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Civil Hospital fails to cope with rush
Staff crunch plagues gynaecology dept
No dengue threat in city: Health dept
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Narrow escape for schoolchildren
Sweets turn sour, ‘namkins’ selling like hot cakes
Talks start on positive note
Clean India Yathra to save environment
Manav Public School wins Limca Book of Records Quiz
Diploma engineers hold protest outside DC’s office
1 held with 2 kg of charas
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Civil Hospital fails to cope with rush
Amritsar, October 18 Patients advised by doctors to undergo one or other diagnostic tests are the most vulnerable as they have to stand in long queues two times - first for the registration and then again for depositing fees for tests at cash counter. Satnam Singh, a patient said: “Most of the doctors advise patients to take complete rest, but here they are made to stand in queues. Standing when one is not feeling well is not an easy thing.” A few tired patients were seen sitting on the floor waiting for their turn to deposit money at cash counters. Patients and their attendants said the number of counters dealing with public should be increased so that the patients do not suffer. At present, there are only two registration counters and one cash counter in the hospital. The patients who had to stand in long queues had no respite when they reached the OPD section. The availability of seats outside the OPD was much less than the number of patients. Most of the patients who could not find seats were either standing or sitting on the floor. Among others those sitting on floor included expecting women, who had come to the hospital for ultrasound. The scene inside the OPDs looked more of a fish market as in the process of pushing each other for an early examination, the patients had surrounded the doctors. A doctor said: “Patients have their problem and we have our own. A doctor needs a calm and peaceful environment to listen to a patient. But here, patients have crowded each and every OPD.” When contacted, Senior Medical Officer Dr Balbir Singh Dhillon said: “We have already written to the district health authorities that the number of registration and cash counters be increased in view of the heavy rush.” Talking about the problem of insufficient seating arrangement for patients, Dr Dhillon said there was no room for extra seating arrangements outside
OPDs. |
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Staff crunch plagues gynaecology dept
Amritsar, October 18 There are only three gynaecologists in the hospital and each one of them has to help in at least nine childbirths every day due to the heavy rush of expecting women in the hospital. The department is helping in 550 childbirths on an average every month. In September, 524 deliveries were performed in the hospital. Of the 25-30 pregnant women who turn up at the gynaecology department daily, at least 10 per cent of the deliveries involve one or the other complication, said health workers at the department. A worker at the department said: “With each doctor helping in eight or nine deliveries daily, including one or two complicated cases, the staff is overburdened. Though we cannot say no to any patient, but still measures need to be taken to reduce the work load.” Apart from helping in childbirths, the staff has to examine pregnant women coming to hospital for routine check-up. Another employee said: “The district has five satellite hospitals to reduce the rush of expecting women to hospitals in the city. However, as four of these satellite hospitals are not competent to conduct caesarean operations, people prefer the Civil Hospital.” The workers demanded that caesarean section should be introduced at all satellite hospitals to unburden doctors at the hospital. When contacted, Senior Medical Officer Dr Balbir Singh Dhillon said: “It is true that the staff is overburdened. We hope that new workers would be inducted in the department so that the workload on the existing workers is reduced.” Civil Surgeon Dr Avtar Singh Jarewal said: “The department has a proposal to upgrade two of the satellite hospitals in the first phase to reduce the rush of pregnant women at the Civil Hospital. The others would be upgraded in the second phase.” |
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No dengue threat in city: Health dept
Civil Surgeon Dr Avtar Singh Jarewal said: “Last month, the medical tests had confirmed only two cases of dengue in the district. After that there has been no confirmed dengue case.” He said the two dengue patients were discharged after they recovered from the disease. The Civil Surgeon said private hospitals in city have been asked to report any suspected case of dengue coming to them. The private hospitals so far have been refraining from reporting the suspected dengue cases. The hospitals have also been asked to speak about the dengue patients only after the test reports confirmed about the disease, he said. Talking about the patient who had died at Ranjit Hospital in the Putlighar area yesterday, Jarewal said, “The investigation conducted by the department had revealed that the patient who died was not suffering from dengue.” He added that the patient was suffering from some heart ailment. He added that dengue tests have been conducted on at least 50 suspected dengue patients. The reports of all except two had been negative, he said. Dr Jarewal said: “We are still awaiting reports of around 25 suspected cases. People are advised not to create a panic and visit government medical institutions to get the tests conducted.” |
