Ludhiana, March 13
With the GLADA and Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (LMC) refusing to allocate land, the plan of the Department of Health and Family Welfare to set up five urban health centres in the city has taken the "backseat".

As treatment in private healthcare sector has gone out of reach of the common man, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, had commenced the strengthening of the existing infrastructure in public healthcare. Having successfully built urban health centres in Bathinda district, the health deapartment had initiated to built the same in Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts.

The dispensaries in Ludhiana, which are more or less defunct, have become a liability for the department in the last decade. Thus, the Department of Health and Family Welfare had come up with the plan to replace the dispensaries with urban health centres.

The estimated cost for each urban health centre is Rs 2.5 crore which will be built on 2,000 sq feet of land. Also, the urban health centre will have a 10-bed facility, which was missing in the dispensaries. Not to miss the availability of two doctors along with the supporting staff of nurses and paramedics.

But much to the shock of the health authorities, the request for allocation of the land forwarded from the office of the civil surgeon Ludhiana was turned down by GLADA and LMC the authorities.

It is learnt that GLADA has refused to allocate land on the pretext of "auction" which is the normal course of action followed. Interestingly, there have been number of occasions when the GLADA auctions have facedcontroversy.

The reluctance on part of the LMC authorities to allocate land for urban health centres has put a question mark on their working and execution, as one hand they have failed to free the land encroached in every nook and corner of the city, on the other, they are not cooperating to give the land for a noble cause of building health centres.

Ludhiana, March 13
The cold-blooded murder of a local 21-year-old property dealer turned out to be a “love triangle” ending in a crime of passion as the prime suspect is none other than the fiancé of the girl with whom the victim had an affair in the past, the police said.

Dr Aslam Parvez, president of the state unit of the Rural Medical Services Association (RMSA), said the government should increase the budget for:

* Creating more posts for mass media officers for increasing IEC activity. This is needed for making people aware of the importance of “prevention” of various communicable and non-communicable diseases.

* Each hospital should be provided with basic medicines like anti-rabies vaccination.

* Special resources should be created for the availability of HIV and Hepatitis testing kits even at the small units.

Dr Hardeep Singh, president of the state unit of PCMSA, said healthcare in Punjab:

* Was being run on the funds allocated by the Center under National Rural health Mission (NRHM). But the NRHM has specific budget for specific projects, which cannot be diverted.

* The state government should look into the need of the hour to provide quality healthcare services to the people for which they should increase the budgetary allocation for health services to 100 percent, said Dr Hardeep Singh. 

Ludhiana, March 13
The buildings branch of the Municipal Corporation, in an apparent bid to cover up the mess created in the city due to their callous attitude, has now decided to get survey with regards to illegal buildings constructed in the city from 1997 onwards conducted despite the fact that they themselves are responsible for it.

In a letter number 41/ATP/HQ written to all assistant town planners (ATPs) on March 10, Monica Anand, Assistant Town Planner (Headquarters), has said that Rohit Sabharwal, president, Council of RTI Activists, had in a letter written to them stated that building bylaws were being violated with impunity and people were parking there vehicles on roads thus creating chaos.

She said all assistant town planners had been directed to get surveys conducted in their respective areas and serve notices on all erring shopkeepers. “The shopkeepers who had violated the building bylaws should be asked to ensure parking space in their respective buildings” she added.

She had also directed the assistant town planners to complete the survey within a fortnight and submit the report to them and to the office of the deputy commissioner for further action. The Tehbazaari branch of the civic body had been directed to remove a large number of temporary infringements that have cropped in front of shops.

The letter assumes significance as in the past the building branch has often been in the news for wrong reasons and very often allegations of corruption and nepotism have been levelled against them. 

There is a ray of hope among stakeholders of higher education in Punjab, as Budget is to be presented tomorrow. Stress on revamping higher education in Punjab keeping in mind the global scenario is need of the hour, feel educationists.

Since the Budget is going to be presented by Dr Upinderjit Kaur, finance minister, Punjab, the educationists expect that it will be for the benefit of higher education, as Dr Upinderjit served as an education minister for quite sometime and she would know better that higher education in the state was in a shambles. Senators and educationists feel that Punjab needs a separate higher education policy, which must stress on the development of quality infrastructure with state-of-the-art modern facilities. They stress that Punjab needs to focus on maintaining quality standards of education.

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), which is providing the best possible options for agriculture diversification to farmers in the state, needs to get separate allocation of funds to boost poultry, dairy farming and pig/goat industry in the region. With the state Budget coming tomorrow, the major demand in the wish list of GADVASU includes secured pension/ salaries for retirees and employees of veterinary university.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, GADVASU Vice-Chancellor, Dr VK Taneja said GADVASU was facing a problem while disbursing salaries/pensions to its employees/retirees. The annual budget of GADVASU on salaries was about ` 45 crore but the state government provided grants to the tune of just ` 20 crore. For the remaining amount, GADVASU had to make other possible arrangements.

