J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Swine Flu
3 more suspected cases reported in city
Jalandhar, December 10
Three more suspected cases of swine flu have been reported at the Civil Hospital here. A patient named Rattan Kaur (90) of Shakkarpur village, near Bhogpur, and Tripta Tiwari (42) of Patel Nagar, Phagwara, reported to the district health authorities with all signs and symptoms of swine flu.

PYDB clears Punjab students’ travel worries
January 2010 transport policy to propose bus passes for Re 1 per 60 km for state students
Hoshiarpur, December 10
To solve the problems of students relating to their travel to or from their educational institutions, a scheme has been prepared by the Punjab Youth Development Board (PYDB).

Injured youths attacked at hospital, dozen booked
Phagwara, December 10
A violent clash at a village took an ugly turn when about a dozen armed assailants struck at the Phagwara Civil Hospital and attacked two persons of their rival group who had been injured in a clash at nearby Jagatpur Jattan village and were admitted to the hospital today.

Congressmen get history lessons
Hoshiarpur, December 10
A two-day training camp, organised by the training department of the PPCC, in which more than 100 Congress workers from all over the district participated, was concluded at Garhshankar, 40 km from here today.

PSEB employees observe complete strike
Hoshiarpur, December 10
In response to the call of the employees’ joint forum of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), all employees of the PSEB observed complete strike today to protest against the backing out of the management of the PSEB from issues settled in the wage formation committee.

2 killed as bus hits scooter
Nawanshahr, December 10
Two persons, including a woman, identified as Kewal Singh and Kirandeep Kaur of Dera Jagat Ram Bachhon, were killed on the spot when their scooter collided with a bus near Satkar Dhaba, near Balachaur, on the Nawanshahr-Chandigarh highhway here today. As per the available information, Kewal Singh, a sevadar at dera, along with Kirandeep Kaur, wife of dera head Baba Jagat Singh, was going on a scooter. When he tried to overtake a car, the scooter collided with a PRTC bus.

School of Punjabi Studies gets grant
Amritsar, December 10
The UGC has sanctioned a grant of Rs 43.75 lakh under its Special Assistance Programme (SAP) and two project fellows to the School of Punjabi Studies of Guru Nanak Dev University for the period from 2009 to 2014. Prof Dharam Singh, Head, School of Punjabi Studies, said the grant would be utilised for strengthening the existing infrastructure, including extension in computer lab and providing facilities for teaching and research in the Punjabi language, Punjabi literature, Punjabi folklore and culture.—TNS

Youth killed in mishap
Batala, December 10
Manjit Singh (20) died on the spot when his tractor-trailer overturned here yesterday. Manjit Singh was loading his tractor-trailer with excavated earth on the bank of a canal near Choudrywall village. Suddenly the tractor-trailer got overturned with its own weight into the canal.—OC

Swine Flu
3 more suspected cases reported in city
Amaninder Pal
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 10
Three more suspected cases of swine flu have been reported at the Civil Hospital here.

A patient named Rattan Kaur (90) of Shakkarpur village, near Bhogpur, and Tripta Tiwari (42) of Patel Nagar, Phagwara, reported to the district health authorities with all signs and symptoms of swine flu.

Another patient, Nirmal Kaur (60) of Abhinandan Park, Nagra, Jalandhar, died in the evening in the trauma ward, which has been maintained as an isolation ward for the patients of swine flu.

According to health officials, the expired patient was also suffering from other diseases.

“There was a history of diabetes, hypertension and bilateral pneumonia in this case,” said District Health Officer Dr Roop Lal.

On the other hand, a Jalandhar-based patient of Randhawaan village has also been found positive with swine flu at the Government Medical College and Hospital of Sector 32, Chandigarh.

However, district health officials did not receive any information regarding the condition of the patient.

Another swine flu suspected case, who was admitted yesterday to the Civil Hospital, was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, today owing to the continuously deteriorating condition of the patient.

“We took samples of all the three suspects at 8 in the evening and sent them to the PGI. It will only be after the results that we can designate the cases as confirmed swine flu cases,” said Dr Lal.

PYDB clears Punjab students’ travel worries
January 2010 transport policy to propose bus passes for Re 1 per 60 km for state students
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 10
To solve the problems of students relating to their travel to or from their educational institutions, a scheme has been prepared by the Punjab Youth Development Board (PYDB).

According to PYDB chairman Gurpreet Singh Raju Khanna, the authorities concerned would issue bus passes to students for Re 1 up to 60 km to allow them to travel by government or private buses.

