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Duty first, celebrations take backseat
Hospital staff in emergency mode
Cracking some innovation |
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Devotees throng Golden Temple
Amritsar, October 25 A sea of devotees will throng the Golden Temple tomorrow to celebrate the Bandi Chhor Divas and Diwali. The occupancy in hotels across the city is nearing 100 per cent.
Many join in the cracker-free tribe
Ornaments, cash stolen
Diwali at Pingalwara
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Duty first, celebrations take backseat
Amritsar, October 25 The Tribune team talked to professionals, who will be on duty on Diwali and will celebrate the festival away from their families. 108 Ambulance Service
It will be the first Diwali for the 108 ambulance squad as the wing was established this year only. They have planned to celebrate the occasion in the office and have tastefully decorated their office on the Circular Road in the city. They have also made arrangements for performing a special Diwali puja and thereafter have plans to burst crackers. On Diwali, 70 call dispatch centre (CDC) executives will be on an eight-hour duty on roster basis. State head of the 108 ambulance service Jatinder Sharma said: “Our two emergency medical technicians and two pilots will be on their toes. The fleet of 233 ambulances will be ready as per the routine schedule of the 12-hour roster pattern. Besides, our administrative staff of 25 people, including me, would be just a call away any time. Vikram, who will be on duty in the control room, said: “We are proud to serve the suffering humanity.” The driver of an ambulance, Gurcharan Singh, said he was always happy to sacrifice the fun of festivals for the sake of suffering humanity. Firemen
Fireman Shmaun Gill has not celebrated Diwali with his family since his appointment in the fire department 29 years ago. His wife Venus Gill said: “As it has been a routine for the past many years, we don’t find it awkward.” “Our job is to ensure the safety of residents and public property during Diwali. Sometimes we feel sad that we could not remain with our family during festivals, including Diwali, but what can we do. Duty comes first.” Fire officer Trilochan Singh said that in his 33-year career, he never celebrated Diwali with family at home. “My children are living abroad and my wife alone at home. Due to professional compulsions, we never get together even on Diwali. A notice has been circulated in the office against taking leave three days before Diwali and two days after the festival. Our teams will be on job round-the-clock. The staff is also putting in extra hours to deal with any untoward incident in the city and the adjoining Tarn Taran district,” said Trilochan Singh. Doctors
Dr Sanjeev Gupta, who would be in the Civil Hospital on the emergency duty during late hours on Diwali, feels that his professional oath commands him to perform his duty first. His wife, Shifali Gupta, said: “The joy would have been much more had my husband been able to celebrate the festival with us, but we know his job demands that he should be at his working place.” His son Akshit Gupta, a class X student said his elder brother, Rishabh Gupta, pursuing aeronautical engineering in Dehradun, has come home to celebrate Diwali, but understands about his father’s professional commitments. Dr Sanjeev Gupta said: “There is no question of celebrating when we have so many patients lined up for treatment on Diwali. It’s our job to treat the patients and that is Diwali for us.” Dr Manjit Singh Khalsa, a surgeon, too will be on duty during late hours on Diwali. His wife Paramjit Kaur, daughters Supreet Kaur and Preet Kanwar, would miss him, but looking at the job profile of their father, they were ready to sacrifice his company. Dr Khalsa said: “The scene in the hospitals are so heartrending that we consider ourselves lucky to just skip a day of celebrations with our families. At least we celebrate the festival with our colleagues. Just think about the patients who are completely bedridden,” he said. Policemen
Head constable Hardev Singh does not remember a single instance when he was with his family to celebrate Diwali. “I had joined the police department in 1997 and since then I have not celebrated Diwali with my family. Duty is supreme. Our duty becomes more significant during the festive season when there are more chances of untoward incidents,” he said. His wife Ranjit Kaur said: “I don’t expect him to be on any such occasion now, as it has been a routine over the past many years. But still, I expect him to join us after midnight after his duty is over.
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Hospital staff in emergency mode
Amritsar, October 25 Besides, government hospitals in the city have deputed extra staff in the emergency ward and have asked doctors not to leave the city. This Diwali, the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital has decided to put on duty two doctors instead of one in the emergency ward. Talking to The Tribune Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Balwinder Kakkar said: “One more surgeon has been put on duty to cater to burn injury emergencies. Kakkar said: “Hospitals witness a number of patients with burn and eye injury after Diwali. The hospital has ordered three doctors - a dermatologist, an ophthalmologist and ortho-surgeon - to remain alert. Theses doctors will provide services if they receive a call from emergency ward. The hospital has also debarred its doctors and other employees from leaving the station, added Kakkar. The Employees State Insurance (ESI) Hospital too has put on duty an additional medical officer on the Diwali night. ESI superintendent Dr Eklavya Gabba said: “Most of the patients visiting hospitals on Diwali night either have burn or eye injury.”
