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CM’s rally nuisance for patients
'Booze slips' to woo voters
Years of underdevelopment, false promises make several localities say no to voting
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It’s raining notes for currency garland sellers
Two Ayurvedic dispensaries in poor health
Heroin, habit-forming drugs seized
Khadi industry in doldrums
Rally against liquor, drugs gets good response
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CM’s rally nuisance for patients
Jalandhar, January 21 Patients, doctors and paramedical staff of the institute shifted restlessly for hours together as loudspeakers continued to play on a high pitch since 10 am. The loudspeakers used in the rally not only put the patients in pain, but also forced scores of area residents (not interested in all this) to listen to speeches of the leaders.
Speakers, including Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, senior BJP leader and leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley and the SAD candidate from Jalandhar Cantonment, Pragat Singh, addressed the gathering. Moreover, scores of commuters were put to inconvenience as the police restricted entry into the road leading to the rally spot. The returning officer, Jaskaran Singh claimed that permission to use loudspeaker was granted to the rally organisers. He, however, claimed that the organisers were advised to follow the high court guidelines and to maintain the sound within prescribed limits. None of the PIMS official was ready to speak on the issue.
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'Booze slips' to woo voters
Jalandhar, January 21 As the EC has maintained strictness, politicians had found it almost impossible to ferry liquor with them or to give direct cash to voters. Sources said leaders are now issuing 'booze slips' to electorates, who are willing to have a free sip of hard drink. This method has been developed to avoid attention of the EC and police. Instead of writing names of the liquor brand or number of bottles to be issued to the person, special codes are being written on the slips. Sources claimed that candidates have tied up with wine contractors, who have been apprised of the codes. A local voter requesting anonymity said, "Everyday we are being given booze slips by a candidate of our constituency and we can avail the drink at selected vends only." The slip does not have name of any person. It works as a cash coupon for them, he added. "Even we don't know what is being written on the slips. The candidate might have developed their own codes," said another resident.
Excise Officer Kamaljit Kaur said, "She does not have any information of such practice. She will inquire if liquor slips are being given to woo the voters, she added. Otherwise also, it is also not possible for wine contractors to release liquor on slips as the Excise Department has been keeping a check on the sale of liquor at each and every vend, said Kamaljit Kaur.
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Years of underdevelopment, false promises make several localities say no to voting
Jalandhar, January 21
Exploring the possibility of a massive vote bank, politicians are also making a beeline to these areas, coaxing voters with development promises. While residents of some of these areas are upfront about it and are confronting politicians head on, asking them what they have done in the name of development for the past few years; others are bowing in to political pressure and softening their stand when promised that their area will be developed. Madhuban Colony (Jalandhar West) Streets in the area bear posters crossing symbols of every party, but residents have taken a pledge not to vote. About the Congress and BJP activists who came to visit them yesterday, they say, “Asin bhaja ditte.” (We chased them off). “We are sick of their false promises and this year we are going to stick to our stand not to vote.” When The Tribune team visited the area, Congress activist Nalin Sharma was coaxing residents. But he was clearly having a hard time convincing them. Residents, who have been living in the area for the past 25 years, say they haven’t seen anything in the name of development. The unmade roads are still sludgy and marked with potholes. Chandrakanta, a resident said, “The water in this area never dries up. It floods our homes and streets. There are places where water standing in the streets seeps into homes through walls during rains.” Residents patiently listened to activists’ promises, but said, “We have trusted party men for many years, but won’t do so this year. Every year we gave in to promises and have never got anything in return.” Talking to The Tribune, Nalin Sharma said, “We have talked to them. Mohinder Kaypee will also visit the area to talk to residents tomorrow. I’m sure they will agree to vote for the Congress.” The residents, however, reiterated, “Neither the SAD-BJP nor the Congress has done anything for us. The Badals and Kalia talk about spending Rs 100 crore in the name of development, but our streets are still potholed. Kaypee too never got us development funds. Couldn’t he have made special provisions for us from his MPLAD funds? He never came to visit us, now he is coming to ask for votes. For now we stick to our stand. Only a dramatic promise or convincing stance from him will make us change our minds.” About 300 people (in one area) and 90 in another area of the Madhuban Colony have decided not to vote. Raja Garden (Jalandhar West) About 15 days ago, they were adamant on their decision not to vote. Posters had been put across streets (and were soon torn by the area councillor further angering people). The area, which has loyalists from all parties, had unanimously decided that they wouldn’t vote this year