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Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 20
Radio waves will soon carry the message of security, love and compassion for the runaway couples.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the states of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to give widespread publicity to the shelter homes for the runaway couples through the FM channels.

The Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Surya Kant asserted: “We direct the states of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Union Territory of Chandigarh, to publicise the availability of the shelter homes and the amenities there, so as to enable the runaway couples to secure maximum advantage of the available infrastructure”.

The Bench added: “Such advertisements need not be necessarily restricted to the newspapers, but also made through electronic media, including different FM channels”.

Going into the background, the Bench added: “By the previous order dated October 15, last, the state authorities were directed to give wide publicity of the availability of protection homes for the runaway couples. Some steps have been taken in this regard as evident from affidavits filed on behalf of the two states, as well as the UT”.

The directions to give further publicity through the electronic media came after the Bench was told about the lack of takers for the protection centre or the shelter home in Chandigarh.

The reports filed by the lawyers, appointed to offer free legal counselling to runaway couples, indicated no runaway couple was found despite their numerous visits to the protection home at Sector 19.

Amidst hullabaloo raised by the khap panchayats against those daring couples, the Bench on October 15 last had made it clear that a writ court cannot “abandon its bounded duty to be sentinel of rights of young citizens, who have dared to challenge the rigid social structure”.

The Bench had also attributed the phenomenon to exposure brought about by electronic media. At the same time, it had expressed hope that “obscurantist norms” would break down gradually.

The Tribune was the first one to underscore the issue after Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia took suo-motu cognizance of the matter.

The directions issued so far include granting couples the liberty “to approach the district and sessions judges in Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh for grant of protection”. The state legal services authority has also been roped in for generating awareness.

Mohali, April 20
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered Indus Hospital, Phase III B 2 in Mohali to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to a resident of the area for medical negligence and deficiency in service.

In an order pronounced by BS Mehandiratta, president of the forum, here yesterday, it was stated that if the compensation was not paid within one month from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order, it shall carry interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of institution of the complaint (September 15, 2009) till the date of actual payment. The hospital has also been asked to pay the litigation cost of Rs 5,000.

The forum found that the omission on the part Dr Atul Mahajan of Indus Hospital as well as the hospital to go in for investigation and tests for the detection of dengue fever was a case medical negligence and deficiency in service.

The complainant had requested the forum to direct the hospital and the doctor concerned to pay him compensation for deficient services to the tune of Rs 5.65 lakh.

In his complaint to the forum, Rupinder Singh Aulakh had stated that his father Sewa Singh had fever on October 7, 2008, and he took him to Indus Hospital. Dr Mahajan diagnosed his condition as a case of acute viral fever and prescribed medicines for the same. But despite that, there was no improvement in his condition. He again consulted the doctor on October 11 and his father was again prescribed certain medicines. However, no tests were carried out to find out the type of viral fever Sewa Singh was suffering from.

Aulakh’s said when the condition of his father worsened, he shifted him to Silver Oaks Hospital on October 13. On carrying out tests, it was found that the platelet count in the blood had drastically come down to 8000/cc. On account of delay on the part of the Indus Hospital and Dr Mahajan, transfusion of blood platelets made by Silver Oaks Hospital proved to be fruitless. Sewa Singh died due to negligence and deficiency in service on the part of Dr Mahajan and Indus Hospital.

Dr Mahajan, however, said he had examined, investigated, diagnosed and treated Sewa Singh diligently and prudently with due care as per the prescribed and standard norms of procedure using reasonable skill to the best of his ability. The complaint was itself a gross misconception regarding medical negligence. Indus Hospital was a reputed hospital and was functioning smoothly and successfully under his guidance.

Dr Mahajan pleaded that Sewa Singh was not having any warning symptoms and signs suggestive of any serious disease. His only complaint was of general weakness. On examination, he was febrile and was diagnosed to be a case of acute viral fever and treated accordingly for the same.

However, he lost follow up after October 11. Till that time, he had no symptoms of dengue as per the record. Denying medical negligence or deficiency in service on his part, Dr Mahajan had sought dismissal of the complaint.

Chandigarh, April 20
In an ex-parte order, the UT Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum has directed the administrator of the British Academy to refund Rs 5,500 to a Punjab resident, Rajbir Singh, who had left a course undertaken by the academy midway due to health problems. The forum also ordered the academy to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000.

In his complaint, Rajbir stated that he had joined the two-month English course with British Academy on July 15, 2010. He had paid the course fees of Rs 5,500 in two instalments of Rs 3,000 on July 15 and the remaining Rs 2,500 on July 20, 2010.

However, due to ill health, he had to discontinue the classes after a few days of joining the course. After recovery, when he went to resume the classes, he wasn’t allowed by the academy. Subsequently, he applied for refund of the fees, but the academy did not entertain him. As no one appeared on the behalf of British Academy, the court proceeded ex parte.

The forum passed the order after verifying the affidavits produced by the complainant and directed the academy to refund the course fees of Rs 5,500 with a 9 per cent interest along with a compensation of Rs 5,000 to Rajbir Singh within a month.

