Bathinda, October 21
"It's shocking and shameful". These were the words of the Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal after checking the functioning of the local Civil Hospital during a surprise visit paid today.

The MP who the ailing patients, especially the suspected or confirmed cases of dengue, was appalled at the way things were in the Civil Hospital.

The MP caught the doctors and health authorities unawares as no one was expecting her visit.

On her arrival, though the Civil Surgeon Dr Iqbal Singh and District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa reached the emergency ward immediately, where she had come to meet the patients, but Harsimrat could not find the senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Satish Goyal. She asked the Civil Surgeon to seek explanation from the SMO about his absence.

However, the SMO reached there after some time. Later, the Civil Surgeon issued a letter to the SMO to explain his position.

Harsimrat, while meeting the dengue patients in the emergency wing of the hospital, expressed her anger at the doctors for not treating the suspected dengue patients properly. She even told them that she was shocked over their attitude towards the patients. The MP also reminded them that they get salaries from the taxes paid by the people to the state exchequer.

She expressed her concern saying why even at 10 am the blood samples of the patients had not been collected. Asking the doctors to get the platelet count in all cases of fever, including the suspected or confirmed cases of dengue, the MP expressed her anxiety asking why the doctors did not administer the platelet rich plasma (PRP) to patients with only 10,000 platelet count. Were they waiting for the health of the patients to deteriorate, she asked?

She also visited the Blood Bank at the Civil Hospital and asked the Blood Transfusion Officer Dr Inderdeep Singh Sra about the number of units of the PRPs issued to the patients admitted to the Civil Hospital.

However, Dr Sra said there was less demand for PRP units from the Civil Hospital as compared to the private doctors. She instructed the Civil Surgeon to make all arrangements for the treatment of dengue patients in a proper manner.

It may be mentioned that Bathinda district ranks second in the total count of dengue cases in Punjab. The district has recorded 373 cases. Ludhiana tops the list of dengue cases while Muktsar ranks third.

When a girl patient complained to Harsimrat that she was not being treated properly, Harsimrat asked the doctor present there about it. The file of the girl was brought

On the file, she was shown as absconding by the doctor on night duty. However, the girl pleaded that she was present in the hospital at night.

The MP asked the Civil Surgeon to take action against the doctor concerned as to why he had shown the girl as absconding.

Harsimrat also said that she had seen several shortcomings in the hospital and she would discuss the issue with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav. 

Bathinda, October 21
As the assembly elections draw near, the welfare societies are making a beeline to register at the office of the General Manager, District Industries Centre, Bathinda. In the last four months, from June to September, the total number of registered welfare societies has been recorded at 84, whereas the count last year for the corresponding period was 69. By October 20, 12 more societies were reported to have been registered. 

In the financial year 2010-11, a total of 222 societies had been registered in the district. But in only six months this year, from April to September, the number of such welfare societies has risen to 132. To form a welfare society, the pre-requisites are a mere Rs 500 and a minimum of seven persons. 

The procedure to get the registration for the association is very easy. Only a forwarding letter in the name of the additional registrar of societies, a resolution and a declaration letter from the president of society is all that is needed to for registration. 

Thereafter, a society gets registered and starts working. Once the society is registered, the GM's office has no authority to monitor their working as no firm procedure has been evolved for their monitoring. 

"The only checking that the GM's office does is to check the memorandum of the association, where the society specifies its aims and objectives, which are always for the good of society. We are not concerned whether they work for the welfare of the people or not," said an employee of the GM's office. 

The General Manager, District Industries Centre, Chaman Lal Bansal said, "Undoubtedly, the trend increases during the election days as politicians tend to distribute funds under various welfare or development schemes. There are a number of societies registered in the region. However, a few names are known to the common man. 

“Also, there is no regular check on their expenditure. But occasionally, some forums are set up by the government to monitor these private societies."

Bathinda, October 21
On Commemoration Day today, the Bathinda police organized a function to commemorate the significant contribution of its martyrs to society, but overlooked the plight of a cancer-stricken widow of one of their martyrs.

Paramjit Kaur from village Jeond lost her husband Jaspal Singh, a home guard jawan on April 12, 1992. Her deaf and mute daughter was born seven months after the death of her father. The girl Prabhjot Kaur is studying in class IX now. 

Struck by cancer, Paramjit lost her father-in-law Baldev Singh, also to cancer four years ago, while her mother-in-law is bed-ridden. The family has no means of livelihood. Her brother-in-law Kamaljit Singh said the family has already sold off its tractor and two buffaloes to meet the expenses of treatment for the cancer. 

"For the last three years, she has been coming to the commemoration day, seeking monetary help for her daughter's future. All her pleas have fallen on deaf ears. What is the use of remembering the martyrs when you treat their wives and children like this," said her brother-in-law Kamaljit Singh.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said that as per the legal provisions, nothing could be done for the widows of the home guards. "Still, we are looking into the possibility of some NGO funding her. I have called her to my office on Monday and will surely help her out," he claimed.