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Narrow escape for schoolchildren
Amritsar, October 18 The bus attached with Millenium School here was being driven by Sukhdev Singh and was on its way to drop children home after school. As the bus reached near the Khalsa College gate on the GT Road, the driver lost control over the vehicle while saving a motorcycle and rammed into the boundary wall of a house. After breaking the boundary wall, the bus rammed into two trees in the lawn of the hosue. The matter was immediately brought to the notice of the school authorities who intimated the
parents of the children. The owner of the house, Manjit Singh Sarkaria, superintendent with Khalsa College, Amritsar, intimated the Kabir Park police post. The owner of the bus, Sandeep, claimed that only three children and a teacher were boarding the bus when incident took place. However, the in charge of the Kabir Park police post, Kuldeep Singh, certified that 16 children and a teacher were in the bus at the time of the accident. No case has been registered as the matter was resolved when the bus owner agreed to bear the damage to the property. The in charge of the police post said: “We have sent the driver of the bus for medical examination.” |
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Sweets turn sour, ‘namkins’ selling like hot cakes
Amritsar, October 18 These sweet meat shops now display ‘namkin’ eatables at par with sweets to attract customers. Apart from eating habits, there are many other factors contributing to the change. These minor changes are perceptible following a visit to various shops in the market specially decorated tastefully ahead of the festival of lights in the holy city, known for its spectacular Diwali. One of the renowned sweets shop in the city, which has its chain of stores even outside the state, has floated a brand of ‘namkin’ in price range of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, and Rs 36. Owner of these stores Sushil Bansal said his company had also introduced composite containers containing different ‘namkins’. It has also introduced packed banana chips. He said his family had been in the sweetmeat business for decades and the new eatables were introduced keeping in view contemporary need and demand. Even as rise in prices of key articles used in Diwali has burnt a hole in people’s pockets, it hasn’t dampened their festival spirit as they have evolved different ways to celebrate the occasion. Anil Kumar, running a sweets shop in the walled city, said keeping in view the change in trend, he had started preparing a range of “namkin” items along with sweets. He said “namkin” items included mathi, saviyan, samosa mathi and muttar. He said all these items were prepared in vegetable oil were available in the price range of Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kg while the same in pure ghee could be bought at Rs 200 and above. Mohan Lal Mahajan said constant rise in inflation of all articles in general and of essential commodities in particular have transformed the approach of people towards shopping. However, when it comes to shopping ahead of festival, especially mandatory shopping like buying of sweets, the change was in respect of procuring a variety in the same budget. A senior citizen, Naresh Kumar, said his family had the minimised purchase of sweets made from khoya. He said the change was due to suspected adulteration in khoya. He said a number of adulteration cases in sweets items made from khoya had eroded their faith and as a preventive measure, his family had avoided purchasing sweet meats
made from it. Another reason of the trend of buying “namkin” items was their shelf life. Prerna Ahuja, a housewife, said that sweets had less shelf life. On the other hand, “namkins” could be stored for a greater length of time. They could be consumed any hour of the day along with or without tea. She said besides there was hardly much difference between the prices. However, there are a few exceptions who want to stick with tradition and sweetmeats. Amitesh Singh, proprietor of a famous sweets shop on the Lawrence Road, said some packed “namkins” of national brands had been introduced, but their main strength was sweets. He added that for quality, people preferred to buy their products even if made from
khoya. |
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Talks start on positive note
