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Anti-quota stir hits health services
Chandigarh, May 16 Caught unawares by the massive scale of the strike by doctors, attendants were seen running for medicare from one place to another. They found no succour as over 1,000 medicos from various medical institutes of the city, along with members of the IMA, ignored regular duties. Much to the surprise of patients who came from across the region, the day brought inconveniences in its fold. As the attendants lined up for ambulance services, these were grossly inadequate. The OPDs in the PGI wore a deserted look while the complex outside the OPDs bustled with frenetic activity. The patients were ignorant about the advance notice with regard to the closure of OPDs. Some patients rushed to Chandimandir Command Hospital while the others just thought of a place to stay for the night. They hoped the strike would end and work would resume tomorrow. The doctors assembled at Sector 17 to voice their displeasure at the quota
issue. Protesters included junior and senior residents of the PGI and the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32,
interns and students of GMCH-32 and General Hospital-16, doctors from Panchkula and Mohali and members of the Dental Association. They reiterated their demand for the withdrawal of the government's proposal to enhance reservation to 49.5 per cent. They said the existing reservation of 22.5 per cent was good enough. The protesters asked for a reservation-free atmosphere in medical institutes to ensure these churn out doctors of merit. The commonest slogan was against Arjun Singh whose obstinacy on the issue has angered the medical fraternity nationwide. The students said the government was playing vote politics in the name of welfare of the underprivileged classes. They said they felt like second class citizens. The casualty of the strike, however, was the patients' welfare. Many poor patients did not even know what the ruckus was all about. Dr Kashmiri Lal, a representative of the GMCH-32 said, “We are watching the government's response to our demands. If it does not take a just view on the matter, we will intensify our protest.” * Emergency services to be boycotted completely * Absence of contractual staff makes matters worse * Faculty to support cause of students and resident doctors by wearing black badges
Parallel OPD in PGI on anvil
Aware that their strike is affecting patients flocking to OPDs, resident doctors are contemplating setting up an OPD outside the New OPD Block. “We will probably have it in place by May 18. Our strike is not against patients. We don’t want them to suffer, especially since we are around,” says the vice-president of the Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Anindya Banerjee. He maintained that since all resident doctors were around, they would help out by attending to patients and prescribing medicines to them. “We will not go into the OPDs. Instead, we will set up our own OPD outside and offer services in all specialities. We have the AIIMS pattern in mind and will finalise the modalities by tomorrow,” he added.
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New survey to identify BPL families
Chandigarh, May 16 These figures are calculated on the per month basis and per family member earnings. The date collected last time, more than a couple of years back, indicated that the city had a BPL population of 1.16 lakh out of which 0.68 lakh lived in colonies. The figures will be revised in wake of the new figure for the BPL calculation given by the centre, recently. A house- to- house survey is being conducted under the data collection survey. The bottom line of the entire operation is identification of the genuine 'yojna' assistance seekers, a senior official said. The fake claims will be rejected. Reliable sources said it was discovered after the survey last time that certain residents of colonies had attempted seeking loans on wrong information. The administration is looking into certain areas of concern with regard to the successful implementation of the scheme. The banks are not very forthcoming in giving loans, particularly to the slum dwellers. It had been discovered that at least 75 per cent of the cases of loan seekers are rejected downright. Only 282 cases out of approximately 1175 applicants were sanctioned the loans till March 2005. "Banks do not give money because they are unsure of recovery. We are having deliberations with top bank officials and hopeful of certain improvement", the official added. It has also been pointed out that a huge amount of grant under the scheme continues to lie unused. One of the reasons cited for the unused funds is that they are form of a matching grant which will be given once the project is sanctioned by the banks.
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Lucky’s wife
gets bail
Chandigarh, May 16 Arresting her stay till May 23, she has been directed to join investigations as and when required by the investigating officer. A notice was also issued to the police for May 23. The Deputy Mayor’s wife had filed the anticipatory bail application on the grounds that it was political vendetta and that her name did not figure in the FIR pertaining to the case. She also petitioned that
she was willing to join the investigation. After the anticipatory bail being granted by the court, the second alleged suspect in the case, Ms Jaspal Kaur Bhattal, also filed an anticipatory bail application. It will come up for hearing tomorrow. The two have been booked under Section 380 and
34, IPC. The Chandigarh Police is likely to contest the grant of anticipatory bail to Ms Harneet Singh in a court tomorrow. Certain facts stated in the application would be contested by the police in the court, sources said. Ever since the exclusive ladies garment shop in Sector 17, Sweet Girls Station, was opened in December 2005, stocks worth over Rs 3.50 lakh were found to be missing. In the recovery document, the police has claimed to have recovered clothes worth Rs 30,000. Sources did not rule out the possibility of stolen clothes being sold in the market.