Meanwhile, IG, Bathinda zone, Nirmal Singh Dhillon was the chief guest at the function. He said that the police Commemoration Day is observed in the memory of bravehearts who laid down their lives on October 21, 1959, while fighting against the Chinese army at Hot Spring, Ladakh.

He added that from 1984 till 1993, three sub-inspectors, six assistant sub-inspectors, six head constables, 24 constables, seven special police officers (SPO) and 12 home guard jawans have lost their lives fighting against terrorism in the state.

The IG presented mementoes to the family members of the martyrs. A police contingent paid homage by reversing arms and observed a two-minute silence. 

Bathinda, October 21
Two youngsters were brutally murdered in the wee hours today in a gang war marked by gunshots and wielding of sharp-edged weapons in the Bhagta area. The deceased have been identified as 24-year-old Deepak Chawla from Bhagta and Kamal Kumar alias Waheguru from Faridkot. SHO Kulwant Singh said the deceased were involved in a number of criminal cases.

Last year, Deepak Chawla was kidnapped from near Bajakhana and released at Bhagta by the same gang that killed him today. The accused have been identified as Deepa and his brother Pawan Kumar, both from the Bhagta area.

Police officials said that both the factions were at loggerheads since long. Due to this, a member of Deepa's gang was undergoing trial and was lodged in the Bathinda jail. Both the parties reached a compromise. Deepak's gang members had promised Rs 1.70 lakh for perjury in court, police said. 

Deepa had called Deepak to take Rs 1.70 lakh to a house on Aklia Road in Bhagta. They had drinks and then suddenly, one of the accused fired a shot at Deepak. "Deepak was killed using sharp-edged weapons," the SHO said. A case has been registered against Deepa and his son Pawan Kumar. --- TNS

Bathinda, October 21
Employees working under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) today gheraoed the motorcade of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on the premises of the Civil Hospital here while she was returning after paying a surprise visit there.

The protesters led by Narinder Kumar, the zonal president of the NRHM Employees Association, blocked the way of the motorcade near the main gate of the hospital till Harsimrat heard their grievances and demands. Slogans like 'Punjab Sarkar Murdabad, Nanhi Chhaan Murdabad', rented the air. Even as the police tried to push the protesters away, they remained adamant and continued sloganeering.

The MP remained inside her vehicle for some time. Later, she alighted and heard the protesters. However, she expressed her anger over the slogans raised by them. She said in such conditions, neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister or she would hear them.

She assured them that as they were employees of the NRHM, a Central government scheme, she would present their case in the Parliament. She told them that the state government could not regularise their services. She asked the protesters to meet the Deputy Commissioner and submit a letter seeking time from the CM for holding talks about their demand.

The protesters also submitted a memorandum enlisting their demands to Harsimrat to forward the same to the state government.

The NRHM employees have been observing strike in support of their demand for the past 19 days.

They also staged a dharna in front of the Blood Bank at the hospital today.

Narinder Kumar said if the state government did not accept their demand, they would ghrerao the SAD-BJP ministers.

Bathinda, October 21
The students from the department of architecture, Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology (GZSCET), bagged the second and the third prizes in the International Architectural Design Competition concluded recently during the Young Architects Festival- YAF 2011 held at Chandigarh.

Pakistan won the top prize. The Indian Institute of Architects, Chandigarh- Punjab Chapter, had organised the fest.

Students who brought laurels to the college included Himanshu Gupta, Nikita Arora, Pranita Shandilya, Anand Jha and Udit Sharma. Students of the department also won four of the five prizes in a quiz competition.

Faculty guides of the team were Ranjeet Kaur and Ripu Daman Singh while faculty coordinators of the YAF event were Dr Prabhjot Kaur and Prof Bhupinder Pal Singh.

Principal Dr Jasbir S Hundal congratulated the students and encouraged them to participate in such competitions in future also.

Bathinda, October 21
The Government School Lecturers' Union has decided to hold a token flag march in Lambi, the constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, on October 23.

Addressing mediapersons at the Teachers' Home here today, the president of the union, Hakam Singh, said they would go around the area to make known to the residents the reason of their protest. He added that later on October 30, they would get together at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali and hold a protest rally.

General secretary of the union Sukhdev Singh Rana said the principal secretary to the CM, Darbara Singh Guru, had not been allowing fulfillment of their demands, which the government had agreed to.

Their demands include Rs 6,600 as grade pay for lecturers, promotion of lecturers to fill 90 per cent of the posts of principal, inclusion of vocational lecturers in seniority lists, provide for direct recruitment of 25 per cent staff and filling the vacant posts of guidance councillors. Appreciating the move of the government to grant Rs 5,000 as grade pay to master cadre, the union demanded that the grade pay of lecturers should also be fixed at Rs 6,600.