Amritsar, January 2
The state of affairs at the government hospitals is no secret. But the condition of Employees State Insurance (ESI) Hospital building on Majitha road calls for immediate attention.

In view of severe water seepage through the building walls, the hospital is giving nightmare to its staff and patients.

The discoloration and sogginess of the outer walls is a clear indication that no measure has been taken to rectify the problem. The insiders at the hospital said the problem was noticed a few months back.

Even the water from the washrooms at the hospital does not have a proper outlet. The dirty water gets collected in a small vacant area near the building thus becoming a source of foul smell.

Employees at the hospital said as the water seeps through the walls, it adds to the chill inside the building. "The walls are so cold that you won't feel better even if you are sitting near a heater," said an employee.

Sources at the hospital said the problem arose due to leakage in water pipes inside the walls.

Though the employees have the luxury to use heaters in their rooms, the patients were the worst lot. "We have no option. If we didn't have our relative (a patient) admitted here, who would have liked to remain at this place," said a visitor to the hospital.

Importantly, water seepage is leading to corrosion of materials used in the building. "The water will lead to rusting of the iron rods and ultimately the strength of the building will suffer," said a mason.

Even the condition reflects badly on the institution. The local ESI has over 32,000 beneficiaries associated with it. Jagjit Singh Cheema, Medical Superintendent, ASI, could not be contacted for his comments. 

Amritsar, January 2
The state health department has initiated a probe into the salary scam in which monthly salary statements of the employees working at a government hospital were manipulated to overdraw money.

A team of officials of the department today visited sub-division hospital-cum-Community Health Centre at Baba Bakala near here today. The team checked the records of the hospital and questioned various employees.

The district health department had earlier sealed the records at the accounts branch of the hospital, where the embezzlement had surfaced.

An employee working at the office had made a complaint to the district health department about the anomalies.

In a report published on December 28, The Tribune had reported the matter. As per estimates, around Rs 75 lakh were routed to various accounts by the miscreants by forging signatures of other employees and sending fake bills to the treasury.

By manipulating the documents, salaries were withdrawn for even the non-existent employees. The kingpin of the scam is said to be a clerk posted in the accounts branch.

Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Balwinder Kakkar, who has been appointed the chairman of the investigation committee by the district health department, confirmed the arrival of the state team. However, he refused to divulge details saying that Civil Surgeon Dr Yash Mitra has warned them against reporting the matter to the media. 

Amritsar, January 2
Even as the district health department provided new facilities at government hospitals here last year, the new year calls for a strategic and efficient plan for further improvement.

The infrastructure of city hospitals such as the district TB Hospital, Municipal Corporation-run hospital at Dhab Khatika and the Urban Training Health Centre needs immediate attention. The TB Hospital and the municipality hospital, which are at least a century old, are unsafe and can give away anytime.

Even the smoke-free status which was accorded to the holy city last year seems to waning away with the administration failing to check smoking at public places.

The administration had initiated a campaign to challan smokers but it gradually lost steam. The administration also needs to check the sale of proscribed drugs. Though it recently pulled up dozens of such chemists, such drugs are not difficult to procure.

Private practice by government doctors is another cause of concern.

Though Chief Parliamentary Secretary Navjot Kaur Sidhu has taken an initiative to nab such doctors at far-off places, she is has to replicate the mission in her home town.

Listing his priorities, District Health Officer Dr Shivkaran Singh Kahlon said the department was focusing on checking the sale of adulterated and unhygienic foods. He said they had checked a number of places and would run the campaign more stringently in future, too.

He said they would also initiate a drive to check unregistered or unlicensed food businesses as the department was serious about checking the consumption of substandard food items. District Family Welfare Officer Ranjit Singh Buttar said improving mother and child mortality rates, especially in rural areas, was of their focus. He said the government health services had a wider reach in the rural areas as compared to the scenario a few years ago.

Amritsar, January 2
The district administration nabbed around 24 homeless persons from different parts of the city and put them up at Raain Basera, a shelter home for homeless operated from the old Karam Singh Ward.