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Sumit’s mother, wife write to PM, seek CBI probe
Chandigarh, May 16 While the Army had termed it to be a case of suicide due to family problems, the latter are disputing this contention. Capt Kohli was posted to 18 Rashtriya Rifles and was at the end of his tenure there. In their petition, Ms Veena Kohli and Deepika Kohli have claimed that during his visit to Chandigarh a few days before his death, he had informed them that things were not good in his unit and since he had refused to join hands with his commanding officer in certain cover-up operations, he was being threatened with dire consequences. The petition states that Capt Kohli had differences with his commanding officer over misappropriation of intelligence-gathering funds and fake encounters. It further states that he was being ill-treated and on a number of occasions had been denied leave or recalled early. It states that his death had been attributed to suicide by shooting himself with his AK-47 rifle with no evidence to support it. Further, the commanding officer floated a false story of suicide when reports of post-mortem, forensic expert, ballistic examination and fingerprint experts had not been received and the court of inquiry had not examined any witness. The petition also claims that in the case of four porters being gunned down by the unit, following which an FIR was registered by the local police in 2005, Capt Kohli was being pressurised by the commanding officer to make statements in his favour, which the junior officer had refused to do since he was on leave at the time of the incident. The family has also sought a copy of the FIR registered by the unit with the local police, of the post-mortem report, court of inquiry proceedings, reports of forensic and ballistic experts, photographs of the scene and other relevant documents.
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Charges framed against Dr Dhaliwal
Chandigarh, May 16 The orders for framing charges against the two were issued few days ago after the CBI filed the charge sheet in the CBI designated court here in February last. The central agency had registered a case against the surgeon in May 2003, alleging that he conspired with two chemists of Chandigarh in the purchase of artificial heart valves and other accessories at exorbitant rates and profits was shared between the doctor and the chemists. Investigations revealed that the doctor conducted 324 operations during 1994-2001. At least 38 cases with glaring irregularities were short listed. As per the CBI, many of the patients were either government servants or from poor families whose treatment had been funded by the government. During the course of investigations, a dairy was seized from one of the chemists which he had been maintaining on a daily basis. A statement of the chemist was also recorded by the Judicial Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC stating details about the “illegal amount of Rs 15,02,000 paid by him to the doctor during 1994 to 2001. It was revealed that the doctor had received the amount through four cheques from the chemist, himself filled in the pay-in slips and deposited them in his account. Regarding the alleged nexus of the surgeon with another chemist in Sector 11, Chandigarh, the CBI said its investigations further established that the surgeon would send a requisition for the supply of heart valves through the Medical Superintendent office of the PGI, which would specify the patient’s name and the price of the heart valve. But while a cheaper brand of artificial heart valve was implanted, the bill was charged for expensive imported valve like St Jude, Omni Science, Star Edward.
