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Borrowed staff to run new trauma centre
Abolition laws on paper only
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‘Act not implemented well’
Nehru Garden finally in for a revamp
Voluntary blood donation fails to pick up
Young World
An ode to imperfect parenting
Custodial Death
Life imprisonment to woman, paramour
Municipal staff strike enters day two
Vegetable prices witness fall
NCC organises training camp
Rs 50,000 snatched
Global award for IFFCO
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Borrowed staff to run new trauma centre
Jalandhar, November 26 Against the requirement of three neurosurgeons, there is only one posted at the trauma centre at present. Another recruited neurosurgeon has not joined yet. As far as the posting of orthopaedic surgeons and anesthetist is concerned, the centre would avail the services of doctors already posted in the Civil Hospital here. In addition, the centre also needs 30 staff nurses, 30 sweepers, two radiographers, two operation theatre assistants and three laboratory technicians. However, there will be a team of only 10 staff nurses, one neurosurgeon and one operation theatre assistant to run the centre after inauguration. Barring two radiographers, even the existing paramedical staff, which was relieved today from their respective places of posting for reporting at the centre, is part of peripheral staff that have been diverted to this centre on the orders of the Civil Surgeon. Just a few days back, the office of the Medical Superintendent forwarded a letter to the CMO office to make the staff available before the inauguration. “The required staff will be available shortly. Sweepers will be outsourced and, if needed, we may outsource the services of private neurosurgeons,” said Medical Superintendent of hospital Dr Ashok Nayyar. Whether the authorities or the patients will bear the cost of neurosurgeon will be decided later, he added when asked about the payment for the outsourced services. Not only staff, the centre is also waiting for the crucial equipment used in trauma cases. There will be no facility of CT scan and 500mA X-ray machine. These equipment will be installed within a month, said the MS when asked how professionals will make diagnosis in cases of severe injuries of head and other parts. The location of the trauma centre is at a most congested place. Roads leading to the centre often remain chocked with traffic. Rushing the medical emergencies to the trauma centre located at such a crowed place will itself be a risky affair. Providing medical aid within a few minutes to accident victims is considered crucial. Locating the trauma centre in a busy bazaar area is most ill-advised act of the Health Department, said a doctor posted in hospital. |
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Abolition laws on paper only
Jalandhar, November 26 The labourer, along with his wife, was badly hit with bricks and both were forced to work as bonded labourers. The tale of woes would have continued had the members of the Volunteers for Social Justice (VSJ), working in association with the Dalit Dastan Virodhi Andolan (DDVA) and Anti-Slavery International not rescued him. The fight for justice left him penniless as he lost even the mere belongings of his shanty. The owners demanded Rs 35,000 and told me to either pay the amount or work without wages. Narwail’s is not the lone case of bonded labour. There are scores of others who met the same fate. Another brick-kiln labourer, Gurmeet Singh, from Bhikiwind in Amritsar, was also subjected to maltreatment. His fault, he demanded compensation for his wife who died. “I lost my wife who was expecting at that time. Instead of providing some compensation, I was told to pay a hefty fine for which the owners had taken my thumb impression. When I confronted the issue, I was forced to work as a bonded labourer,” he said. VSJ general secretary Jai Singh said the major problem with the bonded labourers was lack of awareness. “It is utterly dejecting to know that despite directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to control bonded labour, no implementation of the judgement has been made so far. Even the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, which came into effect from October 25, 1975, merely lies in papers,” he said. He added that while suggestions for the protection and welfare of bonded labourers were issued, no action had been taken till date. It was suggested that the state should frame a scheme to extend the benefit of education to children of labourers. Even the provision of
medical facilities at their doorstep was advocated, he maintained. However, nearly all the brick-kiln labourers are forced to work along with their minor children owing to poverty. “How can we manage to send our children to school in the absence of monthly wages?” questioned Sukhdev Singh, another bonded labourer. The directions of the High Court also state that violations of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulations) Act, 1986, should be checked. “The Act is being violated right under the nose of the authorities concerned, leading to problems for brick-kiln labourers in
the state,” added Jai Singh. |
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‘Act not implemented well’
