 |
|
|
Rain intensifies cold wave
Dearth of facilities mars Civil hospital’s functioning
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Second round of poll training held
Living with the flood scare
Police, paramilitary forces take out flag march
Constituency
Watch Jalandhar North
From Schools
Crime rate down as security beefed up for Assembly polls
|
|
Rain intensifies cold wave
Jalandhar, January 15 While at many places the rain started last night, other parts of the city and periphery witnessed moderate to heavy rain from wee hours today. Weathermen at the Met Department of the Adampur Air Force Station have predicted that the rain is likely to continue till tomorrow with occasional thunderstorms at many places. The next 24 hours would witness overcast to mainly overcast sky with mist in the morning and evening hours. Sources in the Met Department also said the rain in the region was the result of fresh snowfall in the upper reaches of the Kashmir Valley and parts of Himachal Pradesh. While the upper reaches had frozen with bone-chilling cold, the effect of the same was witnessed in the plains, too. Although a misery for the homeless in the city, the rain was widely enjoyed by the city residents, as it was Sunday today. People, especially the working class, were the ones who enjoyed the change in the weather as they got a chance to stay indoors. “Last week when it rained heavily, we were badly drenched. We had tough time commuting in the rain. We just wished that it does not rain tomorrow,” said a marketing employee in a private firm. However, for the homeless, rain was no less than a curse as majority of the places in the city were inundated. At many places, the homeless were seen huddled around bonfires and sitting outside the porches of various shops to protect themselves from the harsh winters in the region. But, amidst the heavy rain, mercury witnessed a slight increase as compared to the last two days, when the mercury had reached the sub-zero level. Adampur today recorded the minimum temperature at 10 degrees Celsius, while the maximum remained at 18.9 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Amritsar remained the coldest with the minimum temperature at 9 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature at 18.5 degrees Celsius. The Met Department said while the mercury would witness an increase, but cold wave was likely to continue for some more days. |
|
Dearth of facilities mars Civil hospital’s functioning
Jalandhar, January 15 On Thursday, a power cut at the Maternity Ward (including the operation theatre) had caused doctors to conduct a surgery using the light of a mobile phone. The Trauma Ward was found to be with a single oxygen cylinder when it needs 100 to 150. The nurses and staff on duty at the emergency complained that they had been using cotton swabs without spirit for days, because it was not supplied to them. They were also out of adhesive tapes. Nurses complained that sometimes they even had to wet bandages to make them stick. Inside sources say the emergency and trauma centre are mostly without life-saving drugs. There are drugs which have to be administered to the patients within a span of five to 10 minutes during critical situations, but since the hospital is out of them, patients are sent to buy them. Hukam Chand Thareja, who just retired as a chief pharmacist, says, “There were times when patients were told to buy half kg lotion to cure burns from outside when the hospital had plenty of them lying in it. Whenever I asked why they were not provided on time, the staff on duty would say the storage personnel concerned was not available. At the hospital, there is no proper system of stock storage. The emergency and trauma centre should have 15-day stock, but there is no future planning. Suppose the personnel concerned are on leave when the stock ends, the wards send patients to market for bringing the medicines.” Many machines at the hospital are operated by untrained personnel or class IV employees. The three ECG machines at the hospital are run by a single technician, who, too, comes to the Jalandhar hospital only for three days. Notably, leaking urine bags were also a common problem being reported at many of the wards when The Tribune visited the hospital. A trainee nurse on duty at the Female Medical Ward said, “There is usually a shortage of salines and spirit swabs these days. There were some patients who were in dire need of backrests at the ward. We searched the male ward too and there only one patient had a backrest. All the other patients even in dire need of them are doing without backrests. We just hope someone at least makes sure that the patients get full equipment support so that they do not suffer.” Rinku from Shahkot, whose father is admitted to the hospital, says, “The pipe attached to the urine bag has been leaking and we have told them to fix the problem, but nothing was done. We are also paying for many of our medicines.” Balbir Kaur, a visitor of another patient, says, “A poor person comes to the hospital expecting good treatment and at least hoping that he/she will not have to buy medicines, but that doesn’t apply here. We have been continuously spending money to buy medicines. At least for BPL patients there should be free facilities, medicines and no charges for tests. We try to arrange money every time they tell us to get a test done.” Tarsem Kaur from Hawiri Khera village, whose son is admitted to the hospital, says, “My son is suffering from hernia and he had to be operated upon. But after the , the doctors said half the operation had been done and half is still to take place. We have spent so much money already but we are supposed to pay more for treatment now. Though the hospital authorities are supposed to give us free medicines, we are paying for most of them. He gets two injections in a day and we pay for them. The upcoming government should make sure the needs of the common man get fulfilled at least at the Civil Hospital.”
