Bhattal urged to implement Johl panel report
Our Correspondent

Samrala, June 2
Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) has intensified its struggle to get the Johl committee report implemented in order to bring 170 non-government colleges of the state out of financial mess. The PCCTU has urged the state Higher Education Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to implement this report on priority basis.

Mr Perminder Singh, Punjab University area secretary, and Mr Baldeep Singh, state executive member of the PCCTU, stated here that most of the non- government colleges of the state have not been able to pay salary to their teachers for the past six to eight months.

The union leaders felt that the only solution lies in the implementation of the Johl committee report which envisages sharing of college funds on the basis of 70 : 30 ratio, i.e. 70 per cent share of the funds will go to the state treasury and the remaining will be left with the managements. This fund sharing formula will ensure regular salary to the teachers along with all retirement benefits.

The PCCTU deputation led by its President, Mr R.S Brar and general secretary Jagwant Singh had recently met Dr S.S. Johl, who had assured them of all cooperation in getting the report implemented.

Training course for PCS officers ends
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 2
A three-day training course for PCS officers concluded at Punjab Agricultural University today. Ten newly recruited PCS officers attended the course. Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice- Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, exhorted the officers to work for overall rural development in the state. The development of the state was directly related to the development of the rural sector, he said.

Though the Green Revolution brought cheers for the farmers of the state, the state was a paying heavy price as the natural resources were fast depleting, he said. If the present rice-wheat cycle was allowed to continue, the state might even face drinking water crisis.

He emphasised that the farmers of the state must come forward and take marketing of their produce in their own hands by forming cooperative societies.

During the concluding ceremony of the three- day training course, Dr Sarjit Singh Gill, Director of Extension Education, PAU, hoped that the officers would work for the betterment of farmers in rural areas.

Mr Gurbhajan Gill, Editor (Punjabi), Centre for Communication, Languages and Culture, said administrators should not forget to serve the land, language and people.

The Punjab Kisan Club honoured 10 PCS officers with mementoes. Mr Pavittar Pal Singh Pangali, president, and Mr Hardev Singh Ghanaur, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Club, also addressed the officers.

Dr Varinder Kumar Bhambota, coordinator of the course, proposed a vote of thanks. Dr Kamal Mahindra, Associate Director of Extension Education, and Dr Gurdev Singh Momi, former Head of the Department of Extension Education, also graced the occasion.

Himanshu tops AIEEE in Ludhiana district
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 2
Himanshu Gupta of Kundan Vidya Mandir, (KVM), Civil Lines, has topped the district in the All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), held on May 8. He ranks 13th in Punjab.

Ten other students of KVM who have made it to the AIEEE are Hitesh Gupta, Pallavi Gupta, Lokesh Gupta, Amod Mehrotra, Nikhil Bansal, Rachit Arora, Amandeep Singh, Kunal Singh, Monil Sharma and Roohi Sood.

Those students of Guru Nanak Public School who have cleared AIEEE are: Japneet K. Chhatwal, Angad Singh Randhawa, Rishneet Singh, Japjeev Singh, Mandeep Kumar Khattra, Gurpartap Singh Sandhu, Sukhdeepinder Singh, Gaganpreet Singh, Gagandeep Singh Ubhi, Karan Sandhu, Gurchetan Singh, Harkirat Singh Bansal, Avneet Singh, Hasneet Kaur, Harkirat Singh, Simrandeep Singh and Chamanpreet Kaur.

HEALTH

Medicos pledge against use of tobacco
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 2
Calling for strict measures against sale and use of tobacco products, faculty members, students and others took a pledge against use of tobacco products at the ‘World No Tobacco Day’ celebrations at Dumra Auditorium Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, here on Tuesday.

An integrated students’ seminar presented by Sakshi Kapila, Sachin Chhabra and Sameer Gupta, was organised on this occasion to highlight the extent of the menace, its various poisonous constituents and resulting medical problems caused by a variety of tobacco products. It was pointed out that besides the smokers themselves, the victims of ‘passive smoking’ were also at a grave risk.

Laws governing tobacco use and the role of health professionals in preventing the spread of tobacco use were highlighted by Dr Deepinder Singh, Director Communications, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle and Dr Sangeeta Girdhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine. Dr Sandeep Puri, Dr Tej Kaur, Dr J. Bindra and Dr G. Ahluwalia commented on methods of de-addiction and complications of withdrawal.

The session was chaired by Dr Daljit Singh, principal of DMCH. A poster competition was organised on the theme ‘Role of health professionals in tobacco control.’ There was an enthusiastic response from undergraduate students (both MBBS and nursing) despite their being busy with university examinations. Dr Rekha Goyal and Dr R.K. Grewal were the judges for the event. The first prize was awarded to Ms Priyanka Thukral (MBBS batch 2003) while the second prize was shared jointly by Ms Gesu Singla (MBBS batch 2003) and Ms Parneet Kaur (B.Sc.Nursing batch 2002).

Vishwa Guru Ravi Dass Mission observed No Tobacco Day with children at Gita Mandir, Janj Ghar, Daresi, here on Tuesday.

Dr V.K. Kakkar, District Health Officer, Dr Manjit Kaur, SMO, Civil Hospital, Mr Santosh Bhatia, and Ms Rajwant urged the children and the public to say “No” to consumption of tobacco.

Mr Shiv Ram Saroy said smoking was harmful not only for the users, but also for those who came in the category of passive smokers.

Mr Gurinder Sood, president of the Rashtriya Vikas Manch, also spoke against the ill effects of tobacco. 

DC orders steps to check cholera
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 2
The district administration here has invoked several provisions under the Punjab Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, thereby imposing restrictions on the sale of exposed food items, ice and ice candy, mineral water, cut fruits, over-ripe and under-ripe fruits, besides fixing accountability of supervisory officers for the quality of drinking water supply in the district.

By an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, here today, the sale of food stuff, soft drinks, bakery products, bread, lassi etc. that has not been properly protected against contamination has been prohibited. Similarly, water used for manufacturing ice, ice candies, aerated drinks, mineral water would have to be got certified as fit for human consumption from the government laboratory at Chandigarh. The orders said drinking water would have to be regularly chlorinated.