 |
|
|
8 students, driver hurt in auto-rickshaw mishap
property tax |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PNDT ACT
world Autism Day
Delegation of Lahore waste management firm visits city
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
8 students, driver hurt in auto-rickshaw mishap
Jalandhar, April 2 The auto-rickshaw (PB-08-AL-3283) was reportedly carrying eight students when it hit an Innova coming from the opposite direction near a turn. The eyewitnesses revealed that a high pile of bricks put up for construction purpose by a resident outside his house partly blocked the vision of the auto-rickshaw driver. The front windshield of the auto got smashed. Even its front tyre came off in the process. Since the front part suffered the maximum impact, driver Darshan Lal perhaps was the one to have suffered maximum injuries in his head and face. The injured children included two from Class VII and the rest from primary and pre-primary classes. Some passersby helped them reach the nearest private hospitals. A volunteer of the Rotaract Club, who was an eyewitness, helped the students get off the
auto, provided them first aid and water. Residents of the colony too came
in the aid of the children and helped them contact their parents. Dr JS Bath, a plastic surgeon, said he got two accident victims in the hospital. "There was one with a head injury, which had to be sutured. The other child had facial abrasions. Both were discharged soon after," he said. The accident has once again brought to light the need to have more safe transportation for the
children. Sanjay Sehgal, a parent, said everyone, including school administration, transport authorities and traffic police, must work in sync to ensure that rules were complied with and overloading did not take place. "Today's accident perhaps could have been averted had there been only four to five children in the auto-rickshaw," he said. A case has been registered against the driver of the Innova at the Division No 6 police station. |
|
property tax
Jalandhar, April 2 The shopkeepers, accompanied by Congress leader Rajinder Beri, former councillors Harkishan Singh Bawa, Sardul Singh Kahlon, Raj Kumar, Haripal Sondhi and president of the Ladowali Road Market Association Harbans Lal, not only observed a token strike from 9 am to 12 noon, but also staged a dharna on Ladowali Road for about two hours to express their resentment against the SAD-BJP government. Addressing the protesters, Beri said, “The shopkeepers and traders, in particular, and the public, in general, are unable to bear any further financial burden on them as they have already been paying for several months hiked electricity bills and increased price of petrol as compared to nearby states as a huge VAT has been imposed by the SAD-BJP government.” Beri demanded that the Badal government should immediately withdraw its decision of imposing property tax to provide relief to the general public. The shopkeepers also stated that they had already been reeling under spiralling prices of essential commodities and they were in no position to pay property tax. “If the decision of withdrawing property tax is not taken, they will not only intensify their agitation, but also not pay even a single paisa as property tax,” they added. |
|
Strike by PIMS’ staff enters second day
Jalandhar, April 2 Nearly 100 paramedical employees suspended their work and lodged a silent protest by taking a round of the institute premises here today. With the paramedical staff, doctors and laboratory technicians were also without any work throughout the day as there was no new registration of outdoor patients on the second day today. Up in arms against the PIMS management that failed to pay salaries to the employees, including doctors, from December, 2012, till date, the paramedical staff started an indefinite strike from yesterday. Sources in PIMS revealed that over 250 doctors, including guest teaching faculty members, had not been paid salaries for the past five months. The agitators said they had made repeated written representations to the PIMS management, but to no avail. The management had been giving them false promises every time. This is not for the first time that PIMS has failed to pay salaries to its employees. The problem has been persisting since after the commissioning of this premier healthcare institution. PIMS has been gathering controversies after the SAD-BJP regime leased it out to the society for 99 years at a throwaway price and that too to a society chaired by an Akali leader. Dr Kulbir Kaur, Director-cum-Principal of PIMS, however, claimed that
the institute was in the initial stage and such temporary problems were evident. The problems would be solved with the passage of time. |
|
PNDT ACT
Jalandhar, April 2 The notice was issued to the scanning centre after a team of doctors, led by district Family Welfare Officer Dr Shiv Dayal Mali, inspected the centre and found serious discrepancies. The proprietor of the centre has also been directed to clarify his position within a week or face consequences. A press note issued by the Civil Surgeon said the team of health officials also inspected Astha Neuro Research and Rehabilitation Centre, GTB Nagar, Ghai Hospital, GTB Nagar, and Savitri Hospital and Maternity Home, Mai Heeran Gate, during the drive launched to check the misuse of the Act. The health institutions were, however, directed to comply with the Act and educate general public about the depleting sex ratio. Tightening noose around the hospitals, nursing homes, maternity and infertility centres indulging in the illegal practice of sex-termination test in the city, a team of the district health authorities on March 23 had raided five such institutions and sealed an ultrasound machine, besides destroying another one. |
|
|
world Autism Day
