Amritsar, May 15
The municipal corporation directed the municipal town planner (MTP) to conduct a survey of malls coming up in the city to ensure that the mall owners were sticking to the approved plans.

This move has been taken in view of damage to a portion of the official residence of municipal commissioner due to work in progress on the adjoining mall, a Rs 200-crore project, opposite the Ram Bagh.

Kirpal Singh, additional municipal commissioner said directions had been given to the MTP to inspect the sites of five malls coming up in the city to find out if the companies were going by the sanctioned plans so that such no loss to life and property happens in future.

A portion of the official residence of the municipal commissioner Hussan Lal had got damaged due to the ongoing construction work on the mall on the night of May 10.

Kirpal Singh said the corporation had also taken a serious view of the “temporary encroachments” being made by the malls by keeping construction material on roadside. The estate officers have been asked to get the road cleared up. “It has come to our notice that a large portion of the Mall Road leading to Lawrence road had been temporarily encroached upon,” he said.

A delegation of people with their residences and showrooms located close to the upcoming malls also met the corporation officials and they were given an assurance that safety of their structures would be ensured, he added.

The delegation pointed out that the company had left only eight feet area uncovered against 20 feet on all sides of the plan to make sure that the existing structures in proximity of the mall are not at risk.

The Municipal Corporation has also shot off letters to the SSP and the DC, demanding registration of a criminal case against the owner of the mall for risking public life and property by violating the laid down norms, which resulted in causing damage to the residence of the Municipal Commissioner.

Work on the mall has been stopped following the incident with concerns being expressed over alleged violation of norms by the malls. The malls has already drawn flak from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), which had pointed out that the construction work should be stopped as a multi-storeyed building cannot be allowed within 100-meters of the historic Ram Bagh, the garden outside the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

When contacted, SSP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh said both the parties had petitioned the police.

While the corporation has charged the owner of the mall with negligence, the other party has said it had got due approval from the corporation by way of a no objection certificate. Even though there had been damage to the commissioner’s residence, the mall owners have said it was purely accidental and not intentional, he said.

The police would conduct an inquiry into the incident and register a case on merit without becoming party to the controversy, he said.

Amritsar, May 15
The recruitment of school teachers for 32,000 vacant posts in the state would start on July 1, and would be carried out in phases, said Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Punjab minister for education.

The minister was speaking at a function organised by Gyan Sewa Trust (GST), a New Delhi-based trust at Baba Gurmukh Singh Uttam Singh Senior Secondary School, Khadoor Sahib, 20 kilometres from Tarn Taran.

Talking to newsmen, Dr Kaur said besides filling up the vacancies in schools and the colleges, the state government is also of the view to revive the freezed posts in the education department. She further said the pension scheme for the teachers of private colleges is also on the cards of the government.

The school function marked the conclusion of a crash course, which was provided to the rural students studying in plus two. The course was designed to make the student knowledgeable for the admission in higher courses in medical, non-medical, engineering and other courses. The course was free of cost and was attended by 25 students.

The minister appreciated the role of the NGO’s and especially that of Baba Sewa Singh the head of Kar Sewa, Khadoor Sahib in the field of spreading education in the rural areas. She also appreciated the services of Baba Sewa Singh for planting large number of trees in the area. The minister announced to give Rs 50,000 for the GST from her discretionary fund. H.S. Phoolka senior advocate of the Supreme Court on behalf of the GST spoke on the occasion.

Amritsar, May 15
Rajat Sethi a local medical entrance student was made to suffer at the hands of the CBSE board for presenting wrong set of identification papers during the PMT test held at Jalandhar recently.

Traumatised by the loss of more that 35 to 40 minutes of the precious time by the alleged bungling of the CBSE staff supervising the entrance test at the Jalandhar based Innocent Heart Public School Rajat said that he was unable to concentrate on the test.

He said that as he sat down for the test the supervisory staff presented to him the identification papers but found it carrying the photograph of another student with his roll number. When staff asked him to sign the papers, Rajat objected to the anomaly and later the process to correct the papers was initiated.

Rajat said this process wasted his precious half an hour and was unable to fully justify his attempt. The parents of the student here today demanded that the CBSE should grant grace marks for this 
serious lapse.

