Bathinda, May 26
The Government Elementary School on the Mall road here as well as the office of block resource persons (BRP) will be shifted to make way for the multi-storey parking project planned to come up on the site of the school.

The school as well as the BRP office will be shifted to the premises of the Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, which is located opposite to the elementary school.

District administration held a meeting on May 23 wherein all the developmental projects of the district were discussed. During the meeting, officials of the Education Department were shown drawings of the new buildings that will come up on the premises of the senior secondary school.

"The BRP office was not earmarked in the drawings of the new building. We objected to it and the Deputy Commissioner directed officials of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) to make the necessary changes in the drawings," said District Education Officer (Elementary) Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta.

The elementary school as well as the BRP office will be shifted to the portion of secondary school that houses sheds running vocational courses. These sheds will be dismantled and replaced with new buildings. The entry to the set-up will be from the side of the Bhana Mal Trust at Nai Basti located behind the school.

Meanwhile, BDA officials said once the drawings were altered as per the requirement, the department would start working on the construction of the new building. "We have been directed that until the elementary school and the BRP office are provided with the new places, their buildings should not be touched," the officials added.

Once the new building is constructed and the two establishments are shifted, the BDA will dismantle the building of the elementary school and draw plans for the multi-storey parking project.

Bathinda, May 26
With the paddy season round the corner, many farmers in the state are still struggling for tubewell connections that were promised under the Accelerated Release of Tubewell Connections (ARTC) scheme.

Even as they have paid for the connections and paraphernalia, the farmers are yet to get the facility.

A year ago, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had floated the scheme for the farmers whose applications for tubewell connection stood pending from 1998 to 2005.

"These are the farmers who had been waiting for tubewell connections for over 20 years. Last year, the PSPCL asked us to submit applications under the ARTC scheme along with fees of Rs 500 so that we can be included in the new scheme," said Surinderpal Brar, president of the Kisan Hind Mazdoor Sabha.

In the west zone, 15,784 farmers applied under the scheme and the PSPCL issued demand notices to 14,937 farmers in May 2012 asking them to pay Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh.

"Despite having paid such huge amounts, we are yet to get the connections. With the paddy transplantation season approaching, we will yet again spend money on drawing water using gensets or tractors. Most of us have borrowed money on interest from commission agents (arhtiyas). We are paying interest for the past one year,” he said.

Brar added that in the Jaito sub-division, 237 applications were received and 48 demands notices were issued. Farmers deposited Rs 31,97,816 but are still sans tubewell connections.

Farmers said the PSPCL officials claimed that for shortage of construction material, they were unable to issue connections.

PSPCL chairman KD Chaudhary was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.

One of the PSPCL officials, pleading anonymity, said the work was hit when one of the major contractors got caught in the controversy pertaining to street lights of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA). "The contractor was allotted more than 50 per cent of the work under the scheme. However, as soon as the controversy erupted, the PSPCL started working on removing this agency from the scheme, due to which the work was stalled," he said.

Interestingly, the contractors of the scheme have even sublet works to smaller contractors.

"Instead of giving work to big contractors, the PSPCL should have allotted work to smaller contractors. However, the OYT (Own Your Transformer) scheme that government shelved a few years ago was the best for the farmers as well as the PSPCL," a farmer said.

Bathinda, May 26
One in every 200 children in Punjab — the grain bowl of the country — suffers from celiac diseases, wherein they are allergic to wheat, said Dr Neelam Mohan, the recipient of the prestigious Vishisht Chikitsa Ratan Award for her contribution to the health sector.

A paediatric gastroenterologist and Director, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medanta- The Medicity, Gurgaon,

Dr Neelam Mohan was here to conduct a medical check-up camp for children suffering from complicated gastrointestinal problems at the Health Street Hospital.

Emphasising upon the need to create awareness among paediatricians as well as the parents of children suffering from celiac diseases, Dr Neelam Mohan said the doctors should look suspiciously at every possible symptom of celiac diseases, which when detected earlier, are easier to deal with.