“We have the latest techniques and technologies for surgery, diagnosis, scanning and blood tests, but the buildings need to be fully equipped with latest infrastructure. We have to upgrade our facilities if we have to compete nationally or globally,” said the VC, adding that for providing efficiency and efficacy, facilities were to be provided to GADVASU.

“We have got 600 students and the annual fee is generated to the tune of about ` 5 crore. The amount is to be spent according to the needs of the university,” he said.

Higher education is being neglected in Punjab, which is unfortunate. Separate funds should be earmarked for curriculum and content development for various courses. There is a need to give autonomy in terms of finance, curriculum development, examination reforms, opening of new courses and development of infrastructure to big colleges in Punjab. Besides, there is need to open more colleges in rural parts of Punjab with the facilities of running job-oriented courses. Creation of more posts ingovernment colleges in the subjects of computer sciences, management and commerce is also required with respect to the demands of courses of BCom/MCom, MBA/BBA, BCA and MCA. The government should also work to convert some of the large government colleges into deemed universities, which will open gateway for the modernisation of infrastructure; seek grants from the national and international higher education bodies; and seek collaboration from the industry organisations for developing quality and skill-focused courses for young generation.

— Dr Mukesh Arora, Senator, PU

Finance Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur has been a university teacher. She had also led the education ministry of the Punjab government for a couple of years. She is expected to know better than others that higher education in the state is in a shambles. It suffers both from lack of quantity and quality. Gross enrollment ratio in the state is well below the national average. The major cause of concern is that share of education in the state budget has shrunk from over 23 per cent in 1970s to about 12 per cent in the first decade of the 21st century which is dismally low. On account of the government’s failure to release committed grants, about 45-50 per cent faculty positions in the universities and colleges, including government colleges, are lying vacant. A large number of ad hoc/contractual teachers receive salaries even lower than those of peons and clerks. A good financial stimulus is the crying need of time. But will the finance minister be able to be more generous to higher education than her predecessors? This is a million dollar question.

— Prof Tarsem Bahia, convener, Education Forum, Punjab

Hundreds of posts in colleges/ state universities are lying vacant and human resource development has deteriorated. Fresh recruitments must be made for maintaining quality education in colleges. The condition in many government colleges and most of private colleges is miserable in the absence of qualified staff. We are unable to produce quality students. In the era of globalisation, stress must be laid to upgrade infrastructure. Funds are required to revamp higher education, which is at the receiving end in Punjab.

— Prof Jaipal Singh, president Government College Teachers’ Association

The Punjab government is going to present its Budget for the financial year 2011-12 tomorrow. Since it is the last Budget of the present SAD-BJP government, it is expected that they make provisions for the complete implementation of their election manifesto which includes implementation of pension and gratuity scheme for the teachers working in private-aided colleges. The college teachers expect that the government will make provision in the coming Budget for the implementation of this scheme and render credibility to its claim of implementing its election manifesto in toto. We also expect that the government should also make budgetary provision for lifting ban on the recruitment of new teachers against the aided posts as the concept of ad hoc in colleges is adversely affecting the quality of education. Besides, funds needed to be allocated to the social sector, including health and education, which are the real indicators of the development and competent governance of the state.

— Prof VK Bhardwaj, vice-president, PCCTU

The facilities for students in the state are not satisfactory. Funds must be released generously for the welfare of students. We must be given an environment where we can feel encouraged and motivated. The facilities in laboratories, canteens, computer rooms, hostels, etc are not up to the mark in many colleges. In addition more scholarships should be provided to encourage students. Additional benefits should be given to poor meritorious students by the state government.

— Shubham Duggal, MCom student, SCD Government College

Ludhiana, March 13
If everything goes well, two important landmarks of the city would soon glitter with fancy lights as the Municipal Corporation authorities are mulling to give a facelift to them by installing hi-tech lights on them.

The proposal regarding it was recently mooted by MC Additional Commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar in a meeting with representatives of a private firm that had come in her office a few days back to give presentation regarding installation of energy saving LED lights in the city.

In the meeting of MC officials and company representatives, Brar told the latter that along with the installation of the LED lights in the city, they wanted the company to also take measures to give a facelift to two important landmarks of the city.

She said since Clock Tower in the inner areas of the city was one of the most renowned landmarks of Ludhiana, the MC authorities wanted that it should be developed in such a manner that the magnificence of this six-decade-old monument increased manifold.

She also said that in newer areas of the city Rose Garden was equally important landmark. Therefore, it also needed a special treatment so that it could become an example of the state-of-the-art craftsmanship of the civic body.

