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Victims yet to get compensation
Labour laws: Pravasi board chief admits of violations
Labourers working in a hand tool factory of
Jalandhar. Tribune Photo: Malkiat Singh
Victims, kin unaware of relief amount
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No space for serious patients in trauma ward
Patients wait in the corridor of the Civil Hospital's trauma ward in Jalandhar on Wednesday.
Photo: Sarabjit Singh
Answer to traffic congestion
Earth Day celebrated at Science City Environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal plants a sapling at Pushpa Gujral Science City in Kapurthala on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh
Three injured in clash at Thekriwal village, 5 booked
Gang of robbers busted, four arrested
The arrested gang members along with recovered goods in Phagwara. Photo: Ashok Kaura
10 pc more wheat expected this season: C.
Roul
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Victims yet to get compensation
Jalandhar, April 24 The only two workers who have received cheques as part of the government money include Niyamat and Manoj Bhagat, whose legs were amputated, and are admitted to the Civil Hospital ICU. However,
the other victims are not even aware of the compensation announced by the government. Talking to The Tribune, injured worker Manoj Bhagat said: “Bank authorities say the cheque will not be cashed if there is no address proof of the city. We have an address proof of Bihar, but no such proof of the city.” Anil and Rankaj Kumar, the other two labourers admitted to the Civil Hospital, had no clue regarding the government compensation they are supposed to get. They have got 3,100 and around Rs 9,000, respectively, so far. Among the labourers admitted to Shri Devi Talab Charitable Hospital, only two have received Rs 2,000 each from the Shital Fibres authorities. Amarjit and Surinder, whose leg was amputated, have not received a penny to date. Among the other five admitted to the general ward, only two injured have received Rs 2,000 each as compensation from the Shital Fibres authorities. Wife of Satender, who was injured in the factory collapse, said: “We don’t have money and are waiting for the compensation. My husband was the sole breadwinner of the family and after he is discharged from the hospital, it will be difficult for us to make ends meet. In our caste, women are not allowed to work. If the government doesn’t give the money, how will we feed our family?” Most of the labourers
are not aware of ESI compensation.
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Labour laws: Pravasi board chief admits of violations
Jalandhar, April 25 “Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is serious about the violations of labour laws and the problems being faced by migrant labourers. That’s why, he constituted the Punjab Pravasi Bhalai Board over two years ago on December 30, 2009, to redress the problems being faced by migrant labourers,” he added. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said he had already apprised the CM of the pathetic working and living conditions of migrant labourers. “The Chief Minister has assured that efforts would be made to improve the conditions of migrant labourers in Punjab,” he said. Yadav claimed that less than half of the total 10 lakh migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal working in over 1.61 lakh small-scale and nearly 400 large and medium-scale industrial units are shown as actual employees and the others are treated as ad hoc (kacha) employees and the latter are not allowed to mark their attendance. In such a way, industrialists deprive them of their rights of ESI, PF and gratuity provided to the employees under labour laws. Yadav admitted that most of the migrant labourers were not even paid the minimum wages, but owners of industrial units get their signatures on the full amount. “Interestingly, over 200 migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar settled in Punjab for years have set up their units in Ludhiana and they are also exploiting migrant labourers by violating labour laws,” he added.
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Victims, kin unaware of relief amount
Jalandhar, April 25 However, labourers working in other industrial units in the city say the victims were unaware of the government compensation and no one had an idea of the ESI pension or other benefits. Bipin Kumar, who was discharged from the Civil Hospital on Monday and lives at Ram Nagar, has not received any financial help to date. He said: “At least 10 labourers lived in this establishment with me. Many are dead and their families have all gone to perform their last rites. Neither me, nor they were aware of the compensation announced by the government.” The rooms of labourers Shiv Shankar (15) and Jai Prakash (20), both brothers; Santoo (25) from Gopalganj, Bihar; Ram Lal (25) from Aara, Bihar, and Santosh Kumar (24) from Aara, Bihar, all are locked. Munna Yadav, another tenant at Ram Nagar, said: “Some of them did get money, not from the government, but from industrialists. The relatives of those killed got Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 from the administration to perform their last rites. However, they are yet to receive the compensation promised by the Punjab government. None of them is even aware about the ESIC pensions” “The families who have migrated from the city are not even planning to come back because they think Rs 1,05,000 given by industrialists was all that they were entitled to,” Yadav added. “Since I was at the hospital, someone told me that I will get compensation from the government. But what about the others? Is the government making sure that those who have left or have been discharged are informed about the compensation?” Bipin questioned. Satendra, who was discharged from the Civil Hospital a couple of days ago, says no one told him about the compensation. Sanjay, brother of Parabhat (20), who died in the factory collapse, is among the ones who has not received a single penny as compensation. “Prabhat (20) was rescued from the debris early on Monday morning. He couldn’t be admitted to the Civil Hospital on Monday morning so he was shifted to Devi Talab Hospital, where he died in the afternoon. He was cremated the next morning, but we still do not have his death certificate. No one gave us any information about compensation. I have been visiting the Civil Hospital to know what I am supposed to get, but so far no one has informed us about anything,” Sanjay said.