Chandigarh, April 20
The UT Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum has directed New India Insurance Company to pay Rs 19,082 to Sunrise Fragrance Pvt Ltd for the loss incurred on insured goods due to heavy rains.

The forum also ordered the insurance company to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 on account of deficiency in service and a litigation cost of Rs 7,000.

The complainant, Sunrise Fragrance Pvt Ltd, said the raw material was insured with the New India Insurance under standard fire and special perils policy from February 2006 to February 2007 and it was damaged on May 31, 2006, due to heavy rains. The complainant lodged a claim of Rs 26,185 with the insurance company.

In its reply, the insurance company admitted the loss, but said that according to the surveyor, the value of the goods was Rs 6,134. They maintained that since the claim amount was less than Rs 10,000 and fell below the “excessive” limit clause, the file was closed as “no claim” and the complainant was intimated in September 2006.

However, the complainant claimed that he had received the letter in September 2008. The forum observed that in the absence of the receipt issued by the postal department, it has not been proved the contention of insurance company of having sent the letter in 2006.

The forum stated that it was apparent that the loss to the extent of Rs 10,000 was not payable on the articles such as bullion, unset precious stones, any curios or works of art. In the present case, the material, which was damaged, is different from the articles mentioned in the aforementioned clause. So, this exclusion clause is not applicable in this case. Thus, the surveyor has arbitrarily applied the excess clause. Thus, the complainant is entitled to a total amount of Rs 19,082 (Rs 12,948 + Rs 6,134) for the loss caused to it, besides, a compensation of Rs 10,000 and a litigation cost of Rs 7,000.

Chandigarh: Four months after a Punjab Police sub-inspector had a narrow escape when a Ford Fiesta car nearly ran over him, the police has arrested the accused, Naveen Kumar, on Wednesday. The accused, a resident of Dabwali in Sirsa district, was on the run since then.

Sub-inspector Harjinder Singh and his wife were returning from Panchkula in their Maruti car in December 2010 when a speeding Ford Fiesta (CH-01AA-0029) hit their vehicle from the rear. When the cop tried to stop the driver, he ran him over under the front wheels of his car. The police said said the accused was standing near Centra Mall, Industrial Area, and he was apprehended following secret information. — TNS

Zirakpur, April 20
Thieves decamped with tyres of two motorcycles from Punjab Modern Complex, Baltana, last night.

Sunil Khurana, a resident of house no. 239, Punjab Modern Complex, stated that when he got up in the morning he found that someone had stolen the rear tyre of his Pulsar motorcycle.

In another case, Rakesh Kumar, a resident of house no. 236 of the same locality, stated that unidentified miscreants had stolen the tyre of his motorcycle also. They had filed complaints with the police. A police official stated they got the complaints and started further investigations.

Chandigarh, April 20
Three LPG cylinders were stolen from a house in Sector 33 today, merely two days after a similar theft was reported in the same locality.

Squadron leader GS Rai (retd), a resident of house number 1567 in Sector 33-D, reported to the police that three cylinders were found missing from his backyard in the morning. The police reached the spot and took footprint samples from the spot.

Only a few days ago, an LCD was stolen from house number 1534 in the same area. A complaint in this regard was lodged by B Boparai at the Sector 34 police station.

“Thefts in the area have become a routine affair and the police has completely failed to check the menace. The thieves managed to sneak in easily by scaling the wall,” said GS Rai. Besides, thefts of manhole covers, cylinders and vehicle have also become common in the posh locality.

Chandigarh, April 20
A fine batting performance by Utkarsh Aggarwal (59 off 48 balls) and his partnership of 82 runs with Lakshaya Rakhra (41 off 53 balls) enabled the Coaching Centre-19 team beat Chandigarh Cricket Association (CCA) XI by 117 runs in a league match of the U-16 APJ League being held at GMSSS-19 grounds here today.

After winning the toss, Coaching Centre elected to bat first and scored 247 runs in 40 overs. Besides Utkarsh and Lakshaya, Shekhar remained unbeaten on 25 runs.

For the CCA team, Lakhwinder was the only bowler who impressed with his bowling figures of three for 34.

Chandigarh, April 20
All-round performance by Parvesh Sharma (47 runs and 3 for 19) helped Chandigarh Red defeat Chandigarh Black by three runs in the Chandigarh Premier League U-14 match held today.

After winning the toss, Chandigarh Red elected to bat and posted a total of 200 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their stipulated 40 overs. Parvesh Sharma (47 in 79 balls), Neeraj Dahiyal (68 in 67 balls) and Rahul (23 in 22 balls) were the main scorers.

For Chandigarh Black, Subham Chand (3 for 25) and Abhishek (2 for 21) were the main wicket takers.

In reply, Chandigarh Black failed to reach the target as they were bundled out for 197 runs with one over to spare. Subham Chand (67 in 67 balls) and Vaibhav Mahajan (53 in 57 balls) were the main scorers.