Gurdaspur, January 22
The Gurdaspur-based Food Corporation of Indian (FCI) authorities have urged the Ferozepur Divisional Railway officials to replace the BCNHL rakes as they were more susceptible to pilferage of food stocks.

It is pertinent to mention here that BCNHL rakes (each rake comprises 58 wagons), being used at present by the Railways to transport food grains across the country, could not be parked either at the goods sheds or the platforms due to which the FCI authorities find it difficult to load and unload foodgrains.

Moreover, the inherent structure of these rakes is such that there is a wide gap between the doors and floors leaving enough room for pilferage by unscrupulous elements.

Gurdaspur area manager, FCI, Nahar Singh claimed that the BCNHL rakes were primarily used for the transportation of fertilisers and not for carrying foodgrains.

He said for the smooth transportation of foodgrains, the FCI was in favour of the Railways providing them with either BCN or BCXT rakes. Nahar Singh said these rakes were watertight and were not vulnerable to pilferage.

“Unlike BCNHL rakes, the doors of BCN and BCXT rakes can be easily closed to ensure that nobody could steal food grains,” claimed Nahar Singh.

The problem of pilferage through BCNHL rakes is not only confined to this district. Nahar Singh claimed that whenever pilferage occurs, it is taken as transit loss, for which the FCI authorities are hauled up and financial losses are then recovered from the employees.

“My staff is often hauled up for no fault of theirs. Moreover, we have to suffer immense mental agony and anguish. We have already paid Rs 1.5 lakh to the Railways recently when we refused to load food grains on the defective rakes,” said the area manager.

The Railways recently placed the contentious BCNHL rakes at a far-off place in Batala railway station because it could not be accommodated at the railway goods shed. Following this, the FCI authorities had a tough time in loading and unloading food grains.

Nahar Singh said he had brought the problem of defective BCNHL rakes to the Ferozepur Divisional Railway authorities but to no avail. In a letter written to the Ferozepur division authorities, Nahar Singh said, “Pilferage of food grains owing to the use of BCNHL rakes is a national loss. If any Railway Transit Loss (RTL) owing to the use of these rakes is reported we should not be held responsible.”

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Chowdhury Rajbir said he would also be taking up the matter with the Chairman, Railway Board, since the FCI officials.

Jalandhar, January 22
After a series of protests by RTI activists demanding action against illegal colonisers, the Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) sounded warnings to unauthorised developers and general public on its website.

The JDA website said, “The persons who construct houses and buildings in unauthorised colonies may face difficulties in getting electricity, water and sewerage connections. The general public is cautioned not to waste their hard-earned money by purchasing plots in these unauthorised colonies and is advised to buy plots only in approved colonies that had all facilities.”

Through the warning, which is being flashed in Punjabi and English languages, the Additional Chief Administrator JDA mentioned that there were 86 approved colonies, the details of which could be seen on www.jda.org.in. The site mentions the names of the colonies, areas in which they are located, names of promoters and license numbers.

The JDA also claimed to have got registered as many as 189 FIRs with the police and 108 criminal complaints in various courts. It has further warned the illegal colonisers claiming, “Those found promoting unauthorised colonies are liable to be punished to three-year imprisonment or a fine of Rs 10,000 or both under Section 36 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act.”

Meanwhile, in a recent notification issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, it has been mentioned that the competent authority under the Act within the Municipal Corporation limits of five cities is the MC Commissioner. The notification mentions that the competent authority in various nagar council limits, nagar panchayat limits and notified area committee limits will be the respective regional deputy director of the local government department.

However, the illegal colonisers and property dealers in the city failed to budge despite all warnings.

Newer colonies are being carved around Reru Chowk, Pholariwal village and Basti Peer Dad areas in full swing. People are being offered rates as low as Rs 1.5 to Rs 3 lakh per marla depending on the location, it was observed. 

Phagwara, January 22
Members of the Indian Medical Association observed ‘Protest Day’ against the indifferent policies of the government here today.

Wearing black badges, doctors hold a protest rally and submitted a detailed memorandum to local Tehsildar Harminder Singh to forward it to the Prime Minister for sympathetic considerations.

Addressing the rally, IMA members condemned the dissolution of Medical Council of India and demanded restoration of MCI to its original character and form.

They demanded single window for all legislations on a hospital and to provide facility of online registration and accreditation process. They said every clinic and hospital had to renew its license once in three years.

Nawanshahr: The district unit of the Indian Medical Association today submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh to protest against the policies of the Central Government.

“The Centre is bent upon to introduce a three-and-half-year Bachelor of Rural Healthcare Course (BHRC) to serve the country’s hinterlands,” said the IMA district unit president Dr Neelam Saini, adding that the proposed move would prove counterproductive as it would produce ‘half-baked’ doctors, ultimately providing inferior healthcare services to the rural people. Besides, the IMA also condemned the Centre for dissolving Medical Council of India and the clearance of Clinical Establishment Bill - 2010 by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha without taking the views of the medical fraternity. The Medical Establishment Bill would establish ‘Licence Raj’ and would deprive the common man of the healthcare services, she further said.

Hoshiarpur: Members of the local branch of the IMA staged a gate rally before the residence of the Deputy Commissioner here today to lodge their protest against the proposed Health Regulation Bill recommended by the Punjab Governance Reforms Commission (PGRC) in its 3rd report submitted in December 2010. They wore black badges on their shoulders and observed two-hour strike in this connection. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the DC in this regard.

Jalandhar, January 22
As many as 25 students of New St Soldier Senior Secondary School, located in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, escaped with minor injuries when a private bus, in which they were travelling, overturned here today.

According to eyewitnesses, the bus, carrying the students from school to their homes, overturned after its driver lost control over the steering and rammed it into a road divider. The collision was so forceful that the front wheals were detached.

Passersby and the area residents helped extricate the trapped students after breaking the windowpanes of the vehicle. School principal N.K. Handa said the bus was owned by a private transporter and was hired by the parents of the students.

Sources said the bus was almost two-decade-old and lacked maintenance. A case of negligence was registered against the bus driver, said ASI Veer Singh, the investigating officer.