Bathinda, October 28
Strange but true! The 50-bed Women and Children Hospital, situated on the premises of the Civil Hospital here, remains without a single doctor on its premises from 3 pm, which is the closing time of the hospital to 9 am, when the hospital opens, daily.

However, in case of an emergency, the doctors working there visit the hospital on call, though there should be at least one doctor present on duty during that period, from 3 pm to 9 am, as a matter of routine, in the hospital.

Besides, the hospital also does not have any vehicle to fetch any lady doctor from home in case of an emergency. A staff member of the hospital has to call the driver along with the vehicle from the Civil Hospital to bring the lady doctor from home.

It is also learnt that sometimes, the lone staff nurse on duty has to oversee more than five deliveries during her shift duty, besides other work.

According to information available, there are four women gynaecologists and a woman medical officer (MO), besides two child specialists, in the Women and Children Hospital here.

Of the four gynaecologists, one performs duty here only for three days while for the remaining three days, she works in any other government hospital in the district.

Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of the Women and Children Hospital Dr BS Gill said a joint emergency duty roster, having medical officers from the Civil Hospital as well as the Women and Children Hospital, was prepared for both the hospitals as they were located on the same premises. He said whenever an emergency occurred at the Women and Children Hospital, the Emergency Medical Officer (EMO) on duty was called for treating the patient.

It is also learnt that the joint duty roster is being prepared by the health department authorities for the last several years due to which the services of the doctors of the Women and Children Hospital are being used for emergency duty (as EMO) in the emergency wing of the Civil Hospital. On the other hand, no doctor remains available for the patients at the Women and Children hospital from 3 pm to 9 am due to which the doctors have to be called from home at night by sending a vehicle.

Residents are of the view that the Health Department should provide more doctors to the Women and Children Hospital so that they could serve the patients as EMO by performing duties in shifts.

It may be mentioned that as many as 377 women had delivered babies in August at the Women and Children Hospital here.

The number was 348 in September this year.

Fact file

* Old Bathinda stadium was built 45 to 50 years ago.

* It covers around 7.5 acres of the area.

* Playground covers around four acres.

* Area under seating steps is 1.30 acres.

Bathinda, October 28
Two first cousins from Shahkot, near Jalandhar, will face each other during the inaugural match of the Kabaddi World Cup-II to be held at Faridkot.

Yadvinder Singh and his brother Amandeep Singh will be representing team India and team Canada, respectively. Though both the youngsters have been playing kabaddi for the last few years, they have never faced each other in a match.

"Sport is a spirit and is not to be judged by relations or emotions. For me, Amandeep will be a player at the other end," said Yadvinder, who is a part of the team undergoing trials at the Thermal Colony stadium.

He is among the probables for the Indian team that would be announced tomorrow. Yadvinder bid adieu to volleyball three years ago and took to kabaddi to get better exposure.

Twenty-four-year-old Yadvinder took to kabaddi just four years ago while

Amandeep has been playing for the last six to eight years. He migrated to Canada around three years ago, got married and settled there as a permanent citizen. Since then, he has been representing Canada in various national and international events.

The coach of the Indian team, Harpreet Singh Baba said that in the last Kabaddi World Cup, there were no such close relatives playing together or against each other. "It would be interesting to watch as to who defeats whom," he said.

Amandeep's father Baljinder Singh said that even their neighbours are inquisitive as to who the family would support during the matches. "I have seen two brothers fighting for land. But it will be interesting to

see two brothers striving for the honour of their respective countries. Either of them may win but the honour will come to the same home," said Baljinder who has been a volleyball and kabaddi player himself.

Both the cousins have got kabaddi in their genes. Their grandfather, a schoolteacher, had represented the district at the state-level 50 years ago. Since then, the fathers of these two players have been continuing th tradition.

Bathinda, October 28
Eight hundred cycles were distributed to the girl students at the Government Girls Senior Secondary School Mall road today under the Mai Bhago scheme.

The girl students were provided with cycles in order to encourage them to continue their higher education. In the Bathinda district, 4,459 cycles would be distributed to the students of class X, XI and XII. Unlike other such schemes, Mai Bhago scheme does not have any clause that if the student stops going to school, the cycle would be taken back.

Promising a water RO system and gym for the school, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said a cloth industry is coming up at Talwandi Sabo that would give employment opportunities to women in the region.

He added that a sports school has been opened at Ghudda and with the coming up of the Central University of Punjab (CUP), Bathinda has become a hub of education in the region. Later, he also met the kabaddi players.

Prominent among others accompanying Badal included the SAD district president Sikandar Singh Maluka, chief parliamentary secretary Jagdeep Singh Nakai, constituency in-charge Sarup Chand Singla, Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, DIG Paramjit Grewal, SSP Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, District Education Officer (Secondary) Harbans Singh Sandhu, Tehsildar Avtar Singh Makkar and others.

