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Rs 4.34 crore grant sanctioned for PAU staff
Ludhiana, December 9 The teachers and the non-teaching staff of the university have been agitating for the past 13 days to protest against the failure of the Punjab Government to release funds for the grant of the revised pay scales. The agitation by the teachers and the non-teaching staff has affected the functioning of the university adversely. Vice-Chancellor Manjit Singh Kang has appealed to the agitating staff to call off their agitation as the university authorities are pressing on the state government for the immediate release of the requisite funds. AC Rana, Comptroller, PAU, who has been meeting officials of the state government at Chandigarh told Ludhiana Tribune that the state government had also asked for the details of funds needed for the implementation of the new scales for the non-teaching staff which were being sent. Rana said that funds sanctioned for teaching staff were expected to be available by the end of this month. He said that 80 per cent share of the amount required for implementing the new scales of teachers would be provided by the ICAR and there would be no difficulty in procuring the same. The details of the amount from the ICAR were being prepared, he said. He said teachers and the non-teaching staff had been paid salaries at the rate of old rates so far and they would be paid at the revised rates as soon as the amount was available.
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Chain fast by PAU staff from today
Ludhiana, December 9 Lakhwinder Singh Sandhu and Dr KS Sangha, conveners, PAU United Forum Employees and Teachers, in a joint statement issued here today said from tomorrow onwards, employees of farm varsity would go on a hunger strike. They also threatened that if the government failed to issue a letter in this regard by Friday evening, they would be forced to lock the university. The employees also threatened to boycott the examinations. “If the atmosphere in the farm varsity gets deteriorated, the state government and varsity authorities should only be held responsible”, the leaders added.
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PAU hockey players booked for assault
Ludhiana, December 9 After conducting investigations into the incident for four days, the Jammu police booked the PAU players for assault. One of the GKV dribblers received serious head injury and required stitches on his head. Jammu University sports department director Dhian Singh Bhau said the incident took place when the PAU team members were returning home after failing to quality for the tournament’s semifinals. “Before leaving the town the PAU team members entered the rooms of the GKV hockey players, who were putting up in Vashnawi Dham”, he said. The PAU players then reportedly thrashed them and locked them in their rooms. “Before we could react the PAU team members had already left Sambha,” said Bahu added. Confirming the development, Trikuta Nagar police station SHO Vijay Chaudhri said the police has booked the PAU hockey players for assault. In the meantime, the sports department of Jammu University today wrote to the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to debar both teams from participating in the next hockey championship, citing their “tainted past”. “In 2007 both teams were involved in a dispute in the same championship in at Ludhiana. The next year they again they created a ruckus in Haridwar. The GKV players had also hit the PAU team’s current coach in one such incident,” said Bahu. “I came to know about their ugly past after the incident took place. I had even been warned by the sports director of GKV, but the PAU authorities assured me that their dribblers would not indulge in any unsavory act,” said Bahu. Bhau said the university authorities have already filed a written complaint with the police and had also provided all information available with them to assist the police to nab the accused, as early as possible. However, the accused were still eluding arrest. Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts Jagjeewan Kaur, a hockey coach, who accompanied the PAU hockey team refused to comment of upon the incident. |
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Hospital accused of ‘abandoning’ H1N1 patient
Ludhiana, December 9 Giving further details, he said the patient and his family members accompanying him told him the name of the hospital from where they had been “literally ousted”. "What was more shocking was the fact that a so-called reputed hospital, in order to hide their identity, hired an ambulance from a small hospital instead of using their one of their own," added the doctor. It is learnt the patient hailed from Jalandhar and was in a critical condition when he was reportedly abandoned at SPS Apollo Hospital. His family members, on learning about his deteriorating condition, immediately took him to