Jalandhar, November 26 This was revealed by Dalip Singh Pandhi, member, Scheduled Caste Commission, Punjab, who was here as the chief guest of the workshop on bonded labour, organised by members of the Volunteers for Social Justice. Expressing concern over the loopholes in the system, which paralysed the practical implementation of the Act, he said, “Blame it on the red tape or bureaucratic setup that neither the DMs, nor the SDMs ever took any action to safeguard the interest of score of bonded labourers in the state,” he added. Social activists have decided to conduct seminars and workshops in the state to create awareness among the masses about this unhealthy trend. “We would be conducting a similar workshop at Patiala on December 5,” he added. He also highlighted the fact that while the Act suggested that vigilance committees working for the welfare of the bonded labourers should be formed after every two years, the state has failed to do anything for the past 12 years. “The last vigilance committee formed was in 1997. It was only this year that a new committee was formed, that too failed to take up any case till date,” he lamented. Pandhi added that forcing anybody to work as a bonded labour was a cognisable offence and the district-level vigilance committees should monitor brick kilns falling under their jurisdiction. “The Act states that swift actions should be taken to provide economic and social rehabilitation to the freed bonded labourers, but most of the times the labourers end up becoming social victims due to the apathy of the officials concerned,” he added. According to the Act, the state government has given powers to the DMs and SDMs to exercise their powers of protecting the interest of the labourers working at brick kilns, fields or as domestic helps. It has also been clearly mentioned in the Act that members of the vigilance committee, comprising DM, three persons belonging to the SC/ST community, two social workers, three persons to represent the official or the non-official agencies, should work for the welfare of the bonded labourers, but to no avail. The Act and its implementation lie in the papers only. |
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Nehru Garden finally in for a revamp
Jalandhar, November 26 Junk from the municipal workshop is dumped there without a second thought. Once spread across 15 acres, the garden, also known as Company Bagh, now possesses only 6-7 acres. The MC has encroached upon part of its surroundings. The administrative block of the corporation has been built where once stood a nursery. Some part of the park was used for the construction of Press Club, some land was sold for building shops and trees were felled to give way to a car parking lot. Perhaps, the authorities don’t want to be partial, they have unofficially given a “no objection” to people parking two-wheelers in the lawns. A number of cycles and motorcycles can be seen parked inside the park in a haphazard manner. As the authorities keep mum, caretakers neither dare nor bother to stop
the nuisance. The boundary wall of the park being damaged at various places. The place reportedly also serves as a safe haven for illegal activities after the night sets in. The lawns of the garden are unkempt and garbage bins overflow. A number of garbage bins, eaten up by rust, have been lying there for months. The park is devoid of proper lighting arrangements. Though there are many cemented erections constructed for holding bulbs, not a single one is in
working order. “Shan-e-Punjab”, an ornamental train, is stuffed with ankle-high garbage. The musical fountain that the park once boasted of is now out of use. Water accumulated from leaking pipes has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Stray animals and traffic congestion act as dampeners. It seems like nobody is bothered about lifting the malba after
the construction/repair of the corporation’s building. The park is used by the elderly and retired for playing cards and residents from the nearby areas come there for a walk. Children use the park for playing cricket. “The park has nothing to offer now. The garden has lost its gleam due to the callous attitude of the authorities. I used to play here when I was a child, I sometimes visit the place to refresh my memories and relive my childhood. It’s heartrending to see it in its present condition,” said Gurdayal Singh. Interestingly, the authorities have decided to revamp the park and a budget of Rs 3.27 crore has been allocated for the purpose. Minister for Local Bodies Manoranjan Kalia laid the foundation stone on November 4 for the redevelopment of the park. As per orders, the project would be competed within seven months. According to information received, the library and MC Town Hall would be demolished to increase the park area. The petrol station and the workshop will reportedly be shifted to some other place. As per plan, the park will have iron railings, double footpath, ornamental lights, a musical fountain worth Rs 60 lakh and a huge main gate. “The lawn will boast of fine-looking ornamental plants and hybrid grass. It will have the best of plants and flowers,” said Chief Horticulture officer J.S. Bilga. “The park will have a children’s play area, a food court and an imported fountain,” said MC Superintending Engineer B.P. Singh. |
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Voluntary blood donation fails to pick up
