Need to improve services at hospitals 
Amritsar, April 12
Though the BJP candidate Arun Jaitley promised to open an AIIMS-like institution in the city, the public is grappling with staff shortage, unavailability of medicines and the unwillingness of government employees to perform their duties at hospitals in the constituency. The Lok Sabha constituency has 40 government health institutions, including Government Medical College, district Civil Hospital, ESI Hospital, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and dispensaries.

Amritsar, April 12
A sworn follower of Gandhian philosophy Independent candidate, Sham Lal Gandhi, is following it in his personal life practically to inspire people around him to vote for him.

He does not hesitate to wash utensils of his guards deployed for his security after he filed nomination paper to contest the Lok Sabha seat.

He is pedaling around the town to seek people’s mandate.

It has become a talk of the town that Gandhi pedales his bicycle while guards deployed for his security accompany him on their motorbikes.

Otherwise, Sham Lal, who is contesting the third election of his five-year-long political career, works as a daily wager. “I accompany a catering firm in my area whenever it gets orders to prepare food at some party.”

His maiden appearance in the election was in the 2009 General Election when he contested Independently and garnered 1,494 votes. His second election was the 2012 Assembly election when he contested from the West Assembly constituency from the Bhartiya Chetanya Party.

Attired in ‘khadi’ and sporting a Gandhi cap, Sham Lal swears by Gandhian philosophy.

Though he contested his maiden election in 2009, he dabbled in public life in 2007 as the then 25-year-old Gandhi took upon himself the task of spreading awareness about Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. He can be seen as the odd-one in a crowd, sporting a white spotless dhoti and a Gandhi cap.

He sets out every day on his woman's bicycle to different colonies in the city to propagate the message of non-violence and communal harmony, confirming that he was a man with a mission. A little more than five-foot tall, Sham Lal says though he has not read many books on Gandhi, it was the film, "Gandhi", which inspired him to follow the philosophy of the Father of the Nation.

“Often, people used to mock at me, thinking that I’m a freak. Over the years, people have now understood me that I am a man with a mission and that is spreading of Gandhian philosophy.”

Amritsar, April 12
Though the BJP candidate Arun Jaitley promised to open an AIIMS-like institution in the city, the public is grappling with staff shortage, unavailability of medicines and the unwillingness of government employees to perform their duties at hospitals in the constituency. The Lok Sabha constituency has 40 government health institutions, including Government Medical College, district Civil Hospital, ESI Hospital, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and dispensaries.

Another hospital like the AIIMS can add to the number of hospitals in the area but unless and until better health services are provided at the existing institutions, the public would not get the required relief.

At present, the district Civil Hospital is facing a staff shortage and many of the services at the hospital have been discontinued because of it. The state government had shifted all specialist doctors posted in the rural areas to the cities on the pretext that it wanted to strengthen medical services in 100 hospitals of 
the state. However, after the shifting of specialists from rural areas, no rural health centre has any specialist facility now.

Even at the four health centres in the constituency, which were targeted for strengthening health services, many posts are lying vacant. The charges of corruption against senior officials of the government health institutions have lowered the integrity of the hospitals.

The accusations of corruption while purchasing medicines and equipment were levelled against the officials of the district Health Department and Government Medical College earlier. However, the government failed to initiate an inquiry against the department officials.

Harnam Singh, a local resident, said, “People want zero corruption in health services. Addition of one more medical institute will serve no purpose.”

He said the Lok Sabha candidates should promise to do away with the the shortage of staff and medicines at the hospitals. He added that the candidates should also promise better working conditions and salaries for the employees in the state Health Department. 

Amritsar, April 12
The Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR), a Delhi-based organisation, held the India-Pakistan Trade Conference. The CDR has been organising the India-Pakistan Track II dialogues for several years.

Indian and Pakistani traders, members of the AWAC Committee and representatives of trade bodies from Jammu and Kashmir, took part in the conference. This was the first meeting, which was held among traders who trade through the Attari-Wagah border.

The participants discussed the problems being faced by them. They discussed their problems with Customs officials at Attari. The officials were able to clarify many issues and government policies. They also promised to take up some of their issues with their counterparts in Pakistan. The participants worked on a set of recommendations, which include working with the trade organisations on the both sides of the border. These recommendations will be sent to the governments of India and Pakistan.

The participants have decided to meet again after three months to review the progress. 

