Nawanshahr, September 20
With complaints pouring in from some schools regarding the poor quality of packed mid-day meals, deputy commissioner Nilkanth S Avhad has directed the district health department to depute a doctor at the common kitchen set up by the NGO Stri Shakti, which is responsible for the preparation and delivery of meals to as many as 631 schools in the district.

The move has been taken to ensure strict quality control. A team of health officials on Saturday took samples of food from Garupar and Bakhlaur villages.

Also, SDM Prem Chand and district health officer Dr Jaswinder Kaur Purewal visited the common kitchen and took stock of the meal preparation.

While expressing her satisfaction over the hygiene at the site, Dr Purewal emphasised the need for medical examination of the cooks to ensure that they are not suffering from any communicable disease.

“Since the meal is prepared and packed early in the morning and is delivered in uncovered tempos which have to travel a long distance in the sun, it’s natural for the food to become stale", said the DHO.

When contacted, Gurpreet Singh Bedi of Stri Shakti said the process of preparation and supplying the packed mid-day meals was being streamlined.

The organisation is also planning to set up two more kitchens in the district, one at Balachaur and the other at Banga, to ensure supply of fresh food to the schools situated in the far-flung areas, added Bedi..

DC Avhad, while talking with The Tribune, said he has not only instructed the health department to be consistent in monitoring the food quality, but also asked the officials of the education department to keep an eye on the delivery process. The schools would be monitored by the cluster-level officials, he added.

Director general school education (DGSE) Krishan Kumar said minor hiccups in the proper implementation of the revised scheme would be sorted within a few days.

The new format would not only ensure a big relief for the teachers but also help in maintaining proper nutritional content of food, claimed the DGSE.

Jalandhar, September 20
The Congress has questioned the double standards being followed by the BJP and has urged the party to bring a motion to get CM Parkash Singh Badal expelled from the house as was done in the case of Capt Amarinder Singh.

In an open letter to BJP state chief Prof Rajinder Bhandari, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has drawn the former’s attention to the fact that while the house committee has not substantiated its charges levelled against Capt Amarinder Singh, the same has not been in the case of Parkash Singh Badal, against whom charges have been framed by a special court in Mohali.

He said the statement of Bhandari in the media was nothing but cheap politicking and the BJP was adopting a separate yardstick when its came to its alliance partner.

Probity in public life was desirable and corruption at any level should be tackled with an iron hand but the Congress had taken exception to the charges of corrupt people holding important positions.

Bhandari stated that the BJP was not against an individual, Capt Amarinder Singh, but against corruption in public life and that was why the party supported the motion expelling Capt. Singh from the membership of the house.

But the double standards of the BJP are for everyone to see. I wish to know the BJPs opinion on Badal continuing as the CM even after being charge sheeted in the corruption case pending against him in the court.

Can a person against whom serious charges have been framed in the court of law continue to hold the office of CM?

One should not forget that the BJP had created a hue and cry at the national level when charges were framed against Lalu Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam. So much so that Lalu was forced to resign as CM on this issue, he added.

Jalandhar, September 20
The Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) at Jalandhar would soon get a finishing touch, within a period of four months, after which efforts would be made to start the research centre within a year.

This was revealed by the new director of the institute Dr. A.S. Paddha, who joined the office here on Saturday.

During an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Dr. Paddha said he is committed to his work and would meet the principal secretary on Monday in this regard.

“But before beginning the institute we require a fully operational hospital as well for which a lot of work needs to be done,” he added.

Expressing concern over the barren façade of the hospital he said we have earmarked some companies which would help us in carrying out plantations in the institute premises.

On being asked about how the PIMS would help in improving healthcare facilities, Dr. Paddha said, “The state-of-the-art hospital would ensure quality healthcare at low costs similar to those of the general charges in the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.”

The 500-bed hospital, spread over 56 acres, would take 100 MBBS students in
its first batch.

When asked whether the doctors and the para-medical-staff would be recruited permanently, he maintained, “It is not easy for me to comment on this as the decision lies in the hands of the government.”

It is pertinent to mention here that at present the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has floated Expression of Interest (EOI) under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) plan.

The institute will have undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medicine, dental sciences, nursing and para-medical-training.

The project was conceived by the then Beant Singh government in 1994. The land for the institute was acquired in 1997 from PAU, Ludhiana, and the project was completed with a cost of 115.26 crore.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone of the institute during his previous stint and promised a low-cost world-class healthcare hospital to the people of Jalandhar.

Jalandhar, September 20
A Punjab police PCR constable in Kapurthala has been caught by the Haryana police in a cheating case.

According to sources, the constable Ishru Prasad was arrested by Mewat police when he, along with his accomplice, was trying to sell gold-coated, brick-sized brass in the name of gold to a Mewat resident.

Confirming this, Mewat SP KK Rao told The Tribune that CIA inspector Sunil Kumar caught the Punjab police constable from the Nuh-Palwal road.

