Chandigarh, July 19
Terming overcrowding as a hurdle in providing healthcare to patients, the PGI has proposed to limit the number of patients being examined by each consultant in a day at the OPDs.

At a recently held meeting of the governing body, the institute identified the need for setting up a screening system for OPD patients who "reported directly without referral" from other hospitals.

Also, one of the major bottlenecks, as pointed out by PGI officials before Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, was that there was no triage area (where priority of patients is determined) inside the Emergency.

"At present, the institute is providing healthcare to patients more than its handling capacity. There is a need for limiting the number of patients," said a PGI official.

The institute also stated in the proposed agenda that a separate cadre of non-academic senior residents needed to be created for screening patients at the OPDs.

The institute suggested that a memorandum of understanding should be inked between the PGI, the UT and peripheral hospitals in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, adding that after stabilising patients, they would refer them to hospitals like the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, if they felt the need.

"In complex cases, once the complex aspect gets managed, we should call up at other hospitals and send the cases there for smaller surgical procedures," the institute suggested.

The institute also highlighted the need for procuring additional funds for improving signages, procuring more ventilators and life-saving drugs for patients in the Emergency and the trauma centre.

Over 7,000 patients visit the PGI OPDs everyday. The number of patients touches 10,000 on Mondays, when most of the consultants are available at the OPDs. Chandigarh Tribune had recently highlighted the ordeal of patients visiting the PGI OPDs through the experiences of five patients.

Chandigarh, July 19
The Administration boasts of providing hygienic food to schoolchildren, but when it comes to inspecting mid-day meals in schools, officials choose to look the other way.

The HCS and PCS officers appointed to conduct inspection in schools are rarely seen performing their duty. Last year, the Administration had appointed 14 HCS and PCS officers to inspect mid-day meal in government schools every month, but only a few took the inspection seriously. An officer said he performed his duty diligently in the beginning, but lost interest in the exercise later.

He said the motive behind the inspection was to keep a regular check on the quality of food served to schoolchildren. He said the distribution system needed to be changed. "The exercise had failed to yield good results," he stated.

This year's exercise is yet to be started. Even the roaster for the session's mid-day meal inspection has not been finalised yet. Last year too, the roaster was sent to the officers in August. As per the inspection programme, an officer is supposed to conduct a zone-wise inspection in schools, which means he has to cover all schools allotted to him by the end of a session.

A school principal said officers must inspect the schools. Their feedback would help streamlining the system and work would be carried out in a transparent manner, he stated.

Chandigarh, July 19
The education department today made mid-day meal kitchens operational in six government schools.

At present, Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42, Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42, Hotel Shivalik View, Sector 17, and GMSSS-47 (run by a private contractor), prepare and deliver mid-day meal to all government schools.

From now, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 47, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, Government Model High School, Sector 42, Government Model High School, Sector 38, and Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 26 (Timber Market), will prepare their own mid-day meal.

Officials of the department said the move would unburden the four centres.

The experiment began last year when the education department opened separate mid-day meal kitchens at Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 10. It was managed by the school management committee. Deputy DEO Shiv Kumar Sharma, officiating officer, mid-day meal, Chandigarh, said each kitchen would have two stores, one cooking area, utensils and cooking equipment."It will be a challenge for the school authorities to maintain cleanliness in the kitchens and provide hygienic food to children," he said

"Two to three more school kitchens will be opened shortly," he said.

Mohali, July 19
The rise in typhoid cases in Mohali village has set the alarm bells ringing.

Out of the 21 water samples collected by the Health Department from different parts in the district, five have failed the potability test while the remaining 14 have been found unfit for drinking.

The samples that failed the test were collected from Mohali village near Phase I.

It is learnt that the water samples were collected from Mohali village after patients suffering from typhoid started coming to the Civil Hospital in Phase VI. In 2009, there was an outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera at Mohali village. A large number of patients were admitted to the Civil Hospital.

Samples collected at that time had also failed the potability test.

An official of the Health Department said out of the 21 samples collected in the district, only two were found fit for drinking.

Three samples collected from villages falling under the Boothgarh Primary Health Centre also failed the potability test.

Similarly, four water samples collected from villages in Dera Bassi were not found fit for drinking.

