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Police to seek de-affiliation of erring schools
Jalandhar, July 24
In view of the indifferent attitude of several “elite” schools in the city to direct their students to follow underage driving norms, the police will urge the district authorities to recommend de-affiliation of such institutions for violating law. The traffic police had been on a challaning drive since yesterday as all efforts to get the norms followed in schools have come a cropper.

Clinical Establishment Bill
Chawla terms docs’ protest unjustified
Jalandhar, July 24
Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla today termed the protest of private doctors against the Clinical Establishment Bill, 2010, completely irrational and unjustified.

Thallassemic students to get free treatment
Jalandhar, July 24
In a significant move to provide free-of-cost treatment to thallassemic kids across the state, the Punjab Government has included the disease in the school health programme running under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

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	Police to seek de-affiliation of erring schools Amarjit Thind Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 24 In view of the indifferent attitude of several “elite” schools in the city to direct their students to follow underage driving norms, the police will urge the district authorities to recommend de-affiliation of such institutions for violating law. The traffic police had been on a challaning drive since yesterday as all efforts to get the norms followed in schools have come a cropper. In fact, no representatives from such schools bothered to attend seminars and meetings organised by them in this context, says ACP D.S. Dhillon. The rampant violation can be gauged from the fact that personnel at seven nakas issued 59 challans in just half an hour after 7 am to underage drivers and overloaded three-wheelers ferrying students to schools. Six such vehicles were impounded since they did not have any documents. As many as 42 students were challaned yesterday, he added. It is a serious matter since the schools, supposed to instill civic sense in students, are shirking their duty which is resulting in more accidents involving youngsters on city roads everyday. “We have time and again written to the schools to discourage this trend but to no avail, forcing us to start this drive,” he pointed out. In fact, some of the students belonging to affluent families were not only rude to the men on duty but also warned them that they would have to face the consequences of this action. “Nevertheless, we called the parents on the spot and warned that this time they were being let off with a challan, but next time the vehicles would be impounded,” he added. Ironically, most of the students between the age of 14 and 16 had mobile phones which were used while driving, causing distraction and accidents thereafter, he added. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, some school administrators said they were helpless since it was the duty of the parents to see how their wards reached school. But they skipped queries on what had been done by them to discourage this unlawful practice and why was more parking space being provided by them in their schools. Dhillon said while this drive would be a continuous feature in the coming days, in the next phase, they would be checking documents and road worthiness of school buses. The reflexes and driving skills of drivers would be ascertained, he added. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, youngsters between 16 and 18 years of age can only legally drive 80cc two-wheelers, without gear.
	Clinical Establishment Bill Chawla terms docs’ protest unjustified Amaninder Pal Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 24 Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla today termed the protest of private doctors against the Clinical Establishment Bill, 2010, completely irrational and unjustified. Vehemently criticising the recently organised protests by the doctors against the Bill, she said such disagreement holds no weight as the Bill, once implemented, would enforce all the private health centres to provide the best possible healthcare facilities to the patients. In every term, the Bill would eventually serve the interest of masses, she asserted. She was in the city as a chief guest in the felicitation ceremony organised for the schoolchildren, who underwent major cardiac surgeries under the school health programme. “Reservations of doctors regarding few clauses of the Bill are welcomed. But it’s not at all justified to oppose such a revolutionary step, which aimed at enhancing the standards of private clinics and eventually the delivery of quality healthcare,” she added. It is pertinent to mention here that during the last week, doctors, under the banner of Indian Medical Association (IMA), held nationwide protest against the Bill. She said two meetings of the cabinet sub-committee, which include four cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats of departments concerned and eminent health professionals, have already been organised for the smooth implementation of the Bill, once passed, in the state. She also contested the protests of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) against the re-employment of specialist doctors in the department by increasing the maximum age limit up to 65 years for such doctors. “In the current scenario, specialist doctors are more urban-centric. Though specialists are available, you don’t find any doctor to serve in the peripheral villages of border districts. Moreover, doctors of some specialties are not even available in the state. There is no other alternative for the department but to recruit the doctors through this scheme,” she said. On the issue of repatriation of doctors of the state cadre working in Chandigarh, she said by and large her effort was bringing fruitful results and doctors were voluntarily coming back to the state. She, however, expressed her inability to provide any data inferring the development. Dr JP Singh, Director Health Services, Dr Ashok Nayyar, Director, Family Welfare, Dr SK Gupta, Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Harbans Kaur, Deputy DEO (Secondary) and Sheetal Vij, President, Devi Tala Mandir Parbandhak Committee were also present during the function.
	Thallassemic students to get free treatment Amaninder Pal Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 24 In a significant move to provide free-of-cost treatment to thallassemic kids across the state, the Punjab Government has included the disease in the school health programme running under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Under the programme, thallassemic kids, studying either in the government or government-aided schools, would be eligible to avail the treatment, including blood transfusion, medicine and indoor facilities free of cost in the thallassemic units and wards across the state. Until now, such units are running either on charity or parents had to bear expenses of their own for the treatment of their wards. Confirming the development, Dr SK Gupta, Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, said the Punjab Health Department had allocated funds of Rs 50 lakh exclusively for the thallassemic kids under the school health programme. “Funds would be made available to all the thallassemic units across the state as per their demands. State Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla today released Rs 1 lakh for the thallassemic unit, Jalandhar, from the allocated budget,” he added.In another major development, the Punjab Health Department has also started providing treatment to the kids suffering from various forms of cancer under the school health programme. “The department is coordinating with institutes like the PGI and DMC to provide cancer treatment to such patients. The treatment to such kids would be done free of cost,” said an official of the department.
	Upgrade SGPC electoral rolls: DC Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 24 The work on revising the electoral rolls for the SGPC elections will be completed by August 14. Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti said there were six constituencies of Phillaur, Nakodar, Shahkot, Adampur, Jalandhar and Kartarpur in the district so directions regarding the rolls had been issued to the patwaris for the rural areas and officials of the local bodies and allied departments to upgrade the rolls by the stipulated date. He appealed to all eligible Sikhs above 21 years to get themselves registered by filling Form 1 in their respective areas. The candidates for the polls, besides SGPC members and committee staff, should also reach out to the voters so that the maximum number of voters could exercise their franchise, he added.
	Sewage problem forces residents to block traffic Phagwara, July 24 Hundreds of residents of Mansa Devi Nagar blocked vehicular traffic on the Phagwara-Nakodar Road for more than hour today protesting against the opening of sewage disposal, which has lead to the stagnation of dirty water in a gunda nullha. The protesters demanded immediate closing of the sewage disposal. The blockade was lifted only after the intervention of Phagwara Nagar Council Executive Officer Adarsh Sharma who assured the residents of early solution. Sharma said the NC staff along with machinery would be sent to the locality to strengthen the banks of nullah tomorrow. — OC
	Compensation for gastro victim’s family Our Correspondent Phillaur, July 24 Activists of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Ambedekar Sena, along with relatives of Mamta (15), who died of gastroenteritis, sat on a dharna before the SDM Office demanding adequate compensation for the girl's family. Simran, a cousin of Mamta, also died on July 19 in the village due to the water-borne disease. The protesters lifted the dharna, after the assurances of SDM Pritam Singh who announced compensation of Rs 2.25 lakh for the two girls. Later, Mamta's body was handed over to the family members of the deceased after conducting the post-mortem examination. ADC Sarojini Gautam Sharda said the health officials had been asked to launch a village to village campaign to check the drinking water supply. She also advised the people to adopt precautionary measures for the prevention of the disease.