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HIV+ youth’s last wish not fulfilled
Chandigarh, May 16 But his death wish was not to be granted. When the 28-year-old HIV + youth died today, he had by his side none other than his wife Shanti, also HIV +, and two children, too young to understand the implications of the tragedy. It was only after several frantic calls by volunteers of the Family Planning Association of India's (FPAI) Panchkula branch that Raj Kumar's brothers turned up at the cremation for a mere formality. They did not spend any money on their brother's funeral. Instead they expressed their inability to support his family. One of them had this to say on his death: "Hum apna ghar dekh len to hi bahut hai…" (We are barely providing for our families). For Shanti, Raj Kumar's better half, the moment was one of trial. Since the time he passed away, she has fainted six times. Barely managing to hold her tears back, Shanti sought solace in her husband's memories. "He died longing for familial love. His brothers abandoned him 10 years ago and never cared to find out if he was alive. When they turned him out of the house in Karnal, he was only a drug addict. He was not even infected. He contracted the infection much later when he came to Chandigarh in search of a job." With nowhere to go, Shanti has now fallen under the care of FPAI, which has already accommodated her as a peer educator in one of their targeted intervention projects to counter HIV/AIDS in the region. Earlier, Raj Kumar was also offered the same job for some time but he could not carry on due to his deteriorating health. It was about four months ago that Raj Kumar, a habitual intra-venous drug user, came to FPAI to seek its counsel. Ashwani, a volunteer who was in constant touch with Raj Kumar says, "He wanted to determine his status. We were also apprehensive as he was coughing a lot. When we traced his history, we found that he had been using syringes for drug use for 10 years. He had also been sharing his syringes. He tested positive for TB and finally for HIV." After finding out his status, Raj Kumar got his wife examined. To his distress, she also tested positive. Ashwani recalls, "Raj Kumar was heartbroken that day. He asked me to get his children tested. Although the elder of his sons is not positive, the younger one is vulnerable as he had long been consuming mother's milk. We have now told Shanti to boil the breast milk before giving it to the child. At high temperature, the virus gets killed." For the volunteers of FPAI, caring for Shanti's health is priority number 1. She is on medication although not on anti-retro Soon she will have to be put on one while her children will have to be prepared for a life loaded with challenges. The elder one will start taking his first lessons at school shortly.
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NCC proposes to hike girl cadet ratio
Chandigarh, May 16 Stating this here today, NCC Additional Director-General, Major-Gen R.K. Karwal said the number of vacancies in the officers Training Academy had been increased from 100 per year to 125 and that for the Indian Military Academy had been increased from 64 to 80 vacancies per year. He added that barring an odd instance of one or two vacancies remaining unfilled, the vacancies were fully subscribed. The NCC is proposing to increase the ratio of girl cadets to 50 per cent vis-à-vis boys. At present it is about 30 per cent and in the first phase it is being brought up to 33 per cent. The overall strength is being raised by two lakh to bring it up to 15 lakh cadets. Noted sportspersons like Maj Rajvardhan Rathore, Samresh Jung and Anjali Ved have been roped in as its brand ambassadors to attract youths. He said that to cater to the requirements of additional girl cadets, the NCC had introduced the concept of mixed battalions, where there would be a girls’ company in boys’ battalions. The General, however, pointed out that the strength of the NCC was just 4 per cent of the eligible student population. Stating that this was “not a great number”, he added that in the coming years there would be a massive increase in the NCC’s strength. He said under its Vision 2010 agenda, the NCC had decided to set up NCC nagars in various town to provide comprehensive accommodation and infrastructure to NCC establishments.. Also on the cards are better weapon systems and increase in incentives for the cadets. General Karwal, who is on a six-day visit to the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh NCC Directorate also said that setting up of a separate directorate for Uttaranchal was on the cards and this would increase the number of directorates around the country to 17. The NCC, which has youth exchange programmes with eight countries, is looking at having exchange tie-ups with more countries and Australia is expected to be on the list shortly. A plan of having an exchange programme with Pakistan fell through as there is no NCC-like organisation in that country. Deputy Director-General, Brig D.C. Katoch said budgetary support from the state government in this region had also increased, with Punjab giving a 36 per cent hike in funding, followed by Haryana with 30 per cent and Himachal Pradesh with eight per cent. He added with the increase in the NCC’s strength, seven more group headquarters would be raised, resulting in 49 army, 12 naval and 24 air wing units coming into existence.
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School
timings changed
Chandigarh, May 16 The decision has been taken in the wake of the ongoing heat wave. There will be no assembly during these days. The duty timings for teachers will remain the same as per practice for single as well as double shift schools.
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Since how long have you been associated with Cadbury’s? I have been working as quality control manager with Cadbury’s Company in Melbourne in administrative capacity for the past five years. How do you ensure quality control at the plant ? The type of environment we work in at the Cadbury’s in Melbourne leaves no chance of any unhealthy conditions over there in any way. And if by chance any germ infected product is found in the market, the company takes the matter very seriously as it is liable to pay damages amounting to the billions of dollars to the consumer. In India we find such cases off and on? What do you say about it ? It is sad. I have been reading the reports in newspapers. I am sorry to say that here people are not well aware of their rights. In case of spurious chocolates, the firm engages a big celebrity to re-advertise the product and people forget the things quickly. In Australia, I have not heard about a single instance when some foreign material is found in the product. How do you like Chandigarh? I rate this place as one of the most advanced city with educated people. It is emerging as the hub of the IT sector which will lead to more IT related activities like hotel industry, tourism, etc. — G. S. Paul
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Rain brings respite
Chandigarh, May 16 Reeling under high temperatures for long, the city today breathed easy as rain brought down the maximum temperature by a significant 1.6 degrees. The good news is expected to last as the Met Department has forecast rains for tomorrow as well. As for the cause of showers, they are being attributed to an upper air cyclonic circulation which triggered a change in weather today. The temperature recorded at 8.30 p.m. today was 31°C, about 2.4 degrees less than the temperature recorded at the same time tomorrow.