|
|
Second round of poll training held
Jalandhar, January 15 The first round of training had taken place on January 8. The third and fourth round would take place on January 25 and 29. On January 29, a day before the polls, the polling staff would be distributed the polling material. Under this exercise, the Returning Officers (ROs) gave training in batches to the polling staff, namely the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers, as to how to use the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on the day of polling on January 30 in the state. The poll staff was also trained about the filling of Form-12, which is used by the electorate to exercise their franchise through postal ballot papers. This also includes the mandatory training of the voters, where they are taught how to use the EVMs to cast votes. Deputy Director of the Local Bodies-cum-Returning Officer (RO) of the Jalandhar (North) constituency Capt Karnail Singh said, “It is on the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) that we are training the polling staff about Form-12.” The Jalandhar (North) RO said although it kept raining, the training was attended by the polling staff under the supervision of the General Observer, Ganesh Prasad. “As many as 288 presiding pfficers, 266 assistant presiding officers and 619 polling officers attended the poll rehearsal today,” he added. Jalandhar Cantonment RO-cum-Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority Jaskiran Singh said, “As many as 289 presiding officer, 266 assistant presiding officers and 622 polling officers participated in the rehearsal. Some polling officers could not come for rehearsal due to heavy rain.” At the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) Indoor Stadium around 1,000 plus polling staff was given training under the supervision of Jalandhar (Central) RO-cum-SDM-I Iqbal Singh Sandhu. “The ECI has introduced the SMS system of updating the poll percentage by the polling officers on the day of polling in the state. Earlier, the polling officers used to update the status after every one hour, but this time the reports would be sent immediately. In a way, the polling staff would be directly under the scanner of the ECI, as a slight delay in the process would hold them directly responsible,” he stated.
|
|
Living with the flood scare
Jalandhar, January 15 As many as 12 people sit huddled on a single cot in tatters, shivering covered in a ragged blanket and watching water trickling down through the holes and gaps in their modest shack as the rain pours down in torrents. As they pray for the rain to stop, they don’t even have a polythene sheet to close the rectangular opening (officially, the door), from where aggressive bursts of water rush in from time to time and wet the shack and the cot. This is the story of every little house in the little colony by the Kali Bein at the Nakodar bypass. Their houses, utensils and a few modest belongings have been washed away during the Kali Bein floods from time to time but they refuse to budge from their little colony. The slums stand in a swampy puddle wearing a deserted look as the residents huddle in homes. A few cotton-clad sans-woollens children come out from time to time to play, but are soon called in by angry, livid elders. There are others who are too weak or cold to think of braving the rain. Aman, a resident says, “During floods we run away to other places and come back to see our homes washed away. The situation during every rain is tense. Many shacks’ roofs give in just with little rains. Winds threaten. Last time hails caused damage and now there are these fresh showers tormenting us.” Their association with Samra is so strong that they reffer their colony as the Samra colony, but irked with recent inaction by their “favourite” politician, they are now rethinking about their vote choice. Sixty-year-old Shankar says, “Half the colony residents have voter cards. Vote is the only strength that poor people like us have. So we will certainly vote this year too, but we might change our priorities.” “We have had it with Samra. He promised a lot, but look at what he delivered. This time we will vote for the party that gets us all the amenities rather than just promising them,” says Kailash. |
|
Police, paramilitary forces take out flag march
Jalandhar, January 15 The local police, accompanied by the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Government Railway Forces, started the flag march from the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT). Passing through the New Jawahar Nagar, City Hospital, Manbro Chowk, Gol Market and Urban Estate, Phase I & II, the flag march culminated at Garha Road. Assistant Police Commissioner Jasbir Rai said the only purpose to conduct the flag march was to ensure the public about their safety during the election. He said during the march, they also interacted with residents just to make them feel secure. Along with covering the normal areas of the town in the flag march, special attention would be given to the sensitive and hypersensitive areas, the ACP said. Police officials revealed that nearly 20 companies of paramilitary forces would be deployed to maintain law and order in and around all polling stations in the district during elections.