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Cracking some innovation
Amritsar, October 25 As we know that three things sell in the country - Bollywood, cricket and religion. To boost their sales, the firecracker companies cash in on Bollywood actors and cricketers by printing their pictures on boxes and even naming the crackers on the characters played by the actors. Some examples are sizzling Shiela aka Katrina smiling on a box of sparkling crackers; a posing Munni aka Malaika Arora Khan on a box of a pop-up cracker or Aishwarya looking quite intimidating on a packet of phuljhadis. Apologies for any deep analogy behind this practice, but it purely means good business. “These are quite popular among kids, as they are attracted to their favourite actors or actresses. Most buy them thinking that these will burst louder than other crackers,” says Sahil, a shopkeeper at the Pataka Market. Even our cricketers don’t lag behind with the popularity. Not quite up to the level of their endorsement deals, but MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh can be seen on different brands of crackers. The funniest part being that Turbanator, quite true to his character, is seen on a pack of chakkaris. Well, some smart thinking there. “People are attracted to buy crackers with stickers of Bollywood heroines pasted on them. Others do brisk business but these are always in demand,” shares Billu, another shopkeeper at the Pataka market. Though Bollywood heroes fare less popularity, the star Khan, Salman, seems to be popular in this role as well with his specific crackers being the “fancy rockets”. Akshay Kumar and SRK are some other favourites in this category. “My kids like crackers with pictures of celebrities on them as they look more attractive. Though it doesn’t matter, still they like their favourite actor on crackers,” says Neetu Kapoor, a housewife buying a bag full of these so called-star crackers for her two sons. Aditya Sharma, pursuing MBA at GND University, shares his feeling on the subject quite sportingly. “Diwali makes everything special, whether plausibly or ridiculously. This practice adds some fun to buying crackers, which otherwise will be loaded with guilt of adding to the pollution. I always look for the best poses and names on packets of crackers.”
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Devotees throng Golden Temple
As per the age-old tradition, devotees take a dip in the holy pool at the Golden Temple complex and pay obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum. Heavy rush of devotees is noticed at the break of the dawn. Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh will address the community from the Darshani Deodhi on Diwali evening. The entire complex has been illuminated. Noted ‘raagi jathas’ will perform ‘shabad kirtan’ at Gurdwara Manji Sahib, which will be followed by a ‘dhadi darbar’ tomorrow. However, the SGPC in principal has reduced the duration of fireworks at the Golden Temple to minimise the effect of pollution on magnificent gold work of the Golden Temple. Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association general secretary APS Chatha said the season for the hospitality industry was at its peak and the occupancy rate in hotels had shot up about four days prior to Diwali. As per the age-old tradition, a large number of “sadhus” wearing saffron colour clothes have been arriving in the city to celebrate Diwali. They partake of langar (community kitchen) in the Golden Temple and collect donations from a philanthropic trust, located near the hundred-feet road. For the first time, the management of Durgiana Temple decided not to hold firecracker display this time. Spokesperson of the temple management Harish Taneja said the decision was taken following the call given by Sant Balbir Singh Seechwal to celebrate a pollution-free Diwali.
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Many join in the cracker-free tribe
Amritsar, October 25 “I and my family have been celebrating a happy and cracker-free Diwali for the past 10 years now. We don’t support this unhealthy practice and like to spend the festival with fun activities such as tambola, musical chairs etc,” says Maninder Davar, a businessman from the city. A follower of the Art of Living, Maninder finds it annoying that the festival of lights turns into a mad rush to burn crackers. “It’s like burning your hard-earned money. Why indulge in something that will do no good to anyone,” he asks. It was his father Sujinder Singh Davar, who began the tradition in the family. His wife Tripat Kaur, a retired Principal, too preaches what she has been practicing. “A green Diwali is the best way to honour and celebrate the festival. Our grandchildren too have never demanded and resorted to burning crackers. Instead, they urge their friends to follow suit,” she says. The number of such people is rising as many choose to exclude crackers from their celebrations. Call it the rising cracker prices or an increasing awareness but the trend is catching up for sure. “Instead of spending money on crackers, I like to invest my money on gold and other gifts during the festival. The amount that otherwise will go waste is being put to buy new things for myself. What matters is what makes you happy,” says Sahil Chaddha, branch head working with HDFC Standard Life. He along with his group of friends Nitin Bhardwaj and Rajesh have pledged to celebrate an eco-friendly Diwali every year. “Flowers, sweets, decorations, new clothes…there are hundred other nice ways to celebrate the festival. Crackers are harmful to the environment as well as pose threat of burn injury. Nobody wants to get injured during the festival,” says Shruti Mehra who along with brother Umesh lights some extra diyas to spread the message.
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Ornaments, cash stolen
Amritsar, October 25 Body recovered
The body of an unidentified man was found from a drain near the Fatahpur Road here last evening. Dev Datt, SHO of the Gate Hakima police station said that Avtar Singh, a resident of Jhabal Road, had informed the police about the body that was stuffed in a sack. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. Purse snatched
Two unidentified persons snatched the purse of a tourist from Maharashtra when she was on her way to a hotel after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple last evening. Josna Manohar Moonge from Nasik told the police that she was on her way to a hotel on a cycle rickshaw along with her family when two motorcyclists snatched her purse containing a mobile phone, a camera, Rs 1,500 cash, a driving licence, PAN card, debit cards and two gold earrings. ASI Jaswant Singh of the Civil Lines police station said a case has been registered.
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Diwali at Pingalwara
Amritsar, October 25 College principal Dr Neelam Kamra said the volunteers had already initiated a drive to collect clothes and other articles of daily use for the underprivileged children.
— TNS
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Amritsar, October 25
Amritsar, October 25
Amritsar, October 25