Amritsar, May 15
Until and unless the sick units of Punjab were allowed the opportunity to settle their accounts under the one time settlement scheme the claims of saving he industry of the state would proved to be merely hollow stated Narinder Kumar Jain, president Amritsar Printers and Processors Association.

He said if the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was truly committed to the well being of Punjabis then he should immediately direct financial corporations to offer their defaulter units freedom from debt under one time settlement scheme, so that they can be self dependent again and become productive.

Narinder Kumar Jain said that until some workable solution and conclusive decision was taken by the state government in this regard the claims of saving the industry of the region were decisively hollow.

He expressed the hope that CM and industries minister Manoranjan Kalia, would create conducive industrial climate in the state for the growth of industrial culture.

The association president pointed out that the CM should personally intervene to look into the industrial sickness and take steps to revive the industrial culture for the economic growth of the state.

“Punjab was known for the entrepreneurial spirit of the Punjabis who had set up a large industrial hub especially in the small scale sector but due to the faulty policies of the government the industry was suffering,” Narinder said. 

Amritsar, May 15
The goldsmiths have demanded closure of the information collection centres due to fear of life and property. They said disclosing information at these centres has become a security hazard for them.

The centres were set up under Section 51 of Punjab VAT Laws 2005. All businessmen dealing in gold and silver trade who carry ornaments in person for exchange or for job work are required to submit declaration forms at the information collection centres (ICCs).

They said due to such objectionable provisions of the value added tax applicable in the state, the cottage industry dealing in gold ornament is on the verge of collapse in Punjab, even though jewellery manufactured by goldsmiths of Punjab is known for its workmanship, better quality.

The goldsmiths have given a petition to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal through the Punjab Swarnkar Sangh, seeking his intervention for removal of legitimate difficulties in the VAT.

In the representation to the Chief Minister, Jagjit Singh Sehdev, president of the Punjab Swarnkar Sangh, said most goldsmiths are unable to understand the technicalities of the Punjab VAT Act and end up getting harassed with harsh penalties by officials. A goldsmith added that the provisions of the Act dealing with persons carrying goods without valid and proper documents and envisaging the imposition of penalty to the tune of minimum 50 per cent of the value of the goods being carried along should be relaxed.

A goldsmith’s work needs carrying the stock of gold and silver jewellery in person to other towns and states through proprietor or partner of the concern or through other representatives.

To avoid filing of declaration at the ICC, businessmen prefer to get manufacturing done from outside the state, which is likely to create large scale unemployment among goldsmiths of Punjab, especially in Amritsar.

In view of this, it is demanded that the centres be closed down, said the goldsmiths.

Amritsar, May 15
International Nursing Council (INC) expressed deep concern over the impending nurses’ work force crisis in the existing health care scenario.

‘Positive practice environments: Quality Work Place = Quality Care’ was the theme during a week long programme arranged for the nurses by the Fortis Hospital to mark the International Nurses Day 2007.

Heavy exodus of nurses for greener pastures abroad is creating a severe nursing workforce shortage.

To add to it nurses who are stressed because of heavy work loads, friction with colleagues, family compulsions, society norms, insufficient skills and knowledge, poor management and unsafe working environment are challenged to provide the highest standards of health care.

Dr A.S. Padda, medical superintendent SGTB and GND hospitals complimented the hospital for creating a positive environment for its nursing staff and cautioned the staff against working abroad as it may turn out to be nightmare.

Balwinder Kaur Buttar, principal Khalsa College of Nursing, administered the Florence Nightingale Pledge to the nurses and delivered an inspirational key note address, quoting the life and achievements of Florence Nightingale.

It was a proud moment for the Fortisians when Romesh Kapoor, a dedicated nurse who has devoted her whole life to this noble profession was honored on this occasion.

Further the evening saw young nurses, and technicians dancing to the tunes of Punjabi numbers and singing merry songs.

The organisers Dr Gaurav Thukral SMO and Gurvinder Singh administrator reiterated the fact that the hospital was constantly working towards creating a positive environment for our nursing staff that form the backbone of any hospital.

