Jalandhar, September 29
It has been four months since Punjab Technical University (PTU) is functioning without a regular vice-chancellor and the system is almost on the verge of collapse.

While a few officials are on the verge of resigning, there are others who have been proceeding on long leaves. This has been giving jitters to the existing staff who, too, are finding themselves overburdened with additional work.

An assistant officer from the academics wing, Varinder Kanwar, who had coordinated the entire PTU-CET counselling, has already left to join Chitkara University as its registrar. The dean, academics, Dr V.K. Arora, is also on leave till October 17.

The charge of the dean, academics, in the meantime is with Dr R.P. Singh, who otherwise is also working as dean, distance education. The problem has assumed serious proportions as Dr R.P. Singh has also put in his papers for resignation to join a new private university in Delhi.

Dr R.P. Singh, it is learnt, had asked for leave for a year or two so that he could go on a lien. But the principal secretary-cum-officiating vice-chancellor of the university, Tejinder Kaur, is said to have not given a nod to his request as of now.

The problem has aggravated further as the principal secretary herself is moving abroad on an official trip. She left for Delhi today and is expected back on October 13. While she was earlier regular with her Friday or Wednesday tour to the campus here, she is said to have not been here since more than a fortnight leaving a huge bunch of pending files.

The other officials of the university feel that it is hard to function in the present environment, especially with negligible number of people in the middle-rung positions. “There are just two superintendents in the university, which is managing nearly 175 regular engineering, management, pharmacy and architecture colleges in the state besides over 872 distance learning centres. All top officials have to themselves maintain a direct supervision over the clerical staff, besides attending an ever-increasing file work and dealing with the public,” said a senior officer indicating a high level of frustration in the staff.

Even the officials who have moved and are planning to move have been giving reasons, “It is no longer a conducive atmosphere to work on the campus. It will be only after we go from here that our successors will realise how hard we have been working.”

Asked about the current scenario, Tejinder Kaur said she would be able to handle it only when she got back. She also did not clarify anything regarding the appointment of a new regular vice-chancellor.

Hoshiarpur, September 29
After a gap of more than five years, the withheld reconstruction of the general bus terminus here is going to be started for which Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will lay the foundation stone on October 5.

This was disclosed by Punjab minister for parliamentary affairs, forest, labour and medical education and research Tikshan Singh at a press conference here today.

It may be recalled that the Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation was given Rs 4.40 crore for modernising the bus terminus here and to provide amenities to passengers during the previous SAD-BJP regime (1997-2002). More than Rs 2.60 crore had been spent on the work, but it could not be completed due to the transfer of power to the Congress.

The local leaders of all political parties tried their best to get the work completed, but due to paucity of funds, the project could not be completed.Tikshan Sud said Rs 5 crore had been earmarked for the redesigning of the entire bus stand. The state transport department would get the entire work completed within one year.

The minister said to link the city with the developed area of old Bharwain and Hariana road, the state government had granted Rs 12.50 crore for the construction of a new bridge at Gaushala bazar and for strengthening its adjoining parallel roads. The existing old bridge, parallel to the proposed new bridge, which had been declared unsafe for the vehicular traffic since long, would be repaired for light vehicular traffic.

To benefit the pilgrims of the local Baba Balak Nath shrine and residents of Sukhiabad locality adjoining to the local Bhangi choe, a causeway across the choe bed from Shakti temple to the temple would also be constructed for which the state government had given Rs 39 lakh and its construction would start from October 1. 

Jalandhar, September 29
In a first-of-its-kind initiative to create awareness among the rural folk, BBC Heartcare Pruthi Hospital launched a “rural health education mission” on the occasion of World Heart Day here yesterday. The move has been taken keeping in mind the sedentary lifestyle of the people.

Under the mission, the hospital would launch a pilot project at Seechewal village so as to involve more and more rural people at the grassroots level. The work on the project has begun. Villagers would get free medical check up and awareness about heart diseases.

Addressing the gathering at the local Red Cross Bhavan, hospital managing director Dr Charanjeet Singh Pruthi said, “Keeping in mind the need to change the lifestyle of the people we have decided to provide a special training on heart diseases under a special programme ‘prevention is better than cure’ to class X and XII students.” The pilot project beginning from Seechewal would cover all the villages of Jalandhar district in the next two and half years. On this occasion, environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal released a book “Dil da Kaida” in Punjabi for the rural folk. He said Punjabis were prone to heart diseases due to their sedentary lifestyle and their food habits. “Due to these factors people are falling prey to various heart ailments. One major reason behind this trend is the effluents coming out from the factories which are polluting the water and leading to major problems in the form of increasing heart diseases,” he said, adding that it was high time that we should take some remedial steps and plant more trees.

Meanwhile, lauding the efforts of BBC Heartcare, adviser to CM Daljeet Singh Cheema said, “The Punjab government is committed to bring changes in the rural health system and with the help of such organisations we can indeed hope for a better tomorrow.” 

Sultanpur Lodhi, September 29
A minor girl was killed and eleven other pilgrims were injured in a head-on crash between a Maruti van and tractor-trailer on the Sultanpur Lodhi-Dalla road early Monday morning.

The 12-year-old deceased has been identified as Navneet alias Neenu. The injured were rushed to Sultanpur Lodhi civil hospital from where four serious patients were shifted to Kapurthala.

Those admitted in Sultanpur Lodhi hospital are: Satnam Singh (driver), Variyam Singh, Kulwinder Kaur, Rachpal Kaur, Sarabjeet Kaur, Sohan Singh and Bholi. The victims were on their way to Brahmpura village in Tarn Taran district after paying obeisance at a gurdwara in Dalla when the mishap took place.