J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Lab technicians resume work
Jalandhar, October 13
Patients across the state heaved a sigh of relief as lab technicians resumed work today. Following the positive response of the government towards their demands at a meeting of state president of the Medical Laboratory Technicians Association, Punjab, Sikander Singh with CM’s Principal Secretary DS Guru, Director, Health and Family Welfare, and Director, Research and Medical Education, held at Chandigarh yesterday, the union decided to postpone its strike.

Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union holds protest
Jalandhar October 13
The Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union held a protest at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here today and later submitted a memorandum regarding their demands to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Woman dies of ‘suspected’ dengue fever
Phagwara, October 13
Neelam Sharma (45), resident of Onkar Nagar here, died due to suspected dengue fever at the DMC Hospital in Ludhiana today.

Lab technicians resume work
Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 13
Patients across the state heaved a sigh of relief as lab technicians resumed work today. Following the positive response of the government towards their demands at a meeting of state president of the Medical Laboratory Technicians Association, Punjab, Sikander Singh with CM’s Principal Secretary DS Guru, Director, Health and Family Welfare, and Director, Research and Medical Education, held at Chandigarh yesterday, the union decided to postpone its strike.

Sohan Lal Bawa, press secretary and Jalandhar-based member of the association, said, “Responding to our demands regarding provision of free lodging, risk allowance, travel allowance, etc, an order about a case to be prepared regarding our demands was issued on the spot to be forwarded to the Finance Department.

It was also said a policy regarding the regularisation of contractual employees would be prepared within a period of 10 days. Due to this, the Directorate of Health was also instructed to stop the recruitment process for a period of 10 days.

Another demand of the association was that a recommendation (by the government) to the anomalies committee regarding the increase in the pay band of the members of the association be implemented.

Bawa said keeping in mind the positive response of the government, the pen-down strike across the state and the hunger strike outside the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, had been postponed.

He said the increasing number of dengue patients in hospitals across the state and worries regarding the welfare of the patients had also been pivotal in taking the decision.

He said depending on the government’s response to its promises, the decisions regarding the next phase of the struggle would be taken at a meeting of the union in Ludhiana on October 16.

Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union holds protest
Our Correspondent

Jalandhar October 13
The Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union held a protest at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here today and later submitted a memorandum regarding their demands to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Boop Chand Chano, president of the Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor Union, said their demands were to increase the daily wage of labourers, 200 days of work for MNREGA workers, equal wage for women and men, Rs 1,000 pension for widows and physically challenged, Shagun scheme amount be raised to Rs 31,000, BPL cards for all poor, free electricity to the labour class, etc.

Woman dies of ‘suspected’ dengue fever
Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, October 13
Neelam Sharma (45), resident of Onkar Nagar here, died due to suspected dengue fever at the DMC Hospital in Ludhiana today.

The Senior Medical Officer Phagwara, Dr Rajiv Gupta, while confirming the death said though the exact cause of the death could be known, the Health Department has been directed to take all possible measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The SMO said a team of government doctors was sent to the affected locality and the team has reported that the deceased woman had low platelets counts cell. She was first treated at the local Anoop Hospital then was sent to the Patel Hospital, Jalandhar, and later was referred to the DMC, Ludhiana, where she breathed her last. However, required steps have been taken, tablets of chlorines have been distributed and required chemical would be sprayed in the area for prevention of the disease, the SMO said. He advised people to drink boiled water.

BKU seeks return of land to farmers

Hoshiarpur, October 13
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), Chandigarh, has taken a stand over the compensation of Rs 8.8 lakh per acre for acquiring 7.5 acres of land of Jagdish Singh, Hoshiarpur, in July 2011.

The President of BKU, Balbir Singh Rajewal, in a memorandum to the CM said in 2002 the authorities issued a notification for acquiring 7.5 acres land. In July 2011, an award of Rs 8.8 lakh per acre had been fixed as a price of the land by the government. It was surprising to note that in 2002 the collector rate was Rs 96 lakh per acre fixed by the Collector under Section 4. The Hoshiarpur Improvement Trust had also acquired 6 acres in the area, at the rate of Rs 2 lakh per acre. He said present price of the land was Rs 3 crore per acre whereas it was acquired at Rs 8.8 lakh per acre. The forcible land acquiring is grave injustice to the farmers. He asked the State government to cancel the above said notification and hand over the land to the farmer. — OC