Chandigarh, November 9
The Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH) at Sector 16 is ailing and needs a booster dose from the UT administration.With no fresh recruitment of doctors in the last five years, the Chandigarh administration-run hospital is struggling with acute staff shortage, adversely affecting medicare.

Though patients to the outpatient departments (OPDs) have increased by about 50 per cent (from 22,604 to 33,761) from 2005 to 2010, there has only been a marginal increase of nine doctors in these last five years, all of whom have been brought on deputation from other states.

While the total number of sanctioned cadre posts of senior medical officers (SMOs), medical officers (MOs) and assistant medical officers (AMOs) has remained stagnant at 68, the number of doctors belonging to the UT cadre has fallen from 13 to 11 between 2005 and 2010. In the same period, the total number of doctors on deputation has risen from 53 to 64.

In fact, the shortfall seems to have taken its toll on medicare, with available doctors stretched to the limit and spending lesser time on checking patients. Yet overall, doctors are working longer hours.

In July 2005, doctors at the hospital’s 11 departments spent 4,951 working hours in the OPDs. In July 2010, the figure rose to 5,456 hours (505 hours more), information sought under the RTI by Anil Malik revealed.

An analysis of the data showed that while working hours in the OPDs had increased by over 10 per cent, patient rush in the OPDs had increased by about 50 per cent.

In certain departments, such as pathology, the number of working hours in the OPDs had risen from a mere 156 per month to a whopping 486, marking an over three-fold rise.

Apart from the increase in number of new OPD patients, the number of old OPD patients had registered an increase, compared to 2005.

There were 2,942 follow-up patients in the medicine department in July, 2005, and the number swelled to 3,793 in July, 2010.

Mohali, November 9
Yet another controversy has dogged the ambitious Aerocity project of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).The immediate provocation for the controversy is the acceptance of applications from landowners under the land-pooling scheme even after the cut-off date.

Accommodating applications after the deadline, which GMADA officials believe is more due to confusion on part of the land acquisition collector (LAC) over implementing the farmer-oriented land-pooling scheme, has not only disturbed the planning of plots, but is set to delay the issuing of allocation letters to successful applicants in the recently concluded draw of lots for plots.

GMADA’s Chief Administrator VP Singh said the issue was being tabled in the forthcoming meeting of the authority, scheduled for next week. The claim of the applicants was being sympathetically considered and would be placed before the government for approval.

In some of the cases, LAC officials allowed landowners to opt for a partial land compensation component (which was Rs 1.50 crore an acre) and opt for the land-pooling scheme for the remaining land. About 55 applications were received after the cut-off date in May, against about 50 received before the last date, sources revealed.

Accepting more applications had changed the total tentative land earmarked for the beneficiaries in the land-pooling scheme. Against about 120 acres required to carve out residential and commercial plots, about 150 acres would now be required to adjust the beneficiaries.

Under the land-pooling scheme, the landowners, those whose land was acquired for the project, were entitled to a 930-sq-yard residential plot and a 121-sq-yard commercial site.

On noticing the anomaly, claims of all those who applied after the cut-off date were rejected by senior GMADA officials. This provoked the applicants to approach senior Punjab government functionaries, seeking a sympathetic approach.

Left with no option, GMADA officials left it to the state government to take a call. “Since the state government wanted to make land-pooling a success, a sympathetic approach would be adopted,” said the Chief Administrator. Regarding the planning being disturbed, GMADA officials stated that the reserved land had been kept.

Chandigarh, November 9
Nursery dreams of thousands of children from economically weaker sections (EWS) have turned sour, with private city schools proceeding with the sale of admission forms without reserving seats for EWS and under the RTE (Right to Education).

Despite the UT’s year-long declarations, not a single private school has announced any reservation for children under these two mandatory categories in regular classes, comprising about 5,000-odd nursery seats across all private schools in the city.

