S. Shergill, Principal of the college, has asked the committee to submit its report within a week while an explanation has also been called from Dr Santokh Singh.

Meanwhile, Dr R.P.S. Boparai, Medical Superintendent and one of the committee members, said the government medical college had the facility of providing free treatment to poor patients holding yellow card during emergencies. However, genuinely poor patients were also given free treatment. In the particular case, he said prima facie probe indicted the doctor, but enquiry was still under progress and anything concrete would be said after the completion of investigation.

Amritsar, April 20
The Barman brothers - Madhusudan and Gopal - captivated the audience with their performance creating new sounds with traditional Indian drums, tabla and sreekhole, at Virsa Vihar on April 17. They were accompanied by Korak Chaudhary on sitar.

The Barman brothers were initiated into the world of music at the tender age of four by their late father Barendra Mohan Barman.

Gopal, the younger of the two, went on to specialise in the intricacies of sreekhole from Prof Sanatan Saha of Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata. It was under the experienced and guidance of Pandit Shankar Ghosh that he achieved mastery over the instrument. The jugalbandi of the tabla played by Madhusudan and sreekhole by Gopal marked the event with hitherto unseen brilliance.

Gopal said sreekhole, one of the oldest Indian percussion instruments, attracted him in his early formative years of musical learning and he decided to pursue it to carve out his career. He said it was a lesser known Indian classical instrument used primarily in devotional songs.

Their combined performance mesmerised music lovers and left a refreshingly different impact on them.

The Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, bestowed the honorary title of Sangeet Visharad on both the brothers. Besides, they mastered the art of other instruments, including dholak, Spanish guitar, harmonium and keyboards. Creation of the mega fusion of Indian and western percussion instruments - with 200 musicians and 130 dancers - is a part of their rich repertoire. The Barman brothers have performed in various countries, including England, Belgium, France and the USA, and displayed their skills at the world music festival held in Spain.

Amritsar, April 20
Akali parties opposed to SAD (Badal), which along with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), recently held the World Sikh Convention (WSC) in Delhi, announced to form a united front to contest the forthcoming SGPC elections.

Manjit Singh Calcutta, chairman, Shiromani Panthic Council, claimed that the successful organisation of the WSC had conveyed the Sikh masses that it was their party which was committed to the Panthic agenda. He alleged that the SAD (Badal) had abandoned the Sikh agenda under pressure from its alliance partner the BJP.

He informed that with a view to disseminate the message of the WSC soon an international-level body would be constituted. This body would have two sub committees. One committee would propagate the Sikh religious ethos among the youth even in remote areas.

Another committee comprising Sikh scholars, experts and intellectuals would be entrusted with the task of building consensus and framing rules and norms for the post of Jathedar Akal Takht.

He, however, reaffirmed the resolve of the WSC that the Akal Takht was supreme and its Jathedar should be independent of all kinds of external influences, including political and administrative pressures.

Dal Khalsa’s spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh alleged that It was ironical that the Akalis had dropped the Sikh agenda. He held that due to incompetence and weaknesses of the Akalis they were portraying themselves a secular party, he added.

He said apart from identity struggle, the basic problem being faced by the Sikh religion was growing apostasy. He said the WSC called for concerted efforts to face 
this challenge.

Among others chairman, Khalsa Action Committee, Bhai Mohkam Singh and SAD (Panch Pardani), presidium member, Daya Singh Kakhar were also present.

Amritsar, April 20
Fed up with contaminated water supply for the past over a year, the residents of Hargobindpura are up in arms against the councillor of the Ward 43 and Municipal Corporation authorities. They have now decided not to vote in favour of the present councillor in the coming elections.

“We went to the councillor and MC office showing the water samples contaminated with sewerage water being supplied in the area, but they did not bothered about the problem. Sometimes worms come through water taps besides staunch smell emanating from the water,” said Janak Raj, a resident of the area.

“Water in a tub or a bucket turns yellow after an hour and we are forced to install reverse oasis system in our homes after our repeated requests to rectify the contamination problem fell on deaf ears,” said an agitated housewife, Raj Rani.

Moreover, residents often complain of stomach problem due to water contamination. “We will not cast our votes in favour of any political party until our problems are solved. During election period, these leaders come with folded hands and touches feet, but after victory they even do not care to listen to our difficulties,” said an old lady.

“The choking of sewerage is another big problem. About a year back the corporation authorities dug a street for repairing sewerage system, but it failed to repair the street. While the residents had to shell out from their own pockets to get the street cemented again, yet a part of the street still needs repair,” said Harmeet Singh Bhatia of the area.

This is not the story of one area. Major parts of the ward are facing scarcity and contamination of water supply. Gali Roran Wali, just close to the residence of the councillor of the ward, faced similar problem of rusty water supply. “Although the problem has somewhat been solved, but yet a lot of work must be done to facilitate clean and contamination-free water supply,” observed Keemti Lal Bhatia.

“The water comes from 5 am to 7 am, after that it’s a long wait, which sometime bear fruits and sometime not,” he added. Same were the views of Jarnail Singh of Bhagtanwala.

Tarn Taran, April 20
Kar Sewa sect Khadur Sahib has taken a serious note of stealing of tree guards on the Amritsar-Jalandhar road near township Tangra, 20 kms from here.

