Ludhiana, November 15
Even as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government for regular monitoring of the Budda Nullah, environmentalists feel that it could be yet another directive of the court, as the state government or the Punjab Pollution Control Board lack the will to act in this regard. Environmentalists say that till the time untreated water keeps pouring into the Nullah, it could never become clean.

Noted environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal has charged the state government as well as the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) with turning a blind eye towards this serious issue.

“I was shocked when I came to know that the water polluted by the Ludhiana industry is present in the sarovar of Gurdwara Tutti Kandi Sahib at Muktsar, the Chief Minister’s home district. Not only this, even the langar (community kitchen) at the same gurdwara is being prepared by using the same water. What could be worse than this as our places of worship are now facing the brunt of pollution. Instead of directing the state government to actively monitor the pollution levels in Budda Nullah, the court should fix responsibility of the people who were responsible for this pollution,” said Seechewal.

He further said, “If a visually impaired person is made to stand near the Budda Nullah, even he can tell that he is standing near virtual hell. Instead of opposing strict laws framed by the PPCB, the industrialists responsible for discharging untreated water into the Nullah should feel ashamed and should know that they are committing a crime against humanity by polluting Budda Nullah. The court should also pull up officials of the departments concerned so that no other water body gets polluted the Budda Nullah way.”

Meanwhile, PPCB chairman Kahan Singh Pannu claimed that the board had been actively monitoring the pollution levels of the Budda Nullah. “We review the progress every three months and due to our initiatives, the flow of untreated water into the nullah has dropped. By December end, the residents would see a considerable change in the pollution levels in the Nullah,” claimed Pannu.

He said both Common Effluent Treatment Plant as well as Sewerage Treatment Plant were being used for treating the untreated water. “Even the bio-remediation project had been started by the central government. Just have faith in us as we are really working hard to make Budda Nullah a clean water body, which it once was.”

Ludhiana, November 15
The police department may be facing a staff crunch in the district and the common man may be bearing the brunt, but politicians, bureaucrats and various leaders are having a field day, with a plenty of gunmen at their disposal.

According to an estimate, about 20 per cent of the total police force falling under Police Commissionerate here, is put on VIP Escort duties.

A senior official in the department said gunmen had been given to all MLAs, certain former MLAs, political leaders, presidents of various mandals and bureaucrats in the city.

Despite several orders issued by the Director General Police to withdraw the extra security, the influentials get them (gunmen) back through various pulls and pressures.

"We do agree that we are facing a staff crunch but what can we do? While on the one hand, the department and the general public are suffering due to staff shortage, on the other hand, gunmen have been provided to various persons, where there is absolutely no need. Instead, they are being used for personal benefits by many. As per the rules, only officials at the SSP level and above field level officials, including DIGs, IGs, can have gunmen. But being a status symbol, every official wants to have gunmen with them.

Similarly, small-time leaders, fearing threat to their life, want gunmen from the police. This is a sheer violation of the rules," said the official, adding that the department was not utilising the services of the cops who escorted the VIPs.

Terming it as a "misuse of human resources", the official said that the department could not do much into it, as the orders were issued by the higher authorities. "Besides, there is a great misuse of government vehicles by the VIPs and bureaucrats. As per the rules, the officials, who send their wards to schools in officials vehicles, are supposed to deposit an amount to the Government treasury. Barring a few, hardly any official deposits the amount. Apart from this, the ministers always ask for extra security whenever they are in city," said the official.

Ludhiana, November 15
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Pardeep Aggarwal has issued a show-cause notice to seven employees of Suvidha Centre in Mini Secretariat.

The ADC said, “These employees have been chargesheeted on the inquiry report filed by IAS trainee Sandeep Kaur. Some days ago we got some complaints that some employees of Suvidha Centre were facilitating private agents. Sandeep Kaur conducted an inquiry into the case and found that these employees had made a fake ID for facilitating agents for issuing registration certificates (RCs). However, as per rule, a person who wants to get a registration certificate should personally submit his or her application and not through an agent.”

The ADC(D) said the chargesheeted employees had been told to reply by December 18.

Ludhiana, November 15
To intensify their agitation, a mass walkout was staged by the Income Tax Gazetted Officers’ Association at 2 pm here today.

Rajiv Puri, general secretary, Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association, said despite repeated requests, there was no perceptible progress on the matter of promotion to the grade of Assistant Commissioner Income Tax (ACIT).

“Today, we staged a walkout after 2 pm. No officer attended the office. On November 18, a meeting will be held in Delhi. It will be an emergency meeting in which the next action plan will be chalked out,” said Puri. As per information, from the panel in 2010 and 2012, there were 406 vacancies for promotions (from Income Tax Officers to ACIT).

Besides, the Cadre Restructuring, which had been delayed for more than two years, was to be granted at the earliest, said Puri.

“A notice in this regard had been served on the Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes, on October 10. The Income Tax Gazetted Officers' Association had given the ultimatum till October 25, 2011, but nothing has been done so far. On November 3, the officers observed a Black Badge day and a candlelight march was taken out to protest against the callous attitude adopted by the authorities concerned for delaying the promotions. Despite all our efforts, promotions have been stopped,” lamented Puri.