But then, parents of prospective students, who may be keen to apply under these two categories, are likely to face one major hurdle,a non-refundable high registration fee.

“My child is enrolled with a local NGO. We were told that the government had framed some rule so that he could study with children belonging to normal middle-class families. The school will sell forms from next week, but has in advance refused to register us for free, saying there is no such scheme,” said Reema Devi, a daily wage worker residing at Maloya.

“We are already running special classes for poor children, but obviously, cannot allocate 15 or 25 seats out of a hundred for free. Assigning a quota for students under the EWS has been debated for long, but nothing concrete has been done so far. As far as the RTE is concerned, what can we do without a notification? I cannot sell 25 per cent of the forms free of cost,” said the principal of a school affiliated to the Independent Schools Association.

Prior to the RTE, the UT had asked private schools to introduce a mandatory 15 per cent quota for EWS students in all classes.

While most schools initially refused to abide by this clause, they finally agreed to reserve a few seats, on the condition that the UT administration identify and enlist deserving candidates.

Though repeated warnings had been issued to schools, reservation still continued to be a non-starter in the absence of any such list.

Chandigarh, November 9
A local court today remanded all 13 students arrested for rioting and assaulting five policemen during a clash at Panjab University yesterday to judicial custody.The police said raids were being conducted to arrest the other four accused, Simran Dhillon, Udey Wirring, Harpeet Johal and Gurbvir Singh Dhillon, who were still at large.

The SHO of the Sector 11 police station said raids were being conducted at the suspected hideouts of the wanted.

The accused arrested in the case, Sukhjit Singh Brar, Resham Singh, Ravinder Singh, Mandeep Singh, Munish Kumar, Gurjot Singh, Harjit Singh, Ranjot, Jagpreet, Karampreet, Vikramjeet, Gurwinder Singh Aulakh and Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, had been sent to the Burail jail.

Mohali, November 9
Shivalik Public School, Mohali, celebrated the annual prize distribution function, wherein students presented a spectacular show today.As many as 170 students enthralled audience with their mesmerising performances. Justice Mahesh Grover of the Punjab and Haryana High Court presided over the function. The chief guest was given the guard of honour by NCC cadets.

The senior students of the school presented a cultural extravaganza of different states of India, which left the audience awestruck.

A play, “Brainy Hospital”, juxtaposing the declining social ethics was also enacted by the students. Bhangra and a dance performance on RD Burman songs stole the show.

An art and craft exhibition was also organised on the occasion. The chief guest gave away the prizes to the prodigies for their academic achievements and all-round excellences. He appreciated the participants and congratulated the winners.

Mohali, November 9
A 20-year-old youth died of cardiac arrest while undergoing a physical test during an ongoing recruitment drive of the Punjab Police at Government College, Phase VI, here today.A class-XII pass out, Amrit Pal, the victim, hailed from Surapur village.

The victim collapsed while participating in a 1,600 m race around 8.30 am.He was shifted to the Civil Hospital, Phase VI, here.

Phase I police station SHO Manjit Singh said the body was handed over to the family members of the victim.

Physical tests are being conducted for recruitment of constables in Punjab Police at the local Government College.

Mohali, November 9
A day after the removal of Sukhwinder Kaur Saroya from the post of Controller of Examination of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), the appointment of a joint secretary in the board has now come under the scanner. At the last meeting of board members of the PSEB, during which the issue of the Controller of Examination was raised, the criterion adopted by the board while promoting an assistant secretary as joint secretary was questioned.

The issue of reserving one of the posts of joint secretaries for a reserved category candidate was also raised.

Sources said the board members objected to the appointment of the joint secretary when an agenda item on regularising his appointment was placed for approval at the meeting. Board Chairman Dr Dalbir Singh Dhillon had promoted the joint secretary for a period of six months. After six months, the appointment had to be vetted by the board members.

