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Moga Red Cross Society shuts down controversial chemist shop
NFL employees threaten strike
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Delayed monsoon, power shortage hit paddy transplantation
Bathinda, June 24 The delayed monsoon and an acute shortage of power in Punjab have brought the paddy transplantation process to a halt. The transplantation usually starts in first week of June. The power shortage has also crippled the operation of industry.
People's SAARC Conference of Human Centric Movement
Unhealthy plants a threat to orchards: PAU survey
Sangat Darshan
Chemist shops raided, intoxicating drugs seized
PNB to launch scheme for farmers
Drain bridge in bad shape
Yoga camp concludes
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Moga Red Cross Society shuts down controversial chemist shop Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, June 24 However, in the process of rectifying the mistake, it has come out with a novel idea to run the drugs store on its own under the 'jan aushadhi' scheme initiated by the Union Chemicals and Fertiliser Ministry to provide generic drugs at affordable prices to the poor people. The sourcing of medicines would be managed by the Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Company. Under this new scheme, the space needed to set up the medicine outlet was being provided free of cost to a non-governmental organisation that would be responsible to run the shop. Confirming this, Ajay Sood SDM-cum-Secretary of the Red Cross, revealed that the society had intimated to the state drug controller that the society was shutting down the present drug store being run by M/s. Red Cross Medical Store, seeking a time of 30 days to clear the present stock of medicines. Ajay Singla, the drug licensing authority, told The Tribune that he had received an application of the Red Cross society, seeking a new licence to sell drugs but certain formalities were yet to be completed by the society. "We will issue drug licence only after the completion of all the formalities," he said. It may be mentioned that The Tribune highlighted in its issues on March 17 and March 18 that the present drug store was being run by the society for the past over eight years in contrary to the directions of the High Court and various orders of the state government by manipulating with the concerned authorities of the state drug controller, health department and few officials of the local administration. As per the documents available with The Tribune, the licence issued by the state drug controller to the M/s. Red Cross Medical Store expired on January 24, 2007, after which, secretary of the society applied for renewal of the licence through the local drug inspector, which was still pending before the office of the state drug controller. Meanwhile, a local resident also filed a 'contempt of court' case against the state government and the secretary of the Red Cross society in the High Court for defying court orders in running the drugs store, the date of which was fixed on July 3, for hearing. Keeping in view that the issue was becoming serious, the health department did not give permission to the society to run the drugs store on commercial basis. The district magistrate, Satwant Singh Johal, had ordered a magisterial probe into the whole controversy, the findings of which were not immediately known. An inquiry was ordered by the state drugs controller into this controversy.
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NFL employees threaten strike
Bathinda, June 24 Speaking to TNS today, Ramesh Bhardwaj, senior vice-president of the National Fertilizers Employees Union, Bathinda, said the workers of the NFL at Nangal, Panipat, Vijaipur and Bathinda besides the marketing office and the corporate office of the public sector unit at Noida would be staying off the units’ premises on the three days. He informed that the NFL management was citing weak financial position of the company as the reason for raising the privileges to the employees by only 35 per cent against the 50 per cent as per the GOI order. The union leader, however, did not find the reason logical as he claimed that the second largest urea producing company in the country had registered a profit of Rs 196.50 crore (before interest and taxes) in the fiscal 2008-09 and that the reserves (surplus) amount of the NFL had also seen a rise of Rs 63 crore from the previous financial year. Bhanu Pratap Singh, general secretary of the union, said the NFL was likely to start revamping its fuel oil-based units at Nangal, Panipat and Bathinda to LNG-based in July and it would be completed in about 30 months. Once completed, the GOI would be saving the subsidy of around Rs 1,800 crore per year and it would only consolidate the financial position of the NFL, he added. Considering all this, there was no reason that the company cannot raise the perks given to its employees by 50 per cent, Bhanu Pratap said. “Since the NFL is a chemical and hazardous plant, the management will be solely responsible in case there was any loss or a mishap on the days when the workers will be on strike,” he added.
