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‘Killer’ chowk sans CCTV cameras
Commuters continue to suffer as stir enters Day 2
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With no space to dump, farmers distribute potatoes free of cost
Now, dogs can wag their tails proudly
Health services hit as pharmacists, nurses go into agitation mode
Special team of Railways inspects facilities at city station
Showers end dry winter spell
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‘Killer’ chowk sans CCTV cameras
Jalandhar, December 9 The removal of eight cameras from one of the busiest chowk on the GT Road has become a bone of contention between the traffic wing of the city police and the Jalandhar Welfare Society, an NGO. Interestingly, the traffic police is still sitting on the equipment worth Rs 1.5 lakh despite of an inquiry ordered by the IG (traffic) almost most a month ago. The IG had earlier ordered the ACP (traffic) to reinstall the cameras at different locations, but the chowk is without cameras till date. The CCTV cameras were donated by the Jalandhar Welfare Society and were installed at various strategic locations to keep a close watch on the heavy volume of traffic and other anti-social elements. The cameras were removed by the traffic police and were installed in the office of the ACP (traffic), claiming that they would be reinstalled after the completion of the overbridge at the PAP Chowk. The NGO had joined hands with the city traffic police for implementing the Road Safety-10 project and the CCTV cameras were a supplement to this WHO sponsored project. The project has been launched by the city police for curbing drunken driving and over speeding. Surinder Saini, secretary of the NGO, alleged that the police removed the CCTV cameras from the PAP Chowk and installed them in the office of the ACP (traffic). “The police authorities seem to be more concerned about their officer than the precious human lives,” he added. Members of the NGO said the police removed the CCTV cameras so as their personnel do not get trapped while allegedly taking money from motorists, especially truck drivers. Denying allegations, the police authorities said the CCTV cameras were removed on the directions of the ADGP and would be reinstalled after the completion of an overbridge at the PAP Chowk. |
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Commuters continue to suffer as stir enters Day 2
Nakodar, December 9 The protesters blocked the Jalandhar-Nakodar highway and daily commuters were seen cursing them. "It is not the right way to protest. If they have any grudges against the state government, they could have protested in front of the residences of ministers," one of the annoyed commuters said. "Why we are being made to suffer," he said. Harmesh Malrhi, finance secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union said they had now initiated a war with the government and they would not take a step back until their demands were not met Annoyed with the government's "dilly-dallying" attitude, Malrhi said: "Badals have enough money to spend on the kabaddi tournament and inviting expensive Bollywood stars, but for the poor or downtrodden, the government has its coffers empty." Their demands include waiving of electricity bills of landless labourers, 10 marla plot to each landless labourer, compensation of Rs 5 lakh along with a job to the kin of poor landless labourer and cancellation of the FIRs registered against the union members, who had been booked by the police during protests.
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With no space to dump, farmers distribute potatoes free of cost
Jalandhar, December 9 Following a bumper crop this year, farmers and potato traders are cursing the government for not extending a helping hand. They have asked the government to at least provide a separate place to dump their previous year's crop. Blaming the government for not preparing a contingency plan, Jawahar Dhall, president of Jalandhar Potato Traders and Producers Association alleged: " If the government has no will to protect the interests of farmers and traders, it should at least provide a separate place to dump our produce." He said, instead of dumping potatoes, farmers have now started distributing potatoes free of cost. "Everyday, we have been distributing potatoes to people at the Maqsooda Grain Market, but still huge stocks of potatoes are lying in the mandi," Dhall said, adding the government should provide them subsidy to bail them out of the looming crises. The customer is not ready to buy a 50 kg bag of potatoes for Rs 10, so they have no other option but to distribute their produce free of cost or to dump it elsewhere in the city, said a potato trader. Due to the huge stock of the previous year, the price of the new stock is also not lucrative for farmers. "New potatoes are being sold at Rs 2 per kg, but last year, the prices were Rs 7 per kg." Tarsem Sahota, a Shahkot-based farmers said. "We are not even recovering the production cost of our produce. The cost of previous year's stock in the cold storage has already surpassed the actual sale value of the crop," he added. "We have been paying Rs 65 for a 50 kg bag as storage charges, but the actual sale value of the potatoes is hardly Rs 10 for a 50 kg bag," another farmer rued. "We do not want to dump our crop elsewhere as it may create problems. We urge the government to provide us space to dumping the crop also urge people to take home whatever quantity of potatoes they want free of cost," a potato traders said. Farmers and traders alleged that the stored potatoes are also not viable for export as the sugar content in the crop has increased due to storage. "Now, to protect this year's crop, the government should initiate measures to export the fresh crop," said a farmer. |