come what may. But last night a high-profile meeting of residents with Mohinder Kaypee, Congress MP from Jalandhar and husband of Suman Kaypee (Congress candidate from the constituency), seems to have pacified the residents to some extent. Their stance as seen today was slightly changed from “We won’t vote” to “We won’t vote for the candidate who doesn’t bring in development.” Residents said, “Last night Congress activists admitted that nothing had been done in the area in the name of development in the area for the past many years. Kaypee has promised work in the area and his activists have told us work on the area roads will begin as soon as the winter chill is over, if the Congress is voted to power in the area.” The area has 1,500 to 1,600 voters, who had said no to voting. Sangam Vihar (Jalandhar Central) Residents of the area have battled bad roads and backed up sewerage for the past many years. The manholes in front of many houses are still clogged and the roads are broken. There are no streetlights either. People complain that the area councillor has been partial with some people of the area. “Despite many complaints, the councillor had regularly been shooing us off on one pretext or the other. Sick of him, when we complained about the area to our MLA Manoranjan Kalia, he didn’t listen either.” “While the neighbouring areas have got metalled roads, we still walk through puddles of water, is that fair? We are sick of the false promises. We have decided not to vote this year.” The area has 300 voters, most of whom, have said no to voting this year.
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It’s raining notes for currency garland sellers
Jalandhar, January 21 In fact, the number of vendors too has increased all of a sudden with all of them displaying scores of ready-to-buy garlands of currency notes of Rs 5, 10 and 20 denominations with a total worth ranging between Rs 300 to Rs 2,500. Jeevan, a garland maker, said that he made the best business in the last week as the various candidates went about doing rallies before filing their nomination papers and their supporters
stood on roadsides to garland them. Sonu, another such vendor, revealed that he conveniently made a margin of Rs 150 to Rs 200 in such garlands as the price of garlands was over and above the total amount of cash in them. “After all, garland making is a skilled job and involves a lot of effort in the setting and arrangement of notes”, he said as he quickly stapled all the notes in different patterns.
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Two Ayurvedic dispensaries in poor health
Jalandhar, January 21 The Government Ayurvedic Dispensaries at the Tajpur and Jallowal are in a deplorable condition and the higher-ups don't really seem to be in a mood to listen. Both dispensaries have the same doctor posted at them. While the doctor is on duty for two days at the Jallowal dispensary, she's on duty at Tajpur for the rest of the four days. The Tajpur dispensary, made on a land given by the village's panchayat, has a total of four rooms, out of which two are being used to store discarded furniture. The ramshackle building drips in the rains and when The Tribune visited the dispensary, the doctor was not on duty since she was at Jallowal. Neighbours say when the roof of the dispensary fell about two years ago, the villagers got it fixed as the government wasn't bothered. While the Tajpur dispensary is at least located on a big land. Jallowal dispensary is located in a little two-room building situated right next to a crematory. The dispensary has no electric connection so the electricity supply to the dispensary comes via a connection borrowed from the crematorium. The building is in a shambles. A transformer stands precariously at a few feet from the dispensary. Both the Tajpur and Jallowal dispensaries have no emergency kit and the supply of medicines is also not regular. While the staff (a doctor and an attendant) on duty said they had a stethoscope, when asked to show it, they said they had left it at a patient's house. The doctor on duty, Dr Nita Ahuja, said, "We are in a dire need of an emergency kit. While we get the BP apparatus etc repaired on our own, we at least need an emergency kit to check patients during an emergency." Interestingly, there are no monthly supplies and the supplies that come in after six months are clearly not enough. When asked about medicines, Ahuja says, "While we get them every six months, there are some medicines that we are short of. Though we get supplies after six months, sometimes sooner, due to shortage of medicines or equipment we often have to send our patients to the Civil Hospital or the Panchkarma Centre." Mounting disposable material, which the doctor can't discard due to government's directions of first getting it earmarked by the officer concerned is another problem faced by the doctor. In the Jallowal dispensary, the furniture and all other discarded items are stacked right in the office of the doctor and under the bed meant for patients. Some of it is also stacked under the bench in the storage room. Dr Ahuja says, "We are not allowed to sell of unusable furniture. We have written to the district officer many times that we wish to discard the superfluous items and furniture but till date we haven't got any reply. For the past some time, all the district officers have been retiring after two to three months. So the furniture hasn't been written off. We are forced to stack them behind doors and under beds and tables." The floors and walls of the Jallowal dispensary are also cracked, doctors say. They also say dispensary, made in a building given by the MC, was once even being threatened to be shut (by the authorities), but the only reason it survived in the area is because there are poor patients who need help.