Bathinda, October 28
A 40-year-old auto driver was killed in an accident last night in a car, truck and auto collision near the Model Town phase-III area.

The deceased has been identified as Deepak Kumar, a resident of the Central Colony, Bathinda cantonment.

Volunteers of the Sahara Jansewa rushed to the spot and helped in shifting the injured to the local Civil Hospital. The auto driver could not be saved and succumbed to his injuries.

Police officials, who reached the spot, said a truck was parked at the roadside and a Maruti car rammed into the rear of the truck following which the auto too collided with the car.

The officials said the car driver fled from the spot and efforts are on to inquire into the matter.

A case in this connection would be registered after recording statements of the onlookers and relatives of the deceased, said the police officials. Further investigation is on. 

Bathinda, October 28
Deepika Garg, MBA first batch student of the Punjabi University campus (Maur), has secured the third position with 81.9 per cent marks in the merit list of the Punjabi University.

She secured the position among all 718 MBA students of the Punjabi University, Patiala, regional, neighborhood campuses and affiliated colleges.

Similarly, Navdeep Kaur, BCA (II) student of Maur campus has secured the seventh position with 78 per cent marks in the merit-list.

She secured the position among all 2,633 BCA (II) students, who appeared for the examination in May, this year.

Principal, Maur campus, Dr DK Madaan congratulated the students and their parents for the academic excellence. He said the varsity's aim was to make the backward region as the most forward one in terms of higher education. Dr Manjeet Singh, coordinator, Punjabi University Neighborhood Campuses, also congratulated the whole staff and principal for the achievement. The campus was started in 2009. 

Bathinda, October 28
Members of the Panchayat Secretary and Village Development Organiser (Gram Sewak) Union (Bathinda) today took out a protest march from the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer to the Mini-secretariat here.

They also raised slogans against the state government and in favour of their demand, implementation of Rs 10,300-34,800 pay-scale plus Rs 3800 as grade pay.

They were led by the district president of the Panchayat Secretary Union Nachhattar Singh Dhaliwal and district president of the Village Development Organiser Union Kuldip Singh Sewewala.

The protesters continued sloganeering against the state government and in favour of their demand till the arrival of Bathinda Tehsildar Avtar Singh Makkar to accept their memorandum. Later, they submitted the memorandum to the Tehsildar, who assured them that their memorandum would be forwarded to the CM.

Nachhattar Singh Dhaliwal said they had made requests to the higher authorities several times for the enhancement of their pay-scales but the government had turned a deaf ear towards their demand so far. He said the state government had given higher pay-scales to some other categories, clerk and Patwari, who were earlier at par with their pay-scale. “This is a discrimination against us which we would not tolerate,” he added. 

Bathinda, October 28
A couple residing in the Danga Peerat Colony has been booked by the police for beating up another resident of the same locality.

The complainant Palwinder Kaur, wife of Beant Singh, alleged that Harbhajan Singh Sahota and his wife Manjinder Kaur forcefully entered her house and had thrown away all her belongings. A case under sections 452, 323, 427 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the accused couple. No arrests have been made so far. Investigation is on in the case. — TNS 

Bathinda, October 28
“Proper verification, authentication and documentation of the historical objects are a must to conserve it properly for the future generations,” pointed out Dr Mohinder Singh, Member, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, India.

He was delivering a lecture on the need to protect endangered Sikh Heritage while addressing the students and faculty members at the Central University of Punjab (Bathinda) here, today.

Expressing concern over the Sikh heritage slipping into oblivion, he said material remains of the past must be protected. Dr Singh mentioned the reference of some cases of fake Sikh relics. “However, one cannot overestimate the value of genuine relics. Such relics serve as the primary sources of the history,” he said.

Addressing the students and staff members, Dr Singh also clarified some myths regarding the Sikh history. Telling about Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he said the Maharaja was a king like any other king, pragmatic to the core. “To expect him to be a devout Sikh is to ask for too much. In fact, this is very much true of all the rulers irrespective of their religious affiliations,” he said.

Dr Mohinder Singh talked about his childhood and early education and fondly remembered two great personalities, noted historian Prof. Ganda Singh and great scholar Prof. Pritam Singh, who influenced him greatly.

He illustrated his talk with colorful slides of various historical relics. During the lecture, he also displayed the pictures of various rare objects such as weapons, ornaments, coins related with Sikh gurus and kings. He also talked about the discovery and preservation of the Sikh heritage. Dr Singh discussed the issues of conservation of historical buildings and role played by various government and non-government agencies in it.

On the occasion, Dr Mohinder Singh also inaugurated the newly-constructed fitness centre, which has the state-of-art equipment and facilities. The university has established the centre for all-round development of students.

Dr Singh also inaugurated the gymnasium hall of the varsity. Vice-chancellor Prof (Dr) Jai Rup Singh presented a memento to Dr Mohinder Singh as a token of respect. Prof. P Rama Rao delivered the vote of thanks.