The officer asserted that already the garden was one of the best green areas of the city, but some emphasis was needed to be laid for enhancing its beauty at night time. For it the representatives of the company submitted their proposals to Brar and told her that they could match expectations of MC officials for which they also showed her that how they had installed lights in historical monuments across the globe, which had added to magnificence of those buildings.

They also showed some of their work regarding light, sound and laser show, which could be installed at both these sites to make them hi-tech and catchy. Brar told them that their proposal would be considered in the coming days by the MC.

When asked to comment on the matter, Brar said the proposal could prove useful in developing both the important landmarks of the city. She added that the authorities would look into all aspects before finalising the proposal. She also said that they would try to rope in some more proposals so that they could deliver the best to city residents.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 13
A Gujjar woman has accused her husband of allegedly deserting her after separating five daughters from her.

While one of her daughters was separated when she was just seven- day-old, another three-year-old daughter was projected as dead by the cruel father in the woman’s absence.

Roshan and his accomplice had allegedly thrashed at least five persons, including two sisters of the complainant, when they went to bring back Hasan’s daughters from Dulman village today. Nazira and Zamilan, two sisters of Hasan, have been admitted to the local civil hospital.

The Sadar police has started probing the allegations levelled by the mother identified as Hasan Bibi, a resident of Sanghala village.

Suleman, brother of the victim, told The Tribune that Hasan Bibi got married to Roshan, a resident of Dulman village, about eight years ago.

Their marital life passed smoothly for a few years after which Roshan started harassing Hasan Bibi for giving birth to five daughters.

Though Hasan’s parents had given 10 head of buffalo in dowry, Suleman had to give Rs 1 lakh as loan to please Roshan, who had threatened to marry another woman of their clan.

Accusing Roshan of harassing her, Hasan alleged that he had either killed two daughters or handed over them to some other woman. Other daughters will also meet the same fate, she apprehended.

“He is so cruel that he took away my daughter, Rukhsana, when she was barely seven-day-old. Earlier, he had told me that my three-year- old daughter, Sabina, had died when I was at Sanghala. Though no one from our side was shown her body,” said Hasan apprehending that her daughters, Seema, Hemna and Nazia, would meet same fate at the hands of their father. 

Ludhiana, March 13
Around 50 differently abled people got artificial limbs, calipers, tricycles, wheelchairs and hearing aids during the free artificial limbs distribution camp organised by the Viklang Sahayata Kendra, Rishi Nagar, today.

The Bharat Vikas Parishad Charitable Trust (BVPCT), Punjab, collaborated for the camp. Gautam Sehgal, chairman of Ludhiana Invincible Round Table 202, sponsored the camp. He told the organisation extended the help to various non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

BVPCT secretary Suraj Jyoti informed that they have distributed free artificial limbs to more than 35,000 differently abled people.

A polio surgery camp was also organised, in which 1,350 polio operations were done.

Ludhiana, March 13
About 1,048 people were tested at a free eye check-up camp held during the International Black Cataract Week, which concluded here yesterday. Fifty patients got their OTCs tested while 30 patients were tested for perimetery.

Twenty laser operations were done and 15 black cataract surgeries were conducted during the week at Dr Ramesh Super Specialty Eye and Lazer Center. Punarjot Eye Bank Society organised the programme from March 6.

Senior eye surgeon Dr Ramesh said on the concluding day that normally people don’t get to know that they were suffering from black cataract. “If the disease is not diagnosed in time, a person can lose his eyesight,” said the doctor.

Ludhiana, March 13
As the city becomes destination for national and international brands, it is also turning out to be preferred place for Bollywood personalities.

The winsome actress, Kangana Ranaut, was taken aback for some time by the shutterbugs of Ludhiana while she was in the city today to inaugurate a jewellery showroom on the Rani Jhansi Road.

Interacting with the media, the actor shared information on her forthcoming movies - “Double Dhamaka”, “Rascal” and “Games”. When quizzed about the best and the worst in Bollywood, she could only bring out her discomfort at the high-level of competition in the industry which made her little uneasy.

She also identified herself with the role in her latest movie “Tanu weds Manu”. Dressed in a gold and green outfit, Kangana expressed her wish to play her dream role as Anarkali of “Mughl-é-Azam”.

Crowded by her fans, who did not give an inch of space to the actor, Kangana did her best to remain composed throughout her stay at the showroom.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 13
Mobile phone has emerged as a handy little tool for smugglers and hawala racketeers for transferring money. Even genuine clients, who could easily transfer money through instant money transfer facility, prefer availing services of unauthorised dealers.

The Ludhiana (Rural) police, having seized Rs 10 lakh from the possession of a “courier” has tightened noose around a gang of racketeers who had been facilitating transfer of money among NRIs and their relatives living in India.