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Resident’s plea to PUDA on shed
Mohali, May 16 Mr P.C. Sondhi said the structure not only affected ventilation, but also made it difficult for him to whitewash the wall of his house or undertake repairs. He said PUDA had in a letter to him in 1999, said any construction by the school would be undertaken at some distance from his house.
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Dera Bassi to have Rs 50-lakh library
Dera Bassi, May 16 Mr Amritpal Singh was speaking at a book release function organised by the Punjabi Sahit
Sabha. "Chugli de rang", a book written by Gurbachan Singh Azad, was released by Mr Ajmer Singh Aulakh, president of the Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha. Prominent among those present on the occasion were Mr Harminder Pal Singh and Mr Jaipal, president and secretary of the sabha, Mr Narinder Sharma, president of the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat, and Mr Bhupinder Saini, a social worker.
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Tiny tots take flight in new sandals
Chandigarh, May 16 The creches and day cares run by the Durga Das Foundation in the colonies of Dadu Majra, Dhanas, Bapu Dham, Hallomajra and Indira Colony house the children of parents who are engaged in contractual labour or who are working as domestic help, drivers and masons. Creatively engaged in activity and play, depending on their age they are also taught the 3 R's. Special educators and teaching assistants are engaged to provide a balanced mix of play and learning. Since the creches are run by the social development cell of the Foundation, on a regular basis donations keep pouring in. These are usually in the shape of clothes, books, toys, teaching aids and food items like cakes, sweets and nutritious
snacks. Volunteers also contribute by giving their time and holding lecture cum demonstrations which can equip children with social skills and other behaviour/attitude related skills. Accompanied by the Director, Mr Atul Khanna, Mrs Rodrigues personally handed over the new sandals to each of the recipients.
TNS
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CPI dharna against Reliance deal
Mohali, May 16 Mr Baldev Singh Jhajj, secretary of the unit, demanded that the deal made by the Punjab Government with Reliance should be scraped. He alleged that 20 acres of the Mandi Board, worth about Rs 1,000 crore, was given to Reliance for Rs 20 crore. Among those who addressed the gathering were Mr Joginder Dyal, member of the national executive, and Mr Jagroop Singh, secretary, Punjab State Council.
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MC panel okays agenda
Chandigarh, May 16 According to a spokesman, other items which were approved were consultancy for constructing a concrete road from Parade Ground to Taj Hotel from Punjab Engineering College or other suitable agency, estimate for V-4 road in Sector 32, supply and carriage of PPC cement, purchase of 17-ft tippers instead of 22 and release of new water connections. The committee also approved two table agendas—providing rainwater drainage lines from the Darwaja wala mohalla to the choe near Rain Basera, Manimajra, and allotment of two rooms at the community centre to the Social Welfare Department.
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Boy bitten by monkey
Chandigarh, May 16 Mr N.K. Jhingan, secretary of the KSKA Sudhar Kalyan Sabha, Sector 7, said, “the monkey menace in the area had assumed very dangerous proportions. There have been certain cases of bites, even earlier”. Mr Jhingan said the monkeys even enter the houses and dig into eatables.