All the villages from where samples were collected were being supplied water by the rural water supply wing.

Another sample taken from a house at Dera Bassi, where submersible pump has been installed, was also not found fit for drinking. A water sample collected from a tubewell sunk on the BSF campus also failed the potability test.

The results of five samples are still awaited.

Dr Rajiv Bhalla, Civil Surgeon, said the drive to collect water samples had been intensified during the monsoon. Chlorine tablets were distributed among residents where water was not found fit for drinking.

Residents were asked to use one tablet of chlorine in 20 litres of water before using it.

The authorities supplying water had been asked to take corrective measures after which samples would be collected again.

In June also the Health Department officials had collected 25 samples from various parts of the district, out of which eight had failed the potability test, added Bhalla.

Chandigarh, July 19
Working for the past several years and relentlessly spreading the message of road safety, Harman Sidhu, chairman of NGO Arrive Safe, has received a threat letter pressurising him to withdraw his public interest litigation (PIL) against the removal of liquor vends situated along the national highways near Chandigarh and the neighbouring states.

The PIL is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and its hearing is scheduled for July 30. Sidhu has lodged a police complaint and the UT police has started a probe. A daily diary report has been lodged at the Sector 19 police station.

Sidhu said the letter had been handed over to the local police.

The area police, beat staff and local CID wing have been intimated about the security threat to the complainant. Sidhu is a resident of Sector 21. He received the letter by post.

He said he had filed the PIL in the interest of city residents because liquor vends located close to highways were the prime reason for fatal accidents in the region. The PIL was filed two months ago and the Punjab and Haryana High Court has already instructed the Chandigarh Traffic Police to provide a report about the liquor vends located close to the highways.

“I received a threat letter (enclosed) through post today, 'advising' me to withdraw the case. The letter also mentions that if the judgement of the case goes against them, they will suffer heavy losses and if that happens, there will be severe loss to my health,” said Harman Sidhu.

Panchkula, July 19
The mystery behind Geetanjali's death, the CJM’s wife, deepened with the victim's family claiming that her children were aware of what happened on the day of murder. They alleged that they were not allowed to meet the children.

Geetanjali, 28, a resident of Sector 8, Panchkula, was found “shot dead” in Gurgaon. Later, the post-mortem report revealed that she was shot at three times. She was married to CJM Ravneet Garg, who is currently posted at Gurgaon. She had moved with her husband from Jagadri to Gurgaon two months ago following the latter’s promotion.

Geetanjali is survived by two daughters Poonam (4) and Guddu (3) . Meanwhile, the family has also lodged a complaint with the Gurgaon police, following which a case has been registered in this regard.

“Even today morning we went to meet the children but her in-laws were dilly-dallying," said Rajesh Aggarwal, the deceased's brother. He further added, “We are sure that the children know what happened on the day of murder. And to hide this, they are not letting us meet them.” The family has decided to lodge a complaint with the local police as well.

Chandigarh, July 19
The Property Consultants Association has accused the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) of sitting over files. In a press conference today, members of the association said residents were being harassed by the CHB officials as they never bothered to clear the files.

Finance secretary of the association Devinder Kumar said be it conversion of land, issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) or registration of conveyance deed, inspectors of the CHB were conducting separate inspections, which in turn harried owners. They appealed to the UT Administration that the CHB should be asked to complete the formalities in a time-bound manner to discourage corruption. The members also opposed the proposal to hike 30 per cent collector fee. Chairman of the association Rajesh Walia said the hike had been announced when the prices of the property had declined by almost 20 per cent. The real estate sector is suffering because of the slump and the proposal would burden genuine buyers. President Subhash Sharma said the Administration kept sitting over files related to the registration of property consultants. "The practice is being followed in Panchkula and Mohali. This will help check fraudsters," he added.

General secretary Sunil Kumar said the UT Administration had stopped the conversion of property from leasehold to freehold. He said the Administration had abolished the process of issuing an NOC before the sale or purchase of property. "Through the NOC, one gets to know whether the property is under dispute," he added. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 19
Former city MP and senior BJP leader Satya Pal Jain has been nominated as the chairman of the BJP’s National Committee on Legal Affairs and Election Commission by BJP president Rajnath Singh for the coming 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP on Friday decided to set up 20 committees, including the National Committee on Legal Affairs and Election Commission, which will focus on various aspects of electioneering.

