Jalandhar, May 28
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has issued a showcause notice to Makkar hospital for their alleged practice of throwing biomedical waste in the open garbage dump.

Harbir Singh, XEN, PPCB, said the showcause notice had been issued to the management of the Makkar hospital and has been asked to submit their reply within seven days.

Notably, the employees of the hospital were caught red-handed by the officials of the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, while they were throwing buckets full of biomedical waste in the garbage dump in Adarsh Nagar locality.

Harbir further added that besides the issuance of notice, the PPCB has also sought the record of biomedical waste transported to the common incinerator facility, Mohali, by the hospital for the past few months.

On the other hand, refuting the charges, Dr KS Makkar, owner of the hospital, said the hospital had been equipped with the common incinerator facility and biomedical waste was transported to facility as per laid down norms. Therefore, there was no question of throwing the waster on garbage dump, added Dr Makkar.

He, however, maintained that it was rather the domestic waste of paramedical and nursing staff residing in the hospital premises. He added that notice had not been received by the hospital.

Jalandhar, May 28
Three accused, identified as Jagjeevan Singh, Sarbjot Singh and Jaspreet Singh, have been arrested in Daljit Kaur acid attack case, said the police in a press note.

The accused are residents of Khanpur village in Kapurthala.

A case under Sections 326, 120-B and 34 of the IPC was registered against them at Subhanpur police station in 2010 on the complaint of victim’s father Malkiat Singh.

The police said Jaspreet Singh, who was a Dubai-based NRI, hired Jagjeevan Singh and Sarbjot Singh to kill his France-based friend Kamaljit Singh’s fiancée in Kapurthala.

Kamaljit Singh was married to Kala, a Sri Lankan girl, and the couple was living in France. Kala came to know about Kamaljit’s fiancée working in Apex Hospital in Nadiala so she asked Jaspreet to eliminate her.

Jaspreet offered Rs 1.3 lakh to Jagjeevan Singh and Sarbjot Singh for the job, the police added. The duo mistook Daljit Kaur as Kamaljit’s fiancée and threw acid on her face causing her serious burns.

Amritsar, May 28
The National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) has established a front office and legal aid clinic at district court complex here to make free legal services accessible to the marginalised and weaker sections of society.

The office was inaugurated by MM Kumar, executive chairman, Punjab Legal Services Authority (PLSA) on Saturday. He was accompanied by U Sarat Chandran, member secretary NLSA, and H S Madaan, district and session judge cum chairman district free legal services authority.

Speaking on the occasion, he said legal aid clinics are being set up even in the remotest villages for providing free legal advices and services to the citizens who could not afford to hire a counsel or lawyers or approach courts for getting justice and fighting their cases. These clinics are being manned by panel of advocates and para legal volunteers who have been specially trained to provide competent legal services to the poor people.

Nakodar, May 28
As many as 17 new cases of gastroenteritis were reported on Saturday. The condition of 10 patients was stated to be serious.

Medical teams have set up permanent camps at the village for precautionary measures.

Rural Medical Officer (RMO) Sushant said seven medical teams from Jalandhar too are conducting door-to-door inspection in the village. He said they sent eight samples of drinking water to Jalandhar Civil Hospital laboratory for test.

The report is expected on Monday. Mehtpur SMO Shashi Ahloowalia instructed the villagers to drink boiled water.

The grastro outbreak had claimed the life of Sukhdev, an electrician, on late Thursday night.

Till yesterday, as many as 89 cases had been reported in the village.