Jalandhar, November 26 The blood bank of the Civil Hospital here collected 1,482 and 2,535 blood units in 2006 and 2007, respectively. However, the number of donors who donated blood in hospital is 115 and 102, respectively. Similarly, in 2008 this figure remained 92 against the total of 2,515. If data are to be scanned monthly, only 16 patients out of 549 persons preferred to came to donate blood in September 2008. This figure was seven and 13 in September 2007 and 2006, respectively, against a total of 482 and 246. “Though blood banks usually get sufficient units of blood through blood donation camps, today we need to take further steps to promote voluntary blood donation at the higher level. This can only be achieved if promotional campaigns are meticulously designed to persuade every person from 18 to 60 years to come forward to donate blood. “Usually, the number of blood units, required to fulfil the need of every kind of recipient, is only 1 per cent of the total population. We target the age group of 18 to 25 years in blood donation camps. What about the rest of population? Of the remaining lakhs of persons, just 5 or 7 persons come to hospitals to donate blood in a month”, said Dr Gagandeep Singh, in charge of the blood bank. Patients of only thalassemia, cancer, HIV and roadside accidents can get blood from blood bank without replacing the taken blood with donor. Patients without any caretaker and in life-threatening condition also get blood from this quota. To eliminate the chances of transmission of disease through blood donations, WHO has launched 100 per cent voluntary blood programme. Instead of asking parents or guardians of patients to arrange donor, this programme is aimed at providing that blood to every recipient which is donated voluntarily in camps or in hospitals. All is not well even with the traditional method of blood donations camps. Barring a few schools, a majority of educational institutes never bother to organise blood donation camps. Doctors are of the view that it should be made mandatory for all colleges, institutes and public and private organisations to hold two camps per year. “Even after continuous campaigning and organising camps, we are achieving just 20-30 per cent against WHO target. Even after making the changes in the definition of voluntary blood donation, only 50 per cent is being achieved. Every recipient will get voluntary donated blood only when every citizen will feet his or her moral duty to donate blood at least thrice a year,” said one doctor of the hospital. |
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Young World
Jalandhar, November 26 Tributes paid
Students of the St Soldier Management and Technical Institute, Kapurthala Road, held a candlelight march carrying the message of “Make India Safe”, and paid tributes to the victims of the Mumbai attacks. Students saluted the brave soldiers who laid down their lives fighting for the sake of the country. DAVIET placements
Thirteen students of B.Tech of the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET) got placements with Oriental Structural Engineers (P) Ltd., New Delhi,
at a package of Rs 2.2 lakh per annum. Foundation day
The Gurukul School celebrated its eighth foundation day on Wednesday. Students presented a cultural function. Gurcharan Singh Channi, Chairman, District Planning Board, was the chief guest. Seminar held
The Department of Chemistry of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya organised a seminar on “
“X-ray crystallography - an art for unravelling nature” on November 23. Dean of College Development Council Prof M.S. Hundal of the Department of Chemistry of Guru Nanak Dev University was the resource person. Extension lecture
An extension lecture on “Employment opportunities in insurance sector” was held at DAV College under the aegis of the Kautilya Society of Postgraduate Department of Economics. S.P.S. Vikhoo, Marketing Manager of LIC, Jalandhar Division, was the chief speaker who highlighted the various employment programmes launched by the LIC. He pointed out that the LIC alone provided employment to more than 25 lakh people and it encouraged more than Rs 20 crore foreign direct investment in India. Placement drive
A placement drive for the final-year students of B. Com (professional), BCA, IT asnd MSc (IT) was conducted by IBM Daksh. As many as 16 students of the college secured placements with the company at an annual package of
Rs 1.44 lakh. The students would join the company after completion of their final-year examinations. Educational visit
Students of Classes XI and XII (medical) of Saffron Public School, Phagwara, visited the Department of Botany of Panjab University, Chandigarh. The students also attended a workshop conducted by Dr Promila Pathak, an orchid scientist who has been doing research work on orchids. Anniversary
The Saplings of Life Club of Kanya Maha Vidyalaya celebrated its first anniversary on November 25. The club celebrated the day as elimination of violence against women. On the occasion a poster-making competition was held. |
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55th National School Games
Jalandhar, November 26 In girls hockey, Punjab eves drubbed Chandigarh 4-0, while Orissa, Jharkhand, Manipur, Haryana and Chattisgarh also secured places in the