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Delayed monsoon, power shortage hit paddy transplantation
Bathinda, June 24 Usually it used to rain by the June 20 and the farmers used to get the paddy saplings ready for planting. But unfortunately, rains have not lashed the way it usually does, this year. The people are reeling under heat wave conditions and high temperature. But main worry of Punjab agriculture authorities is the delay in paddy plantation. Paramjeet Singh Sandhu, chief agriculture officer, Bathinda, said that delay in monsoon might affect the yield. He said that in many parts, farmers had not started paddy plantation. "Lack of rains due to delay in monsoon will certainly affect the paddy sowing in the state. We feel that the paddy transplantation has been delayed by ten days. There is concern but no worry as yet. There is still time," Sandhu added "The next week will be crucial. If it doesn't rain, we may have a very serious situation," said another agriculture expert. The district targets to grow paddy over one lakh hectares this year but farmers have failed to get the saplings ready for planting due to the delay in monsoon. "The situation is alarming and we are praying," said Joga Singh, a farmer of Harraipur village of Nathana block. If the monsoon fails, it would hurt agricultural production, he added. All in all the district which once used to cultivate paddy in large areas, this year has been left in dire straits, again upholding the famous phrase that 'Indian agriculture is gamble with monsoon'. According to a Met Office report here on Tuesday, unlike the previous years, the monsoon was expected to start at the end of the first week of July. The month of June till now has remained mainly dry this year and the trend is expected to continue. It is also expected that monsoon currents may appear around northern and central Punjab from June 28-29. A delay in monsoon as such is not a cause for worry. If it revives by June 28, as expected by weather officials, and it rains well through the remaining part of the season, the state could still get a good crop, says Harkanwal Jit Singh, an agriculture officer. PSEB authorities said they are also worried over depleting stocks of coal in thermal plants of Bathinda and
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People's SAARC Conference of Human Centric Movement Raj Sadosh
Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 24 During an interview with this correspondent in Sriganganagar, where he had arrived to participate in the People's SAARC Conference of Human Centric Movement, the veteran environmentalist, said the country was likely to be affected by the biggest ever, long lasting and global scale human induced disaster-climate change and sea level rise (CCSLR). Speaking about the impacts of salinity, Babul said 10 per cent more land will be saline affected, the figure is 45 per cent relative with 1990. The availability and productivity of agricultural land will decrease. Increase in food insecurity as naturally growing species will disappear. The country may face serious scarcity of safe drinking water, loss of biodiversity such as decrease in tree species and freshwater fish. It can create socioeconomic problems, generally women are more vulnerable. The CCSLR is likely to affect the fisheries in Bangladesh. In India, water available for agriculture has fallen by nearly 10 per cent during the last decade, while in Bangladesh about 2.8 million hectares of coastal soil has become saline to heavy withdrawal of surface and ground water for irrigation and intrusion of sea water. Given the overriding importance of the coastal and fresh water resources, climate change poses a major threat to sustainable development in Bangladesh, he observed. Babul further said prolonged inundation, increased drought, salinity and loss of land due to erosion are the climate change enhanced risks facing agriculture that is a key economic driver in Bangladesh accounting for nearly 20 per cent of the GDP and 65 per cent of labour force. Cultivation of boro rice and sweet water shrimp will help reclaim soil salinity, he feels.
