Liquor prices come down
Jalandhar, May 28
There is some good news for tipplers. After the liquor vend owners had formed a cartel and all of a sudden jacked up the prices of various brands, the Excise and Taxation Department has held a meeting forcing them to bring down the prices of more commonly consumed country brands by Rs 20 to Rs 65 for a bottle. The rate of strong beer, which had touched Rs 140 a bottle, has been slashed to Rs 120. Similarly, the light beer, which had gone up to Rs 120 a bottle, is down to Rs 100.

A liquor vend in Jalandhar. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Health authorities gear up to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases
Jalandhar, May 28
Taking measures for the prevention of outbreak of water and vector-borne diseases in the district, the health authorities claim to have asked their staff to pull up their socks ahead of the rainy seasons.

Bus services to far-flung villages stopped
Jalandhar, May 28
Residents of far-flung villages are a harassed lot as the Punjab Roadways has stopped its services on all such routes ever since its contractual staff went on strike over a month ago.

Eklavya School wins video-making contest
Jalandhar, May 28
Kamla Nehru Public School, Chak Hakim, Phagwara, organised the Jalandhar Sahodaya Inter-School Video-Making Competition. Senior citizens, various club members and eminent citizens of in and around Phagwara town gave them opinion on the topic “nature and gender sensitivity” and the school teams recorded the same.

Badal’s statement drives dist admn to intensify crop diversification
Kapurthala, May 28
Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal’s statement for crop diversification, issued in Seechewal village of neighbouring Jalandhar district on Monday, has driven the Kapurthala district administration to swing into action for motivating farmers to adopt alternative crops for breaking the traditional cycle of wheat-paddy sowing.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal interacts with the media at the dera of environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal at Seechewal village in Jalandhar. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

PIMS staff threaten to go on strike
Jalandhar, May 28
Feeling cheated by the management, the technical and paramedical staff of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has threatened to go on indefinite strike for the non-payment of their two months salaries. The employees, in a representation to the PIMS management, warned that they would be forced to resume their agitation if their salaries, due for the past two months, were not released by June 2.

Congress burns Maluka’s effigy
Jalandhar, May 28
Congress workers staged a protest outside the office of the Circle Education Officer and burnt Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka’s effigy in protest against his alleged role in the irregularities while purchasing school library books, science kits and supply of map masters. Congress workers, led by former MLA Jagbir Brar and Rajinder Beri, demanded Maluka’s dismissal from the Cabinet for free and fair inquiry into the case.

Congress activists burn Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka’s effigy in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Man held for duping NRI woman
Jalandhar, May 28
Staff of the NRI police station has arrested a man for allegedly duping a Canada-based NRI woman by getting a false registry done for a 20 marla commercial site valuing Rs 1 crore near Lambra village.

Rs 6.25 lakh snatched
Jalandhar, May 28
A resident of Gandran village in Nakodar, who had gone to tehsil complex to get registry of his plot done, was robbed of Rs 6.25 lakh. Narinder Singh, a farmer, said he was standing in the compound when a youth with his face covered snatched his bag containing cash. "When I ran after him, a man was already ready with his bike outside the complex and they managed to escape. I raised alarm, but to no avail, he rued. TNS

Heatwave intensifies after short relief in city
Jalandhar, May 28
Heatwave again intensified in the city and surrounding areas as maximum temperature increased today after short relief by showers. The Meteorological Department recorded maximum temperature at 40.9 degrees Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature today was 24.9 degrees Celsius. Heatwave is likely to continue in the next few days. TNS

Schoolgirls cover their faces as heatwave again intensifies in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Liquor prices come down
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
There is some good news for tipplers. After the liquor vend owners had formed a cartel and all of a sudden jacked up the prices of various brands, the Excise and Taxation Department has held a meeting forcing them to bring down the prices of more commonly consumed country brands by Rs 20 to Rs 65 for a bottle.

The rate of strong beer, which had touched Rs 140 a bottle, has been slashed to Rs 120. Similarly, the light beer, which had gone up to Rs 120 a bottle, is down to Rs 100.

The department has asked the liquor vends owners to make changes in the price lists displayed at their shops. The common brands of whisky for which the changes in prices have been made include Blender’s Pride (going down to Rs 685 from the existing rates of Rs 750 a bottle), Royal Stag (reduced to Rs 450 from Rs 470, McDowell’s (reduced to Rs 370 from Rs 400) and Bagpiper (reduced to Rs 320 from Rs 340).

