DMCH management asserts stand
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 21
In an attempt to end the stalemate between the management and union of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), the management today issued a public notice to clear certain facts.

Mr Prem Nath Gupta, secretary, managing society, and Dr S.C. Ahuja, Principal DMCH, in a press note today said the existing staff and employees of the DMCH would be paid the same salary and their service conditions and facilities would remain the same even if the gastroenterology ward is shifted to building number 2 of the DMCH.

The circular said the DMCH had created many buildings and building number 2 being one of them was already owned by the DMCH. The circular also said the DMCH could sublet any portion of the building to anybody and that the Hero DMCH Heart Institute was a separate entity.

The statement said all services rendered by the DMCH to the heart institute were paid for the institute and vice-versa.

They maintained that the salary, service conditions and other facilities of the existing DMCH employees would remain the same.

‘Learning for fun’ concludes
Our Correspondent

Participants of a summer camp show their skills on the last day at the Department of Human Development, PAU, on Friday. —A Tribune photograph

Ludhiana, June 21
‘Learning for fun’, a 12-day summer camp organised at the Department of Human Development, Punjab Agricultural University, concluded with an art and craft exhibition here today. As many as 30 students between seven and 12 years of age demonstrated their skills in making crafty items such as lamp shades, wall hangings, soft toys and other decorative pieces with cotton, leaves, paper, clothes. 

BSNL penalised for deficiency 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 21
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to pay Rs 3,000 on account of compensation for deficiency in services to a local resident, Mr Gurmukh Singh. The forum has also directed BSNL to issue the bill for the payment of Rs 443 and to recover Rs 500 on account of TCD. The forum further directed that after recovering the said amounts, the telephone connection of the consumer must be restored within seven days.

According to the complaint, the consumer had applied for shifting of his telephone connection (747440) from Akal Market in the Charura Bazar area to Calibre Plaza Market near Bhadaur House. The representative of the complainant, Mr S.S. Sarna that the telephone was shifted in September, 1999, after two and a half years after the applying for shifting the telephone.

Mr Sarna disclosed, “The consumer is a practicing lawyer of Income Tax and there was a clear deficiency in services on the part of respondent.” He further disclosed that the respondent had issued a bill for Rs 433 on August, 18, 2000 which was less than double bi-monthly rent of Rs 720. The bill was deposited by the consumer on September 5, 2000 through cheque. After that the cheque bounced and the BSNL disconnected the connection on October 9, 2000, he added.

Mr Sarna stated that when the consumer approached the respondent, he was issued another bill for Rs 1,836 and since the demand exceeded the earlier bill for Rs 433, he protested. He further stated that the consumer approached the officials many times, but he was not heard properly. The telephone of the complainant remained CNP for more than one year, he added. It was alleged that there was clear deficiency in services on the part of the BSNL for making his telephone connection CNP.

The BSNL pleaded that the complainant had applied for shifting of the telephone and it was shifted. However, it was denied that the telephone was shifted after two-and-a-half years or of applying for the same.

The BSNL clarified that the complainant had applied for shifting of the telephone on May 20, 1999 and it was shifted on August 6, 1999. It was admitted that the bill for Rs 443 was issued and the same was paid through cheque, but the cheque was dishonoured. The respondent maintained that the connection was disconnected on October 9, 2000, due to non-payment of the bill. After that as outstanding bill, the bills for Rs 199 and 589 were issued, it added.

The BSNL stated that there was no deficiency in services on its part for issuing bills or making the connection CNP for non-payment of the said bills. The respondent demanded from the forum that the complaint was liable to be dismissed.