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They are not fashion accessories
Jalandhar, December 9 The AWBI has also asked the VCI and the clubs to appeal to dog breeders to spot this cruel proactive with immediate effect. An advisory stating that non-therapeutic tail docking and cropping of ears amounts to mutilation and constitutes cruelty to animals - a punishable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 - has already been issued by Maj Gen Dr. RM Kharb (retd), chairman of the AWBI. The advisory has been issued by the AWBI on the requests of various animal welfare organisations and animal lovers across the country. The statutory body has also directed the VCI to ask kennel clubs not to register dogs with tails docked and ears clipped. The Care of Animals and Protection of Environment (CAPE) India, has welcomed the AWBI step. Tails and ears of two to five days old pups of certain breeds, including boxer, doberman, cocker spaniel, great danes and others, are cut. Tail and ears have many useful functions, including maintaining balance and body language. If a tail were not useful to a dog, natural selection would have eliminated it long ago, said AWBI. With very rare exceptions, most breeds of dogs are born with tails, the AWBI claims. The World Small Animals Veterinary Association (WSAVA) considers amputation of dogs tails to be an unnecessary surgical procedure. Dr Sandeep Jain, chief coordinator CAPE India, says it is just a traditional practice based on the whims and fashion ideas of human beings. It does not benefit dogs in any manner, but puts animals in a great stress and trauma. In the name of vanity, this cruel act is continuing since long. The practice actually inflicts dogs with pain and deformity. This is punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Sections 428 and 429 of Indian Penal Code, he added. Contradicting the guidelines, dog lovers, however, claim that dogs often sustain injuries in their tails. This is an attempt to avoid injuries. Though the tail docking and ear chopping have been banned, dog breeders continue to go in for it. “Long tail adversely affects the walking style of a dog during dog shows,” claimed Talwinder Sahota, a Ludhiana-based veterinary doctor and a dog trainer. Cruel procedure
Ear cropping and tail docking are painful, disfiguring processes for dogs. It is a senseless surgery. These procedures are accompanied by inherent risks of anaesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Ear cropping is a cruel process that simply perpetuates the image that dogs are fashion accessories. Many dogs have gone head crazy and developed lifelong seizures or an instant awareness to touches after ear cropping.
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Menacing canines on the prowl
Jalandhar, December 9 While the MC’s role in the scheme of things is already dismal, it seems that the health authorities are not interested in doing much either. Even as an alarming number of patients are being administered anti-rabies vaccines daily, what is bothersome is that only a limited amount of the total number of patients are being provided vaccines at subsidised rates. Mostly the patients have to buy them at their own expense. About 15 to 25 patients are being administered anti-rabies injections per day for the past many months and there is an alarming increase in such cases everyday. While in July this year 200 patients were administered the vaccine, in November the number of patients increased to 300. This month 84 people have already been administered the vaccine. Till 11 am in the morning today, four dog bite patients had made it to the Civil Hospital. Yesterday, the vaccine was administered to 20 patients. Staff members say, “Some of the patients also take this vaccine as a pre-emptive measure to prevent rabies. Cases of people getting bitten by cattle, mice, monkeys etc are very rare. Panic sets in as the patients have no way of telling if the dog was rabid or not. But we do get a large number of patients who complain they were bitten by crazed dogs. Some they are sure they were rabid.” Sukhdev, a patient from Dhall Mohalla, said a dog from a pack of fighting dogs bit him. Reena of Choti Baradari says, “Ours is a so-called posh area but even we are scared to go outside at night.” This year, so far, 1,744 patients who received the vaccines at subsidised rates have already been reported. An anti-rabies vaccine from the market costs Rs 390, but at the Civil Hospital these vaccines are available at Rs 100. But since only a limited number of vaccines make it to the Civil Hospital, a huge number of patients are not able to get the vaccines at subsidised rates. David, a resident of Pholariwal village says, “Last year a dog bit my wife and we had to buy the vaccine from the market since there was none available at the Civil Hospital.” For those getting many rabies shots it gets all the more costly. This year the Civil Hospital got 2,000 anti-rabies injections. Out of these 2,000 that the CH got this July, as many as 1,744 vaccines have already been used up. In 2009, the hospital got 1,000 vaccines and in 2010 it got none. Even as the staff say the average number of patients, per-day, for all these years have stayed between 15 and 25, it is clear that many patients have had to spend from their pocket for the costly vaccines. Now the hospital has about 356 vaccines in its stock, the patients will have to buy their own vaccines as soon as the stock ends. 1,744 administered anti-rabies vaccine since July at CH alone An average of 15 to 25 cases of dog bite reported at CH every day Over 84 cases in December so far Average of 200 to 300 cases per month CH got 2,000 vaccines in July, none last year Vaccine costs `100 at CH and ` 390 in the open market |
