Jalandhar, July 7
With an aim to bring down the rate of roadside accidents in the state, the Punjab health authorities are going to introduce a pilot project in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank (WB).

The project, termed as “Road Safety-10”, would be the first of its kind through which, authorities would generate the database pertaining to the number and various causes leading to roadside accidents and quality of emergency services provided in trauma centres.

The five-year project, which will be introduced only in 10 nations across the globe, is materialised by a consortium of representatives of WHO and WB, Bloomberg Society of USA, John Hopkins Institute, USA and Embark (NGO working on road safety).

Besides a few areas of Andhra Pradesh, the consortium has selected district Jalandhar and the Phagwara sub-division of Punjab to implement the project and a population of approximately 25 lakh people of these areas will be taken as subject.

Dr Ashok Nayyar, Director, Family Welfare, who is the State Nodal Officer of the project, said the essence of the project is to provide quick medical cover after accidents, better transportation facilities, implementation of traffic rules and proper management at trauma centres.

“Data related to all the aspects, ranging from the time and cause of accidents, condition of road, mode of transport of the injured, time in reaching the trauma centre and availability of paramedics, will be compiled every month,” he added.

“The project also includes an element to discourage police and NGOs to transfer injured patients to private trauma centers. Staff posted in the state trauma centres will be given special training to deal with such cases,” he added.

He said the state advisory committee, comprising Principal Secretary, Health; MD, Punjab Health System Corporation; IG Traffic; Secretary, Transport; representative of National Highway Authority of India and Indian Medical Association would be shortly formed to make all dimensions of the project successful.

Phagwara, July 7
Road and railway traffic were badly hit in Phagwara, Phillaur, Goraya, Noormahal and Nakodar due to heavy rains in the entire region. Hundreds of rail passengers remained stranded for several hours as most of the trains were either cancelled, diverted or were running late. Several roads were waterlogged in different localities in Phagwara, Phillaur and Nakodar. Rainwater entered many houses and shops even in the police quarters of Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur. With the rise in the level of Sutlej water, flood threat looms large over the nearby villages situated along the banks of the river. Phagwara SDM Amarjit Paul said a flood control room had been set up in the tehsil complex which will work round the clock and an alert has been sounded.

Hoshiarpur, July 7
To check the fury of floods and to shift the flood-affected people to safer places, elaborate arrangements have been made by the administration of Hoshiarpur district.

This was disclosed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (general) Harminder Singh while addressing a meeting of government officials of various departments, convened to review flood protection works here today.

He said flood-prone areas in the district had been identified and transport arrangements had been completed to shift the affected families from flood prone areas to safer places. To provide information regarding floods, six control rooms had been setup in the district, which would work round the clock up to September 30.

The District Drainage Department has been instructed to depute its employees on rivers, canals and protection bandhs of choes to watch the situation of floods round the clock and inform the respective control rooms of the areas regarding floods, so that proper arrangements can be made to face the situation.

To provide health facilities during floods to the affected, 54 medical teams have been formed and 13 control rooms have been set up. To control animal diseases, the Animal Husbandry Department had also constituted 25 teams and had administered injections to 3.43 lakh animals for their protection from monsoon diseases. The department, in collaboration with the District Agriculture Department, had made arrangements for dry and green fodder for animals during floods.

The Drainage Department had arranged 50,000 sand-fill bags for flood protection work. None of the government officers can leave his headquarters without prior sanction from the Deputy Commissioner and should switch on their mobiles round the clock.

District Revenue Department had arranged boats, motorboats and life jackets in working condition for the rescue operation.

He said the district had experienced 69.8 mm rainfall today. As much as 20 mm rainfall, each, had been recorded in Hoshiarpur and Dasuya sub-divisions, whereas 21 mm in Garhshankar and 8.8 mm in Mukerian.

Tarn Taran, July 7
Kashmir Kaur (42) was murdered by a relative at Kalsian Kalan village, 45 kms from here, last night. An illicit relationship is said to be the reason behind the murder.

Gurchet Singh Cheti of Margindpura village has been booked under section 302 of the IPC. He is the brother-in-law of Kashmir Kaur.

According to the information, Kashmir, a mother of four children, developed illicit relation with Gurchet about 10 years back. She used to stay with him for days together.

Gurchet, though married, was not living with his wife. His wife had lodged a report with the police’s women cell here against Gurchet and Kashmir Kaur.

It is also learnt that Kashmir Kaur was avoiding Gurchet these days as thought her children had grown up.

Tarn Taran, July 7
On the complaint of Jasbir Kaur, daughter of Waryam Singh of Saido village, Patti, the police has booked her husband Nirmal Singh and three other members of her in-laws’ family for torturing and demanding more dowry from her.

A case under sections 498A, 406, 506 and 120B of the IPC has been registered against Nirmal Singh, his father Ajit Singh, mother Joginder Kaur, all residents of Malangshahwala, Ferozepore, and a close relative of Nirmal Singh, Gurmit Kaur, resident of Maluwal village, Tarn Taran.

Jasbir Kaur, who was married to Nirmal Singh in 2004, in her complaint to the police had alleged that the accused used to torture her for a car, besides levelling allegations on her character.

Jasbir gave birth to a son and a daughter, but she was thrown out of her in-laws’ house in 2007 after torturing by the accused. She has been living with her parents since then.

The allegations of Jasbir Kaur were investigated by Madanjit Singh, DSP (Headquarters) and on his report the case was registered.

Jalandhar, July 7
Robbers struck at the house of a petrol stations’ owner in the New Jawahar Nagar locality and decamped with Rs 18 lakh after breaking open a cupboard last night.

The masked robbers locked two servants of the petrol stations’ owner, Ramesh Kaila, inside a bathroom of the house before committing the crime.

The SHO, Division No 6 police station, Sakattar Singh, said four armed miscreants entered the house by scaling the boundary wall at about 9.30 last night and overpowered the servants, Ram and Rinku.

The owner of three petrol stations in the city and its vicinity, Kaila and his family were not at home when the robbers struck.

The robbers taped the mouths of the servants by brandishing a knife and locked them inside a bathroom after tying hands across their backs. They opened the cupboard after breaking its lock and decamped with Rs 18 lakh. The cash was the sale money of Kaila’s fuel outlets, the SHO added.

The police recorded the statements of the servants. A case was registered.

Tarn Taran, July 7
Workers of 17 kisan-labourer organisations staged dharnas at all three offices of the SDMs in the district protesting against the decontrolling of the prices of petroleum products.

Dharnas were staged besides here at Patti and Khadur Sahib, which were addressed by leaders of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Zamhoori Kisan Sabha, Kirti Kisan Union, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha and others. The leaders condemned the Union Government for hiking the prices of petroleum products and other essential commodities.

The leaders demanded tax exemption on diesel to be used for the farming sector and also demanded 50 per cent subsidy on it. The organisations presented memorandums to the authorities regarding their demands. — OC