Jagraon, November 15
Tall claims of the education department to raise education standards at government schools in rural areas have fallen flat, as the condition of these schools speaks volumes of officials’ apathy.

Inadequate space and staff, broken chairs and blackboards, wild growth and non-functional electrical appliances represent only the tip of the iceberg.

In most of the schools in rural areas, especially in primary schools, one or two teachers are left to handle all responsibilities, including clerical work. In such a situation, students are made to do the work of Class IV employees.

The infrastructure in government schools at villages like Sadarpura, Sangatpura, Janetpura, Gorsian, Talwandi, Kishanpura, Gidarwindi, Pamal, Dhapy and many others is literally falling apart.

While some of these schools do not have infrastructure, others lack teaching and non-teaching staff. According to sources, most of the schools in these areas have not been revamped for years.

“Well-off people get their children enrolled in public and convent schools. But where should the poor students study?” questions Sohan Singh Salempuri, a social activist, who has been running from pillar to post to get the schools in rural areas upgraded for the past many years.

Bet area here has a thick population of people living below poverty line.

Sohan Singh said the authorities claimed that raising the educational standards in rural schools was baseless. “Residents of these villages have been demanding improvement in infrastructure for several years, but their complaints have not been heeded. Even Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, during his Sangat Darshan in Jagraon in May, had been urged to do something concrete to improve the infrastructure of these schools and he had promised to provide funds for the same, but nothing has been done so far,” he lamented.

The state-of-affairs is such that some of the classrooms have even started collapsing while some others have collapsed. Students are forced to study in the open no matter whether it is the scorching heat of summer or chilling cold of winter.

When contacted, block education officer Mohinder Singh Kamalpura admitted that the rural schools lacked infrastructure and adequate staff. He added that he had written to the education department a number of times to provide funds for improving the infrastructure in schools, but the department had offered no assistance so far.

Jagraon, November 15
The Sehajdhari Sikh Party has sought national martyr status for Kartar Singh Sarabha, who sacrificed his life for the country. The party has urged the Centre to declare Kartar Singh Sarabha a national martyr. The party has also passed a resolution to take up a legal battle and approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard in near future.

Dr Paramjit Singh Ranu, president of the Sehajdhari Sikh Party, stated this during a meeting held here today. “It’s a matter of great sorrow that even after 64 years of our freedom, the Union and state governments have failed to honour Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha,” said Dr Ranu.

“Despite being born in a Sikh family, even the SGPC does not recognise Kartar Singh Sarabha as a Sikh because he had got his hair shorn off,” he lamented.

Recently, the Sehajdhari Sikh Party, while celebrating the birthday of the Martyr on March 24 this year, had decided to observe a chain fast as a protest to catch the attention of the state and Central governments for seeking national martyr status for Kartar Singh Sarabha. But now the National Executive Council of the party has resolved to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the cause.

“All pleas have fallen on deaf ears as even social activist like Anna Hazare has failed to get his demands approved. The Sehajdhari Sikh Party has decided not to waste its time and move the Punjab and Haryana High Court by making the Center and state governments respondents,” said Dr Ranu.

Dr Ranu said under the RTI Act, the party had sought an information regarding “whether the ancestral house of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha in his ancestral village Sarabha had been accepted and declared as a national monument and the government had declared Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha as a national martyr? If no then the reasons for not doing so be elaborated.”

“But the government has failed to supply any information and has referred the case to the Freedom Fighter Department of India,” added Dr Ranu.

Ludhiana, November 15
As the state Assembly elections are just round the corner, the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) in the city seems to be in the grip of infighting.

At a wedding function held recently, high drama was witnessed when two YAD leaders, who are close to YAD president Bikram Singh Majiathia, had a verbal duel over some minor issue, which might have gone out of hand, had the police not intervened on time.

Ever since this incident took place, it has become the talk of the town as both these leaders were once good friends, but are now political rivals.

One of them is associated with the liquor trade, while the other is into property business.

The incident took place at a wedding function at a lavish marriage palace located near Lalton village on the Pakhowal road, here, on Saturday evening.

An eyewitness said both the leaders were sitting on a table, after which they entered into an argument over some issue. “Suddenly, the argument turned fierce and both the leaders called their supporters to the marriage palace. In the meantime, one of them spoke to senior police officials, after which the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police reached the party and sorted out the matter,” added the eyewitness.

The next morning (on Sunday), the matter was brought to the notice of YAD president Bikram Singh Majithia, who was in the city to attend the wedding of a former Akali MP’s daughter.

Sources said both the leaders were called to the spot and were warned by Majithia to restrain themselves from indulging into infighting.

Bikram Singh Majithia, when contacted, said nothing of this sort had come to his notice as yet. “If two friends have some argument over something at a wedding function, then its their own personal issue and they should sort it out themselves. I should not comment on it. But yes, all party leaders and office-bearers should maintain discipline whenever they go to any party platform,” said Majithia.