Giving details, Kumar said constable Ishru Prasad of Sheikupur village, and his accomplice Inder of Paidwal village (both residents of Kapurthala), were caught on Tuesday when they were trying to defraud Sucha Singh of Nuh-Palwal.

Ishru and Inder had already struck a deal with Sucha Singh and they were to deliver gold to him on Tuesday, he added.

Both the accused used to get brass coated with gold, the inspector said, adding that Sucha Singh had informed the police on suspicion and the police caught him when they came to deliver the gold-coated brass to him.

An FIR has been registered against them under sections 420 and 34 of the IPC and they would be produced in a local court for getting their police remand on Wednesday, he added.

The CIA inspector said according to the preliminary investigation, the duo had already sold some brass in parts of Haryana, passing it off as gold.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the Kapurthala PCR incharge Jang Bahadur Sharma confirmed that Ishru Prasad had been caught by the Haryana police. Ishru was on leave for two days, he added.

When contacted, Kapurthala SSP Rakesh Agarwal said Prasad was suspended after they received information of his arrest by the Haryana police. A departmental inquiry would be initiated against him, he added.

After hitting Gursimran’s motorcycle, the bus also collided with a Maruti car. An FIR has been registered under section 304 A of the IPC.

Besides lifting the ban on voluntary recruitment, it appealed to the government to fill up the posts of SMOs, deputy directors and other higher officers in the department.

Tarn Taran, September 20
Four persons died in two different road accidents in the area here on Saturday. The first incident took place near the Ramrauni village, 20 kilometres from here.

According to information, three persons, who were on a scooter, died when their scooter collided with a red Bolero (no. PB-046 4308).

The deceased have been identified as Sukhdev Singh (30) of Maluwal, Sawinder Singh (37) of Jeobala and Sonu (15) of Jhamka.

Sukhdev was bringing Sawinder and Sonu to his village to repair his tube well motor on his scooter (no. PB-046 B, 3566), when the accident took place.

When the three reached near Ramrauni village the driver of the Bolero, who was later identified as Tarsem Singh of Sohal village, made an attempt to run from the scene but was caught by a group of villagers of Kot Dharam Chand Kalan village.

The wards of the deceased, who were here at the local civil hospital, alleged that the supporters of the driver Tarsem rescued him by beating them.

The Chabal police said a case under sections 304 A, 279, 427 of the IPC has been registered against Tarsem.

In the second incident, Pankaj Arora (37) of Amritsar died on way to a hospital late last evening when his motor cycle (no. PB-02-AV,3795) was hit by a Mohindra jeep (no. PIP-4164) on Amritsar road here.

The driver of the jeep fled from the spot. The city police have registered a case under sections 304, 279 and 427 of the IPC against the driver of the jeep.

Tarn Taran, September 20
Adulterated salt was recovered here by a team of the local district health authorities four days back.

The salt was declared adulterated, misbranded and lacking iodine content, either totally or less than the prescribed limit, by a report of the Public Analyst Punjab (PAP), Chandigarh.

The team of the local district health authorities, led by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Pannu, food inspector, recovered a truck carrying 94 bags of three different brands of salt - namely Taza, Agni and Tajmahal, of 50 kg each - from the local Amritsar by-pass.

It is said that the consignment was to be delivered to an Amritsar-based salt company. Dr. Amrit Kaur, Civil Surgeon, while confirming the report of the PAP, said after intercepting the truck, the samples of salt were sent to the PAP, Chandigarh for analysis.

The CS said the district authorities received the report of the PAP only yesterday and the report declared the salt to be adulterated, misbranded and with the Iodine contents not being according to the prescribed norms of the government.

The CS further said the government of India, under its national program to prevent iodine deficiency, allows the use of only iodised salt.

It is said that iodine deficiency can have devastating effects on pregnant women, growing children and even adults.

Hoshiarpur, September 20
A newly-wed girl Sushma Rani committed suicide in Garhshankar after being tortured by her in-laws for dowry.

The police has arrested deceased’s husband Jasbir Kumar, son of Jagat Ram of Mehandwani village.

Rampal, brother of Sushma and resident of Tehtera village in district Una, told the police that his sister’s marriage had taken place three months ago.

Soon after the wedding, Sushma’s in-laws allegedly started torturing her for more dowry. “They said they needed money to send Jasbir abroad,” claimed Rampal.

Sushma narrated her woes to parents, who showed their helplessness as they had already spent a sizeable amount on her marriage.

When their demand was not fulfilled, Sushma’s in-laws intensified the torture, following which the girl hanged herself to death. The police is actively searching for Jagat Ram and his wife Giano.

The meet would showcase Punjab’s image as a state with the modern outlook and progressive mind, he added.He further announced that leading Punjabi intellectuals and artistes would participate in the festival to be held in the rural belt of Majha.