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No space for serious patients in trauma ward
Jalandhar, April 25 At least four patients had to make do in the corridors as the trauma ward and the staff attended to an emergency patient in the first aid room. An accident victim, Rohit Kumar, waited in an ambulance for about an hour and another elderly accident victim was seen waiting in a wheelchair as the hospital staff had no place to shift them. Both the patients did not even get bed or stretcher to lie down. Rohit's brother Bobby said he had brought Rohit to the hospital after a CT scan. However, owing to the wait and the infrastructural trouble, Bobby shifted his brother to a private hospital. A livid Bobby asked the staff to attend to the patient, but to no avail. An elderly patient, Vijay Kumar, was admitted to a trauma ward on the ground floor. His attendants told The Tribune he had severe head injuries and possibly a fracture in the legs as he was not able to move. Two more patients with leg and pelvic bone fractures were also made to lay down on beds in the corridor and their dressing was also done in the corridor. Bimla from Wariana, the attendant of one of these patients, said: "We have been regularly bringing her for dressing here. Earlier, the dressing was done in the first aid room. Today, we were not moved beyond the corridor." Interestingly, all wards of the trauma unit were full, but doctors in the emergency still shifted the patients to the trauma ward even though some beds in the emergency ward were empty. The trauma ward staff said a patient with a severe head injury was in the first aid room. The lack of adequate manpower and stretchers is also said to have added to the problem. The staff at the emergency ward said: "Usually, we are supposed to shift all serious patients to the trauma ward. Three patients were shifted to the trauma wing from the emergency, but we had no clue that the trauma wing was full." Medical Superintendent Dr Iqbal Singh said: "I will look into the matter and check who is responsible for the mix-up."
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CT Polytechnic students design folding car
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, April 25 The flexible model car has been designed in such a way that it fits into small space, including parking lots and a small garage. The car transforms itself from a four-seater into a two-seater ina few seconds with the turn of a hydraulic lever while the boot space remains the same. The brainchild of final year automobile engineering students Ashwani, Abhishek, Badal, Bhumit and Sunnish Srivastava, the car is equipped with a centrally located hydraulic unit that stretches the vehicle with the help of guide railing with roller arrangements, providing full extension length. Costing around Rs 1.2 lakh, the car has a similar engine that of Maruti 800 car. In a fully stretched condition, the vehicle provides more legroom space while in contract mode the rear seats can be folded down to resemble a sports makeover. The car has been made of modern plastic material with longitudinal member slides, which guides with low friction rollers to provide a drawer like fitment. The floor panel is also reinforced to provide a rigid base structure while the exhaust system has been retuned and redesigned to suit the alterations.
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Sans safety walls, bridges put commuters in peril
Jalandhar, April 25 All new bridges have been opened by just putting danger tapes on poles. The incident of a Ludhiana-bound Hyundai Verna car having fallen from a bridge near Phagwara and turning turtle on Sunday evening, too, has not moved the officials overseeing the project or the employees of Soma Enterprises, the construction company. A similar accident had taken place in December 2011 when a speeding car skidded off the bridge in front of PAP Chowk, which does not have any sidewalls. Two persons were injured in the mishap. This bridge, however, is constructed and is not part of the ongoing six-laning project. Bridges without safety walls can even be seen in front of the busy area near Haveli theme food joint and also along the PAP-Kartarpur stretch near the Pathankot bypass and Maqsudan. Most of the newly opened bridges even do not have the mandatory retaining walls. A few such bridges can be seen along the Phillaur-Phagwara stretch. The earth mounds on these stretches had given tough time to commuters during monsoon last year as the road turned muddy and slippery. The construction company perhaps has been hastening the project ever since the Supreme Court had directed it to ensure the March 2013 deadline or face Rs 50 crore penalty. Sunil Kumar Dewan, project manager, stretch-5 from Phillaur to Bidhipur, said: “We are in the process of constructing safety walls and retaining walls. We have already done it at many places near Goraya. We have quickened our pace of work.”