The police is also trying to establish whether these gangs were facilitating recovery of black money from Swiss Bank as well.

A few unidentified gangs of Hawala racketeers had been transferring huge amount of money from one place to another in an unauthorised manner. They care least about the norms laid down for transferring the money.

Having received information about illegal transactions in the area, Gursharan Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana (Rural), directed rank and file in the department to enhance vigil around suspected establishments and persons.

A team of cops led by Inderjit Singh, SHO, Jagraon, nabbed Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Jandauli village under the Rajpura police station, from Aligarh T point and seized Indian currency worth ` 10 lakh from his possession. The accused had received instruction from unknown persons to transfer the said amount from Ghumar Mandi of Ludhiana to Faridabad.

The suspect was neither aware of the money sender’s name nor that of its recipient. “All I was aware of that somebody will receive the money when I reach Faridabad,” Kuldeep Singh told the police officials. He, however, maintained that he used to receive instructions on mobile phone only. Calls were either made from public booths or from connection procured on fake identities.

Remuneration paid to couriers varied depending upon quantum of transaction and distance travelled, the suspect disclosed.

Money flowed in two directions in this region of the state. While a few NRIs sent money to their relatives for purchasing a piece of land for them, others wanted their share in parental property at their places.

Ludhiana, March 13
The Congress is refraining from organising a rally under the mass contact programme of Capt Amarinder Singh apparently due to widespread groupism and infighting in its district unit despite the fact that all other major districts have been covered under it.

Capt Amarinder Singh, after assuming charge of president of the state unit of the Congress, had announced that he would be holding rallies in every district to incite party workers for the Assembly scheduled for March 2012. Likewise rallies in major districts of the state have been either conducted or finalised. But the party seems to be refraining from conducting a rally here due to its infighting despite the fact that the city is the hub of industrial activities and sends maximum number of legislators in the state assembly.

Sources in the Congress revealed that the party had fixed three dates for holding a meeting and appointed former Punjab Minister Lal Singh as convener. But due to widespread groupism in the local unit of the party, its leadership has not been able to finalize the date. The district unit of the Congress is divided into many groups and prominent Congress stalwarts like former ministers Harnam Dass, Malkiat Singh Birmi, Rakesh Pandey, Malkiat Singh Dhaka, former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Surinder Dawar and president of the district unit of the party are leading them. These groups have been at loggerheads for quite sometime.

Though Manish Tiwari had managed to unite these groups, but things worsened once again with each group trying to snub the other. It is due to this reason that party leadership is facing a lot of problem in finalizing the date of the rally.

However, president of the district unit of the party refuted that infighting and groupism was preventing the party from holding a rally. 

Ludhiana, March 13
It appears burglars had a field day on Saturday night as they struck at three premises located in different areas of the city and decamped with cash and valuables worth over Rs 30 lakh.

The first incident was reported in Krishna Nagar where the thieves broke into the house of a property dealer, Harpreet Singh Bittu, and fled with cash and gold ornaments worth over Rs 25 lakh. The incident came to light Sunday afternoon when Bitu returned home after attending a function of his relatives in Khanna.

"I was shocked to find the house ransacked. Besides taking US $10,000 and C $20,000 bills, the burglars laid their hands on gold ornaments and other valuables kept in the house. I suffered a total loss of nearly Rs 25 lakh," said Bittu.

When asked why he was keeping such a huge amount of foreign currency at his home. He said the money belonged to his two sisters who currently live in Canada and the United States, respectively. “Recently both visited India to meet me. The thieves entered my house by breaking open the door and burgled the house”, he added.

Interestingly, though the locality is heavily populated residents did not notice any suspicious activity. The intruders committed the theft and quietly fled the scene.

Police division no 5 SHO Sandeep Wadhera said the matter was under investigation. "We’ve filed a case in the matter following a complaint by Bittu. The involvement of an acquaintance in the theft isn’t being ruled out”, he added.

In the second incident, thieves fled with 150 mobile phones, cash and cellular recharge coupons worth Rs 2 lakh by breaking into a shop selling cellphones on Bhadurke Road near Jodhewal. The incident came to light this morning when Rajesh Kumar, the owner, arrived at the shop Sunday morning and found the shutter broken. Wasting no time he called up the Jodhewal police, which has begun investigations.

In the third incident thieves struck at a computer store and decamped with 10 laptops, three desktop PCs and three printers worth nearly Rs 3 lakh. Interestingly, the intruders did not lay their hands on LCD and LED television sets kept in the store.

The theft was noticed when owner Manmeet Singh was informed by the residents, who spotted broken shutter. The Sarabha Nagar police has filed a case and begun a probe.