Amritsar, August 22
The principal, Government Medical College, issued a circular to the heads of various departments directing them to keep the college premises neat and clean in wake of the proposed visit of senior mediapersons from Chandigarh.

“You must keep special attention towards the cleanliness of your respective wards/departments. Also ensure that the patients get clean official bed sheets.”

The circular issued by the principal also read, “The mediapersons could also interact with patients and hence it is the duty of the heads of various department to satisfy them (patients).”

It may be mentioned here that the Medical Council of India has asked the Punjab government to comply with the requirements of the council, failing which the government medical colleges would be derecognised.

Interestingly, there is no regular principal of any government college of the state. All ad hoc principals are also holding the dual charge of professors. The director, research and medical education, Dr J.S. Dalal is also on ad hoc basis, which sums up the precarious health of the medical institutes in the state.

Dr J.S. Dalal, however, said the situation was fine now. Though Dr Dalal has claimed that at Patiala and Amritsar, the state has already filled a large number of posts on contract basis but some shortage of staff still remains.

Following the show-cause notices issued by the council to the state that the three medical colleges would be derecognised, the minister and the secretary, medical education, had gone to the MCI and assured them that the government would ensure complete compliance.

The poor infrastructure has also put the government-run medical college in the quandary.

Amritsar, August 22
The Congress-led UPA government has once again shown its indifference towards Punjab by not providing any relief to the flood-affected areas of the state. This was alleged by information minister Bikram Singh Majithia here today. He was talking to mediapersons after flagging off 20 trucks carrying relief material, including eatables, tarpaulins, fodder, drinking water, toiletries, medicines and other items of daily use from Gohalwarh, for flood-affected areas of Ferozepore and Kapurthala.

Majithia said the Congressmen, who appealed to the people of the state to vote for a Sikh Prime Minister during Lok Sabha poll, are now mute spectators to the sufferings of people. “Forget relief, we haven’t heard a word of sympathy from those holding the Centre reins,” he added.

The minister informed that nearly 1.45 lakh acre of land and over one lakh people have been affected by the flood. He said 138 villages in Ferozepur district, 38 in Moga, 207 in Kapurthala, 57 in Tarn Taran, 85 in Ropar and 183 in Jalandhar have been affected by the flood. He said according to an estimate, losses worth Rs 530 crore have been incurred. The minister also sought crop compensation for the farmers at the rate of Rs 15,000 per acre from the Centre.

A large number of representatives of SAD , youth Akali Dal and SGPC, Inderbir Singh Bolaria,MLA, Gurpartap Singh Tikka, Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Rajinder Singh Mehta, Jaswinder Singh, Sardul Singh Sham, Ajaibir Pal Singh Randhawa, Kashmir Singh, Rajinder Singh Marwaha, Manjit Singh Manna, Bawa Singh Ghumanpura and Dilbagh Singh were present on the occasion. 

Amritsar, August 22
The state government has been initiating steps for establishing heritage societies in rural areas, besides giving tax concessions on film production, theatre and other cultural events for promoting Punjabi culture in the state.

Dr Swarn Singh, special secretary, department of culture and heritage, stated this to mediapersons on the promotion of Punjabi film “Lakh Pardesi Hoiye” here today. He said he had already talked to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal about it and hoped that a decision would be taken soon.

Talking about his first Punjabi film of which is also a director, he said he had tried to bring in all Punjabi cast, including Bollywood heroin Gracy Singh, Avtar Gill, Kulbhusan Kharbanda and others to give the film a different look. He said the story by Amandeep Kaur depicts the problems being faced by the Punjabi diasporas living across the world.

He said though the Punjabi people had no dearth of money but the loneliness was pricking their hearts as their wards were busy earning money to lead a lavish lifestyle.

He said there was a generation gap and the children did not care or have respect for their elders.

Dr Swarn Singh said even though Punjabis had made a lot of contribution in the Bollywood films, but they had failed to make any significant contribution to the Punjabi art and culture. He said it was his dream to bring out a production as he had been associated with different forms of art.