PGI, Chandigarh. SPS Apollo Hospital officials said the matter would be reported to the district health authorities in written so as to ensure action was initiated against the hospital guilty of the act. Dr Kapil of the SPS Apollo Hospital’s medicine department said, “Hospitals are answerable to the health department in case of deaths occurring from swine flu. A majority of hospitals are getting rid of swine flu patients in order to avoid complications”. “As only a few hospitals are treating H1N1 patients in isolation they have limited rooms. Thus the health department should make arrangements of quick diagnosis and transportation of patients to government hospitals in case of scarcity of rooms”, observed the
doctor. District epidemiologist Dr GP Mangla, while expressing ignorance about the incident at
SPS Apollo Hospital, said: "Such an action on the part of a hospital despite knowing about
the easy transmission of the disease is unpar donable. One such incident can endanger many lives. Moreover, in the wake of a pandemic being declared such an act calls for registration of a criminal case. We’ll investigate the matter to bring the guilty to book”. |
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Locals meet delegation from Bihar
Ludhiana, December 9 While meeting the officials on deputation in Ludhiana, including RP Mandal and AK Singh, the locals said it was a freak incident of voilence on Thursday that the local-migrant relationships got highlighted. Sham Singh Harike, a social activist, met the delegation at Circuit House here today. He told them that migrants had become a vital part of the state. ‘‘In fact Punjab is a second home to them. They are very comfortable here,’’ he told the delegation. Harike called upon the delegation to go back and advise the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to share a list of proclaimed offenders with Punjab so that the criminal elements could
be checked. ‘‘Crime by migrants becomes a serious concern in this state. Why not we devise a strategy so that nobody suffers?’’ he asked them. He added that Punjabis treated their domestic servants from other states very well. ‘‘It was a fact that whenever they were in Punjab, they were hale and hearty. Whenever they went to Bihar, they came back sickly,’’ was a remark of Harike. Many other residents met the delegation from Bihar in the Dhandari Kalan area. |
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Two cops killed in mishap
Khanna, December 9 The brakes of the truck (RJ-31G-4359) were not functioning when it ran over the two cops and then hit the lorries of fruit sellers at roadside. The incident took place at around 3.30 pm when cops- Sukhwinder Singh and Home Guard jawan Parminder Singh- were on their way to the police station on a scooter. A speeding truck hit them from behind and dragged the scooter for nearly 100 meters. While the cops fell off and died on the spot the truck went out of control and hit lorries of fruit sellers. Though the fruit sellers escaped unhurt their lorries got damaged in the accident. The eyewitness said the driver jumped off the truck and fled away while the truck was still moving. He had perhaps seen the two cops getting crushed under the front wheels of his truck, said the onlookers. A large number of people gathered around the truck beside police officials which lead to chaos on road and two more accidents took place due to the pile up
on the GT Road. A motorcyclist, Narinder Singh, received serious injuries when a speeding car near the accident spot hit his bike. He was rushed to the nearby civil hospital along with another unidentified man who, too, had sustained injuries after being hit by a car near the accident site. The police officials decided to clear road by removing the truck and hired services of another trucker. As soon as the truck was pushed back it failed to stop due to faulty brakes and was about to hit another bus loaded with passengers. People stopped the truck by throwing bricks beside its front and rear wheels. Sadar SHO Bhupinder Singh Bhullar said deceased havildar Sukhwinder Singh was his reader and was coming towards the police station after doing some official work. Three children, including two daughters, survive him. Home guard jawan Parminder Singh had also joined the force recently. A case has been registered in the regard. |
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Festive firing at weddings
goes unchecked
Ludhiana, December 9 The incident took place yesterday evening when the victim, Krishan Kumar, a waiter at Sterling Resort near Lalton Kalan, sustained a leg injury in an accidental firing during a wedding function. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in a critical condition. It was learnt later the man whose pistol went off accidentally struck a compromise with the waiter by paying him a huge amount of money. This was not the first incident when a wedding celebration turned ugly. The city has witnessed scores of similar incidents in the past but no action has been taken against those responsible. "In a majority of cases it’s the tipplers who take out their firearms and shoot in the air. In several instances these drunken men, instead of firing in the air, shoot at people. Yesterday the wedding could have turned into a tragedy but fortunately the bullet hit the waiter’s leg," said an invitee at Tuesday’s wedding ceremony, who was present at the scene when the incident took place. Even the police prefer to look the other way as, in most of the cases, the firearms belong to influential people who enjoy considerable political clout. |