Chandigarh, November 9
Six years after their last pay revision, the Chandigarh municipal corporation councillors have proposed doubling of their monthly honorarium with an across-the-board Rs 5,000 hike. The proposal envisages all councillors being paid Rs 10,000, up 100 per cent from the current monthly honorarium of Rs 5,000.

However, for the Mayor, the hike will be 50 per cent, up from the current Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.

As per MC records, the monthly honorarium of councillors and the Mayor has been revised twice since the civic body was formed 14 years ago in 1996.

Mayor Anu Chatrath proposed the hike at a UT administration-MC coordination committee meeting chaired by UT Adviser Pardip Mehra here today. Chatrath pointed out that the Punjab government had recently approved a monthly salary hike of councillors from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 and an increase in the monthly telephone allowance from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000.

Mehra asked the Mayor to get the agenda approved from the general house of the MC and submit it to the UT administration for consideration.

During a House meeting held in August, nominated councillor Pam Rajput had, while observing that there had been a 300 per cent increase in the salaries of Members of Parliament, proposed that the honorarium for councillors be similarly hiked. A majority of councillors supported her move and remarked that the agenda of the revised monthly honorarium be tabled in the House, as they were only being paid a nominal amount.

In 1996, when the municipal corporation was constituted, the monthly honorarium for councillors was fixed at Rs 1,000 per month and that of the Mayor at Rs 2,000 per month.

However, the monthly honorarium was revised to Rs 2,000 for councillors and Rs 3,000 for Mayor to bring it on a par with what their counterparts in Punjab were getting since the Chandigarh MC followed the Punjab Act.

Then again in 2004, when the Punjab government revised the monthly honorarium of their councillors, the Chandigarh MC hiked the honorarium to Rs 5,000 for councillors and Rs 10,000 for the Mayor.

Chandigarh, November 9
Jails in Burail and Patiala provided platform to dacoits, who were arrested while allegedly planning to rob a chemist shop in the city on Sunday night, to form a gang.Sources in the crime branch said the accused during interrogation said they had come in contact with each other in Burail and Patiala jails.

They managed to procure country-made pistols through an inmate lodged at the Patiala jail in connection with a murder case, who further introduced them to an Uttar Pradesh resident.

Inspector Charanjit Singh, in-charge of the crime branch of the Chandigarh police, said Bhupinder Kumar, a resident of Samana, Patiala district, was released from jail on May 29. Similarly, Parminder, a resident of Kajheri, met Suresh, a resident of Sector 52, in Burail Jail.

Parminder was released on August 4 and they formed a gang. They joined hands with an auto-rickshaw driver Anil, a co-accused in the case, and used his vehicle to rob people.

Bhupinder, who is a drug-addict, told the police that he developed friendship with Ajju, a murder convict, in Patiala jail.

Ajju gave him the telephone number of Babbu, saying the latter would provide country-made pistols to him. Bhupinder contacted Babbu after being released from jail, who called him to Bareily.

Babbu charged Rs 8,500 for providing him with country-made pistols.

Sources further said the police investigation into the source of the illegal pistols had hit a dead end with Bhupinder claiming that he had lost the telephone number of Babbu and he did not know his address.

Meanwhile, the police today produced all four accused — Bhupinder, Suresh, Parminder and Anil — in a local court.

Parminder and Bhupinder were remanded in police custody till November 12, while the other two were remanded in judicial custody.

The police had arrested Bhupinder and Parminder with two country-made pistols, and Suresh and Anil with knives.

Charanjit Singh said the accused had admitted to having committed five snatchings and robberies in Mohali and Chandigarh, but the incidents had gone unreported.

The police has so far recovered five mobile phones from the accused and their further interrogation was under way.

The police is yet to arrest their fifth accomplice, Alok Kumar, who managed to give the police team the slip during a raid in a Dhanas jungle on Sunday night following a tip-off.