"We have had cases of children up to 13 years of age being detected with the celiac disease and even people who are in their mid 40s. This is harmful as by the time patients come to us, they have had consumed wheat for many years, which means the damage has been done. Since wheat is the staple diet of North Indians, people here are more vulnerable to the risk," she said.

Dr Neelam, who performed India's first incompatible blood group liver transplant in 2012, added that the earliest symptoms of celiac disease are visible from six months of age till 24 months. "Sadly enough, not all our paediatricians follow the earliest symptoms and the celiac disease goes undiagnosed for years together," she said.

Dr Neelam Mohan said the increasing incidence of childhood diabetes was adding to the problem in the state. Two per cent of insulin dependent diabetic children run the risk of suffering from celiac disease.

In 97 per cent cases, the disease is inherited, and we cannot fight the genes. But we will have to maintain healthy eating habits for our children by giving them gluten-free food. The emphasis should be on not giving them wheat, rather than first giving them wheat and then going for treatment," she added.

Bathinda, May 26
Government School Lecturers Union, Punjab, today lauded the role of Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka in connection with the dissolution of the recruitment cell which was working under the office of the Director General School Education (DGSE).

In a press statement issued here today, state president of the union Hakam Singh said two parallel recruitment cells, one under the DGSE office and the other under the office of the Director Public Instructions (DPI), were being run.

The recruitment cell under the DGSE office was manned by a section of retired and contractual officers, who allegedly did not comply with the government instructions and rules. He alleged that particular instructions and rules regarding the awarding of marks for teaching experience certificates were not followed. Hakam Singh also said that records pertaining to the recruitment cell had been seized and were being closely scrutinised.

On the issue of alleged supply of sub-standard books to a section of government schools, the union said all controversies were bad for the image of the department. The union said controversial books must be removed from the list of approved and recommended books and the school managing committees should be authorised to buy books specific to their needs.

Hakam Singh claimed that Sikandar Singh Maluka had been prompt to act on complaints of bribe and moral turpitude by the employees, which has increased the confidence of employees in the policies of the government.

The union leader said that by keeping a tab on copying and early declaration of results of class XII, the students had benefited. 

Paediatric gastroenterologist Dr Neelam Mohan (left) from the Medanta — The Medicity, Gurgaon, examines children at a medical camp in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Bathinda, May 26
Children with complicated gastrointestinal and liver diseases were examined at a free check-up camp held at Health Street Hospitals here today. Director, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medanta — The Medicity, Gurgaon, Dr Neelam Mohan examined 30 children who had come from places as far off as Abohar.

Children were examined for wheat allergy of gastrointestinal tract, recurrent pain in the abdomen, cyclic vomiting, chronic liver diseases, viral hepatitis and others. The maximum number of patients was with gluten enteropathy and gastro-esophageal reflux.

Dr Neelam emphasized upon the role of endoscopic biopsy for confirmation of diagnosis of gluten enteropathy. She also guided the patients present and the doctors about the diet in gluten patients.

Members of the Bathinda branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and a team of doctors from Health Street Hospitals, welcomed the gesture of Dr Neelam to visit the city.

Meanwhile, Dr Vikas Jindal examined more than 30 patients free of cost at a free surgical check-up camp today. Those who required surgical treatment will be treated at a nominal cost, claimed a spokesperson for the hospital.

Later, in the evening, a continuing medical education programme was organized by the Indian Academy of Paediatricians, Bathinda, and Health Street Hospitals. Delegates from Bathinda and surrounding areas joined the CME for latest updates on disorders of blood and gastrointestinal tract in children.

Paediatric haematologist and oncologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, Dr Anupam Sachdev and Dr Neelam Mohan were the key speakers at the event. Dr KK Bajaj welcomed the delegates. Dr Anupam Sachdev delivered lectures on pneumococcal disease - millennium goal, difficult anaemias and interpretation of haemograms.

Dr Neelam Mohan spoke on the interpretation of liver function tests and recurrent abdominal pain.

President, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Bathinda, Dr Parteek Kapila laid emphasis on the role of regular updates in medical knowledge through such continuing medical education programmes and promised to organize such programmes in future also.