Phillaur, July 19
Four days after the gastroenteritis incident at Shamshabad village in Phillaur subdivision where one minor girl died and more than 90 fell ill on July 15, now it was the turn of Chack Dhotrre village, near Goraya, to come in the grip of gastroenteritis where six-year-old Seema, daughter of a Dalit, Harneik Chand, died due to the disease. Four others, including her cousin Mamta, fell ill and were admitted to different hospitals in Goraya and Dhahan Kaleran today.

Panic spread in the village after the news of the death of the minor girl. Phillaur SDM Pritam Singh, who along with other officials, rushed to the village, told The Tribune that all admitted in the hospitals were out of danger now.

Chief Parliamentry Secretary Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Jalandhar ADC (Dev) Sarojini Gautam, who also visited the village, advised the people to take boiled drinking water in the rainy season as a preventive measure.

Use of contaminated water was said to be the cause of gastroenteritis which gripped some localities in the village. The SDM said three water samples had been taken from different houses.

Sharda told The Tribune that the villagers of this village were also having their own drinking water arrangements after discontinuation of the water supply of the Public Health Department from the nearby Mahalan village due to an hindrances from the passing rail track.

However, announcements had been made on loudspeakers to avoid the drinking water of the village and some water tanks were sent to the village to provide fresh drinking water to the villagers, said the SDM.

He said that chlorine tablets were being distributed among the villagers and sanitation arrangements were being made to prevent the possibility of any epidemic. The SDM announced free medical treatment of the patients.

Meanwhile, the body of the girl was handed over to her family members after conducting a post-mortem examination. Sarwan Singh Phillaur, ADC Sharda and SDM Pritam Singh, among others, attended the funeral of the girl this evening.

It may be mentioned here that several villagers are making their own drinking water arrangements without adopting hygienic steps and the departments concerned are least bothered to check this violation.

Amritsar, July 19
A three-year-old child lost his life while his eight-year-old sister has been admitted to hospital reportedly for suffering from diarrhoea here yesterday. They hail from the adjoining Sultanwind’s Patti Malkon Di area which has been infected with an acute problem of stagnant water ponds.

The deceased has been identified as Sagar who had been suffering from the suspected disease for the past four days and died on Saturday night. His body was cremated yesterday. His sister Luxmi too has been suspected to be suffering from this disease. She has been admitted to the Civil Hospital where her condition was stated to be critical.

Following the incident, the people belonging to the area yesterday launched their protest against the administration for poor civic amenities and medical facilities.

It has been learnt that the father of the deceased had died a few months ago and his mother works as domestic help to earn livelihood. Due to financial constraints, she could not afford treatment at hospital.

Immediately after the news of suspected diarrhoea spread, a team of doctors led by Dr Arjun Dhawan reached the village.

Dr Dhawan said, “The doctors’ team had conducted a medical camp on July 2 and around 5,000 tablets were distributed among the villagers for prevention of water-borne diseases.”

Civil Surgeon Dr Chandanjeet Singh Kaundal said it could not be ascertained that the child died due to diarrhoea.

Though this area falls under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, yet there has been no adequate provision for safe drinking water and in the absence of proper water disposal and drainage system, the dirty water usually enters houses of the residents.

It is evident to mention that in 2004, there had been over 30 instances in this particular area where people died after drinking contaminated water. The then ruling Congress government had promised to make arrangements for water drainage and sewerage.

Phagwara/Phillaur, July 19
Five persons, including a woman, were killed and eight injured in different mishaps in Phagwara and Phillaur subdivisions last night.

According to reports received here today, two Goraya youths Kulwant Singh and Amarjit Singh were killed on the spot, while their third pillion rider Joga Singh was injured when the motorcycle (PB-21-D-6077) they were riding slipped while taking a turn on Sunday night. They were brought to a Goraya hospital where they were declared brought dead. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families after conducting a post-mortem examination today.

In the second incident, Hans Raj of Rasulpur village was killed when he was hit by a speeding vehicle near Indira Colony, Goraya.

In the third accident, a woman identified as Simar Kaur (65) was electrocuted at nearby Nasirabad village. She was returning home after attending a religious congregation when she touched a live electric wire near her house.

Darshan Singh of Hisar was run over by a train near Phagwara.