Even as the department only fixes the minimum retail price (MRP), it is learnt that the officials have had to act as they had been getting several complaints from customers.

Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Jalandhar-II, Rajpal Singh held a meeting with the vend owners convincing them to slash prices and display the changes made in the price lists. He said he was happy that all of them agreed to comply with the orders.

Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner Sarojini Gautam Sharda said, “Our only concern has been the prices of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) brands consumed by the middle class. Middle class people had been coming to us complaining that a case, which was earlier priced at Rs 2,600, is now available at Rs 4,000 and is getting out of their reach. We are not concerned about the prices of foreign liquor brands, whose buyers are from well-off families and can afford to buy them.”

Health authorities gear up to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases
Tribune News Service

An overflowing sewer gives an open invitation to water-borne diseases at Phagwara Gate in Jalandhar. Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Jalandhar, May 28
Taking measures for the prevention of outbreak of water and vector-borne diseases in the district, the health authorities claim to have asked their staff to pull up their socks ahead of the rainy seasons.

Besides keeping its staff on an alert, the health authorities have also conducted a couple of meeting with officials of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Education Department, mandi board, marketing board, water supply and sewerage board, Transport Department, Industry Department and some others on the preparedness and prevention of the outbreak of diseases.

Today a meeting of officials of the Health Department, Municipal Corporation and other departments was held. It was presided over by Dr RL Bassan, Civil Surgeon. The topic was prevention of dengue and chickenguinea. Two days ago they discussed diarrhoea, malaria, jaundice and typhoid and chalked out plans for their prevention.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Bassan claimed that the department had been laying focus on the areas that were affected by these diseases (water-borne and vector-borne) in previous years. Explaining the diseases, Dr Bassan said the water-borne diseases spread due to the consumption of contaminated water, while flies, mosquitoes and other insects spread vector-borne diseases.

He said the civic bodies and water supply and sanitation board officials had been asked to go in for effective chlorination of water resources and water storage tanks. They had been given adequate stock of chlorine tables.

The officials had also been asked to spray insecticides on the pits filled with water and prevent stagnating of water in their surroundings. The Health Department teams had been kept ready at various hospitals and health centres across the district in case of any eventuality, the Civil Surgeon added.

To educate general public regarding prevention and management of diarrhoea and dehydration, especially among children, the Health Department had already been observing "Diarrhoea Prevention Week" from May 27 till June 1.

Guidelines were issued to all government-run schools to impart health education regarding prevention and treatment of diarrhoea as well as administration of ORS and zinc to patients. The hospitals, dispensaries and other healthcare institutions in the district had been asked to educate the general public, especially school students, about the diarrhoea and dehydration.

Bus services to far-flung villages stopped
Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
Residents of far-flung villages are a harassed lot as the Punjab Roadways has stopped its services on all such routes ever since its contractual staff went on strike over a month ago.

While the buses of 18 depots across the state were covering a distance of 30,000 km a day going to all remote areas along link roads, these are now just covering a distance of 10,000 km daily on only the commercially viable routes and highways.

The roadways has made the change to ensure that there are no financial losses with the staff remaining on strike since April 25, but it is the villagers who are the losers for there are hardly any private transport on such routes.

Further, even the night and early morning operation has been kept minimum. This perhaps has been done by the roadways to keep off the pass holders, including government employees and students, from whom the profits are low.

Inderjit Singh, sarpanch of Satowali village, near Adampur, said the villagers had to commute a long distance of 2.5 km either walking or on bicycles to catch a bus from Adampur. "The disbanding of bus service on this route has been a big loss. There are no private buses or any other alternate mode of conveyance available," he added.

While the roadways reportedly made a collection of Rs 6 lakh a day earlier, it has plummeted to Rs 4.5 lakh a day in the past more than a month now. But the officials now claim that they are now saving on fuel. The amount spent on fuel each day earlier was Rs 4.5 lakh, it reportedly is Rs 1.5 lakh a day now with buses covering only one-third of the total distance a day.

Parneet Singh Minhas, General Manager, Jalandhar-II Depot, said with as many as 78 out of 118 buses of his depot staying off roads because of 70 per cent staff being contractual and remaining on strike, there was no other option but to cut down services to less viable routes.