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Free treatment to heart, cancer
patients Mahesh Sharma
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 9 Cases of only four students, one each from Mukatsar, SAS Nagar, Patiala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar have been forwarded to the Director, Health and Family Welfare, whereas the district education officers of the state had informed that a large number of students in schools under their jurisdiction had been found suffering from dreaded ailments. Cases of only four students, who were found suffering from rheumatoid and congenital heart diseases besides cancer were forwarded for free treatment to the director, Health and Family Welfare Department. Repeated warnings by the director-general (school education) seem to have failed to wake up authorities in the education department from slumber. “As you are aware that the matter has been discussed at length in monthly meetings and required directions have also been given. But it has been observed that forms for students suffering from heart and cancer diseases have not been sent,” reads a communication sent by DGSE office to all DEOs of the state. Perusal of records revealed that at least four cases had been identified at Gujarwal block, Pandori village near Mullanpur, Merhail New Kula Pati Raikot and Arjun Nagar Radha Swami Road in Ludhiana district. The authorities had identified at least 53 such cases in Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Mohali, Mukatsar, Nawan Shehar, Patiala, Ropar and Taran Taran district. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had started a programme under the National Rural Health Mission to provided free of cost treatment such patients between six and 17 years at designated health institutes. The district education officers were supposed to forward cases of students from their respective areas to the director health and family welfare through respective civil surgeons. What to talk of identifying fresh cases by organizing check-up camps at schools, the authorities have not even bothered to initiate process to forward cases of students diagnosed for the diseases.
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Non-sports activities at Guru Nanak Stadium Anil Datt Our Sports Reporter
Ludhiana, December 9 “Shlokas” from Bhagwad Gita, Path from Jauji Sahib and Quran were read during the meeting. The meeting was held to purify the playground, which was “sacrileged” during a concert, organised on December 2, where famous Punjabi artiste Gurdas Mann performed. During the show, liquor and non-vegetarian items were allegedly served and spectators had repeatedly swarmed the main stadium as well as the costly synthetic athletic track, which bore the brunt and was damaged at a number of places. The Tribune had highlighted the mis (use) of the stadium in these columns, which resulted in widespread criticism of the authorities concerned in allowing a soft drink company to hold the show at the state-of-the-art stadium. A joint action committee under the presidentship of Teja Singh Dhaliwal, honorary general secretary, Punjab Basketball Association, was formed to apprise the sports minister, Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, and the director sports, Punjab, Padma Shree awardee, Pargat Singh, of the damage being done during such non-sports activities. After the meeting, Teja Singh Dhailwal recalled that a resolution was passed in 2005 by the Punjab Sports Council with the Chief Minister in the chair that no cultural and political activity would be allowed at any stadium in the state. Unfortunately, a cultural show was allowed here at Guru Nanak Stadium, much to the chagrin of the sports fraternity. "This had caused an extensive damage to the ground which is worshipped by the sportspersons," he added. He further disclosed that a delegation of prominent sports personalities along with sports promoters would soon call on the Chief Minister and his deputy to urge them to issue strict instructions not to misuse the available sports infrastructure in the state. "We would appeal to sports minister to introduce a bill in the assembly, proposing a total ban on the use of playgrounds for cultural and other non-sports activities," added Dhaliwal. Dhaliwal added that he also spoke to the Director Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh, who assured him not to allow conduct of such programmes in any stadia in future. Others who attended the meeting included Shivtar Singh Bajwa (football), Pehalwan Gurmail Singh (kabaddi), Mohinder Singh Grewal and Charanjit Singh (badminton), H S Randhawa and Ajay Pal Singh Punia (hockey), Pehalwan Kishan Singh (wrestling), Jagdish Singh Brar (rifle shooting), Davinder Singh Walia (judo), Sukhdev Singh Pannu (athletics), besides a large number of players of different sports disciplines.