Amritsar, May 15
Col L.S. Garewal, group commander, Amritsar Group, inaugurated a personality development programme for 33 NCC cadets.

The NCC cadets would be trained in communication skills, interview techniques, leadership, group discussion, public speaking and time management.

Col Garewal said one key reason for poor selection in the officer cadre of defense forces was inability of cadets to communicate despite being well qualified. He said many private institutes were organisng such courses but charged exorbitant fee. This course, however, was 
for free.

He said more such courses would be organized in future in the summer vacations when NCC cadets are free from school. Capt (IN) D.P. Singh, NM, from naval unit, NCC is the overall coordinator of the programme.

Amritsar, May 15
Manuj Wadhwa, senior consultant, orthopedic and adult joint reconstructive surgeon at Escorts Hospital, and who has been trained in UK and USA, said a new knee replacement technique will help patients recover quickly and offer more flexibility.

Minimally-invasive quadriceps-sparing total knee replacement is a new surgical technique that allows surgeons to insert the same time-tested, reliable knee replacement implants through a shorter incision using surgical approach that avoids trauma to the quadriceps muscle the most important muscle group around the knee.

He said that the new technique involves 3-4” incision and the recovery time was much quicker allowing patients to walk with a cane within a couple of weeks of surgery or even earlie.

Dr Wadhwa said that more that three lakh people in USA undergo the procedure every year. He said that high flexion RPC is designed to maintain contact area in deep knee flexion and assures implant stability and longevity. He said it offered no constraint to knee bending as it consists of rotating platform technology.

As the Asians, especially the Indians squat and fold their legs and sit on the floor for performing various functions including the religious ones they need up to 140 degrees of flexion.

Patients suffering from osteoarthritis which strikes at any age, expect a painless, functional stable knee as their first priority, but they also want deep knee flexion for obvious reasons of religious, social and cultural identity.

Amritsar, May 15
The District Legal Services Authority organised a Lok Adalat at district courts under the guidance of Karnail Singh, district and sessions judge.

As part of the Lok Adalat, six benches were constituted to settle civil, criminal, matrimonial, rent and other cases. Social workers, teachers of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), doctors and advocates have been inducted as members to assist the benches.

Speaking on the occasion, district and sessions judge said the Lok Adalats are organized under the provisions of Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which was implemented across the country in 1995.

Under this Act, Legal Services Auhorities have been set up at national, state and district levels.

In Amritsar district, 3828 persons have been provided free legal services. At the permanent lok adalat, 2,346 cases have been disposed of.

The procedure for getting legal services is simple. Only an application form printed by the authority, which also has an affidavit, has to be filled up and submitted to the chairman, secretary or assistant district attorney (legal services) and if the person qualifies for the facility, legal services are provided free of cost. Disputes at pre-litigative stage and less serious criminal cases can also be settled at Lok Adalats.

Amritsar, May 15
Due to the tightening of supply line in view of the strict action by district administration against drug peddlers and unscrupulous chemists there was need to upgrade drug de-addiction facilities in the border district for treating the drug addicts.

A meeting to this effect was held here under the chairmanship of Kahan Singh Pannu, Deputy Commissioner which was attended among others by civil surgeon, medical superintendent, Government Medical College, director Mental Health Institute and secretary, Red Cross Society and representatives of non-governmental organisations participated in the meeting.

Detailed deliberations were held on the subject and it was decided to prepare a blue print for prevention, cure and rehabilitation of drug addicts in the border belt. It was decided to organize awareness camps among youngsters through a team of dedicated, motivated and fully trained volunteers in the district besides holding mass rallies in the localities affected by the drug menace.

It was also decided that all government institutions should gear up to receive and treat any person desirous of getting de-addiction treatment besides involving general public and other organisations in the crusade against the drug menace and make it a mass movement.

Amritsar, May 15
Dr. Des Raj, father of Tribune reporter P.K. Jaiswar expired here recently.

He was admitted to a local hospital after he fell on the stairs of his house. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

The deceased had served in the Guru Nanak Dev University and had retired only last year.

The staff members of the Tribune group of publications mourned the death of Des Raj. — OC