NEIGHBOURHOOD

Patients suffer as water seeps through hospital roofs
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service

Bassi Pathana, August 14
A local organisation, "The Servants of People for Society", in a complaint sent through e-mail to all mediapersons, administration and other officers has exposed a nexus between the district health department and a dairy owner of Bassi Pathana, who is allegedly selling synthetic milk and products in the area.

Taking action on the complaint, local SDM Poonam Deep Kaur constituted a team headed by Vipin Bhandari, tehsildar, Manjit Singh, naib tehsildar and assistant food and supply officer that today raided the premises of the dairy and took the samples of milk and other products by ignoring the health department norms.

The samples were sent for analysis in the Food Lab at Chandigarh. Bhandari told the mediapersons that sample had been taken as there were numerous complaints against the owner.

The local social organisation exposing the racket has alleged that the diary owner in connivance with the department and the Milkmen Union, Bassi Pathana, is selling synthetic milk by using urea, washing powder and other items to people, marriage parties, langars and other functions.

They have alleged that he along with the union gave money to the department.

Patiala, August 14
A report pertaining to the alleged irregularities committed by the former Municipal Corporation Commissioner, M.P Arora, has been finalised and will be made public soon. Arora was shunted out from his post due to his alleged differences with the mayor. A spokesman of the MC added that the report was finalised and would be placed in the next general house meeting of the corporation.

The mayor, while confirming this development, said that a report pertaining to the container controversy was also ready. He added that a proper policy is formulated by the corporation for the welfare of the safai sewaks. This policy has been prepared after taking in view the various demands of the safai sewak.

Speaking out against the former Commissioner, the mayor claimed that the corrupt practices of the Commissioner had financially weakened the corporation. The Mayor claimed that after deducting all expenses, the corporation, after a long time, was out of the red. He added that for the first time in several years the corporation had surplus amount of Rs 1.25 crore in its coffers.

The mayor welcomed the appointment of S K Ahluwalia, who has been given additional charge as Commissioner of the corporation in addition to his duties as Patiala Divisional Commissioner.

The mayor claimed that had the previous incumbent-M.P Arora, worked for the welfare of the residents, the over scenario could have been a changed one and the corporation could have been benefited. The mayor also said that all garbage dumps would be removed out of the city’s precincts. He said that the garbage dumps would be shifted to a vacant place near the DMW railway complex. For this, he added, the state government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 50 lacs. However, he remained non-committal over the Sanauri Adda garbage dump due to which toxic substances were being leaked in the groundwater.

The mayor added that during the previous regime of the Congress government just 50 tube wells were set in 5 years while under the SAD leadership more than 2 dozen tube wells had been constructed in just one year.

Speaking about the historical Rajindra lake, the mayor said due to breakage in a pipe near 21 number Railway crossing, water could not be supplied to the lake. However, the pipe was being rectified now and soon the lake would be filled with water and boating would also commence there.

Patiala, August 14
While hapless family members of missing Ran Air helicopter pilot Rajesh Gaur have been running from pillar to post to get a news about their son and three of his crew companions for the past more than 10 days, the Patiala DC D.S. Grewal has urged Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up Gaur’s case with the Central Government.

Gaur, a pilot with Ran Air company, had left in his helicopter along with co-pilot and two other crew members for Ranchi on August 3. But the helicopter disappeared on the way and none of the crew members or remnants of the helicopter could be traced so far.

The helicopter was scheduled to take the BJP chief Raj Nath Singh from Ranchi and family members and it is speculated that it could have gone missing while flying over Naxal-infested jungles of Jharkhand.

The tragedy of the missing of four crew members apart, the family members were aghast at the “half-hearted” approach of the authorities concerned in locating the helicopter or the crew. “Had Rajnath Singh or some other VVIP been there in the craft, could the government afford not to launch any search operation for so long? The government is not bothering to launch a hunt to locate the whereabouts of my son or others,” rued Captain Rajesh Gaur’s mother Prem Gaur, who, had already taken up the matter with the DC.

Meanwhile, the DC assured them all out help. He not only wrote a letter to the CM pleading that the case of Gaur’s missing should be taken up with the Central Government, but also conveyed a message to the Army authorities so that the matter could be taken with the central command.

“We are doing our best to get Rajesh Gaur located, but since it was another state, we have to proceed further through the Centre,” said Grewal.

Patiala, August 14
As per the directives of the health minister Prof Lakshmi Kanta Chawla an outreach camp was held today at Ablowal Jhugian near here.

Specialists from medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology, ayurveda and homeopathy examined 675 patients who were provided free medicines by the district health administration. Six patients, who needed further treatment, were referred to CHC Model Town.