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Unhealthy plants a threat to orchards: PAU survey
Abohar, June 24 Speaking during the Farmers Training Camp organised by Periwal House here today, he revealed that most of the affected orchards are located in Abohar and Fazilka sub-divisions. Kinnow plants were falling prey to sudden drying due to foot rot disease. The farmers have been purchasing plants those were affected by Gummosis. Inter cropping was another reason. Thick weed growth needs to be removed to save orchards as well as bt cotton fields, he suggested. Another scientist, Dr AK Dhawan from the PAU also advised the farmers to give priority to fight mealy bug that threatens the region now. IFFCO chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar, who was the chief guest of the function, exhorted the farmers to abandon the old system of flooding the farms with water, as it weakens the stems and decreases quality also. He emphasised that drip irrigation system should be adopted, besides, cooperative farming using modern implements, which were available with multipurpose cooperative societies now. As many as 505 farmers won prizes by draw of lots that was supervised by Jakhar among others. Interestingly, Gurbachan Singh and Major Singh, who were awarded motorcycle and refrigerator as first and second prize respectively belonged to village Bahavwala.of the sub-division. Hundred of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan attended the camp. |
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CM announces grants to
panchayats
Our Correspondent
Fazilka, June 24 The panchayats of 40 border villages falling under Jalalabad Assembly constituency participated in the sangat darshan Programme. The CM also announced grant of Rs 4.5 crores for all-round development of panchayats and Rs 1.50 crore for development of schools under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan programme. Earlier, while addressing the rural gathering, CM disclosed that to check the problem of seepage in 848 sq kilometer area in 332 villages under three districts of Malwa region, namely Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot, a comprehensive special scheme has been worked out. Rs 288 crore would be spent on the scheme, he added. He said that 29 new surface drains, 16 subsurface drains 17 new lift schemes have also been worked out. 280 shallow tube wells and 21 old lift projects would be restarted. 5 news drains would be constructed at the cost of Rs 161. 27 crores in the border area. Process of acquiring land for 24 more new drains has been initiated. He granted Rs 1.50 crores to school committees for the construction of newsrooms and furniture under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan to 36 villages.
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Chemist shops raided, intoxicating drugs seized
Bathinda, June 24 Dr Neelam Bajaj, civil surgeon, Bathinda, said the health authorities seized 40,000 tablets from the Saurav Medical Store, Goniana, on Tuesday, 2,000 tablets from the Janta Medical Stores, Jodhpur Pakhar, and around 25,000 tablets from the Mahindra Medical Store, Bathinda, on Wednesday. She said the state drug control authorities had been intimated about the raid and it has been recommended to cancel the licences of the chemist shops at fault. The stock of confiscated medicines would be produced in a court here tomorrow for launching proceedings against the defaulting chemist, the civil surgeon added. |
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PNB to launch scheme for farmers
Abohar, June 24 This was revealed by Rohtash Kumar during a reception organised on his maiden visit to the hometown after elevation as general manager of the bank. He was warmly received by the officers and employees from the branches located in Abohar, Fazilka and Jalalabad sub-divisions, his old teachers, including principal Dr BB Sharma of the DAV College and local friends. He said a survey has indicated that about 65 per cent of the population in the state was not associated with banking. With the earnest cooperation of the dedicated and committed staff of the PNB, we hope to reach the poorest of the poor in coming days, he said. Informing that preparations were in full swing to launch the PNB Krishak Saathi scheme, the GM said farmers will be advanced loans at the rate of interest restricted to 7 per cent to get rid of debts of the commission agents, who had reportedly been charging 24 per cent interest.
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Drain bridge in bad shape
Mansa, June 24 Bachiter Singh and Kaka Singh of nearby villages said that the bridge was in worst condition and passage of heavy traffic on this road makes it more risky for the commuters. Former MLA Boota Singh said this issue was raised at the meetings of Grievances Committee but the administration had not paid any heed to this problem. He demanded that the administration should start repair work of the bridge as early as possible.
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Yoga camp concludes
Bathinda, June 24 Over 500 persons had attended the camp that was held at the Duggal Palace in Arjun Nagar from 5 am to 7 am. Harminder Singh, the yoga guru, who had held various camps in different towns of the Malwa belt, lauded the overwhelming response of people towards yoga. A stall of Ayurveda medicines was also set up at the palace. |
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