The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Epic flooding: Schooling takes major hit Kusum Arora Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 24 With vast patches of hot and humid country steeped in murky waters and people busy holding on to what’s left of their dear property and livestock - under the fickle August skies - the Doaba villages are still grappling with the flood aftermath. The recent bouts of rain in the Doaba belt of Punjab have massively hit the educational setup in Lohian, Alawalpur and Shahkot blocks of Jalandhar, causing nearly all the schools to lie closed thus bringing the educational machinery of government schools to a halt. The amount of loss borne by the education department can be gauged from the fact that as many as 16 government schools, including two senior secondary schools at Gidderpindi and Balachur Singh villages have been badly affected with the school premises filled with knee-deep water. A random survey of the flood-affected government schools in various villages revealed that so far nothing has been done in the name of rescue work. When The Tribune team visited government senior secondary school and its elementary wing at Gidderpindi, the condition was awful as the whole school had turned into a deep pool of water. The villagers maintained that the incessant rains caused heavy loss to the school property as water seeped into majority of the classrooms. Sucha Singh, a villager, rued that despite being aware of the flood situation in the, area the education department is yet to ascertain the amount of loss borne by various schools. “For the initial two days, the school remained submerged in at least three foot deep water with heavy loss to property including computers, equipments in science lab, office records and staff room as well. It was almost after four days that some of the school records were shifted to a separate room on the terrace by the school teachers.” Manpreet Singh, a class IX student of the same school, said though the education officials came twice to take stock of the situation, nothing has been done to fix the problem. “The water level is still the same. All we know is that it will easily take another ten days for the school authorities to open the schools and till then we are at home helping our parents,” said Manpreet. Similar was the scene at Government Elementary School, Vara Jodh Singh, which has been lying closed ever since it started raining. Stagnant water in the school ground has made things worse for the school authorities. District Elementary Officer (DEO), Joginder Dass, recently earmarked the worst affected government schools due to the floods. These include Government Elementary Schools in villages Nasirpur, Kutbewal, Gidderpindi, Yusufpur, Vara Jodh Singh, Darewal, Alewal, Jalalapur Khurd, Khusa in Lohian block, Malsian, Munde, Sarai Khan, Kotla Suraj Mal and Salem in Shahkot block and Lasliwal, Arjanwal and Doli ke Sunderpur in Alawalpur block. DEO Joginder Dass said, “We have earmarked the flood affected schools. Very soon we would send an estimate to the deputy commissioner, Jalandhar for the amount of relief work to be done. Apart from this, extra classes would also be started to cover up the syllabus in these schools.” When contacted, DC Ajeet Singh Pannu said the education department has not yet submitted their estimate reports. “Once I get the report, the repair work would begin as soon as possible. Moreover, I have already asked the concerned XENs to pump out water from the affected schools and help the education department in their work”, he said.
	Another Badal readying for political debut? Our Correspondent Amritsar, August 24 It seems that another member from the Badal clan is gearing up for a splash into politics. With Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, making an appearance on billboards at prominent locations in the city, speculations are rife that she could be the new launch of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The hoardings are of a leading real estate developer who has been keenly associated with greening the Galliara project around the Golden Temple. “It’s another Badal entry into the political fray,” said a political pundit. Notably, Harsimrat’s brother Bikram Singh Majithia is the cabinet minister from Majitha and enjoys a high-profile status in the state political hierarchy. Analysts also feel that SAD may offer the charismatic BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu some other parliamentary constituency like Patiala in lieu of Amritsar in the ensuing poll. When asked tto comment on the new development, the BJP spokesman refused to be drawn into any debate on the issue, but was quick to add that it was an interesting move on part of the SAD to launch another face from their family. However, he added that they would not compromise on Amritsar Lok Sabha seat as Sidhu has already been finalised the party candidate.