Amritsar, April 12
Many small business establishments have come up on the railway link road outside the local railway station. The area is known as Landa Bazaar or Chor Bazaar. The haphazard parking of vehicles and encroachments by vendors are rampant on this stretch. As the footpaths are hardly visible, people are being forced to walk on a narrow road. Satpal Singh, a city resident, said, “Parking of vehicles should not be allowed on the road. It would serve a great deal in checking congestion on the road.”

The other view is that if the police are incapable of checking the haphazard parking on the road, they should declare it as no-entry zone so that the common people could move around freely without the fear of accidents.

Joginder Pal Singh, a schoolteacher said, “If the administration cannot set things right, they should block this road for traffic.” The area residents said the municipal corporation must take action against the encroachers and the haphazard parking of vehicles. “The road is wide enough. However, during the day, it turns narrow due to encroachments,” said Charanjit Singh, a city resident. 

Amritsar, April 12
Congress activists and advocates, Sandeep Gorsi and Vaneet Mahajan, along with their supporters today staged a dharna on Batala road over the alleged police inaction in a firing incident that occurred on March 17.

They alleged that instead of registering a case of attempt-to-murder, the police booked unidentified persons for unlawful activity and firing in air, creating panic in the area.

Sandeep Gorsi alleged that several persons shot fires at the hotel that belonged to Vaneet Mahajan. He said a complaint was lodged with the police by Mahajan at that time, but the police failed to identify and arrest the accused till now. Traffic remained disrupted for about half an hour. The dharna was lifted after Assistant Commissioner of Police Gaurav Garg reached the spot and assured them of appropriate action within seven days. Mahajan said if the police failed to take action within the period, they would be forced to choose the agitational path once again. 

Amritsar, April 12
The Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC) led a protest against the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) at Chabba village today. The KSC stated that the Punjab police personnel prevented its members from delivering eatables to the protesting farmers. 

KSC general secretary Sawinder Singh said 13 members of their organisations had been held by the police. He said after repeated assurances, they were not being released. 

Amritsar, April 12
The Wisdom Society of Creative Arts, New Delhi, organised an exhibition for promotion of arts and artists the city art gallery. The five-day exhibition will showcase works of over 80 artists from all over India. Over 125 art works are on display at the exhibition.

The exhibition features paintings, graphics and other contemporary art forms. The society has organised all-India exhibitions and camps in the past and has been associated with the Lalit Kala Akademi for the promotion of the art.

Out of the 80 artists participating in the exhibition, 20 are from Amritsar. The exhibition has been organised in association with the Indian Academy of Fine Arts. 

Amritsar, April 12
The alleged illegal excavation in Guruwali village on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road has been stopped after a news item regarding this was published in Amritsar Tribune recently.

Following this, the villagers have decided to cancel their protest. They had alleged that the land was being excavated at the behest of a local Akali leader.

The alleged illegal excavation the gram panchayat land at the village had invited the wrath of the villagers who had alleged that it would damage their houses and pollute the groundwater besides leading to environment degradation.

A majority of the houses near the excavation site belong to the Dalits who alleged that a pick and choose policy was being used to carry out the work as they had voted against the ruling party in the panchayat elections.

The District Development and Panchayat Officer, SP Angra, had claimed that the gram panchayat had received a grant under the MGNREGA to dig the village pond. He said the land adjoining the pond was illegally grabbed by some people.

The residents, along with CPI (M) activists, had given a call to hold a protest against the Akali leader and the authorities concerned fpr failure to take action against the accused.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, a CPI (M) leader, said the proposed protest was cancelled following the discontinuation of the work. However, he said the district authorities should take action against the persons responsible for the illegal excavation.

Amritsar, April 12
Alert BSF jawans of 163-battalion thwarted yet another smuggling attempt of smugglers active alongside the Indo-Pak border and arrested an Indian smuggler from near the barbed fence in Mahwa border outpost.

His three accomplices, who were standing just a few metres behind the spot, fled taking the advantage of darkness and standing crops.

The arrested accused was identified as Amarbir Singh of Daoke village while his accomplices who fled include Kulwant Singh and Hardev Singh of border village Daoke and Angrej Singh of Bharobhal village.

Amarbir was handed over to the Gharinda police which registered a case under various sections of the NDPS Act and the Indian Passport Act besides 14 Foreign Acts in this connection.

The BSF had recovered Rs 50 Pakistani currency besides a sharp-edged weapon and a Pakistani Mobile SIM card from Amarbir’s possession.