Panchkula, November 9
The number of matrimonial disputes has been steadily increasing in this district with unions arranged through the Net accounting for most of them. According to data available, 293 cases of discord were reported till October 31, 2010 as compared to 312 cases in 2009 in the women’s cell of the local police department.

Concealment of information by both boys and girls was the major factor in the complaints filed with the police by the affected parties.

Children of top administration officials and from upper middle class families have not remained unaffected by such disputes though most of them preferred to withdraw their complaints fearing social stigma. However, only 28 complaints were withdrawn by members of “influential” families this year as compared to 46 in 2009.

Even though in 115 cases both sides decided to patch up to avoid any legal action, this year the number of such cases has declined to 56. Similarly, 66 matrimonial disputes were resolved through mutual understanding while only 39 cases have been resolved till now.

However, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of cases involving domestic violence against women.

This year only four such cases were reported as compared to 14 last year. Similarly the number of cases registered by the police under sections 107 & 151 of the IPC has also fallen with only one such case filed till now as compared to two last year.

Manjir Kaur, in charge of the police women’s cell, told The Tribune: “We first try to get the girl’s and boy’s families to patch up so as to save the marriages. Sometimes we have to use pressure tactics to persuade the family members to avoid taking any legal action”.

Kaur said some people were now filing false cases to blackmail the other side.

“At least 116 families who had approached the women’s cell, didn’t provide any documents concerning their matrimonial disputes. Last year the number of such cases was only 56”, she informed.

Chandigarh, November 9
UT Inspector General of Police PK Srivastva today said there was a need to improve the intelligence gathering network and beat system to enhance policing in the city.The IGP said this during a police-public interface on “Making Chandigarh safe and secure” organised by the Rotary International in association with the Chandigarh Police at PHD House in Sector 31 here.

The IGP was speaking during a panel discussion organised to make city police better.

“The record of every individual involved in crime needs to be there in his area police station. The police should have record of all such persons from the point they are released from the jail and the record should be updated regularly. A beat officer should have record of every individual living in his area,” the IGP said.

Terming the beat system “bedrock” of basic policing in preventing crime, the IGP said they were planning to revive the old system of beat patrolling and yield results within six months.

The participants raised issues of misuse of red beacons and ruckus created by VIP brats, who often managed to dodge the law in the city.

Besides, suggestions were given on strengthening the co-ordination system among the police of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula.

UT SSP Naunihal Singh said the police had introduced a feedback system recently.

“The step has started yielding results, as calls to the police control room have doubled after its introduction. We have directed the force to go to each complainant. Teams have been formed and they call up complainants to know how they have been treated by policemen.”

“The increased number of calls shows people are feeling free to call up the police when they are in need. Besides, we have issued directions to register every complaint and take it to its logical end,” the SSP added.

Panchkula, November 9
As many as 160 scouts and guides participated in the flag day celebrations organised at Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Chandi Mandir Cantt, to mark the Scouts and Guides Movement Day.

The function began with the welcome song followed by a prayer. The scouts of the school presented an impressive pyramid display.

Addressing the scouts after hoisting the flag, principal Bhupinder Kaur emphasised upon the motto of the movement “Be Prepared” i.e. to face the greatest tribulations with positive energy and strength.

She pointed out that the scouts and guides were expected to be mentally and physically strong with total dedication towards selfless service to society. It is the duty of scouts and guides to be helpful in case of any untoward incident, disaster, accident or earthquake, besides propagating the methods of leading eco-friendly lives, she added.

Panchkula, November 9
The British Council in India would start vocation education and training for vulnerable and marginalised groups in Sirsa and Sitapur districts.Stating this to the media here today, Alison Barrette, head state partnership British Council, said the council in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries and City and Guilds, UK, would start the programme in two rural districts.

He said the project would focus on skills development in the sectors of agro-processing, manufacturing and tourism to increase employment opportunities.