Amritsar, October 18 From the teachers’ side, it was the president and the secretary of GNDU Teachers’ Association who apprised VC AS Brar about the teachers’ viewpoint. President Dr Balwinder Singh said: “Various demands which have been the bone of contention in the entire struggle were analysed and discussed thoroughly. The meeting saw agreement on certain issues while divergence of opinions also prevailed on other matters. We are determined to take the movement to a healthy conclusion and with this intent parted for the day to meet again tomorrow with fresh minds and positive intentions,” he said. VC AS Brar said that except for those matters which do not come under his purview, he was ready to negotiate. “About the selection procedure of teachers’ promotions, no one, including me, have the right to amend it because it was the decision of the selection committee. Still, it can be referred to the UGC to seek its opinion. Whatever would be the UGC’s guidelines over it, I can assure, that it would be implemented,” he said. The VC also showed lenient view in other key issues like dismissal of senior professor of Commerce and Business Management GS Bhalla and removal of Dr Balwinder Singh as head of the department. “If the teachers’ association gives me in writing, I can reconsider both the cases. I can say that till the next syndicate meet, there would be no move from our side. Whatever would be the upcoming syndicate meeting’s decision, it would be acceptable to me. About Balwinder Singh’s headship case, I am ready to reinstate him as head of the department, subject to the condition that he would face the inquiry to be conducted against him, over detaining students, in a transparent manner,” he said. Meanwhile, the protest of the teachers entered the 15th day today with the prominent number of faculty members continuing with the two-hour dharna in front of the VC office. President Dr Balwinder Singh informed the colleagues about the frantic efforts and attempts for talks being made to take the struggle to a quick and logical conclusion. |
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Clean India Yathra to save environment
Amritsar, October 18 Being jointly organised by Labour India Public School, the Youth India, the World Malayalee Council and the Green Kerala Foundation, the campaign to spread awareness to save the environment started from Srinagar on October 16. The 24-member delegation, including 11 students of Labour India Public School, Kerala, were welcomed by Father Roby and Sister Rita, director and principal of St Francis School, respectively, along with staff members and students of the school. Students of St Thomas Convent School, Rajasansi, Sacred Heart Convent School, Majitha, Sri Guru Harkrishan School, Basant Avenue, and St Patrick Convent School, Nai Abadi, handed over waste plastic bottles to the delegates. Leader of the delegation, World Malayalee Council chairman George Kulangara said the delegates had been spreading the message to change their approach towards plastic bottles. He said: “Instead of use and throw, we should use, collect and recycle.”He said plastic used in these bottles came from petroleum products and could be converted into granules and then again in diesel and petrol. He said the technology was available within the technology. He stated that all these bottles would be taken to recycling plants. The campaign will conclude at Kanyakumari on November 7. |
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Manav Public School wins Limca Book of Records Quiz
Amritsar, October 18 The winning students would now be among the 80 schools to compete in the semifinals. Students of DAV Public School were declared runners-up. Around 246 students from 41 schools participated from the city of which six schools competed in the finals. Those schools which competed in the finals included DAV International School, Manav Public School, DAV Public School, Shri Ram Ashram Public School, Springdale Senior Secondary School and Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School. General manager, franchise operations, Coca-Cola India, Amritsar region, Sanjeev Sharma felicitated the winning team. He said this year, the quiz was being organised in more than 3,500 schools. — TNS |
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Diploma engineers hold protest outside DC’s office
Amritsar, October 18 The engineers would be continuing their protest outside the DC office till October 20. President of the council Manjinder Singh said: “The diploma engineers had demanded a grade pay of Rs 5,000 but the state government is giving them just Rs 2,500.” He said that as the JBT teachers are given a grade pay of Rs 4,200, the engineers who are pivotal role in development of the state should be given a higher grade. The council president informed that the junior engineers and assistant engineers in the department of PWD (B&R), irrigation, public health, panchayati raj, mandi board and municipal corporation have proceeded on mass causal leave from October 18 to 21 in protest. |
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1 held with 2 kg of charas
Amritsar, October 18 Motorcycle recovered
The Sultanwind police has recovered a Hero Honda motorcycle from a person. The accused has been identified as Niyaz. After investigation, it was revealed that he stole the motorcycle from near Baba Deep Singh Shaheedan Sahib gurdwara on August 24. |
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Amritsar, October 18
Amritsar, October 18
Amritsar, October 18
Amritsar, October 18
Amritsar, October 18