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Violence: Cops piece together theories
Ludhiana, December 9 But for the police these claims are hard to digest, now they are probing that how so many people converged at the same time and dared to pelt stones at the police station and torch vehicles on the National Highway No. 1, which they have never done in the past. The big question, while the incident took place with a resident of Jagdish Nagar colony, how the labourers particularly from Ishwar Nagar colony took part in it? Though, things took an ugly turn but why the labour-friendly leaders and industrialist did not try to affect a compromise? The cops are also trying to solve whether the incident accidentally coincided with the programme of Divya Jyoti Seva Sansthan’s chief Ashutosh Maharaj or was there any motive behind it. The cops are working on different theories; was the retaliation meant to distract the attention of cops as the police was on the brink to of affecting a compromise between the Sikh radicals and supporters of Ashutosh. Another, theory indicates that the attack was initiated to gain media attention. “It’s known, whenever there is communal tension such incidents are bound to happen, which triggers after the sudden appearance of religious leaders,” said a senior cop. The third theory is of Sunil Kumar, who said: “It was just a phone call to my brother-in-law that made the entire issue blown out of proportion. He called up his neighbours, who in turn called up a local leader, who were waiting to exploit the opportunity. That was all. There was no stopping anybody. However, Sunil Kumar had repeatedly claimed that he had never asked anybody for help except his brother-in-law. “We then went to the police post. But the news spread that I was robbed and killed. People vandalised the police post within a few minutes,” he said. All this question would be answered once people like Sitembar Thakur, an Akali labour wing leader, and Chitranjan, who are on the run, would be nabbed, the cops added.
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Cong activists celebrate Sonia Gandhi’s birthday
Ludhiana, December 9 At a function organised by PPCC secretary and Dalit leader Chander Shekhar Sahota in Shahi Mohalla locality here, party workers cut a birthday cake, offered it along with sweets to the cut-out of Sonia Gandhi and literally bent over backwards to get themselves photographed (with the cut out) before attending a tea party. The Congressmen also danced to the beats of drums and burst crackers in a joyful mood at the birthday of their party leader. Speaking on the occasion, Sahota recalled the achievements of Sonia Gandhi for the Congress party. "She has the distinction of longest serving president of the party, has led the UPA coalition with courage and conviction while at the same time, perhaps, being the first senior-most party leader to sacrifice the coveted post of the Prime Minister." Prominent among those present at the function were Roshan Pala, Som Dutt Sahota, Sachdev Nahar, Dina Nath Sidhu, Ajay Sidhu, Soni Walia, Som Nath Soma, Kuldeep Marwaha, Bobby Nahar, Raj Kumar Bhatti, Sunil Kumar, Rakesh Hans, Jasbir Singh Gill, Gulshan Dimana, Ramesh Bains, Balram Sahota, Bhushan Sahota, Bunty, Mangat Ram Azad, Rahul Soni, Ashu Arora, Gagan Walia and Bobby Balu. Volunteers of the Congress Sewa Dal, led by former president of District Congress Committee and chairman of Punjab Housefed Krishan Kumar Bawa distributed text-books and exercise books to students of Government Primary School in Suraj Nagar near Shimlapuri. Addressing the party activists, Bawa said Sonia Gandhi had made exemplary sacrifice for the nation. Her husband (Rajiv Gandhi) had laid down his life for the unity and integrity of the country, while her son Rahul was striving to mobilise the youth and rechannelise their energy for nation building. At another function, Congress leader Amarjit Singh Tikka distributed fruits and sweets in Bal Bhawan to celebrate birthday of the AICC president.
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Rly assn seeks pension for widowed daughters-in-law
Ludhiana, December 9 In a communication to the Union Ministry for Pensions, copies of which have also been sent to the Prime Minister and Union Minister for Railways Mamta Banerjee, chairman of the association Sher Singh said the benefits of family pension and complimentary retirement railway pass were presently available to widows, divorcees and unmarried daughters of pensioners. However, the widow daughters-in-law of the railway pensioners, with school going and unmarried children to support, often become a big liability to the pensioner father or mother since the government did not treat them as family member of dependent of the pensioners. According to Sher Singh, the number of cases of this nature would be a few, and will not put much financial burden on the exchequer. But for the beneficiaries, this relief would be immeasurable and would go a long way to ease their hardships to a great extent.
