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Happy days are here for 5,000 kids
Health authorities to act tough against private laboratories
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Encroachments demolished near Attari-Wagah joint check post
NHAI employees demolish encroachments near the Attari-Wagah joint check post on Monday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
BJP fumes over induction of its leaders into SAD
RP Singh Maini (in black turban) addresses the media at Tarn Taran on Monday. A Tribune photo
MC orders blacklisting of Nehru Garden contractor
BJP leaders divided over corporation status for Phagwara
Teachers of aided colleges rally for demands
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Happy days are here for 5,000 kids
Jalandhar, July 25 The project under Govt of India scheme under National Child Labour Policy is being run since September 2000 in 270 districts across India. In Punjab, this project is running in Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana. Talking to The Tribune, Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) Inderjeet Singh said as many as 27 such evening schools were being run in Jalandhar where 1,300 children were provided primary education up to Class V and training in vocational courses. Nearly 50 children were admitted in each school, he said, adding that 52 per cent of these children were boys. The children were found working as domestic help; at different sports, rubber and other industries and at tea shops and dhabas during raids conducted by the Labour Department, he added. The department had been holding classes in the evening in government schools, he said, adding that three teachers had been appointed in each school for academic studies and vocational training, like stitching, embroidery, toy and artificial flower making, cooking and tailoring. Besides, the students were also given food and Rs 150 per month as stipend. Most kids are outside Punjab. They are from Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and even from neighbouring country Nepal. Inderjeet Singh said these schools were being run under a special project initiated about a decade ago after the implementation of the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulations Act 1986. He further said the parents of other child labourers were also encouraged to get their children admitted in such schools for a better future. These students and their parents were also persuaded to continue their education beyond Class V, he added. The Labour Department is providing education to child labourers in the Sarv Shikhiya Abhiyan-run schools in those cities where such evening schools were not operational, he added. Though it’s a 100 per cent Government of India financed scheme, some NGOs help provide uniform and shoes to the students. About 2,600 children have been rehabilitated so far. The Labour Department pursues cases of students even after Class V. There has been a tie-up with the sports industry for the employment of these kids. Rehabilitation of Child Labourers
* Kids, who were found working in dhabas and factories, provided education up to Class V and vocational training *
107 evening schools are being run in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar for the purpose *
The project is running in 270 districts across India * Besides nutritional food in the school, students also get Rs 150 per month as stipend *
Kids are from mainly from Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and even from Nepal |
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Labelling sick as dengue patients
Jalandhar, July 25 In a warning sent out to the private laboratories and hospitals today, the health authorities made it clear that the doctors or technicians posted at such centres should refrain themselves from diagnosing the patients - who carry dengue like symptoms but due to some other underlying ailments - as dengue cases. “During these months, large number of the patients reporting to such centres with fever and decreased blood cell count were labelled as dengue patients. This is being done despite the fact that cell count goes down even in general fever,” said Dr HK Singla, Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar. Strict action would be taken against such medical practitioners, private laboratories and hospitals for wrong reporting of dengue cases and for deceiving patients, added Dr Singla. It is pertinent to mention here that during the last year’s dengue outbreak, large number of cases were declared positive for dengue by such laboratories and hospitals. Later, after being tested with authorised lab kits provided by the Central Government, a good number of such cases were found negative for the disease. “Only the patients, who undergo McELISA test available at the Civil Hospital, would be considered as positive for the disease”, said the Civil Surgeon.
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Encroachments demolished near Attari-Wagah joint check post
Amritsar, July 25 Manmohan Singh Kang, SDM-II, informed that both sides of the national highway especially outside the JCP would be beautified to provide the check post a cleaner look. The administration removed rehriwalas and vendors from the site who would be relocated. He said the visitors would wait here before the gates were opened for the Beating The Retreat ceremony. It is pertinent to mention here that dhaba and snack shop owners put up chairs and stalls by encroaching the government lands. Here police post and tourism kiosks would come up. — TNS |
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BJP fumes over induction of its leaders into SAD
Tarn Taran, July 25 Maini alleged that Harmit Singh Sandhu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Tarn Taran MLA) and Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, were among the persons who were not following the alliance norms. He said the SAD had inducted three municipal councillors and a expelled worker of the BJP. The worker was detained by the city police on various charges of violation of the Excise Act, he added. Maini said with the BJP claiming the post, the election for the senior vice-president of the Municipal Council had been deliberately delayed for the last eight months. The district president said he had been in touch with the party high command and today’s press conference too was in the notice of the party leadership. He said in case the SAD leadership failed to mend its ways, then the district unit of the BJP should be given freedom to choose its own way. Six local councillors and other leaders of the BJP were also present on the occasion.