quarter-finals. In the boys hockey, Punjab, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand also made to the quarter-finals. Results (November 26) Handball girls: Karnataka tie with Andhra Pradesh (11-11), Jharkhand b Jammu and Kashmir (11-2), Haryana tie with Uttar Pradesh (15-15), Rajasthan b Chandigarh (12-11), Punjab b Uttarakhand (29-1), Manipur b Goa (15-2), Chattisgarh b Maharashtra (12-11), Navodaya Vidyalaya b Assam (7-1) and Punjab b Kerala (18-4). Handball boys: Manipur b Navodaya Vidyalaya (20-15), Jharkhand b Jammu Kashmir (26-16), Tamil Nadu b Uttar Pradesh (27-4), Delhi b Madhya Pradesh (43-10), Navodaya Vidyalaya b Andhra Pradesh (13-10) and Jammu and Kashmir b Uttarakhand (16-14). Hockey girls: Punjab b Chandigarh (4-0), Chandigarh b Vidya Bharati (10-0), Delhi b IPSC (9-0), Madhya Pradesh b Himachal Pradesh (4-1), Haryana b Kerala (10-0). Hockey boys: Manipur b Jammu Kashmir (12-0), Chattisgarh b Himachal Pradesh (2-1), Haryana b Tamil Nadu (10-0), Chandigarh b Manipur (2-1), Delhi b Rajasthan (6-0), Chandigarh b Haryana (2-1). Results (November 25) Hockey girls: Chandigarh b Tamil Nadu (7-0), Punjab b Vidya Bharti (9-0), Orissa b Uttar Pradesh (7-0), Mizoram b Uttarakhand (3-1), Chattisgarh b Kerala (5-0) and Karnataka b Goa (9-0). Hockey boys: Punjab b Jharkhand (2-0), Uttarakhand b Kerala (3-1), Chandigarh b Jammu Kashmir (25-0), Orissa b Andhra Pradesh (12-0), Himachal Pradesh b Tripura (5-1), Haryana b Manipur (1-0), Uttar Pradesh b Tamil Nadu (10-0), Delhi b Karnataka (3-2), IPSC b Vidya Bharati (4-0), Rajasthan b Goa (3-1), Haryana b Jammu Kashmir (19-0). Handball girls: Haryana b Jammu Kashmir (25-5), Jharkhand b Uttar Pradesh (19-4), Delhi b Karnataka (17-5), Kerala b Assam (22-2), Tamil Nadu b Goa (4-3), Kerala b Navodaya Vidyalaya (11-4), Manipur b Chattisgarh (13-10), Maharastra b Madhya Pradesh (21-5), Uttarakhand b Navodaya Vidyalaya (9-6), Chattisgarh b Goa (12-5) and Vidya Bharati tie with Andhra Pradesh (15-15). Handball boys: Jharkhand b Delhi (24-20), Uttarakhand b Madhya Pradesh (20-19), Uttar Pradesh b Navodaya Vidyalaya (23-3), Tamil Nadu b Andhra Pradesh (20-19), Assam b Karnataka (26-13), Rajasthan b Karnataka
(20-17), Punjab b Haryana (31-26), Chattisgarh b Goa (27-13). Basketball boys: Chandigarh b Chattisgarh (57-27), Rajasthan b Navodaya Vidyalaya (53-21), Kerala b Navodaya Vidyalaya (78-23), Delhi b Jharkhand (66-27), Orissa b Jammu Kashmir (67-17), Madhya Pradesh b Karnataka (56-50) and Karnataka b Vidya Bharati (62-28). Basketball girls: Uttarakhand b Vidya Bharati (23-12), Maharastra b Uttar Pradesh (54-15), Delhi b Madhya Pradesh (66-56), Kerala b IPSC (66-33) and Chattisgarh b Jharkhand (28-25). |
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An ode to imperfect parenting
Some quick tips
When my daughter Jiya was born, I thought I would be a perfect parent. I read child-rearing books by the dozen, gathering an immense amount of knowledge about child psychology. It seemed impossible that I would ever make mistakes in my parenting.
I wanted my child to exhibit good manners and complete sophistication, but it wasn’t that simple. Her high energy levels, impulsiveness and fearlessness drove me up the wall - I would often sit back and wonder where I went wrong. What was lacking in my parenting? Finally, I realised that these are traits with which my child came into this world. Every child has his own unique temperament. He has an individual style of behaviour, activity levels, mood intensity, adaptability and persistence. I realise that books are great to fall back on, but they are not by any yardstick suitable substitutes for the actual experiences of being a mother. As parents, we need to recognise that it is normal to feel worried, embarrassed, angry or guilty because of our child’s behaviour. That is part of being a parent. We sometimes try to over-compensate for our own shortcomings by trying to be perfect, but there is no way of avoiding mistakes in our child’s upbringing entirely. If we do blunder, there’s nothing wrong with going back to the beginning and setting things right. If you suffer guilt pangs when your child doesn’t live up to your expectations, look at it rationally and consider all the ways in which you are doing well as a parent. Parents often feel a real pressure to be perfect. In fact, those who set very high standards for their children often cause huge problems for them. Ask yourself some questions - can you be available to your children at all times? Can you always be right? Apologise to your child and tell her that you are not always right and you do not know all the answers. Your child will learn from your mistakes as much as from your knowledge and experience. You do not need to be perfect to earn your child’s love and respect - you need to be a human being. Don’t try to be perfect. Instead, be real and honest - be a good parent: Dr Rupan Dhillon, lecturer of Psychology Department, Guru Nanak Dev University, says that the best gift a parent can give to a child is the gift of his time. “Today’s parents need to inculcate values in their children by spending quality time with them. If they want their children to develop positive behaviour, they need to develop an authoritative parenting style which is a combination of responsiveness and firmness. Children should not be blamed severely for any negative behaviour, and their parents should not have excessively high expectations from them. How parents behave in front of their children is most important, for that is what their children eventually learn.” Don’t blame yourself for your child’s personality or temperament. These things are largely decided at the genetic level, and you have far less to do with it than you might like to believe. Each child is unique and different - it should not come as a surprise to you that your kid is not as much like you as you’d hoped.