He said the film would also help in promoting the tourism in the state as they had done the shooting at various select locations in Punjab which were likely to come up on the tourism map of the state. He said 20 per cent shooting had been done in the UK and added that film would entertain the audience as it was filled with tragedy, action and emotional drama.

Speaking on the occasion, Gracy said she had no problem in moulding herself while acting in the film. She said she felt proud while acting in a film which has been directed by a talented person like Dr Swarn Singh. She said the latest techniques had been used during the shooting of the film.

Amritsar, August 22
To help prisoners wean away from criminal activities and ensure their better rehabilitation into the society, a family counselling centre was inaugurated at Amritsar Central Jail on Wednesday. Besides, Punjab state welfare board, which is funding agency, the project also involves an NGO India Vision Foundation, founded by supercop Kiran Bedi and DAV Public School.

Addressing the inmates, DAV principal Neera Sharma, who was accompanied by staff members and students, said the centre would play an important role in encouraging them to join the mainstream social structure.

“We want the prisoners to disassociate from a life of crime and punishment and inculcate a feeling of strength so that they can give their kids a better tomorrow,” she added. Earlier, the students presented a patriotic dance, recited a poems and songs to motivate the inmates. Some women prisoners also presented a gidda which saw students joining them. SP Singh, jail superintendent, programmes like these definitely motivate the prisoners to mend their ways and be part of the normal society. Later, the staff and students distributed biscuits and other eatables amongst the inmates.

Amritsar, August 22
Former municipal corporation commissioner K.S. Kang has said he is not afraid of joining the investigation by the vigilance bureau (VB) regarding the Omaxe Novelty Mall scam. Giving reasons for not joining the investigation so far, Kang said the bureau sent him a letter through the local corporation when he was away to the Beijing Olympics. He said, “I want to convey to all my well-wishers and enemies alike that to run away from my duties and not to own the responsibilities for the omissions and commissions committed by me during my tenure as MC commissioner is not in my nature. My father who gave me this lesson is no more but if he had read that his son has run away from the field he would have disowned me there and then.” He said he was not afraid of any inquiry and would face it with the blessings of Guru Ramdass.

“During my tenure as MC commissioner, I made my enemies and friends in the officialdom and politicians and I love it. I am not afraid of it,” he said.

Regarding the statement of Sunil Dutti, a former MC mayor, that the clearance to Omaxe Novelty Mall was given on the reports submitted by the MTP and commissioner, he said, “Less said the better.”

Criticising Dutti, Kang said, “Poor chap (Dutti) cannot know anything since he did nothing, including the development. This is evident from the statement that all jobs are done by the commissioner and I am thankful to him for making at least one statement truthfully and giving me the entire credit of development in the city between 2003 and 2006.”

Amritsar, August 22
Television actors Chetan Hansraj and Twinkle Bajpai were in the city on Thursday to promote a TV show Kaun Jeetega Bollywood Ka Ticket. Talking to the media, Chetan said the show promises to provide an engrossing, enthralling and entertainment contest for realising the Bollywood dream.

As many as 12 Bollywood aspirants have been identified after extensive auditions across four zones - West, North, Central and East. Each one of the aspirant would be teamed up with 12 promising TV stars, said Chetan. Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi, Amrita Singh and Mahesh Manjrekar are the mentors of Central, East, North and West zones, respectively.

Twinkle said each team will be judged for its acting and song-and-dance abilities. The performances will be rated by the permanent jury of the four mentors and the viewers, she added. She said teams are eliminated every week based on the mentors scores and audience votes. Twinkle said the winning duo would get a lifetime opportunity to be a lead pair in a movie produced by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms and Suniel Shetty’s Popcorn Entertainment. The film would be directed by Apoorva Lakhia. The film will also feature stars like Sanjay Dutt and Vivek Oberoi. 

Amritsar, August 22
The Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded a site for the daily live telecast of kirtan from Harmandar Sahib on the Internet and also an extension of its audio broadcast on the Internet radio.