	From Forum Unfair fee demand lands JIT in soup Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 24 The district consumer disputes redressal forum has asked the chairman and executive officer of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation and Rs 2,000 as cost of litigation to a complainant who, it found, had been illegally asked to pay Rs 57,600 as non-construction fee. In his complaint, Avinash Singh, the complainant, said he had been allotted plot number 217 in the 94.5 acre scheme in Guru Gobind Singh Avenue and started construction there in November 2004. He said he had made a written request for issuance of completion certificate on January 14, 2005 and again on April 21, 2005 but these failed to yield any result. He said a written submission was again sent on May 19 along with copies of a revised map and requisite documents for obtaining a completion certificate. He alleged that neither was any action taken nor any representative visited the spot. He said he had again put in a request on January 26, 2006. He complained that on April 28, 2006, he received a letter from the JIT for demand of Rs 22,730 as compromise fee and Rs 57,600 as non-construction fee for year 2005-06. He said he filed a representation on August 29, 2006 that a sum of 57,600 had been wrongly demanded from him as non-construction fee. He wrote that he had started construction on March 18, 2004 and had obtained the electricity connection on February 2005. In their reply, the JIT officials said the plot had been allotted in the name of Saroj Malhotra and later transferred in the name of the complainant by the trust on January 23, 2004. The officials said only partial construction had been done which was not according to building plan structure. They said since the construction was incomplete, they could not issue completion certificate. The forum comprising Surinder Mittal, president, and Rakesh Kumari, member, found that the JIT had failed to respond to his initial submissions, failed to prove their case and had not even gone to the site. It found that the certificate should be issued by opposition parties by way of amicable settlement between both parties. It observed that the demand of Rs 57,600 as non-construction fee was illegal and unjustifiable. It found a deficiency of services on the part of the JIT officials and called for compensation of Rs 5,000 and cost of litigation to the tune of Rs 2,000 to the complainant.
	Inebriated man, friends rough up doc, vandalise hospital P.K. Jaiswar Amritsar, August 24 Five inebriated persons vandalised Mata Kaulan Charitable Hospital late last night and manhandled the medical officer and nurses on duty. Hospital medical superintendent Dr Harpreet Singh Makan said four drunkards brought a person identified as Amrit Pal in unconscious state to the hospital. Medical officer Dr Rajinder Kumar, who was on night duty, immediately attended the patient as he was vomiting blood and asked the patient’s accomplice to deposit Rs 1,000. He said after three hours Amrit Pal regained his senses and asked the doctor to discharge him. The patient was discharged after subtracting Rs 500 as treatment cost from the amount deposited by his accomplice. However, the patient and his friends started demanding that the whole amount should be returned. Dr Makan said the authorities tried to explain them that it was not possible but the accused were not ready to budge from their stand. “They got angry at this and attacked Dr Rajinder and gatekeeper Lakhwinder Singh. Besides, they also misbehaved with nurses on duty,” he added. Dr Makan said the accused went on a rampage and damaged equipment in the emergency ward, including the monitors. However, they managed to flee till the crime squad of the police reached the hospital. The medical superintendent added that Dr Rajinder sustained head injuries and was undergoing treatment at the civil hospital, while the gatekeeper escaped with minor injuries. Deputy commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu, along with a police team, visited the hospital on Sunday to collect the first hand information. SSP Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said a case has been registered against the five accused and one of them identified as Parminder has been arrested. He added that the remaining would be caught soon. Meanwhile, Dr R.S. Wann, press secretary of the Indian Medical Association (Amritsar Chapter) has expressed resentment over the incident. He said attack on doctors by the patient’s kin had become a common problem and there was a need to take the issue strongly.
	Media conveners appointed Jalandhar, August 24 Bharatiya Janata Party (media cell) convener Harmohinder Singh Malik has appointed its conveners of different districts to look after its affairs. In a press-note issued here today, state BJP media cell co-convener Rajat Kumar Mohindru stated that while Malik himself would look after the media affairs of Ludhiana, Khanna, Jagraon and Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohindru would take care of Jalandhar and Kapurthala. Similarly, Sunil Singla will look after Bathinda, Mansa and Barnala districts, Ravi will take care of Abohar, Muktsar and Moga, Som Dev Sharma will look after Amritsar and Batala, Gagan Deep will take care of Faridkot, Ramit Kehar will look after Ropar, Mukerian, Mohali and Nawanshahr, Pardeep Raina will take care of Pathankot and Hoshiarpur, Dr Sanjeevan will be the convener of Sangrur and Patiala, Jatinder Teena will be the convener of Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur. — TNS
	Rules went for a toss during civic body poll: HC Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 24 The issue of double voting in the recently held panchayat and municipal elections took a new turn as the Punjab & Haryana High Court maintained that the section 27 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act 1994 had been grossly violated. The direction came while disposing off a writ petition filed by Ram Parkash, Harmesh Kumar Puri, Pinki Dhir, Kamaljit and Sis Kaur who had failed to win the municipal elections. The petitioners had demanded re-poll for municipal elections after deleting names of voters who had already cast votes during the panchayat poll on May 26 and June 22 this year. The court held that under the section 27 of the act, no person shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral rolls of any constituency more than once. Therefore, it is clear that non-compliance of section 27 of the act had taken place and this would be a ground to get the election declared void. The court disposed of writ with giving petitioners liberty to file an election petition before the Election Tribunal.