Jalandhar, June 30
Just two minutes silence, just two minutes thought,
For men who went to war and fought,
For freedom and peace to show that we care,
Just two minutes silence to remember the dead,
No need to speak for it is all been said,
So the next time you pass a memorial of war,
Just stop and think what it is there for?.

Eleven years back, it was on this day that Capt Roopendra Singh Garcha of 323 AD Regiment under Headquarters 2 Sector Rashtriya Rifles was killed while fighting with the militants near Lakirpur village in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Today was his 11th death anniversary.

Remembering the supreme sacrifice of the young officer, 323 AD Regiment especially came from Vadodara (Gujarat) to Jalandhar to lay a wreath at the statue of Capt Garcha. The regiment has been sending a contingent to Jalandhar on the death anniversary of the young officer.

The contingent, led by an officer, a JCO and other ranks from the regiment, presented a guard of honour and laid a wreath at the Memorial of Capt Roopendra Singh Garcha, situated at the Urban Estate, Phase-II, shopping complex. The land for the memorial was given by the Punjab Urban Development Authority, Jalandhar.

Lt-Col J.S. Garcha, father of Capt Garcha, handed over their priced possession, a “Yamaha motorcycle” of Capt Garcha, to Deputy Director of the District Sainik Board Lt-Col (retd) Manmohan Singh for office use.

Ever since the young officer was killed in action, his motorcycle was lying unused at Garcha’s residence. And the Garcha family decided to hand it over to Col Manmohan. “We were short of words at the humane gesture of the Garcha family who donated their son’s motorcycle to us. Now it will remain with our office,” said Col Manmohan.Talking to The Tribune, Col Garcha said his son was only 25 years’ old when he was commissioned in the regiment of AD Artillery in 1997. “Ever since we lost our son, the regiment made it an annual feature to present a guard of honour to my son on his death anniversary,” he added.

Apart from constructing the memorial, the Garcha family has been conducting an NCC Golf Cup too. The AD regiment has also named a trophy in the memory of Capt Garcha and mentioned the brave heart in their regiment heritage hall.

The regiment has named SA Firing trophy and a road in Vadodara cantonment after the name of the young martyr. A Young Officer Trophy has also been constituted by the Air Defence College, Gopalpur (Orissa), in the memory of Capt Garcha.

He was commissioned in the Corps of Army Air Defence and joined 323 AD Regiment on September 5, 1997, at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai.

Earlier in the day, GOC of Vajra Corps, Lt-Gen Munish Sibal along with serving and retired Army officers laid a wreath at the memorial.

Lt-Gen Sibal highlighted the sacrifice of Capt Garcha for the sake of the nation and assured that the families of the martyrs would always receive unstinted support from Vajra Corps.

Jalandhar, June 30
The women Medical Officers of the Civil Hospital have resented the recent move of the hospital administration to put them on the emergency night duties.Besides alleging that the hospital authorities were adopting the “pick and choose” policy while deciding the duty schedules, the women doctors also demanded that security measures during the night shifts should be beefed up before pushing the women doctors to do emergency night duties.

Until recently, only male doctors were doing the night emergency duties. However, implementing the orders of the Health Directorate, the hospital authorities have recently decided to put all doctors, including women doctors, on emergency night duty, by rotation.

“In the given circumstances, when the crime rate in the city is increasing, how is it feasible for a single woman doctor to work at the hospital emergency? We are demanding nothing more than adequate security arrangements for us. Otherwise, the services would suffer,” said a woman doctor, requesting anonymity.

On the other hand, Dr Avtar Chand, acting Medical Superintendent, said the administration was bound to implement the decision.

“So far, as a makeshift arrangement, the doctors deployed at the trauma centre were performing the duties of Emergency Medical Officers during night. However, taking strict notice of this practice, the higher authorities have recently clarified that such doctors were exclusively meant for trauma centre only,” said Dr Avtar Chand.

“We have today forwarded the demand to the Health Minister to induct more male doctors in the hospital,” Dr Avatar Chand said.

He said doctors of radiology, gynaecology and anaesthesiology departments could not be deployed on night shifts as such doctors couldn’t be relieved at daytime, he added.

Phillaur, June 30
Physically handicapped since childhood, Manpreet Singh has proved where there is a will, there is a wayA lesson for others like him, Manpreet, a resident of Lassarra village, overcame his limitations to become a video editor where he operates a computer keyboard with the help of a pencil in his mouth.

Manpreet was diagnosed with a tumour in his neck when he was in Class III. Though he was operated upon at PGI Chandigarh, his disability wasn’t cured.

“I was determined to do something in life and not to be a burden on my family. At that point, I asked my uncle living abroad to arrange a computer for me,” says Manpreet (27).

As soon as he received a computer, he started practising on the computer with a pencil in his mouth.

After several months of hard practice, he succeeded in his attempt.