In a communique to SGPC president Avtar Singh, manch patron Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala has apprised him of the technological developments in the USA, Canada, UK and many other countries (including India) whereby gurdwaras have set up their websites and started dishing out video programmes just like TV and one of the most visited sites, www.sikhnet.com, provides links to different gurdwara websites so as facilitate the users.

Dr Gumtala, who is currently in the USA, said even the kirtan from Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib, Ludhiana, telecast from 4.30 am to 11 am (IST) and 4.30 pm to 10.30 pm (IST), is linked to benefit viewers living anywhere in the world.

Programmes from Harmandar Sahib are viewed with great reverence worldwide by not only the Sikh population but also many others. Unfortunately these channels are not available on the Internet and a special and costly connection is required from satellite and cable companies. In the USA , Dish Network (satellite company) charges $150 for installing a new dish and $20 per month for showing the channel alone.

With the availability of direct video programmes from Harmandar Sahib on the SGPC site, viewers all over the world would be able to access them.

Amritsar, August 22
A team of two teachers and 13 students from local Spring Dale Senior School, attended a space school camp in Johnson Space Centre, Houston, Texas and Kennedy Space Centre Orlando, Florida.

Students had the opportunity to interact with NASA scientists and engineers like Satish Reddy (Design Analyst for Space Crafts), William J Tarver, Heather Paul and Patrick S Buzzard. Students also visited the historic mission control centre.

At the space school, the students gave eight presentations, which were evaluated by other teams and Johnson Space Centre Houston administration for presentation style and content. Dave Brown, space school instructor, appreciated student’s enthusiasm, confidence their ability to communicate ideas clearly.

Gursanam, leader of the team expressed his joy over the visit and said it had motivated him to join NASA. Principal Manveen Sandhu and vice-principal Rajiv Sharma congratulated the staff and students on the successful completion of the camp.

Amritsar, August 22
“Junoon”, a talent search show, was held at the Khalsa College for Women here today. The show started with the recitation of shabad by principal Sukhbir Kaur Mahal.

“Gatka” was presented by students. Competitions on debate, declamation, poetry, mahandi, rangoli, poster making, fancy dress, histrionics, elocution, still life, sketching and quiz were held.

Folk singing, dancing and giddha were the main attractions of the day, Ravjot Kaur, lecturer in music and Manchpreet Singh, theatre artist, were the judges on the occasion. Mahal said such functions develop the overall personality of students.

Amritsar, August 22
The two-day torrential rains which lashed the city on August 13 and 14 seemed to have changed the outlook as damaged roads, houses and hotels have become a common scene.The downpour, which was recorded to be 200 mm, not only broke the previous records but was also the highest rainfall received by the city.

There are reports that many roads had been badly damaged, including the ones connecting the city with the airport.

About 0.5-km patch near the central jail caved in due to which the traffic had to be diverted.

Interestingly, the deputy commissioner’s office had been flooded with complaints of a large-scale damage due to the rains.

Ram Singh, owner of Teg Resorts, in his report to the deputy commissioner has stated that 2 feet of water entered his resort from the main road due to which there was some damage.

He demanded suitable compensation to undertake the repair work.

Similarly, airport officials complained that rainwater not only entered the operational areas on the tarmac and the parking lot but even the roads leading to the terminal were submerged in water.

On the condition of anonymity, an airport official said the municipal corporation had failed to clean the drains during the pre-monsoon period due to which the airport was flooded with water despite being at a strategic location.

Meanwhile, a team of the MC led by mayor Shwet Malik and municipal commissioner D.P.S. Kharbanda made a survey to calculate the damage caused due to rains.

Talking to The Tribune, Malik said the work of repairing roads would be completed within a fortnight as revamping of the road network was under way.

MP Navjot Singh Sidhu said the Chief Minister had assured him that all the losses would be met through the CM’s Relief Fund after the submission of a report by the district administration.