Jalandhar, November 26
The ill-equipped trauma centre at the Civil Hospital here has claimed the life of 22-year-old Rohit Kapila from Haryana Banga village due to the non-functioning of the ventilators on the same day these were inaugurated exactly four years ago.

“The youth was brought to the trauma centre in a critical condition around 5 pm and required a ventilator, but was rushed to Oxford Hospital, as two of the three ventilators available there were not functioning. Another critical patient was on the third ventilator. The youth died on way to Oxford Hospital,” said ASI Suresh Kumar, investigating officer.

According to Rohit’s family, he was having an affair with a girl and often used to come to Jalandhar to meet her. Whereas Rohit’s family was ready for their marriage, the girl’s family was opposing it.

On Tuesday, the girl had allegedly called Rohit to Jalandhar. “He was very happy when he left the house. He even got money from me to buy her chocolates. He promised us to be back late evening but what came is his news of death,” cried Amita Kapila, Rohit’s aunt.

The family has also, meanwhile, alleged foul play in the case. “It is almost 24 hours and the post-mortem has not even been conducted yet. The police have not finished its preliminary investigations to be done before the post-mortem. We are standing here without food and water since yesterday evening,” said Rozy Kapila, Rohit’s mother.

Jalandhar Tribune had highlighted the non-functioning of the ventilators at the trauma centre in a report published just two days ago. The doctors at the centre also showed their helplessness to handle any exigency in the absence of ventilators. Despite all this, no step was taken by the authorities concerned to get the ventilators repaired or to make any emergency arrangements.

“The trauma centre is supposed to run separately with a separate administration with a separate fund account. We at the Civil Hospital are already hand to mouth. We cannot maintain the trauma centre in the way it should be maintained. Still, we are trying our best to keep it functioning,” said Dr Jagjit Singh Cheema, medical superintendent, Civil Hospital.

Jalandhar, November 26
Ironically, the trauma centre at the Civil Hospital, which was inaugurated on this day exactly four years ago, is presently nothing more than a general ward of a small hospital.

Investigation into the matter by this reporter shockingly revealed that no funds had ever been released for its maintenance since its inception. The only saving grace is the salary that the staff at the centre gets from Punjab Health Systems Corporation.

On a visit to the trauma centre, it was found that besides the three ventilators, all seven pulse oxymeters were also not functioning at all. “We are facing a lot of problem. None of the oxymeter is working. A lot of precious time is getting wasted to do everything manually,” said a staff nurse.

An oxymeter is an equipment with a monitor which when tied to the patient automatically displays the pulse rate, heart beat and other important vital signs of the patient. In such a scenario, crucial time is getting wasted to check all the vital signs manually, especially when the trauma patient is fighting every single second for his life.

Also, the "highly acclaimed" trauma centre was found without the X-ray facility with no radiologists or lab technicians. There is no facility of CT scan or MRI. “The trauma centre is a highly specialised unit with modern gadgets of life-saving equipment. We have very little income from user charges and government funding. We are already fund-starved. We can help the trauma centre a little, but cannot run it full-fledgedly,” said Dr Jagjeet Singh Cheema, medical superintendent.

Most shockingly, there is no proper place to store medicines inside the trauma centre. The Tribune team, during the investigation, found stocks of tetanus injections and anti-snake venom inside the "Jan Aushad" shop nearby. This is the same shop from where patients buy medicines at a concessional rate. In this scenario, a racket of illegal sale of drugs cannot be ignored. The trauma staff, on being asked, revealed that the medicine stock had been kept at "Jan Aushad" shop nearby, as there was no refrigerator in the centre.

Husn Lal, Director, Punjab Health System Corporation, said he would investigate the matter into the sudden crashing of the trauma centre. He further added that the centre was part of the Civil Hospital and was not to be run as a separate entity. “The facilities which are available at the Civil Hospital like CT scan and X-ray etc will not be given separately to the trauma centre. Also, the maintenance work of all the existing equipment will be done shortly,” said Husn lal. He also promised investigation into the alleged drug connivance between "Jan Aushad" and the trauma centre.

The centre was inaugurated on November 27, 2009, after the new building was constructed with a funding of about Rs 4.5 crore from the Central Government. After the completion, it was handed over to the state government to run it efficiently. Although, the state government took over the charge from the Central Government, since then it has not released any fund for its maintenance. 

Jalandhar, November 26
Objecting to its high level compared to that of nearby localities, residents of the area have forced the municipal corporation (MC) contractor to stop the construction work of Gujja Peer Road which connects several areas of the city with National Highway Number 1.

While the construction of one of the dilapidated roads of the city was already going on at a snail’s pace after the start of the work on September 29, residents got the work stopped about three days ago.

The president of Jai Maa Vaishno Jagran Sabha, Sarabjit Singh Nagi, said “The level of the about 1-km-long Gujja Peer Road is being kept several inches high compared to streets of various nearby localities, including Shankar Garden, New Shankar Garden, Gobind Nagar, New Gobind Nagar and Globe Colony. As a result, rainywater will accumulate in these localities and will also enter several houses due to the high level of Gujja Peer Road.”

PPCC secretary GS Bhullar, who also resides in one of the localities situated beside Gujja Peer Road, said, “The level of the road should be kept on a par with those of the streets of the colonies situated adjoining it. It is now possible to do so as the work is still on. So the opinion of the public should be considered before starting the reconstruction of the road.”

When contacted, one of the area councillors Bhagwant Prabhkar confirmed that the construction work had been stopped on the high level issue. The work would start soon after sorting out the matter.

This road falls under the wards of three BJP councillors, Prem Lata Vashisht (ward number 2), Bhagwant Prabhakar (ward number 4) and Kanwaljit Singh Bedi (ward number 22).

Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) for Cooperation Krishan Dev Bhandari, also MLA from Jalandhar (North) and Mayor Sunil Jyoti laid the foundation stone for the construction of the road connecting various parts of the city with National Highway No. 1 on September 29.

At that time, Bhandari said the entire construction of the road being built at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore would be completed within three months.

While the 22 feet wide road will be of the RCC, interlocking tiles will be laid on both sides of the road. Besides, adequate road gullies will also be laid to avoid the accumulation of water during rains.

Kapurthala, November 26
A tractor-trailer hit a motorcycle near Nurewal village, leaving two persons dead and two injured last evening.

The deceased were identified as Laddi (35), a resident of Burewal village near Sultanpur Lodhi, and his mother Sheela (65). Laddi was driving the motorcycle, with his wife, mother and three children sitting on the rear seat.

“Laddi, along with his family, was on way to his home after attending a marriage at Sultanpur Lodhi, when they were hit by the unidentified tractor-trailer near Nurewal village. The tractor-trailer driver managed to run from the spot after the incident,” said eyewitnesses.

Kapurthala, November 26
On a complaint filed by the father of Jiwanjot Kaur (29), who was found dead at her home yesterday evening, the police have booked her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law on the charges of murder, today.

Jiwanjot got married to Gurwinder Singh, a computer teacher, on April 5. The couple had a seven-month-old daughter. Jiwanjot was found dead her home on Monday night and it is alleged that her in-laws projected the death as a suicide.

Gurdev Singh, the father of deceased, lodged a complaint today with city police alleging that her daughter was being harassed by her in-laws for bringing fewer dowry. Ranjit Singh, a relative of deceased, alleged that Jiwanjot was an educated girl. She could not even think about ending her life. The in-laws killed her and plotted the suicide story.

The police have booked all the accused under Sections 302 and 34 of IPC. “No arrests had been made so far. Investigation teams had been formed to verify the claims. Raids are being conducted to arrest the accused,” said SHO of the Kapurthala City Police Station BM Ladhar. 

Jalandhar, November 26
The National Scheduled Castes Alliance (NCSA) has criticized the Punjab government for not contributing its share of Rs 43 lakh towards the Centrally-sponsored Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for which the Centre had already released Rs 281 crore.

The NCSA president, Paramjit Singh Kainth, alleged that the Chief Minister has been making false and misleading claims about contributing the state’s share in the scheme.

He said in order to ensure the release of funds in time, the accountability of the officers and the department concerned should be fixed. “Each year there have been 1.5 lakh beneficiaries for the scholarships. But now the number of SC students has gone up to almost 4.50 lakh,” he said.

"The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme was launched by the Centre in 1998. But it is unfortunate that the 34 elected SC members of the assembly belonging to Akali Dal, BJP and the Congress did not raise their voice on this serious issue even when the academic future of lakhs of SC students was at stake," said Kainth.

“Even the SC and Backwards Classes Welfare Minister is silent on the release of funds,” he said. 

Jalandhar, November 26
A three-day co-curricular academic competition of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) was inaugurated at Lovely Professional University today.

Over 3,000 students from 200 schools had assembled at the venue to take part in different events.

Dr Amrita Gill, Director, Academics, PSEB, was the chief guest while Gurvinderpal Singh Bath, Secretary of the PSEB, was the guest of honour.

In his inaugural address, Bath asked the participants to nourish competent thinking, competitive feel and policy to be a better human resource for the society.

On the inaugural day, students of classes I to V from four regions—Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and SAS Nagar— participated in the shabad gayan, declamation, painting, calligraphy, folk songs, solo dances. Senior boys and girls presented mesmerising gattka and one-act plays.

Results

Calligraphy competition: 1. Sumit Kaur (Guru Amardas Senior Secondary School, Goindwal Sahib), 2. Sandeep Kumar (Primary School, Patra, Patiala), 3. Jaspinder Kaur (Sri Guru Amar Das Senior Secondary School, Kapurthala)

Shabd gayan competition: 1. Aashma, 2. Krishinder Kaur, 3. Jaspreet stood

Solo dance competition: 1. Diljit Mann Singh (SD Public School, Batala), 2. Navjeet Kaur (Senior Secondary Model School, Patiala), 3. Jaspreet Kaur (Doaba Khalsa Model Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar)

Declamation competition: 1. Lovepreet Kalra (S N Public Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana), 2. Rajwinder Kaur (Dr Asha Nand Arya Senior Secondary School, Nawashahr), 3. Komalpreet Kaur (Central Public Senior Secondary School, Ghumann) 

Jalandhar, November 26
Two literary personalities, noted Punjabi poet and president of the Punjabi Sahit Academy Prof Gurbhajan Gill and writer Ninder Ghugianvi will be honoured with Kewal Vig Award for the year 2013.

They will be given citations, mementos and shawls for their exemplary contribution in their fields during a function being held at the KL Saigal Memorial Hall here on December 4.

The founder of the Kewal Vig Foundation, Jatinder Mohan Vig, said the award was instituted in 1994 in the memory of late Kewal Vig, founder editor of Punjabi magazine, Janta Sansar. As many as 50 distinguished literary personalities had been honoured with Kewal Vig Award so far. 

Kapurthala, November 26
To observe Law Day in the Sessions Division, Kapurthala, the District Legal Services Authority, Kapurthala, organised a seminar at Government Senior Secondary School, Wadala Kalan, here today.

Under the guidance of District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Kapurthala, Gurmit Ram Banyal, the seminar was presided over by the Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Kapurthala, Manila Chugh. "Law Day is an important day because on this day the Constitution of India was officially adopted by the Government of India. Any person seeking legal remedy may approach the offices of the District Legal Services Authority, Legal Aid Clinics or Legal Aid Clubs," she said. —OC