Jalandhar, April 2 On the occasion of World Autism Day (April 2), city activists talked about how parents, teachers and educationists remain ignorant about the need to make efforts with respect to treat autistic children as special. Even as statistics reveal that one in 80 children is autistic, the government and private education sector are not making enough efforts to address the challenges faced by these children. Anjali Dada of NGO Soch — which has been running mother and child programme and provides atmosphere where mothers work on their children under the guidance of some experienced and trained individuals, says, “While there are a variety of facilities and funds which the government provides for the care of autistic children, people usually miss out on both due to their own lack of awareness and the government’s lack of will to advertise these programmes and schemes properly.” “While there has been a marked change in the people’s behavior in the past few years and a lot of new work is being done in the field, a lot more also needs to be done,” Dada said. Dada said the CBSE directions allow for a specific programme and special funds for autistic children but due to lack of awareness, many schools miss out on it. “The CBSE has allowed candidates with autism to use an amanuensis (interpreter) and use extra timings for their examinations. But in many of the schools, autistic children are not admitted and even among those where they are, the regulations are missed by many,” she said. Candidates with autism also have an option to study only one compulsory language and four chosen subjects, she said. Lack of special educators in the district, activist and president of Chanan Association, said, “While the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan had provided for one to one education for special children, the programme presently being run is a mere eyewash. The number of special educators is miniscule as compared to the number of children as a result of which individual care is not possible.” “Most of the city-based special care units are considered good-for-nothing add-ons where special educators are discriminated against and are forced to run classes from
storerooms, verandahs and staff room corners,” added Anand. Activists said it was important for the parents to take schemes for their children seriously. |
|
|
Ration card applicants face harassment for depositing Rs 5
Jalandhar, April 2 Since there is no online system for making the payment available at the centre or a separate counter for the purpose, the applicants are forced to burn fuel worth double the amount to get Rs 5 deposited with the treasury. All those applying for a duplicate ration card, duplicate D-1 form or replacement of ration card have to deposit challan form number 32-A with Rs 5 as fee at the bank as a part of the procedure. Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Maqsudan, commented, "What is the fun of having a single-window system when we have to commute another 2.5 km to pay just Rs 5. Why does the office not have
any computerised system for the payment on its premises. We are rather being put to more harassment this way." Asha Sharma, another applicant, said, "I thought that all my requirements would be met at one
window. Now they are telling me to go to SBI Bank. I will have to spend at least Rs 20 extra just to pay Rs 5 which seems simply ridiculous." Praneet Bhardwaj, ADC, said he would get the system rectified at the earliest for the convenience of the applicants. |
|
Bholath powerlifter wins top slot in country twice
Jalandhar, April 2 Having already participated in about 90 contests, including those held at the village level, the champion is now preparing for the Asia-level championship to be held in the next few months. Last month, the youngster, who weighs about 125 kg, had also won the "Strongman of Punjab" title during a contest held at Banga. He had made a mark for himself earlier as well as he had won a gold in the junior category in the same championship held in March, 2011, in Jammu. In February same year, he had also got a gold in the State Powerlifting Championship by lifting 202.5 kg weight at a tournament held in Khanna. Ajay participated in the first state tournament which was the Punjab State Benchpress Powerlifting Championship in which he had lifted 182.5 kg. He shares, “I was 16-year old when my dad Raj Gogna, who is settled in New Jersey, encouraged me to go in for powerlifting. At that time, I weigh about 105 kg and could lift 165 kg weight. I began as a trainee at a health club where I am myself a trainer now.” He finds it a bit embarrassing discussing about his daily diet, which includes 5 litres of milk, 16 glasses of juices, 2-3 kg of chicken, 8-10 eggs and dietary supplements. |
|
BJP to nominate district president soon
Jalandhar, April 2 “We have already begun seeking opinion on the matter from the local party leaders and hope to reach some consensus on a name soon,” he said. Chugh was in the city to announce the schedule for the party’s foundation day programme on April 6. Over the issue of weakening the party’s image with its senior minister Bhagat Chunni Lal remaining ineffective, Chugh said he was the most experienced leader in the party. On property tax, Chugh said it had been forced upon by the Centre. “We assure that the revised tax will be of minimum amount so that it does not burden the residents much,” he added. |
|
Delegation of Lahore waste management firm visits city
Jalandhar, April 2 The delegation, headed by company managing director Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, had already visited Amritsar and will meet Sukhvir after visiting some other cities, including Ludhiana. Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhary said the solid waste management system, taken from Turkey, had been installed at a cost of 80 million US dollar in Lahore, the capital of Pakistani Punjab, last year. A state-of-art waste disposal facility for the recycling of the waste and its conversion into energy was set up there as the Turkish company had brought in special vehicles, washers and other specialised machinery for collection and disposal of waste. Earlier, a four-member Indian delegation, including an IAS and two MC Commissioners, had visited Lahore in the first week of March to study the model. After observing the functioning of this company during his visit to Lahore in November last year, Sukhvir stressed the requirement to replicate the his home state. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