As video editor, Manpreet runs a photography shop in partnership with his friend, who has improvised certain functions to make it easy for Manpreet.

Manpreet was recently honoured by the Phillaur Administration for his exemplary courage.

Jalandhar, June 30
Congress MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira today said he had written to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal questioning his decision to appoint a tainted officer as SDM in his constituency.

Khaira distributed copies of news reports, which highlighted arresting of PCS officer TK Goyal by vigilance sleuths for allegedly taking bribe of Rs 50,000 from one George Shubh, a resident of Begowal, in his office at Mini Secretariat Chandigarh on September 8, 2010. The officer was then joint secretary, department of welfare of SC/BCs.

The MLA has shot off a direct question to the CM, “You and your son have pressurised the Chief Secretary not to give sanction to prosecute the corrupt officer, which is mandatory under the Civil Services rules. In my capacity as elected representative, I would like to know as to what are the grounds for withholding sanction to prosecute this corrupt officer by the Chief Secretary?”

He has further written, “Now that elections to the Vidhan Sabha are due in February 2011, the SDM Bholath in his capacity is also the returning officer of 26-Bholath Assembly constituency. By posting him as SDM Bholath, you have taken an unwritten commitment from him to help the Akali candidate not only during polls but even during day to day work.”

Khaira has even pointed out, “By posting the officer in the area of his complainant, you have also given him a free hand to pressurise, coerce and intimidate George Shub who happens to be a resident of Begowal, falling within the jurisdiction of SDM Bholath.

Khaira said in case the CM does not withdraw the posting orders, his party workers would gherao Goyal in his office on July 5. He said such a decision of the CM or Deputy CM exposed their double standards on corruption. 

Jalandhar, June 30
A series of foundation stones claiming huge development plans for the masses is all that meets the eyes when one reaches Ward 3. It does make one think about the considerable efforts of the councillor, but the ground reality is exactly opposite.

Right from the entrance of Ward 3 on the Jalandhar-Pathankot bypass, marshy lanes, piles of garbage, non-functional streetlights, overflowing drains and nonfunctional tubewell brings to the fore the plight of the residents. So much so that the residents have left any hope of development in the ward.

“What should we do? The councillor, despite listening to our problems, has done nothing during the past five years. The ruling SAD-BJP combine laid several foundation stones for the sewerage system, but that has gone for a toss,” said Manoj Kaushal.

The residents blamed the councillor for getting the sewerage system laid at an unapproved colony situated near Bachint Nagar and Sarabha Nagar instead of the approved colonies of the ward. “He started laying the sewerage in the unapproved colony two years back, while the work in our colonies started sometime back. And to add upon our woes rains have virtually blocked the lanes making it difficult for us to commute,” said Ashok Kumar.

Even potable water has become a luxury at Hargobind Nagar of this ward. The womenfolk ended up complaining about the nonfunctional tubewell, which caters to this colony. “Despite residing adjacent to the water works tubewell unit, none of the house is getting drinking water. We are having a harrowing time in the absence of the water facility and have to reach out to other colonies to fetch drinking water,” said an elderly woman of the colony.

The tubewell was laid by former Local Bodies Minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh in 2002. The residents claimed that owing to some technical snag with the tubewell motor the water problem arose.

Further talking about the overflowing, choked drains and pile of garbage at various locations in the ward, the residents said, “Even the Municipal Corporation seems to have turned a blind eye towards our problems. The MC authorities rarely come to this ward to lift garbage or clean the choked drains. We are forced to live in utter hell,” said Baljeet Kaur, a resident of Reru Colony.

Councillor of Ward 3 Paramjit Singh was not available for comments.

Commissioner, MC, Vinay Bublani expressed his inability to provide exact information about various problems, but assured that he would look into the matter. “As far as the nonfunctional tubewell is concerned, we will address the problem on priority,” he added.

Dr Jaspal Singh Randhawa, Principal of Lyalpur Khalsa College, during the admission session in Jalandhar. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Meanwhile, as many as five students of BCA-I bagged top positions in the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Harleen stood first in varsity by scoring 669 marks out of 900. Bhumika and Jasmeet got 7th and 16th position, respectively. While Himani Bawa, a student of BCom (Professional)-II of the local Prem Chand Markanda SD College for Women brought laurels to her institution by bagging first position in GND varsity, Amritsar. Himani secured 82 percent mark in aggregate by scoring 575 marks out of 700.

Plantation drive

The students of the St Soldier College of Education conducted plantation drive ‘Vatavaran di Surakhya atay Sundarta’ during which around 50 saplings of decorative plants were planted. Later, director of the college Dr Alka Gupta directed the students of four houses of the college to take the responsibility of nurturing the plants.

HMV toppers

Gurchetan Kaur, a student of B. Sc (Biotechnology)-III, secured first position in the university by scoring 1,560 marks out of 1800 and Taniya Mehta got second position by securing 1502 marks.