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MC orders blacklisting of Nehru Garden contractor
Jalandhar, July 25 It also decided to forfeit the earnest money deposited by the contractor. The proposal passed is being sent to the state government for the final nod. While the issue was not in the agenda of the meeting, the issue was raised right on the spot with orders passed for floating new tenders in the next three to four days. Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia and committee member Sunil Jyoti confirmed the development. Rather than becoming a major attraction, the garden has turned out to be an eyesore for the residents and passersby. The committee members also decided to purchase 15 new fogging machines to eradicate mosquitoes and prevent any spread of malaria or dengue. |
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BJP leaders divided over corporation status for Phagwara
Phagwara, July 25 Block BJP president Arun Khosla and his supporters echoed similar views. Opposed to the move, Phagwara Nagar Council president and BJP leader Balbhadhar Sein Duggal did not seem to agree with the announcement. Though he left it for the government to decide, he said he could not understand the criterion adopted to upgrade the NC to corporation in Phagwara. A city should have a population of 3 lakh to get the status of corporation, but Phagwara has a population of about 1 lakh, he added. Councillors were too upset with the decision. Meanwhile, Local Bodies Department, Principal, Secretary SS Rajput said as of now, the council would work as a corporation but later, at least 50 wards would be set up in a corporation. Pathankot MLA hails move
Pathankot: Former minister and MLA Pathankot Master Mohan Lal has welcomed the announcement of the Deputy Chief Minister over according of corporation status to Pathankot. He said it would be good for the town’s development. — OC |
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Teachers of aided colleges rally for demands
Amritsar, July 25 Main Demands
* Implementation of pension and gratuity scheme The rally and protest march was organised as per the plan chalked out by the state executive committee of the PCCTU. The committee had decided to hold district-wise rallies from July 25 to August 11 and state-level action programmes from mid-August. Addressing the teachers, the state general secretary Prof HS Walia flayed the government for not listening to the voice of reason and hence unnecessarily vitiating the academic atmosphere in the state. “The issues are not only related to protecting the interests of teachers but have wider implications related to promotion of higher education in the state and attracting talent into the teaching profession,” he said. The issues include, inter-alia, implementation of pension and gratuity scheme, lifting ban on recruitments imposed in 2005, relaxation from refresher courses as per the UGC guidelines, raising retirement age to 65 years as per the revised pay scale notification of the Central Government, disbursement of arrears due on account of revision of pay scales for the period January 1, 2006, to March 31, 2010, regular and timely release of grant under 95 per cent deficit scheme, streamlining the functioning of DPI (C) office, bringing teachers working against un-aided posts in the ambit of Security of Service Act, 1974, ameliorating the plight of unaided colleges. However, the pension and gratuity scheme for college teachers was also promised in the manifestos of the Akali-BJP parties issued before the Assembly elections in 2007. “Till date nothing has been done to implement the said scheme. Non-implementation of the pension and gratuity scheme is a major roadblock in the way of attracting talent into the profession. The ban imposed on the recruitment of teachers, non-review of sanctioned posts since 1981 and limping grant-in-aid system are eating into the vitals of the academic standards in the state and hence about 50 colleges are on the verge of collapse”, said Walia.
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Sad days are over for more than 5,000 kids, who were working as labourers a few months back.
Under the National Child Labour Project aimed at rehabilitation, these children (5,350 in total) have been getting vocational training in 107 evening schools, run in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar under the aegis of Labour Department with the assistance of NGOs. The training is given free of cost.
Amritsar, July 25
Tarn Taran, July 25
