The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

DMCH begins fresh recruitment
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 11
The management of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) and its employees union continued with their hardened stand. The management has decided to start fresh recruitments as the union has not been found cooperative. Meanwhile, about 14 employees of the billing department complained against the union leaders for harassing them and trying to force them to join the strike.

On the other hand a press note released by the union claimed that more and more employees of the hospital had come forward and joined the strike. The union denied the allegations of the management that they were forcing some of the employees to join the strike.

Meanwhile, the hospital has been presenting deserted look, with most of the patients reluctant to go to the DMCH.

The hospital management has started recruiting fresh people to checkmate the union’s blackmail. The sources disclosed that a number of people from the paramedical staff had been recruited and the management was keen to resume the normal working of the hospital.

The fresh recruitment drive by the DMCH has severely affected the small nursing homes of the city. With the DMCH offering handsome salaries, most of the staff in these nursing homes has been opting out to join the DMCH. This is also a worrying factor for the union, which feels that the strike may fizzle out once the normal working of the hospital gets resumed.

Concentrate and work hard, Bedi tells youngsters
Our Correspondent

Bishan Singh Bedi with young cricketers at a coaching camp.

Ludhiana, July 11
Former captain of the Indian cricket team and spin wizard Bishan Singh Bedi has advised young cricketers to work hard, maintain high concentration level and not to expect comfort zone on the field.

He was addressing young cricketers from all over the state at the concluding function of the 36-day coaching camp organised in the memory of his coach and mentor Gyan Parkash. Seven promising cricketers from the city, including four from Baba Ishar Singh Public School, participated in the camp. Bedi expressed his desire to hold a similar cricket clinic for young players in the coming winter season.

Young players, were told about importance of physical fitness, role of motivation, concentration techniques, prevention of injuries, fielding drills, technique for running, bowling, loading of front arm and landing of front foot, etc with the help of visual aids and demonstrations.

Members of the Bishan Singh Bedi Cricket Club also played practice matches with senior and junior players in which city boys were able to make their mark and put into practice what they had learnt during the camp. Amritpal, in the three matches he played, scored 35, 58 (n.o) and 30 runs, while Sukhmeet Singh, a left-arm medium pacer, took five wickets in two matches and also chipped in with valuable scores of 30 and 38 (n.o). Parampreet and Vijay Pal claimed six and five wickets respectively, in two matches.

Mr O.P. Soni, Congress MLA from Amritsar, presided over the concluding function. Among others, Test player Rahul Sanghvi, Mithun Minhas and cricket coaches from Ludhiana, Mr R.D. Singh and Mr Amrik Singh Nagra, were also present.

Admn plan to make city pollution-free
Auto-rickshaws to bear administration’ s wrath
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO REPLACE AUTOS

To fight air pollution caused by the auto-rickshaws, the district administration has chalked out a plan to start a public transport system in the city. It has decided to run mini-buses on the roads that would gradually replace auto-rickshaws. Describing his plan in detail, the DC said that he had identified six roads and 24 routes in the city where the buses would be plied.

Hundred buses would be started initially on the city roads. Thirteen terminals had been identified where the buses would stop and the peak hours of rush have also been observed. The routes of buses had been identified in such a way that the system became a success and the buses did not get stuck in traffic jams.

‘‘This is the first city I have seen where there is no public transport system and the population is more than 25 lakh. The city has developed in such a way that the roads are radial and converge into the old city. That leads to traffic chaos. There has to be a ring road in the city but these all are long term plans. Initially we will cater to around 70 percent of the population,’’ said the DC.

He further said 100 buses would replace 10,000 auto-rickshaws in the city. ‘‘This means 50 per cent check on the vehicular pollution. The plan would be transformed into reality within three months’ time. It is different from the earlier plan in a way that we have done a lot of home work on it by identifying areas where the buses can move without any hindrance,’’ he added.

Ludhiana, July 11
Official dubbing Ludhiana being the most polluted city after Delhi in the Northern region, the district administration has affirmed that level of pollution, especially air, had crossed all danger marks.

The revelation comes close on the heels of a declaration by the Central Government that Ludhiana figures among the 27 most polluted cities in the country.

According to figures given to Ludhiana Tribune by the district administration, which has conducted a thorough investigation in this field, the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the city is between 500 to 600 microgram while the permissible limit is only 200 microgram. These are the startling revelations of the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

The data about the presence of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen is also not less alarming. Both the pollutants are equivalent to 80 microgram, while other cities in the state do not have more than 10 to 12 microgram of these pollutants. These pollutants are considered border line but the way the environment is deteriorating, the things can only worsen.

Notwithstanding the scary figures, hope has not completely diminished, says Deputy Commissioner Anurag Aggarwal.

The district administration has decided to fight the pollution head on and not to buckle under any political or other pressure in carrying out its plans. It has decided to target the auto-rickshaws, which according to the Deputy Commissioner, are the biggest source of air pollution in the city.

Mr Aggarwal, while speaking to the Ludhiana Tribune said that there were around 20,000 to 25,000 auto-rickshaws plying on city roads out of which only 6,000 had the permit. Rest plying were illegally. He said that in a crackdown on them, the administration had impounded around 300 autos, whose emission in HSU was 95 per cent and more, while the permissible level was around 65 HSU.

Intriguingly after the Delhi’s transport has switched over to the CNG, the auto-rickshaws plying on Delhi roads have made their way in to Ludhiana. This disclosure came from the DC who said that while Delhi was becoming cleaner its auto-rickshaws were spelling doom for this city.

The DC further said that these autos were not only causing pollution but also contributed to a lot of traffic congestion. He said that on an average an auto carried not more than five persons in one round while a bus carried around 45 to 50 passengers. Further, an auto-rickshaw emitted much more amount of pollutant gases than a bus.

‘‘The amount of SPM is so high in the city that many people can fall prey to various bronchial diseases, including cancer. There is a very high level of soot, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide in the city. You feel a burning sensation in the eyes the moment you venture out. So a public transport system is the need of the hour. That would check the traffic chaos as well as the pollution,’’ the DC said.

He also said that the administration has written to State Transport Commission to constitute a Ludhiana transport authority. The Deputy Commissioner would be posted as the chairman of the authority. With this development the DC would become the authority to take the decisions related to the transport. ‘‘After a nod comes we will take some strong decisions in making Ludhiana a cleaner city’’ Mr Aggarwal said.