From schools and colleges
Eklavya School wins video-making contest
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
Kamla Nehru Public School, Chak Hakim, Phagwara, organised the Jalandhar Sahodaya Inter-School Video-Making Competition. Senior citizens, various club members and eminent citizens of in and around Phagwara town gave them opinion on the topic “nature and gender sensitivity” and the school teams recorded the same. Eighteen schools of Jalandhar and Phagwara participated in the competition. The competition developed students’ creativity and IT skills. The 1st prize was bagged by Eklavya School, Jalandhar, second Prize by Woodland Overseas School and third Prize was bagged by Apeejay School, Rama Mandi, Jalandhar. School Principal PK Dhillon thanked all the participating teams and the winners of the competition.

Training camp for women

Students of 10+2 of all streams participated in a Women Training Camp organised by Swami Vivekanand 150th Anniversary Samaroh Samiti, Punjab, at Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar. The camp was organised for the development of physical, mental and intellectual skills of the students. Students participated in group discussion on topics like female foeticide, dowry system, etc. They also participated in poster and collage-making competitions. Different games were also organised for the mental development of the participants. A lecture on the life and ideas of Swami Vivekanand impressed the audience. Smiledeep 10+2 (Arts), Aradhika 10+2 (Medical), Samridhi 10+2 (Non Med), Nitasha 10+2 (Commerce) and Sukhman 10+2 (Commerce) participated in the camp.

Badal’s statement drives dist admn to intensify crop diversification
Dharmendra Joshi
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, May 28
Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal’s statement for crop diversification, issued in Seechewal village of neighbouring Jalandhar district on Monday, has driven the Kapurthala district administration to swing into action for motivating farmers to adopt alternative crops for breaking the traditional cycle of wheat-paddy sowing.

A day after Badal urged farmers to adopt crop diversification, Kapurthala district administration swung into action on Tuesday to bring more area under pulses cultivation.

As a part of crop diversification, pulse seeds and bio pesticides were distributed among farmers under national food security mission (pulses), in an effort to bring 400 hectare area in the district under pulse cultivation.

DC DS Mangat said “To bring more area under pulse cultivation under this mission, farmers were given 60 MT zinc sulphate, 200 litre weed killer and 60 power spray pumps on 50 per cent subsidy and 250 packets of rhyzobium culture free of cost.”

Mangat and district agriculture officer Manohar Singh said “As per Punjab Government initiative to promote maize farming per 1 acre each, total 75 plants of high breed maize are being developed in the district. Besides, 16 other plants of 5-5 acres each have been sown under the ISOPAM scheme where two farm field schools and three farmer camps would be organised. Three oil seed plants are also being exhibited in the area.”

Mangat said green fertiliser was distributed to farmers at 90 per cent subsidy. Propiconazole was also distributed to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy. Besides, land levelers, rotavator and drill machines were given at subsidised rates in the current year.

Non-payment of salaries
PIMS staff threaten to go on strike
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
Feeling cheated by the management, the technical and paramedical staff of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has threatened to go on indefinite strike for the non-payment of their two months salaries. The employees, in a representation to the PIMS management, warned that they would be forced to resume their agitation if their salaries, due for the past two months, were not released by June 2.

They said PIMS chairman Surjit Singh Rakhra, who is also Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Punjab, during his visit to the PIMS in April, had promised to release their due salaries by the 7th of every month, but their salaries had not been released till date.

Sources in the PIMS also revealed that the doctor fraternity of the institute had also given a 24-hours’ ultimatum to the management to release their salaries due for the past over six months.

The director-principal of the PIMS was not available for comments.

Congress burns Maluka’s effigy
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
Congress workers staged a protest outside the office of the Circle Education Officer and burnt Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka’s effigy in protest against his alleged role in the irregularities while purchasing school library books, science kits and supply of map masters.

Congress workers, led by former MLA Jagbir Brar and Rajinder Beri, demanded Maluka’s dismissal from the Cabinet for free and fair inquiry into the case.

Rejecting inquiry by a retired high court judge into the textbook scam, the Congress leaders, accompanied by Jagdish Raja, Manoj Arora and Jagish Ghug, demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Man held for duping NRI woman
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28
Staff of the NRI police station has arrested a man for allegedly duping a Canada-based NRI woman by getting a false registry done for a 20 marla commercial site valuing Rs 1 crore near Lambra village.

Jaspal Singh, a resident of Gaddowali village, has been booked under Sections 419, 429 and 34 of the IPC on the complaint of NRI Parwind Kaur.

The SHO, NRI police station, Ashwani Kumar said the accused had got a power of attorney of the site from Parwind Kaur in 2008. He got the same site registered in the name of his nephew and then transferred it in the name of his son.

Jaspal Singh was today produced before the court of GS Sekhon, Judicial Magistrate, and remanded till June 1.