Jalandhar, December 21
Out to garner political mileage for the completion of Domoria railway overbridge, local politicians have been spending the whole day at the site to get the work expedited.

Political leaders are trying their level best that the work gets completed at the earliest so that they may avail of a chance to inaugurate it before the election code of conduct comes into force.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary and MLA from Jalandhar North KD Bhandari, in whose constituency the bridge falls, has been reportedly spending hours at the site just to ensure that the pace of the work does not fall.

While the road laying on the approaches which was to be done through the MC contractor has been complete, the part which falls on the span portion still remains to be finished by the railways department. The concrete slabs, however, have already been laid on the span atop the fabricated structures. The finishing part including painting of the side walls is also being done

Bhandari said he expected that the bridge would be complete by December 31. “The residents will be able to use the bridge from the New Year eve onwards. We just hope that the code somehow does not come before that or else we will miss a chance to inaugurate it. Anyways, the completion will definitely come as a political advantage for me. The work remained static for good six-seven years till the time I took up the matter at the higher level,” he enjoyed taking the credit for the same.

SE (B&R), MC, Kulwinder Singh also claimed that the bridge could take just about 10 days to get completed.

Jalandhar, December 21
If development is the plank on which the ruling SAD-BJP government claims to make its comeback in the assembly elections, then a visit to the Transport Nagar on the Jalandhar-Amritsar highway makes for a reality check.

It has been 20 years since the Transport Nagar, which was developed by the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) as a planned scheme for transporters, their companies and truckers, is a perfect picture of neglect.

A broken entry road coupled with huge potholes, stagnant water, no streetlights and no washrooms reveals the sorry state of affairs at the Transport Nagar, which is situated on 74.9 acres acquired by the JIT in 1991. Sadly, ever since it was developed, no maintenance and development was carried out.

Perturbed over the state of affairs, transporters have now threatened to boycott the SAD-BJP combine in the upcoming assembly elections. “When it comes to seeking votes, politicians are available 24X7. Once the government is formed, the politicians are inaccessible,” said Rajinder Verma, owner of Jaipur Goods Corporation.

Such is the state of affairs that despite raising the issue the minister and officials concerned, all that they got was further delay.

Senior vice-president of the Jalandhar Goods Transport Company’s Welfare Association-cum-member, grievance committee, Jalandhar, said he had recently pursued this matter with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on December 16, but to no avail. “I had also sent various reminders to the Deputy Commissioner and the JIT chairman, but nobody ever bothered to address our grievances,” he added.

Another transporter Gurmohan Singh Baweja said: “Our trucks have been developing faults and technical snags owing to broken roads and huge potholes. We avoid coming to the Transport Nagar in cars as it is difficult to drive.”

The transporters added that during rains, the entire Transport Nagar turns into a cesspool with no drainage facility. “Ever since the sewerage was laid 20 years ago, it has not been cleaned. The sewerage remains blocked following which the sullage overflows onto the muddy lanes,” said Santokh Singh Saini.

Incidents of thefts during night have also increased as there are no streetlights functional in the area. “We have also raised the issue of a police post at the Transport Nagar or in the vicinity as this area has turned into a den of anti-social elements,” said Kuldip Singh from the New Lubana Transport Corporation.

As if all these problems were not enough, the transporters said there was no washroom facility for them. “It is strange that the JIT developed the Transport Nagar without any option and need of washrooms for us. The transporters, truck drivers and helpers end up going in the open for the nature’s call,” rued Baijnath Pandey, another transporter.

The transporters’ association demanded that if the JIT was not capable of maintaining the Transport Nagar, it should be handed over to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation. “The JIT failed in addressing our demands, hence the MC should take over this responsibility,” they added.

Jalandhar, December 21
The scanning unit of the Civil Hospital here has become a perpetual cause for harassment for patients. Long queues, peeved patients, altercations with security guards are a common feature at the ward.

There are just two radiologists at the unit who are overworked. The regular medical tests of recruits at the Civil Hospital for the past one month have become a pain both for doctors as well as patients. On top of it, leave taken by any one of the radiologists results in utter chaos.

While one of the radiologists today was on leave, patients made a beeline to the scanning room and complaints of calling patients out of turn abounded. Patients sitting from 10 am said their turn came late in the afternoon. The Tribune witnessed altercations as angry patients questioned and fought with the security guard on duty.

Balwinder Singh from Basti Bawa Khel and Suchet Kaur who came from near Adampur complained of long wait and patients being called in a chaotic manner.

Gaurav, a patient from Gopal Nagar, had to wait for nearly three hours for his turn even as the entire unit saw him crying in pain.

He was shooed off since his turn was yet to come. His relative said while others were being called, he was not considered even though his case was genuine.

Radiologist Dr Jasmeet Walia, when contacted, said what his colleague had said a few days ago: “For the past month, we have been burdened with the medical tests of recruits, teachers, police recruits, sports students etc. Today, we handled at least 15 to 20 medical tests of the civil hospital staff. In total, we got 70 cases in the ultrasound unit alone. We are overworked and handle more patients than is ideal but we have not been given any help or additional doctors. Since there is only one other piece of (ultrasound) equipment, it also seems unlikely that another doctor would be hired in the near future. We do ultrasounds, make reports for X-ray cases and also visit courts concerning the medico legal reports. As far as patients’ predicament is concerned, I have told the security guard many times to bring me emergency cases first but he does what he feels. We have given up hoping for any help.”

Jalandhar, December 21
Medical practitioners continue to violate the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics, Regulations, 2002) with impunity as the government has failed to pass the Clinical Establishment Bill.

Though the government had proposed the Bill, which the medical fraternity claimed was quite stringent and its guidelines were enough to bridle the untamed private hospitals, the offenders are violating MCI regulations in the absence of an effective deterrent.

Sources in the health department revealed that the government apparently bowed down to the pressure mounted by a strong lobby of medical practitioners, doctors and owners of private hospitals that led to virtual abandonment of the legislation midway. The medical fraternity, however, feels that a stringent law should be in place so that a few black sheep in their fraternity do not get away with such malpractices.

Dr Manamohan Singh, president, Punjab Medical Council (PMC), claimed that had the government passed the Bill, owners of private hospitals and a group of doctors running private hospitals could have been tethered.

“The PMC can taken action against registered doctors only and has the power to complain against the hospital for violating the MCI guidelines and other norms, but there is no provision to take strict action against such hospitals,,” claimed Dr Singh.

He added that the ethics committee of the PMC has regularly been issuing warnings, notices and seeking explanation from registered doctors for violating the MCI and PMC guidelines. “Many hospitals have been issued notices and even panelised for various violations to date,” he claimed.