The trees were planted by Baba Sewa Singh, head of the Kar Sewa sect, who had started the save-environment initiative almost 10 years back for which he was awarded Padma Shri by the President of India recently.

The sect in an appeal to the area residents has requested the keep a watch on the elements allegedly stealing the tree-guards.

Baba Sewa Singh said the move to plant trees and installing tree-guards surrounding the trees have been initiated by the sect with the active support of the donors. According to an estimate more than forty tree-guards have gone missing in the last one week. — OC

Majitha, April 20
Members of the District Congress Committee (Rural) led by its President Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia held a protest against the SAD-BJP coalition government and burnt its effigy to protest against “illegal” registration of cases against the Congress workers in front of under construction new bus stand here today.

They stopped vehicular traffic, raised slogans against the government and demanded abrogation of police cases registered against its workers. Majithia alleged that first the Congress workers were victimized and later fake cases were registered against them.

He claimed that full grown wheat crop of the family of Block Samiti member Hardev Singh Kaddi, having allegiance with the Congress, was ploughed.

He said it resulted in complete financial loss to the family. Earlier, he said, a shop of another Congress worker of the same village was ransacked.

Majithia maintained that the block level and other influential Congress leaders at the grassroots level were being made target one by one to send across the message to the Congress workers to abandon the party.

He said the ruling coalition was deliberately creating a terrifying situation to scare the opposition workers and warned that it could create law and order situation.

Amritsar, April 20
Yuvraj Singh and Ajaydeep Singh of DAV Public School have made it to top universities in the USA and Canada to get scholarships.

Yuvraj, who was keen on a bachelors course in aerospace engineering as “major” and international affairs as “minor”, received acceptance letters from nine top universities in the USA. He, however, chose Georgia Tech University. With this, he won a scholarship worth $75,000.

Similarly, Ajaydeep received acceptance letters from two more universities but opted for British Columbia University, Canada, and won a scholarship worth $40,300.

Principal Neera Sharma congratulated both the students for their excellent performance at the global level.

Ajaydeep’s oratory skills brought laurels for the school at the national level, besides the poetic inclination of Yuvraj, who has penned nearly 79 poems - mostly patriotic - some of which were based as narratives in stage presentations at school and other avenues and a few were also published in national English dailies - did the school proud.

Yuvraj told The Tribune today his desire to study for his masters at Georgia University which has the rare distinction of sending more than 55 astronauts into NASA.

Yuvraj had been bestowed upon membership by US-based National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), a society founded by Nobel Laureates of the world.

“He has been an active karate player of national fame, besides actively participating in pulse polio, anti-poverty, anti-dowry, anti-drug, anti-cracker and anti-foeticide drives and initiating help to orphans, mentally challenged and the disabled through various organisations. Apart from this, he is the founder and president of NGO White Knights of Earth, which works in the field of environmental protection and social service,” said Principal Neera Sharma

Amritsar, April 20
Old Students of St Francis School, Amritsar, have formed an association of students, who passed out or ever studied in this school. This is probably the first of its kind initiative taken by old students of any school in the city.

The members have realised their social responsibility towards the school. A society by the name of “Franciscans Alumni Sports N Educational Society” was formed on the occasion.

This duly registered charitable society has been conceived with the object of providing free education and other facilities to the needy and the under-privileged children from all sections of the society.

Meanwhile, the founders’ meet of The S.Francis Alumni was organized on at Hotel Blue Moon, Mall, Road, Amritsar which was overwhelmingly attended by old students of various batches starting from the year 1972 till the year 2009.

It was a nostalgic meet where the old students got a chance to re-live their memories by recalling the good old school times they have spent together in this prestigious institution under the patronage of esteemed management and staff of St.Francis School, Amritsar.

“The old students had come from far-off places like the UK, USA and Canada, to associate themselves with the alumni,” said Rana Pratap Singh.

The main organisers, which conceptualised the idea of formation of this meet included Rajesh Seth, Rana Partap Singh, Kapil Mahindru, Sanjay Aggarwal, Premjot Girgla, Vanit Ahuja, Yogesh Jain and Vinay Vadhera.

Amritsar, April 20
“Our research papers are not meeting international standards and are thus getting lesser weightage in the world. Besides, our scientific techniques are not up to the mark,” with this statement by Dr S.S. Gill, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, set the tone for the national-level continuing medical education programme held at Government Medical College (GMC) here.

The Department of Biochemistry, GMC, shall organise a two-day CME based on the theme “Recent advances in lab medicine”, in which researchers and speakers of national and international repute participated.

While elaborating, Dr Gill pointed out that it was a great challenge for the medical fraternity to meet international standards as the future and funding of our institutes depended on our research methodology.

“Technology has also brought new challenges. Treatment has become costly while lab investigations took the centre stage and paramedical and pure scientists were becoming very important in the management of diseases,” he said.

He urged the students to back research with practicality and it should not only be conducted with the sole aim of earning degrees.

He revealed that a world-class lab was being established in the academic block of the university where all requisite research facilities would be provided to students pursuing PhD in various subjects.

Expressing his views, professor of biochemistry and awardee of the Dr B.C. Roy award Dr D.M. Vasudevan said at present more than 5,000 biochemical tests were being done in sophisticated labs both in medical colleges and private laboratories.