Four occupants of a car sustained serious injuries when the car in which they were travelling overturned between Goraya and Phillaur. All the injured Rajesh, Suchet, Sanjay and Anurag were admitted in Phillaur Civil Hospital. The accident occurred when the driver lost control over the car.

Bhupinder Singh and his wife Paramjit Kaur and son Hardeep were injured when the motorcycle they were riding was hit by a car near Bhattian village in Phillaur. 

Jalandhar, July 19
The newly appointed president of the BJP Yuva Morcha, Anurag Thakur, today lashed out against the UPA government for having failed on various fronts, including checking any terrorist activity and curbing inflation.

Thakur called for wiping out of Maoists from the country by taking support from the Army or Air Force. He, however, expressed sorrow saying that certain groups in the country were against such a decision as they were rather patronising Maoists as their vote bank.

The BJP youth leader said he was currently busy organising his new team which would be ready by August first week. “By the same time, we will also announce the programme of our group which would be more focused on holding social awareness programmes rather than any major political activity,” Thakur announced.

The Hamirpur MP said he was awaiting a visit of the ICC referee at Dharamsala for giving a decision on holding any international-level tournament. “I have also announced setting up of a multi-purpose stadium in all HP districts,” he said.

Hoshiarpur, July 19
Majority of the promises made by the BJP in its election manifesto during the last state assembly elections have been fulfilled and the remaining will be fulfilled at the earliest.

Claiming this while addressing mediapersons after the conclusion of a day-long sammelan of elected BJP representatives in Block Samities and Zila Parishads of the state, president of the Punjab unit of the BJP Ashvani Sharma said after listening to the problems, views and suggestions of the elected members of Zila Parishads and Block Samities it was opined that there was a wider scope for more work in the public to strengthen the party for achieving good results.

The state unit of the party had first time organised sammelans of elected representatives in corporations, councils, Zila Parishads and Block Samitis to listen to their views, problems and suggestions for the improvement of party working.

After this ongoing process the BJP would chalk up a strategy for expanding its base in the public to strengthen the party to face the forthcoming elections of the state assembly.

Condemning the UPA government, led by the Congress, for its negative attitude towards victims of recent floods in Mansa, Patiala and Sardulapur areas of Punjab, Ashvani Sharma said instead of providing any relief to them for their rehabilitation, the UPA government had become a silent spectator.

The Union Government had not sent any of its team to assess the losses due to the fury of floods. It was the Punjab Government, which had provided maximum relief to the victims from its limited sources. He demanded a probe to find out real causes of damage to the property and crops from these floods.

Ashvani Sharma said member of the Rajya Sabha Avinash Rai Khanna would raise the issue of negative attitude of the UPA government towards the rehabilitation of the flood-affected persons in the monsoon session of the Rajya Sabha.

Ashvani Sharma claimed that there was a complete unity and harmony among the party leaders. Out of the total 192 elected BJP members for Block Samities and Zila Parishads, 162 from all over the state participated in the today’s Sammelan.

Avinash Rai Khanna, Dinesh Babbu, MLA, Rajesh Bagga, Reena Jaitely, both state general secretaries, Som Parkash, vice-president of the state unit of the BJP and local leaders were present.

Amritsar, July 19
Dejected over the untoward behaviour of the Punjab Government, the rural veterinary doctors of Amritsar and Tarn Taran today met the ADC (D).

The doctors, under the leadership of Dr Navdeep Singh Khinda, president, Amritsar wing, and Dr Gagardeep Singh Dhillon, president, Tarn Taran wing, submitted a memorandum to the ADC, to be forwarded to the Punjab Chief Minister.

The doctors demanded implementation of new pay commission and regularisation of their services. Dr Gyandeep Singh Dhillon said they had decided to commence statewide agitation against the government.

In the first phase on July 20, all rural doctors of Punjab would observe pen down strike from 10 am to 12 noon. “Even then if the government does not pay any heed to our demands, we will intensify the stir,” he said.

Phillaur, July 19
Hundreds of labourers belonging to the Pendu Mazdoor Union and the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha held a demonstration outside the local BDO office today. The protesters, led by Mela Singh Rurrka, sat on dharna and raised anti-government slogans. They were demanding job opportunities and better pay scales. — OC