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Custodial Death
Kapurthala, November 26 The 16 persons had blocked the national highway in protest against the alleged custodial death of Arur Singh. The protesters demanded that not only the FIR should be cancelled, but also a case should be registered against the then Dhilwan SHO Gurmukh Singh, now posted at Begowal, under section 302 of the IPC for the custodial death. The agitators gathered at Shalamar Bagh, from where they reached the Kacheheri chowk after passing through different areas of the city. They also demanded inclusion of the names of those SGPC members in the FIR who were present during the firing at Khanna Chamyara village in Batala police district, in which two persons were killed and several others wounded. |
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Life imprisonment to woman, paramour
Jalandhar, November 26 The duo were involved in strangling Karnail Singh, a resident of Dadwinder village, near Sultanpur Lodhi. Karnail Singh was found dead in his house on the night of September 23, 2004. His brother Makhan Singh, a resident of Ghasitpur village in Hoshiarpur district, had lodged a complaint with the Sultanpur Lodhi police alleging that his brother Karnail Singh was done to death by his sister-in-law Palwinder Kaur. In his complaint Makhan Singh had also alleged that Karnail Singh and Palwinder Kaur were not having cordial relations. Moreover, Palwinder Kaur was having extramarital affair with Narinder Kumar, a resident of Tanda in Hoshiarpur. On his complaint, the police investigated the case and found that Palwinder Kaur in connivance with her paramour Jony strangled Karnail Singh. |
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Municipal staff strike enters day two
Phagwara, November 26 Almost all offices of the Nagar Council were found locked this afternoon. The Municipal Library too was found closed. Meanwhile, hundreds of municipal employees led by the Municipal Employees Union general secretary Surjit Kaur and the Safai Karamchari Union president Ram Murti demonstrated and sat on day-long dharna outside the council office. The protesters raised slogans in support of their demands. |
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Vegetable prices witness fall
Jalandhar, November 26 On the other hand, potato, ginger, garlic and peas witnessed a sharp decrease in prices as compared to last week. The price of potato was around Rs 20 last week which remained around Rs 17 per kg this week. Similalry, the ginger and garlic prices remained around Rs 50 and Rs 80 per kg, respectively, as compared to Rs 60 and Rs 100 last week. he price of peas was between Rs 90 and Rs 100 per kg last week. This week peas witnessed a fall in the price and came down to Rs 65 per kg. The price of coriander remained Rs 15 per kg as that of last week. The prices of non-vegetarian stuff varied as compared to last week. The prices of chicken, which ranged from Rs 138 to Rs 143 per kg last week, came down to to Rs 120 per kg. The price of mutton remained nearly the same. The price of fish and egg saw a substantial increase. Eggs witnessed an increase of Rs 4 per dozen last week and bounced to Rs 44. However, the price of eggs came down again to Rs 40 per dozen. |
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NCC organises training camp
Jalandhar, November 26 Around 550 persons are expected to participate in the camp which will conclude on December 2. Colonel Chalal said during the 10-day camp, the cadets would be engaged in activities like PT drill, kit layout, firing, map reading, camp and belt craft and other cultural activities. He said the camp would help the cadets inculcate in themselves qualities like patriotism, courageousness, cooperation, sportsmanship and
leadership. |
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Rs 50,000 snatched
Jalandhar, November 26 The snatchers targeted Balwinder Kaur, a resident of Reru village, while she was travelling in a rickshaw with her relative Kulwinder Kaur. The victim, Balwinder Kaur, complained that two youths, riding a black motorcycle without any registration number, snatched the purse and sped away. The women were going to a market for shopping, said Jatinder Pal, SHO, Division No 3 police station. A case has been registered. |
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Global award for IFFCO
Jalandhar, November
26 The award was received by IFFCO Chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar at a ceremony of the general assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance
(ICA) at Geneva, a press note issued by the IFFCO general manager (PR) said. |
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