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‘Women can help check social evils’
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 9 He maintained that the majority of immoral acts were committed due to imperfect social set up. While taking to Ludhiana Tribune, Baba Harbans Singh claimed that women could play a significant role in eradicating social evils, including drug addiction, female foeticide and illiteracy. Quoting incidents from Sikh history, Baba Harbans Singh claimed that the majority of great warriors and saints had imbibed exceptional characters from their mothers or grandmothers. "Had Mata Gujri not prepared Sahibzadas for supreme sacrifice, Sikh history could have been different from the present one. It was the impact of valorous stories narrated by their grandmother that Sahibzada Zora Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh dared to rebut Mughal Nawab's order to adopt Islam at Sirhind," Baba Harbans Singh said. Showing concern over the declining interest of women in psychological development of their wards, he maintained that a little effort on their behalf could transform society. Pal Bachan Singh, a scion of former chief minister of PEPSU Gian Singh Rare Wala, said an organised movement would be launched to save society from deleterious affects of social evils.
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India’s dole to Rotary foundation surges
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 9 “We have seen drastic rise in the contributions to the foundation from Indian Rotarians. India ranks second as its total contribution stands at $ 156.8 million,” says Rotary International director’s nominee Yash Pal Dass. Dass while interacting with office-bearers of the organisation stated that the global grants would support larger projects and offer opportunities to participate
in more strategically focused activities. Prevention of conflict, peace, disease and treatment besides water, sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education, literacy and the economic and community development are six areas where global funds will be appreciated. While appreciating the role of district Governor Prem Aggarwal, Dass said $ 20,000 was expected to be collected this year. Dr Ravinder Sharma, president, Rotary Club, Ahmedgarh, and former president Dr Bhupinder
Singh Bedi were present on the occasion.
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Cancer patient needs aid
Ludhiana, December 9 But, the family is unable to bear the
medical expenses. Hospital authorities on behalf of the patient’s family have appealed good Samaritans to donate liberally Munshi Ram’s treatment. The approximate cost of treatment would be around Rs 80,000. Those willing to donate for the noble cause can forward their cheque/draft in favour of “Treatment of Munshi Ram” along with CR No 137918 and Admission No. 46421 written on the backside of the cheque or draft. For queries, kindly contact Public Relations Office, DMCH, at 4687510 or 4687514.
— TNS
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Non-teaching staff stage dharna
Our Correspondent
Mullanpur
Dakha, December 9 They raised slogans against the Punjab government for not implementing the revised pay scales on time. They condemned the government’s indifferent attitude towards non-teaching employees. They urged the government to implement the revised pay scales as per recommendation of the Fifth Pay Commission. Alleging discrimination Paramjit Singh Virk, president of the association, said while teachers were getting revised pay scales, non-teaching staff was deprived of the same. Virk said they would intensify stir if their demands were not met. They also threatened to boycott the forthcoming university examinations.
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Three held with 500-gram opium
Jagraon, December 9 In the first case, a police team headed by Adda Raikot post in charge ASI Balwant Singh managed to nab Charanjit Singh Grewal alias Puppy in the old grain market here and recovered 250 grams of opium from him. The police team had set up a special ‘naka’ (checkpost) on the basis of specific information. In the other case, a police team led by SI Surjit Singh apprehended two scooter borne youths, identified as Gursewak Singh alias Gulli of Mohalla Rampura in Jagraon and Pardeep Singh alias Peepu of Kothe Khanjuran. The cops recovered 250 grams of opium from their possession and also impounded the scooter used in peddling the contraband substance. The police team had set up a ‘naka’ after receiving specific information. In both the cases the police booked the suspects under sections 18, 25, 61 & 85 of the NDPS Act.
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