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Health services hit as pharmacists, nurses go into agitation mode
Jalandhar, December 9 In the morning, the Punjab Government Nursing Association held a protest at the Civil Hospital, followed by a black badge-black flag protest by a group of the Jalandhar wing of the Punjab State Pharmacist Association. The protesters marched to the office of the DC to hand over a memorandum in support of their demands to the Deputy Commissioner. The nurses have been protesting from 8 am to 11 am for the past two days. Health services have taken a hit because of the ongoing protests. The nurses are demanding various allowances, including diet, uniforms and risk cover as well as the implementation of pay scales from 2006 onwards. On the other hand, pharmacists are also in agitation mode. "But we have no choice. We are sorry about the patients but the protest is important. We need better posts and regularisation of jobs. We are overburdened and need respect." The pharmacists are going on mass causal leave from December 12 to 17. The nurses, too, have threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands are not met. Simran, a patient at the Civil Hospital said, "They are very important for good medical service. Patients had to suffer the last time pharmacists proceeded on protest. We can hope that we find them every time we come here because for a poor, ailing person, it is difficult to survive without either."
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Special team of Railways inspects facilities at city station
Jalandhar, December 9 The team called Service Improvement Group (SIG), led by Chief Commercial Manager (CCM) Juil Kaujur, reached the station at 10 am and remained there for about an hour and a half. The team inspected various facilities, including water supply, sanitation and food items at the railway stalls provided to the passengers. The SIG will submit a note to the divisional railway office at Ferozepur. Officiating Station Superintendent of Jalandhar city railway station SS Ghosh accompanied the SIG during the inspection.
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Showers end dry winter spell
Jalandhar, December 9 The minimum and maximum temperatures recorded in the city after the showers today was a minimum of 12.6 degree Celsius and a maximum of 22.5 degree Celsius. As far as the weather forecast is concerned, the sky is expected to remain partly cloudy to cloudy during the next 24 hours. It may rain also. The region is also likely to be engulfed with mist and fog tomorrow. The showers are a relief from dengue and malaria, said Dr Harish Bhardwaj, Medical Officer (MO) posted at Aman Nagar government dispensary. "However, the cases of URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection) including cough, cold and viral infections are still pouring in. Half of the OPD patients are suffering from URTI diseases," he added. Dr Bhardwaj said, "Cases of diarrhoea among kids are also on the rise due to the winter season. Children as well as aged persons should cover themselves with woollen garments to save from the chill," said Dr Ajay Sharma. "They should also make dry fruits and peanuts as part of their diet nowadays," he added.
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accidents continue to claim precious lives at the PAP Chowk, the traffic wing of the city police is not ready to reinstall CCTV cameras that the authorities removed three months ago from the ‘killer’
chowk.
Potato glut in the state has forced farmers to distribute their produce free of cost in the district.
Following a bumper crop this year, farmers and potato traders are cursing the government for not extending a helping hand. They have asked the government to at least provide a separate place to dump their previous year's crop.
Dogs will be able to wag their tails with the Animal Welfare Board of India
(AWBI) asking the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) and kennel clubs across the country to discourage tail docking and ear chopping of pups.
The AWBI has also asked the VCI and the clubs to appeal to dog breeders to spot this cruel proactive with immediate effect. An advisory stating that non-therapeutic tail docking and cropping of ears amounts to mutilation and constitutes cruelty to animals - a punishable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 - has already been issued by Maj Gen Dr. RM Kharb
(retd), chairman of the AWBI.
A team of railway officials inspected the facilities provided to the passengers during a visit to Jalandhar City railway station on Friday.
The team called Service Improvement Group (SIG), led by Chief Commercial Manager
(CCM) Juil Kaujur, reached the station at 10 am and remained there for about an hour and a half.