With this addition, the strength of homeless at Raain Basera has gone up to 54. These inmates are all males aged between 40 to 60 years.

They were provided with beds, blankets and other facilities for their daily use under the district administration’s rehabilitation programme which is being run in collaboration with the district Red Cross Society since February 21, 2010.

Even as the authorities claimed that over 780 homeless people, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have been rehabilitated under the programme, administration’s hospitality has got lukewarm response in the absence of any concrete policy. With the cold wave sweeping this part of the region, the homeless have started falling prey.

In the last two months of 2012, two persons died due to the cold wave.

Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said, “I admit that we need to intensify our programme. It is equally true that in the absence of any record of their antecedents, they need to be examined thoroughly too. Even though they are reluctant to change their behavioural practices, we are trying are best to provide them the best possible living. We conduct a regular drive to nab them and put them up in Raain Basera. Those who wish to go back to their native states are sent back.”

Red Cross official Dharampal said, “Our job is to look after them. We provide good hygienic living, hot and cold water for their use and even a television set for their entertainment.” 

Amritsar, January 2
The Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation’s (PSIEC) decision to turn the new industrial focal point into a model industrial hub in the state was welcomed by businessmen who have been demanding the implementation of basic amenities as defined in the blueprint of the industrial focal points.

The focal point is spread over 80 acres of land on the Mehta road.

The PSIEC has decided to upgrade water and sewerage supply channels; will set up a boundary wall around the NIFP, a community hall, a guest house, a common water treatment plant, fire station, ESI dispensary and filling station.

At present over 100 industrial units are in operation at the focal point, which has a capacity to house 400 units. The new focal point got 66-KV power station last year after the Industrialists Association lobbied for it with the government.

Raman Gupta, chairman, New Focal Point Industries Association, welcomed the announcement and said the industrialists have been writing to the government and functionaries of the PSIEC seeking implementation of the basic amenities as promised in the blueprint of the focal point.

He said the proposals made in the new announcements are those for which it has been lobbying for a long time.

Darshan Kumar, who runs an industry at the focal point, said the menace of stray animals had reached an alarming proportion.

The PSIEC had gone against its original plan on the NIFP, which was set up in 2004. Category-wise industrial units were to be established as per the original plan, but a mix of industries were set up against norms. Also going against norms, some of the industrialists have expanded their units by purchasing agriculture land, the sources said.

As per the original plan, no red industry that causes pollution was to be established at the focal point. But over the passage of time, some of these industries were allowed which made it necessary to install the common water treatment plant, industrialists said.

It may be mentioned here that the Amritsar Tribune had reported the matter of submerging of thousands of acres of land of the NIFP, including a park spread over an acre, under water discharged by various industrial units. It prompted the PSIEC to drain out the water. They stated that saplings have never been planted in the parks.

Notably, the holy city has 10 big and small industrial clusters, including two focal points, an industrial area and an industrial estate. Besides, there are many un-organised industrial sectors scattered across various parts of the city.

In addition, the government in the master plan for the city proposed to set up three more major industrial pockets at Bal Kalan on Majitha road, second at Tarn Taran road and third one at Mehta road. 

Finally, the government has heard us. We have been writing to the government and functionaries of the PSIEC seeking implementation of the basic amenities as promised in the blueprint of the focal point.

Raman Gupta, chairman, New Focal Point Industries Association 

Amritsar, January 2
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has asked the Punjab Government to frame an education policy for special children and recruit at least one inclusive education resource (IER) teacher in each school under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

Talking to this correspondent on the sidelines of the Inclusive Teachers’ Training Programme at Khalsa College Senior Secondary School here today, RCI Member Secretary Dr JP Singh said the government must accelerate the work of appointing teachers. “Presence of at least one inclusive education resource (IER) teacher is a must in each school,” he added.

As per the RTE Act, all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years have to attend school in order to achieve 100 per cent literacy in the country.

Citing an instance, which occurred at Jandiala Guru Village a year back, he said IER teacher Harpreet Kaur helped alert parents of a girl to consult a medical practitioner as she had a hearing problem. He said timely medical facilities saved the girl from not losing her hearing power.