|
|
Constituency Watch
Jalandhar North
Jalandhar, January 14 The biggest problem is that of a drain, which passes along various colonies including Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Kalia Colony, Guru Amar Dass Nagar and Industrial area. The drain overflows during monsoons and residents complain that the filthy water mixed with industrial effluent enters their houses causing much inconvenience. The second major problem of the area is pertaining to presence of several industries, including those of rubber, pipe fitting and electroplating and other units in residential areas. Residents of area around Globe Colony, Saipur Road and Sodal Road claim that the rumbling of machinery and discharge of obnoxious gases had made their lives miserable. They blame the authorities and politicians of sheltering industrialists not having taken a concrete step in this regard by pushing the industries out of the colonies. They have instead legally safeguarded interests of industrialists by declaring their colonies as mixed zone in the master plan drafted by the town planning department, they complain. Residents of the colony are also disgruntled over the fact that two major projects started in their area --- construction of railway underbridge at Chandan Nagar railway line and construction of bypass alongside canal from Gakhlan village to Gadaipur --- had been left midway.
PEOPLE’S VOICE
— Lakhbir Singh, a social Worker
Being a daily wager and a resident of this slum colony, I was declared a beneficiary under a scheme of the Centre, but the authorities are not paying my complete dues and have left me in the lurch
The roads have somehow got better, but there are no good job avenues available in the area for semi-literate like us. No new commercial centres have come up. People like us are left to just do hard labour — Kiranjit Kaur, daughter of a daily wager
— CL Kochher, director, DAV management
Candidates’ take
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MGN students bring laurels for state
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 15 Lohri celebrations
The festival of Lohri was celebrated with great jubilation at local APJ School, Rama Mandi, here on Friday. The day started with a morning assembly themed on Lohri and drama acts based on the festival were also presented. Lohri based folk songs were also sung on the occasion. Principal congratulated students during the celebrations, which were dedicated to girl children. Guru Amar Das Public School also celebrated Lohri at its primary wing with great enthusiasm. Poem, songs, skits and dances related to Lohri were presented on the occasion. Packets of mungfali and rewari were distributed to every student. The campus of Sanskriti KMV School also buzzed with Lohri celebrations. The students and school staff lit a bonfire and had a joyous Lohri. The various DIPS institutions celebrated the festival. DIPS College of Education Dhilwan, DIPS School, Urban Estate, Phase I celebrated Lohri with aplomb. |
|
Crime rate down as security beefed up for Assembly polls
Jalandhar January 15 There has been no major snatching incident in the last few days. Even police officials agreed that there is fall in criminal activities due to the strict policing during the poll code. Some of the police officials termed it as the victory of local police. They said they work efficiently as there is no political pressure on them. “We are now working without any political pressure and dealing with the criminals with sternly,” a police official said requesting anonymity. Now the police is also conducting search on vehicles of politicians without any fear of being reprimanded. Sources said few days ago, police frisked the vehicles of Harnam Singh, son of Akali leader Sarbjit Makkar’s, former Mayor, Surinder Mahey, Mohinder Singh KP (MP), and Nakodar MLA Amarjit Singh Samra. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Headquarter, Navjot Singh Mahal, the police has become more vigilant and the presence of additional paramilitary forces had aslo helped the police to develop a sense of security among residents. City residents have also heaved a sigh of relief. The residents said they now wish the election code of conduct remains in force for an indefinite period of time. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
After enjoying sunny days for the last some days, the city residents today woke up to intermittent to heavy rain. This was the second instance of rain in the last one week.
Jalandhar, January 15
Even as the Jalandhar North constituency has seen a spate of development in terms of construction of flyovers and roads at illegal colonies, the area is still rid with peculiar problems which continue to daunt its residents.
With beefing up of security after the model code of conduct came into force, criminal activities have come down in the city.
Permanent nakas, deployment of paramilitary forces and long hours of patrolling have deterred criminals from carrying out their activities.
No doubt there has been an overall facelift of the area infrastructure, but encroachments on the main road near the main sabzi mandi at Maqsudan along the Jalandhar-Amritsar highway still are major
bottlenecks
My biggest worry is regarding pending dues from the authorities for construction of my pucca house.
— Kashmir
Kaur, a resident ofJinda Pind 
The biggest failure of the government has been with regard to converting the sports hub at Burlton Park. I have approached the authorities for various plans, but they have not responded. I have even said I was ready for free service for them. The land is like a gold mine, but the politicians are just sitting on it and have not been able to properly pursue the
case