MF Farooqui, DIG, BSF, Amritsar sector, said the incident came to light when the accused signalled their counterparts on the Pakistan side to come near the fence and smuggle the contraband.

However, after noticing the movement from Pakistani side, the BSF Jawans got alerted and they challenged the intruders. They immediately noticed the suspicious movement on Indian side also. They chased the accused and arrested him from the spot. During interrogation, he identified himself as Amarbir Singh. He later revealed the identification of three of his accomplices. Following his interrogation, the police teams raided the homes of the remaining three accused.

Salwinder Singh, Additional SHO, Gharinda police station, said the raids were being conducted to arrest the remaining three accused who had been on the run. Meanwhile, Amarbir Singh was produced in the court which sent him to a three-day police remand. 

Amritsar, April 12
The theft of goods from the kitchen of Employees State Insurance Hospital on Majitha Road has once again showed how government health institutions are an easy target for thieves.

Earlier, sanitary fittings were stolen from the residence of the Medical Superintendent of the hospital. Computers were also stolen from the hospital sometime ago.

Even at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, the theft of equipment has been reported several times. In November last year, the thieves had decamped with parts of the oxygen system at ENT hospital.

The thieves targeted a couple of times within a week. The theft of copper from the solar system installed at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital was also reported sometime ago.

An official at the ESI Hospital said, “Government health institutions have become an easy target for thieves as entry to these hospitals is unrestricted. Moreover, government hospitals do not have enough security personnel ."

For instance, the city Civil Hospital has only eight security personnel who work in shifts. Though Guru Nanak Dev Hospital has roped in a security agency to provide 36 security personnel, the vast area of the hospital needs more security.

Many buildings and facilities has come up at the hospital and it has recently urged the government to allow it to deploy at least 70 security guards. 

Amritsar, April 12
The dispute over presidentship of the students' body at the regional campus of Guru Nanak Dev University at Bedadpura village in Sathiala refused to settle down as another instance of firing was reported last evening.

A youth, identified as Princepal Singh, a resident of Sathiala, sustained a bullet injury and the police have booked two persons on the charge of attempt to murder. One of the accused was identified as Baljit Singh of Bedadpure village.

Princepal Singh told the police that at around 8.00 pm last evening when he was going to meet a friend, Baljit Singh, along with an unidentified person, came on a motorcycle and stopped the motorcycle before him. He stated that Baljit took out his pistol and fired at him. The bullet hit him in the hips. Later, he was rushed to a hospital. The Beas police have registered a case under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC and 25/27/54/59 of the Arms Act against the accused.

Amarjit Singh, SHO, Beas police station, said three police teams had been formed to nab the accused. Notably, it is the third firing instance in the past six months because of the dispute between two warring groups. In December 2013, two persons-Komalpreet and his mother Paramjit Kaur-were seriously injured in an attack. In October 2013, Komalpreet had sustained bullet injuries. Ironically, Baljit Singh was booked in all the three cases but the police failed to arrest him.

Interestingly, neither of the groups belong to the college though they had come face to face a number of times over the issue. Baljit is a former college president whereas Komalpreet was unanimously elected as the president on September 26 last year. Komalpreet had alleged that Baljit nurtured a grudge against him and had been threatening him of dire consequences. 

Amritsar, April 12
A man was allegedly beaten to death by four person over the issue performing a “satsang” at a tomb in Vaironke village.The victim was identified as Beera Singh. The accused have been identified as Resham Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Dalbir Singh and Amrik Singh, all residents of vaironke village.

Ajit Singh, brother of the deceased, told the police that he, along with his brother, was performing a satsang when the accused reached in an inebriated condition. They had a heated argument over the issue. The altercation took an ugly turn when the accused attacked Beera, leaving him seriously injured. 

Amritsar, April 12
A 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in Baba Deep Singh Colony on the Fatehgarh Churian road today. The police have arrested the accused, identified as Azad Singh, following the statement of the victim's mother.

The complainant told the police that her daughter had gone out of the house but did not return and soon she started searching her in the nearby area but failed to locate her. She stated in the complaint that she had even asked the accused about the girl but he did not tell her about her whereabouts.

Later, she heard the cries of her daughter from the residence of the accused. She said her daughter told her that she was raped by the accused.

The police have registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC against the accused. The medical examination of the girl was carried out by a woman medical officer and her statement was recorded under Section 164 of the CrPc.