Earlier, they were supposed to travel to or from their institutions on bus passes on a nominal fare issued to them.

The said decision would be pronounced by the state government with the announcement of transport policy in the first week of January 2010.

To save the youths from indulging in intoxication, a new policy regarding their active participation in sports would also be announced in the beginning of 2010. Their mindset would be changed through a sports club.

The enrolment of youths as members of the Students Organisation of India (SOI) was going on in the state. More than five lakh youths would be recruited as its members, he hoped, adding that units of SOI would be formed at the district and block levels.

The SOI, along with the PYDB, would start a campaign for the eradication of social evils like dowry, addiction, female foeticide, etc.

During the campaign dramas, song competitions and other heritage events would be organised to invite public opinion against the said evils.

Later, he interacted with students and listened to their problems. Many of the students opposed the proposed increase in the retirement age of government employees from 58 to 60 years. They said the proposed increase would add fuel to the unemployment problem of youths. He also announced office bearers of circle, city and colleges of the Hoshiarpur district.

Injured youths attacked at hospital, dozen booked
Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, December 10
A violent clash at a village took an ugly turn when about a dozen armed assailants struck at the Phagwara Civil Hospital and attacked two persons of their rival group who had been injured in a clash at nearby Jagatpur Jattan village and were admitted to the hospital today.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Rajiv Gupta told The Tribune here this evening that the armed assailants attacked and wounded another villager Mangal Ram who came to the hospital to enquire about the recovery of injured Kuldip (23) and Ravinder Rai (18).

The assailants ransacked the emergency room of the hospital and damaged an oxygen cylinder, an IB stand and the door of the emergency room, alleged the SMO.

One of the assailants, Satnam Singh, was also injured during the scuffle in the hospital and was admited to the Civil Hospital.

Dr Gupta urged DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh to initiate steps for the protection of the Civil Hospital and its staff and valuables.

When contacted, Khakh said that Kuldip and Ravinder were injured in a clash between two groups at Jagatpur Jattan village today. Personal enmity was said to be the cause of the clash, said the DSP.

He said a case under sections 353, 186, 323 and 427 of the IPC and 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Punjab Medical Protection Act had been registered at the city police station here against a dozen unidentified armed assailants, including Satnam Singh, for attacking the injured at the hospital and ransacking government property, while another case of violent clash had been registered by the Sadar police against the members of both the groups for the clash at Jagatpur Jattan village.

Congressmen get history lessons
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 10
A two-day training camp, organised by the training department of the PPCC, in which more than 100 Congress workers from all over the district participated, was concluded at Garhshankar, 40 km from here today.

According to the President of the training department of the PPCC, Pankaj Kirpal, during the camp five sessions on various subjects were organised to make participants aware of the history of the Congress, its role during the freedom struggle and importance of secularism in democracy etc.

Secretary of the PPCC Balwinder Singh Bittu narrated the difference between the ideology of the Congress and other political parties. Secretary of the PPCC Jasbir Singh Pal highlighted the policies and programmes of the UPA government and briefly discussed the current issues of the country.

Secretary of the PPCC Krishan Dev Guddi inaugurated the camp whereas Prof Kamal Singh, media advisor of PPCC, and other local leaders of the Congress addressed sessions.

PSEB employees observe complete strike
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, December 10
In response to the call of the employees’ joint forum of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), all employees of the PSEB observed complete strike today to protest against the backing out of the management of the PSEB from issues settled in the wage formation committee.

In a press release, General Secretary of the State Ministerial Services Union Om Parkash claimed that according to the repots received at the headquarters, employees of the PSEB at Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Nawanshahar, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Bhatinda, Faridkot, Sangrur, Patiala, Khanna and thermal plants of Bhatinda, Joginder Nagar and Ropar observed complete strike.

Employees staged protest rallies in front of their offices to protest against the board. Parkash claimed that all the complaint offices and cash counters also remained closed.

2 killed as bus hits scooter
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, December 10
Two persons, including a woman, identified as Kewal Singh and Kirandeep Kaur of Dera Jagat Ram Bachhon, were killed on the spot when their scooter collided with a bus near Satkar Dhaba, near Balachaur, on the Nawanshahr-Chandigarh highhway here today. As per the available information, Kewal Singh, a sevadar at dera, along with Kirandeep Kaur, wife of dera head Baba Jagat Singh, was going on a scooter. When he tried to overtake a car, the scooter collided with a PRTC bus.

The police and dera followers reached at the site immediately after getting information. The police has started investigations.