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Earth Day celebrated at Science City
Jalandhar, April 25 Also the Chairman of the Ek Onkar Charitable Trust, Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, stated that the flow of effluents into rivers, beins and canals should be checked as the water pollution had stopped water recharging. “If the water is recharged properly, we will never face scarcity of water. We should save our mother earth from pollution and it is our moral duty to make the environment clean and green,” he said. Baba Seechewal stated that the calamities were the result of severing ties with the nature. Director-General of PGSC Dr RS Khandpur said “Earth Day is celebrated every year to spread awareness among the public regarding environment. Earth day should be used as a powerful catalyst to involve people in making future healthy, prosperous and sustainable. The celebration reminded us to protect the Mother Earth in every possible way. If we all put our best foot forward to stop the global warming, we can expect certain rewards in the future.” Painting, debate and craft competitions were organised, in which over 200 students of various education institutions participated. |
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Three injured in clash at Thekriwal village, 5 booked
Kapurthala, April 25 While Gurpreet Singh of one group sustained injuries in the firing, Balwant Singh and Soni of the other group were also injured by sharp-edged weapons. All the injured have been admitted to the Civil Hospital. According to information, Gurpreet Singh and Balwant Singh of the same village were at loggerheads over a piece of land claiming that each of them had given earnest money to its owner for buying it. A case was also reportedly pending in a court in
this regard. Balwant Singh had sowed wheat crop on that land a few months ago. He came to harvest the standing crop yesterday, but Gurpreet opposed it. At this, both of them, accompanied by their supporters, attacked each other. One of Balwant Singh’s supporter Soni allegedly fired with .12-bore rifle
at Gurpreet Singh, in which the latter sustained injuries. The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Kotwali police station Kulwinder Singh stated that a case was registered under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC against Balwant Singh and his four supporters - Swaran Singh, Monu, Harbhej and Soni - on Gurpreet’s
statement. Two accused were arrested, while as much had been admitted to the Civil Hospital. One accused was at large, the SHO said. |
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Gang of robbers busted, four arrested
Phagwara, April 25 This was stated by SP Kamaljit Singh Dhillon while talking to mediapersons here yesterday. He said the police had recovered snatched goods, including Maruti car, eight motorcycles and two LPG cylinders, worth Rs 6.20 lakh, from them. The police also recovered sharp-edged weapons, including two datars, sword, and knife, and a baseball bat used by them in the crimes. The arrested gang members were identified as Tirlochan Singh, alias Kuldip, of Sunnarr-Kalan village in Noormahal, Sandeep Singh, alias Seepa, of Warra village in Mehatpur, Jaswant Singh and Gurpreet Singh of Rauli village in Mehatpur. The absconding accused was identified as Ranado of Behram village in Nawanshahar district. The SHO, City police station, Sarwan Singh Bal, said the police got a tip-off that the gang was planning to strike at the town and a police party raided the bushes along the Phagwara-Banga road near PowerCom office and succeeded in arresting its four members, while the fifth member succeeded to fleeing. A case under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC and the Arms Act was registered. The SP said the arrested gangsters had confessed to their involvement in some crimes committed in Adampur, Hoshiarpur, Shahkot, Ludhiana and Phagwara. The gang members snatched purses from 41 different persons near Adampur, Hoshiarpur, Shahkot and Ludhiana. They also snatched vehicles from nine persons. The arrested accused were facing criminal cases already registered against them in police stations of Kapurthala, Mehatpur and Nakodar. All arrested accused were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, who remanded them in police custody. |
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10 pc more wheat expected this season: C.
Roul
Jalandhar, April 25 Deputy Commissioner (DC) Priyank Bharti said, “As much as 5,10,000 tonnes of wheat is expected in the mandis this season as compared to 4,75,000 tonnes last year.” C.
Roul, who has been entrusted the task of inspecting wheat procurement in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts, stated that several performance parameters had been fixed for prompt lifting and early payment of the crop. The Principal Secretary said performance parameters included procurement of the crop within 72 hours of its arrival and the payment to arhtiyas within 48 hours of its procurement. To a query regarding dispute by some arhtiyas over procuring of wheat crop by the FCI at New Grain Market in
Jalandhar, the DC said, “We were going to visit the mandi and the entire matter would be solved.” Regarding shortage of gunny bags, C. Roul said, “Various procurement agencies have adequate bags. However, there is shortage of only 1,500 bags, which would be provided within a few days.” Later, C.Roul accompanied by Priyank Bharti and other officials, visited several mandis and talked to various farmers over the procurement process. Meanwhile, a total of 4,78,709 quintal wheat was procured in the 77 mandis of the district.
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Mehr Chand polytechnic wins trophy in tech fest
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, April 25 Essay-writing competition
The History Association of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya (HMV) organised an essay-writing competition to make the students aware of the “Gandhian philosophy in the modern era”. As many as 60 students participated in the competition. Kamna, Radhika Gupta and Ishpreet Kaur stood first, second and third, respectively. |
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Chairman of the Punjab Pravasi Bhalai Board RC Yadav said labour laws were being flouted by industrialists of the state.
Jalandhar, April 25
Need to improve depleting groundwater level, says Baba Seechewal
Phagwara, April 25