This committee will comprehensively deal with all the legal issues and help the party in effectively formulating its stand on all legal issues as well as the issues relating to the Election Commission of India for the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, Jain has remained as the all-India In charge of the legal cell of the party for about 10 years. BJP councillor Davesh Moudgil said all the workers of the BJP, Chandigarh, were feeling honoured after the nomination of Jain as the chairman of the committee of the party.

Chandigarh, July 19
UT Home Secretary-cum-Secretary Transport, Chandigarh Administration, along with officers from the Transport, Engineering and Architect Department, visited the bus terminus of Sector 17 and Sector 43.

The Home Secretary expressed concern over the cleanliness of the inter-state bus terminus. He observed that the cleanliness of the bus terminus was not up to the mark and directed the officers of the Transport Department to do the needful at the earliest.

He pointed out that the repair of the building was urgently required and directed the Engineering Department to immediately repair the counters, whose kota stones had come out.

Officers of the Transport Department told the Home Secretary that the AC buses plying on the Chandigarh-Delhi route were in great demand due to the suitability, cleanliness and comfort of these buses.

Chandigarh, July 19
A meeting of the environment and city beautification committee of the municipal corporation was held under the chairpersonship of Gurbax Rawat, in which various items were approved and passed by the committee.

The committee okayed new play equipment and multi-play system for children in various parks in Sector 33 at a cost of Rs 7.62 lakh. Besides, huts, benches and dustbins in parks in the Industrial Area, Phase II, at a cost of Rs 1.55 lakh were also okayed by the committee.

The committee also okayed fixing of RCC tree guards in Rajindra Park, Sector 1, Chandigarh, at a cost of Rs 15 lakh. Besides, the committee also passed installation of railings and benches in various parks in Sectors 4, 9 and 11 at a cost of Rs 10 lakh.

Chandigarh, July 19
A minor incident of sparking was reported from the department of radiodiagnosis at the PGI this morning, causing smoke in the area that lasted a few minutes.

The incident occurred while a worker was trying to fit an air-conditioner in the department, which is under renovation. The department, located inside Nehru Hospital, has been undergoing renovation for the past few days. “It was just a minor sparking. The work continued normally,” said Manju Wadwalkar, official spokesperson for the PGI.

Mohali, July 19
A resident of Phase II has alleged that his domestic help had stolen Rs 12 lakh from his house when the family was away.

According to reports, the complainant told the police that he along with his wife had gone to Vrindavan. He had kept Rs 12 lakh in a locker and the key was with his son. His son also went to attend a wedding and the domestic help was alone at home. When he returned, he found the money missing.

The domestic help told the police that she had been working at the house for the past six years. She had not been paid any salary as she was promised by her employer that the entire amount would be given at the time of her wedding. They levelled the allegation of theft against her when she asked the employer to pay her the dues upon getting engaged.

Residents of the slum colony, where the domestic help lived, gathered at Phase I police station in her support.

Panchkula, July 19
Students of Class XII of a local school complained on Friday at the office of the Commissioner of Police, alleging assault at the hands of police officials at Sector 16 police post. “My friend was beaten up by his neighbours and he got injured. When we asked police officials to register a case, they kept on dilly-dallying,” said Diwakar, a resident of Sector 17, Panchkula.

He said, “Today, we had gone to the police post to know if they would take any action in the case, head constable Kuldeep and constable Joginder slapped us and assaulted us.”

The in charge of the Sector 16 police post, Jagdish Kumar, said, “When Diwakar started shouting at a lady from the opposite party, our officials tried to stop him. But, he hit them.” — TNS

Chandigarh, July 19
Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, has increased monthly stipend/scholarship of MA-I and MA-II students at the Department of Indian Theatre from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 .

Five students from each of the classes are given stipend/scholarship. This decision was taken at the meeting of the PU Board of Finance today.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover presided over the meeting. The board also decided to provide merit scholarship of Rs 1,000 per month to the toppers of the general and SC category in first, second, third and fourth year of B Com LLB five-year integrated course at University Institute of Legal Studies.