Ludhiana, November 15
The World Health Organisation has placed Ludhiana at the top for having the highest level of pollution. The number of patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease has also increased.

Dr Aashish Chawla, in-charge, tuberculosis department, Lord Mahavira Civil Hospital, said, “An increase of 10 to 15 per cent is witnesses in COPD cases every year. A few years ago, we rarely came across patients suffering from COPD. But now everyday we receive two to three such patients. A majority of them are migrants. They live in dark and dingy rooms, where they use coal or kerosene for cooking food.”

Dr JS Sekhon, head and professor, medical oncology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, said, “Pollution causes lung cancer, but a person suffering from COPD never develops lung cancer.”

“If one’s voice changes, he or she should consult a doctor.”

Dr Vikas Loomba, assistant professor, medicine, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, said, “The cases are on the rise.”

He added that children rarely suffered from COPD. He said, “If Alpha 1 Antitripsin enzyme which is found in lungs is less, a person falls prey to COPD.”

Ludhiana, November 15
Dayanand Medical College and Hospital organised a lecture on “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease”.

Dr Jagdeep Whig, vice-principal and professor and head of the department of pulmonary medicine, said, “COPD is a non-communicable lung disease that progressively increases breathlessness. The symptoms of COPD are chronic cough, bringing up sputum and breathlessness.”

There is an increased prevalence of cases of COPD during winter and one of the contributing factors is burning of paddy all over Punjab.

Smoking remains one of the most important causes of COPD. “We from the DMCH have started an 'Anti-smoking Clinic' which is run every Tuesday under the supervision of Dr Anil Kashyap, assistant professor, department of pulmonary medicine.

Dr Daljit Singh, principal, DMCH, said COPD occurred most often in patients who were 40 plus and had a history of exposure to COPD risk factors.

Dr Sandeep Puri, Medical Superintendent and head of the department of medicine, said, “Although COPD is a preventable and treatable disease, treatments are available.

Without treatment, however, COPD is generally a progressive disease, and as the disease gets worse patients become breathless during everyday activities.

Dr Updesh S Sidhu, professor, department of pulmonary medicine said COPD diagnosis was often delayed until the condition reached an advanced stage. “Spirometry is the most frequently used pulmonary function test and enables health professionals to make an objective measurement of airflow obstruction and assess the degree of reversibility,” Dr Sidhu added.

A poster competition is also being organised on November 16.

Ludhiana, November 15
Bath accessories worth Rs 5.5 lakh were allegedly stolen from a showroom on the Pakhowal road here last night. The thieves had entered the showroom by breaking one of the ventilators.

According to available information, the thieves decamped with expensive accessories, including designer taps, fountains and other bath fittings.

Jeet Singh Kalra, showroom owner, said that when he opened the showroom in the morning today, he found everything scattered on the floor.

"It is a triple-storeyed building. Adjoining my building, there is an office of a property dealer and on its rooftop, a 30 feet ladder had been kept. I feel the thieves must have entered the showroom through that ladder, which means that the task could not be accomplished without the connivance of certain workers at our showroom. They broke the ventilator with a scythe", said Jeet Singh Kalra.

SHO Sarabha Nagar said he was looking into the matter. No CCTV cameras were installed at the showroom. No case had been registered till the filing of this report.

Jagraon, November 15
Amit Kumar, an emerging football player and a trainee of Sher-e-Punjab Sports Academy, Chakar, received a warm welcome by the villagers when he returned from Goa after taking part in the National School Games.

Amit Kumar was also felicitated for performing well during the 57th National School Games organised by the School Games Federation of India in Margao city of Goa recently. Amit Kumar represented the Punjab football team that won a bronze medal.

Doraha, November 15
Mehta Gurukul Senior Secondary School lifted the Diwali Hockey Trophy by giving a tough competition to Malwa Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, during the 13th Inter-School Diwali Hockey Tournament organised in memory of Dr Ishwar Singh, founder president of Guru Nanak National College, at Guru Nanak Stadium.

In the semifinals, Mehta Gurukul Senior Secondary School beat Guru Nanak Model Senior Secondary School 5-4. In another match, Malwa Senior Secondary School defeated Nanakana Sahib Senior Secondary School, Kilaraipur, 5-0.

Dr Hardaljit Singh Gosal, principal, Govind National College, Narangwal, and Senator, Panjab University, was the chief guest on the concluding session. He congratulated the winning team and exhorted runners-up to geared up for the next competition. He gave away prizes to the winning teams. Mehta Gurukul were given a cash of Rs 5,100, while the runners-up were given a cash prize of Rs 3,100. Individual trophies were also awarded.

Principal Dr Narinder Singh Sidhu welcomed the chief guest and other dignitaries. “It is due to the efforts of the founder president that the inter-school diwali tournament has become a regular feature of the college and with the passage of time we have received a good response from youngsters,” he opined. Director Jaswant Singh Gill while addressing players said they should put in their heart and soul into the game and popularise it at their own individual and social levels.