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Man killed in road accident
Chandigarh, May 16 In another incident, a housewife in her mid-forties allegedly hanged herself to death at her Sector-29 residence this evening. Giving details of the fatal accident, sources in Sector 34 police station said the victim, Ved Kumar, resident of Teachers Training Institute (TTI) in Sector 26, was going on his motor cycle when it collided head on with the bus and he suffered multiple injuries. He was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, where he was declared “dead on arrival.” Ved Kumar was unmarried and working in a private firm. His father is a lab technician in the TTI. The post-mortem would be conducted tomorrow, said a police officer at Sector 34 police station. About the suicide, the police said unable to endure the agony of a prolonged illness, 45-year-old-Sia Devi allegedly ended her life this evening at her Sector-29 residence. Her husband, Raja Thakur is working in Ordnance Cable Factory. The SHO of Industrial Area Police Station, Inspector Baljit Singh Chadda, said the suicide came to light when Sanjay, the victim’s son came home and found his mother missing. He went to the terrace of their house and found his mother hanging from a concrete beam with a television antenna wire. He raised an alarm and lowered the victim, but it was too late by then. The police was informed. The police sent the body to the GMCH, Sector 32. The police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code in this regard.
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Cellphone fraud: 1 arrested
Chandigarh, May 16 Sources in police said Jagjit Singh was arrested on May 13. A case under Sections 420, 467, 471, 465, 468 and 120-B of the IPC was registered in March. The case was registered on the complaint of Mr S.K. Gupta, alleging that Goel in connivance with Jagjit Singh forged documents to get a Spice cellphone connection, which belonged to Mr Gupta, transferred in the name of Jagjit Singh. Mr Gupta had been running from pillar to post for over three years to get a case registered in this regard. The police was allegedly dragging its feet to proceed against the accused despite the fact that the telecom company had confirmed the fraud.
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Liquor seized, 2 held
Chandigarh, May 16 Giving details of the seizure, the SHO of the Sector 31 police station, Inspector Har Sahai Sharma, said the accused had been identified as truck driver Rajinder and his helper Kedar Singh, both hailing from Agra. The police set up a naka near the poultry farm chowk and stopped a mini truck on suspicion. When its occupants, failed to give a satisfactory reply, the vehicle was searched and 214 cartons of liquor were seized. The SHO added that the liquor cartons were camouflaged under hay stacks.
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3 held with poppy husk
Chandigarh, May 16 Sources in Sector 31 police station said a police team arrested Nimo of Banga and her two accomplices Jasbir Singh and Ashok Kumar, both residents of Lakhnour village in Mohali district at a naka. Their search led to the recovery of 35 kg of poppy husk.
Vehicle stolen
Mr Bal Kishan of Sector 44 reported to the police that his car was stolen from his residence on Sunday night. In another case, Mr Subhash Chander Chhabra of Sector 42 lodged a complaint alleging that his scooter was stolen from Apni Mandi in Sector 33 on Sunday. Two cases of theft have been registered.
House burgled
Mr Udey Bir Singh of Sector 23 filed a complaint with the police alleging that a gold chain, two mobile phones and Rs 5000 were stolen from his residence on Sunday . A case has been registered.
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Girl succumbs to injuries
Mohali, May 16 Puja was taken to the local Civil Hospital after being hit by a car and was later referred to the PGI. She was a resident of Kumbra village and had gone to Sector 70 with her mother to buy vegetables. When she was crossing the road, she was hit by the car. A few persons chased the car and stopped it. The driver was handed over to the police.
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UT to set up milk plant in Industrial Area
Chandigarh, May 16 At least 10 acres of land has been earmarked for this purpose in Hallomajra and will be allotted on a lease basis for a specific period. The milk plant will be commensurate with the plans of the Administration for setting up high quality state-of-the-art facilities. Expressions of interest will be invited for setting up and running of the milk plant. The land would be allotted to a reputed and experienced company. It is worth mentioning here that for rehabilitation of dairy farmers, the administration is deliberating on a proposal to develop village Maloya as an integrated milk colony where cattle rearing facility with all the required infrastructure — namely, cattle shed, fodder stores, veterinary clinic, dormitory for attendants and a biogas plant — would be set up.
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Allahabad Bank profit up by 30 pc
Chandigarh, May 16 Briefing mediapersons about the financial performance of the bank after an extended Board of Directors meeting Allahabad Bank Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Onkar Nath Singh, said the total business of the bank had reached Rs 78,561 crore from Rs 62,914 crore in the previous year.
TNS
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Jewellery exhibition inaugurated
Panchkula, May 16 He was talking to mediapersons after inaugurating an exhibition of costume jewellery today. The exhibition has been put up by Delhi-based designers Kalpana Popli and Sarina Chauhan. The exhibition will be on till May 21.
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