Mobile dental clinic carried out a dental check-up of children and adult patients. An exhibition on AIDS, PNDT, RNTCP-Dots, blindness control and leprosy elimination was also held to educate the general public about these illnesses. Literature on AIDS and pamphlets of waterborne diseases were distributed among the general public. The camp was held under the overall supervision of Dr Avtar Singh Jarewal, civil surgeon, Patiala.

Kharar, August 14
The Civil hospital and Rotary Club Kharar held a general health check-up camp under its project Sahayta at Bangala Basti near here.

Around 200 patients examined by a team of doctors headed by CMO Dr Jai Singh, Dr Narinder Mohan (MO) and Lakhwinder Singh. Free medicines were also provided to patients.

Jai Singh added that the referral cases would be attended at the civil hospital. Patients of gynaecological, pediatrics and eye problems were examined and various tests, including Hb test, HIV test and sputum test were done free of cost.

Chandigarh, August 14
Continuing her winning spree, Mehak stormed into the finals of the girls’ under-18 singles, thrashing Sandeep Kaur in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 in the AITA Talent Series matches being held at CLTA courts, Sector 10 here today.

In the girls’ under 14 singles semifinal match, Hassan Abdal Dhanoa stunned second seed Shreya Malhotra in closely fought two sets 7-5, 7-6 (8) to secure the title berth.

Meanwhile, the continuous rain spell till afternoon played spoilsport. The matches started only after 4.30 p.m.

Results:

Girls U-18 singles (semi-finals): Mehak bt Sandeep Kaur 6-1, 6-1.

Q-finals: Sandeep Kaur bt Shreya Malhotra 7-5, 6-2; Parminder Kaur bt Pooja 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Under-14 singles (semi-finals): Hassan Abdal Dhanoa bt Shreya Malhotra 7-5, 7-6 (8).

Boys

Under-14 doubles: Dheeranush Bhatti & Pranav Suri bt Himanshu & Shashank Sharma 6-4, Ranjeet Singh & Sachin Kumar bt Param Pun & Santbir Singh 6-1, Mandeep Kumar & Abhimanyu Singh bt Harsha & Vishu 6-3, Pankaj & Nikhlesh bt Ishaque Eqbal & Nishat Eqbal 6-3

U-18 doubles: Himanshu Mali & Bhavesh bt Aiman & Paramvir Toor 6-5 (6), Harry Singh Amor & Garry Singh Amor bt Parul Verma & Arman Chaudhary 6-0, Ajay Yadav & Navneet Kumar bt Shikhar Gaddh & Rahul 6-1.

Girls

Under-18 doubles: Saumya & Mumitu bt Samridhi & Shubh Gulati 6-4, Jaanesh Kaur & Parminder Kaur bt Indu Punia & Yogita 6-2, Nikita & Nimrat Walia bt Silky Sachdeva & Dhriti 6-5, Raidha & Jaya Lakshmi bt Nyna & Palak 6-4, Pooja & Iktesh Chahal bt Shivya & Anukriti 6-0.

Chandigarh, August 14
The Indian Premier League may have paled into insignificance the existence of its rebel Indian Cricket League but players, who joined the ICL bandwagon, do not think so.

Former Indian player Reetinder Singh Sodhi, one of the first cricketers from Punjab, who joined the ICL a year ago, is expressed satisfaction over his decision.

“Yes, I have no qualms over the decision of joining ICL. Undoubtedly, a year before, we were in dilemma, whether to join it or not but now I feel, I had done right thing. As a cricketer, I want to play the game and that’s what exactly I am doing here”, all-rounder Sodhi said here today.

“Though the first edition of IPL attracted all attentions, I don’t think that it has faded the existence of our league. “Definitely, not”, Sodhi asserted.

Citing the examples of some domestic players, including Luvabhilish, TP Singh, T Kumaran, who put up brilliant show during ICL outings, Sodhi said, “Now people started recognising them. This is what a player wants”.

Sodhi, who was back after attending a 13-day conditioning camp by ICL at Bangalore, was of the view that the league (ICL) has been progressing satisfactorily according to its plans.

“In the last month of this year, a world series would be organised and before it another Twenty-20 tournament will be held in October. But only those players will be selected who will give their best in the domestic series (only for Indian players), going to beheld next month”.

“The programme is chalked out to increase the motivation as well as competition among the domestic players. We have also been given fitness criterion, which we have to meet to be in the tournament”, Sodhi said, who led the team which brought Junior Lombard World Cup in 1996 held at England.

Sodhi donned the national colours during Zimbabwe tour (2000), South Africa (2001) and Sri Lanka tour.

“May be in the coming times, the ICL and IPL join hands as both are doing the same thing-promoting the game”, summed up Sodhi.