PU has also decided to increase monthly stipend on account of rotatory internship to the students, who have passed BDS (four year course), from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 at Dr HS Judge Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital.

The board has enhanced the financial assistance/grant/subsidy to university teachers for attending conferences/workshops/seminars /symposiums within the country.

PU has also decided to extend the benefit of maternity leave (with pay) to the female contractual employees working at Panjab University. This benefit will not be extended to the female employee, who have three or more children.

The board resolved the issue of fixing the pay of Readers, Lectures (selection grade), selected or promoted after 01.01.1996. The board also approved to create one post of security officer (female) and to to fill one post of assistant security officer (female). 

Chandigarh, July 19
With the admission process at nearly all colleges nearing completion, most of the city colleges have decided to start new academic session from July 22. The colleges will organise orientation for first-year students to tell them about the system of examination and lectures.

All four government colleges, which follow a similar curriculum, plan to start the session for first-year students from Monday, while the admission to senior classes is still in the process.

These include Post Graduate Government College for Girls (PGGCG), Sector 11 and 42, and Post Graduate Government College (PGGC), Sector 46 and 11.

“The first-year students are new to the system of colleges and take time to settle down with the schedule. We usually start their session early to help them cope with the entirely new examination and lecture system,” said the admission coordinator, PGGCG, Sector 11.

“Besides, it is important for teachers also to identify first-year students since they all appear to be similar in the beginning,” he said.

Private colleges, including MCM DAV College, Sector 36, GGDSD College, Sector 32, and DAV College, Sector 10, would also start the new session from Monday.

Chandigarh, July 19
A group of students submitted a memorandum to the Dean Faculty of Law, Panjab University, and and chairman, University Institute of Legal Studies, citing “discriminatory criteria” fixed for admission to BA/Bcom LLB (hons) Five-year integrated course at PU.”

Pointing out the specifications for admission criteria in B Com , the students stated that the BCom LLB course did not make any provision for weightage. They demanded uniform admission criteria for the integrated course.

Chandigarh, July 19
The change in eligibility criteria for admission to six engineering/architecture colleges in the city by the joint admission committee (JAC) of University Institute of the Engineering and Technology (UIET), Panjab University, has left many sports students in the lurch.

"As per the eligibility criteria mentioned in the admission brochure, for BE courses, admission will be open to a candidate, who has qualified the JEE (Main)-2013, conducted by the CBSE (a minimum of 15 per cent marks in the JEE (Main)-2013 with the Architecture Aptitude test for bachelor of architecture to qualify for the admission.)," said one of the candidates.

A joint admission committee, headed by the Director of University Institute of Technology, was constituted by the Chandigarh Administration to initiate the online process of the admissions. The JAC launched its website in June 2013 and started the online registration process from July 1, 2013 with closing date of July 12, 2013, he added.

On July 6, 2013, six days after the beginning of the registration process, a corrigendum was issued by the JAC on its website stating, "The condition of securing minimum 15 per cent marks (10 per cent for SC/ ST /PH) in JEE (Main) -2013 has been withdrawn," the candidates added.

"This decision of the JAC was a setback to many sportspersons as some of them were deprived of applying for admission in other local colleges.As per the conditions imposed by the JAC, many of us became ineligible after scoring good marks in Class XII," the candidates stated in a letter addressed to the Vice-President.

" On one hand, the JAC has fixed the criteria of admission for sportspersons on their sports merit (the gradation based on their achievements at the state and the national level) and on the other they rejected our candidature by adopting the cut-off fixed for general category students at in NITs a and CFTIs," they added. Meanwhile, the officials said that the information was in the public domain well in time and in the interest of the students. A writ regarding the matter has already been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Chandigarh, July 19
In absence of any provision for lights, counsellors at the Panjab University (PU) Law Auditorium are finding it difficult in scrutinising the documents of the students arriving for counselling.

A large number of students are coming for counselling everyday and the team responsible for examining their documents having a tough time in reading out the details. On their request, a small lamp was provided to scrutinise the documents, however, that appears to be inadequate.

The problem has been there since the beginning of the counselling session, however, not much emphasis was laid upon the improvement of the facility. Earlier, B Com counselling was conducted at the auditorium a few days ago.

The counseling for admission to various departments will be conducted at the same venue in upcoming days.