Barrette said the main aim of the project was to provide employability to 10,500 youth through delivery of English skills, provide training to 60 teachers, impart skills training to about 1,500 students across the manufacturing and agro-process and tourism sectors.

He said a five-day residential teacher-training programme was being organised to train 50 teachers from Sirsa in the first phase. He said training was an integral part of the project and trained teachers would be instrumental in delivering the learner model in their respective institutions. A selected group of 10-15 top-level decision makers from the Ministry of Labour, state, district administration and principals of polytechnics of Sirsa would be a part of the five-day workshop.

Panchkula, November 9
Deputy commissioner Ashima Brar has convened a meeting of all councillors tomorrow to familiarize them about a 20-day special campaign for revision of electoral rolls, which is scheduled to begin in the district on November 10.

Election department officials said today the councillors would be urged to ensure all young eligible voters got themselves enrolled in the voters’ lists in their respective wards. “Any eligible voter can add, delete or get changes made in the voters’ lists during the campaign”, they added.

The officials further said a special focus of the drive would be on young people as it had been observed not all eligible youths had been enrolled in the voters’ lists. “Hence a separate set of officials will be visiting local colleges to create awareness among students in this regard”, they added.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s meeting will also give the councillors the recognition of their status, which had been removed on March 17 after the Haryana government issued a notification pertaining to the formation of the municipal corporation in Panchkula.

It would be after eight months that all of them will meet as councillors again.

Chandigarh, November 9
In a desperate bid to retain its sliding base of landline subscribers and make its services “competitive” to the low tariff being offered by mobile companies, state-owned telecom company BSNL is set to implement a new billing system, call detail record (CDR), that will enable it to offer cheaper rates on usage on per second basis.

BSNL landline subscribers are currently paying anything between 80 paise and Rs 1.20 (according to their plans) for every 180 seconds (one unit) even for a call of lesser duration.

In contrast, mobile companies are offering rates on per seconds basis, wherein subscribers pay for only the time of usage.

Elaborating on the benefits of the new technology, DGM Churchil Singhal said after the implementation of the CDR system, landline customers would pay their bills for the actual duration instead of the number of units of calls made.

In other words, cost of calls will come down drastically, particularly for those users who talk for brief durations.

He said, henceforth, instead of calculating a subscriber’s bill in terms of number of calls made, the calculations will be on the actual duration of the usage.

“The total duration of calls made in a billing cycle (monthly) will be divided by 180 seconds (for local calls to landline phones) and the charges calculated according to the pulse rate,” he said.

However, for the implementation, all commercial activities, including booking of new landline connections, broadband services and shifting of telephone, were being suspended for five days from November 10 to 14 in the tricity.

Talking to The Tribune, Naresh Sharma, general manager telecom, Chandigarh, said: “Due to technical reasons, we had to take this decision, which will eventually benefit subscribers.” He said BSNL landline customers would get bills for both the billing cycles in advance.

Chandigarh, November 9
The visiting Singapore delegation of Yishun Secondary School visited GMSSS, Sector 35, and DAV Model School, Sector 15, as a part of the educational exchange programme today.The delegates visited the school labs, classrooms, library and computer labs. An interactive session was also held with the students of the respective schools.

The teachers from Singapore demonstrated their innovative methods of teaching mathematics to the teachers and students of GMSSS-35.

Sivaprakasam from Singapore demonstrated their method of online teaching through the website, Hey Maths, followed by Phua Kok, who demonstrated lessons on additional maths for the children between the age group of 15-16 years.

Lessons for self-learning, video lessons, interactive labs and progressive mastery programme were also demonstrated.

Chandigarh, November 9
The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) protested against commercialisation of education in PU today. A rally comprising 200 students was organised from the student centre to Vice-Chancellor office where a memorandum was submitted to him.

It highlighted the issues like fee hike and launching of several self financed courses.

The delegation also expressed concern over ongoing staff crunch where PU is recruiting guest or contractual teachers rather than permanent faculty members.