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Heroin, habit-forming drugs seized
Phagwara, January 21 In Jalandhar, the police along with the team of health officials conducted a raid at chemist shop located at Transport Nagar here this afternoon. Officials claim to have seized large quantity of habit-forming drugs. Som Nath, in charge, narcotics cell, said the police got a tip-off that the owner of Geeta Medicines has been selling intoxicants and has stored a huge stock. The police claimed that they had been keeping a watch on the said drug seller and was looking for an opportunity to nab him red-handed. On reaching the spot, the police recovered 2,380 tablets, 1,428 injections, 1,400 capsules. The police further claimed that the chemist owner used to open the shop for few hours and he had a permanent section of customers. The police has sent the details of seizure to the State Drug Controller and also recommended the cancellation of licence of the chemist shop.
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Khadi industry in doldrums
Adampur, January 21 In fact, the khadi industry here is in complete doldrums. While in yesteryears there were spinners and weavers in almost every other household here, now there is just one elderly weaver left with the Punjab Khadi Mandal here. The carpenters who used to make spindles or repair them for the artisans here have no work left. While there were 1000 members with the Mandal here a few decades back, the number has come down to just 35 now. Since Khadi no longer generates any income, the members are now engaged in manufacturing and selling mustard oil and detergent soaps. The members revealed that the Khadi being sold at the outlet was rather coming from other states including Haryana and West Bengal. “Cotton has become so expensive. It comes for Rs 145 a kg. Then there is a lot of labour involved in spinning it and weaving the thread into a fabric making it expensive than most other stuffs available. Further, the garments made out of khadi involve a lot of maintenance. To add to it, most new-age politicians have taken to trousers and coats shunning the kurta culture. There only are a few Gandhians who are regular buyers of khadi kurtas, jackets and socks”, the workers revealed. They added that their income too had gone down as it was proportionate to the annual income generated by the Mandal. Ram Gopal Tewari, chairman of the Khadi and Village Industry Commission, said, “There clearly has been a fall in the income. We have plans to bring in new models of improvised spindles and revive the culture by getting designer garments manufactured.” Interestingly, none of the candidates fighting Assembly polls from the constituency have raised the issue on the dying industry.
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Rally against liquor, drugs gets good response
Jalandhar, January 21 Having launched a similar campaign during the last SGPC elections, SC advocate Phoolka, said, “The movement has seen a positive impact during the Assembly polls and use of liquor and drugs is on the decline.” “While earlier several candidates used to start distributing liquor and drugs openly among electorates to buy their votes, this time it is not happening,” he said. The first phase of the march, which started on January 13 from Amritsar, covered six districts. The rest of seven districts of Punjab are being covered by Giani Kewal Singh for spreading awareness among the public against distribution of liquor and drugs during polls, he added. |
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Scores of patients undergoing treatment in the region’s premier health care institution - Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) - were put to a great hardship for nearly four hours due to an election rally.
Jalandhar, January 21
The state of medical facilities in the city is deplorable and two medical dispensaries near the Nakodar Road area of the city are a living example of it.
The Government Ayurvedic Dispensaries at the Tajpur and Jallowal are in a deplorable condition and the higher-ups don't really seem to be in a mood to listen.
Jalandhar, January 21