Mandated to regulate and monitor services given to persons with disabilities; to standardise syllabi and to maintain a Central Rehabilitation Register of all qualified professionals and personnel working in the field of rehabilitation and special education, the Rehabilitation Council of India is doing yeoman service in the field with little funding from the government and maximum support of NGOs.

“The law empowers the RCI to prescribe punitive powers against unqualified persons delivering services to persons with disabilities,” he said.

The council laid down policy parameters regarding various aspects of training and education in the field of rehabilitation. About 450 institutes nationwide, including four in Punjab, are conducting these programmes.

Dr JP Singh said under the Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan’s (SSA) Inclusive Education for Disabled Children, a residential school would soon be opened at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Mall Road. At the school, the government would provide free of cost education to 90 day boarders and 60 residential students. He said apart from education, uniform, transport and meals would be provided free of cost to the students.

He cautioned the government to frame its policy for training IER teachers, providing regular jobs and educate the special children since education is a concurrent subject.

He said schemes like SSA are for time being and would not last forever. He said the purpose of Central scheme is to work as a catalyst and it is the state governments’ job to take it ahead.

He urged the state government to begin establishing a resource room and hire an IER teacher at block level. 

Amritsar, January 2
Clearance sales, festive discounts, white sales, winter offers…when it comes to selling consumer products, any occasion becomes a reason to sell. And with an enthusiastic welcome to the New Year, everybody is in an indulgent mood.

The grey skies and winter blues are no match to the sales and tempting offers put up especially for the New Year. Whether its clothes or gizmos, beauty and wellness services to food and beverages, the market seems to be high on starting the year by pampering the customer. Designer flagship stores like Satya Paul, Ruaab, Meena Bazaar, CTC Mall et al are celebrating White January sale with special offers on designer labels. Global apparel brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, French Connection and many more have discounts on and others are following the suit.

“It’s a trend that has picked up recently. One of the reasons is that buyers are in a mood to indulge and enjoy on the first day of the year, the spirits are high and it brings in good business. Secondly, with early New Year ’s Eve closings and short workings hours on the New year’s day, the sales are recovered through special offers which tend to bring in more business,” says Ankur Gehrotra, sales manager of a leading apparels brand from city.

Bucking the trend of early starts and extended endings, the New-Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day sales are not looking like they will be extending much past the boundaries of the calendar holiday itself. Till then everybody is happy. The pampering is not restricted to designer wear, but beauty and grooming services as well. — TNS

Amritsar, January 2
The Federation of Dry Fruit and Karyana Merchants and the Amritsar Tea Traders Association has given a call for bandh tomorrow to seek justice for the Delhi gang-rape victim.

Federation president Anil Mehra said the bandh would be observed to express condolences to the family of the deceased and seek strict laws and more security for women. He said his federation had over 1,000 members, a majority of whom have shops at Majith Mandi and Chotti Dhap. 

Amritsar, January 2
The 43rd Annual Inter-College Athletics Meet 2012-13 of the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) was inaugurated here today at the athletics track on the campus. About 400 men and women athletes from various colleges are participating in this two-day meet.

GNDU Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajaib Singh Brar declared the meet open.

Prof Brar while speaking on the occasion said a sportsman should play a game with a true spirit of sportsmanship. "Along with studies, sports is essential for the overall development of an individual's personality. The university is taking necessary initiatives for the promotion of sports. We are committed to providing international-level sports infrastructure and other facilities to sportsmen," he said. He said arrangements were being made to provide a comfortable stay to athletes.

Amritsar, January 2
The Chheharta police has booked a youth for allegedly molesting a woman residing in his neighbourhood.

The complainant in her statement to the police alleged that the accused, identified as Sonu, a resident Jiwan Singh Colony, came when she was alone at her house. When she came near the door, the accused caught her from her arms and started molesting her, the woman alleged. She said she immediately raised an alarm following which the accused ran away while threatening her of dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident.

The police has registered a case under Sections 354 and 506 of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far.