J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Informers’ identity to be kept secret, says health minister Madan Mohal Mittal
Rahon (Nawanshahr) August 20
All patients belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) category will get indoor treatment free of cost in all government-run hospitals of the state. Earlier, the facility was available only to BPL families as far as out patient departments (OPDs) of the government hospitals were concerned.

Lofty aim

An Army team that will leave for an expedition to Kinner Kailash mountain range from Patiala on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Punjab to re-conduct exam on August 25
Patiala, August 20
Following reports of irregularities in the Basic Proficiency Test (B1 promotional tests) held for Punjab Police constables on July 15, the authorities have decided to re-conduct the written examination under a newly appointed panel of officers.

Sobti is DAV varsity VC
New Delhi, August 20
Dr RC Sobti, a former Vice Chancellor of Panjab University, has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the DAV University. The DAV College Management Committee took this decision at its meeting here on Sunday. The committee also decided to start the construction of a nursing institute in Jalandhar.

Services of 74 safai sewaks regularised
Jalandhar, August 20
As many as 74 safai sewaks, who were working on the temporary basis with the Hoshiarpur Nagar Council, have been regularised by the Punjab Government. They were handed over appointment letters by former Punjab Local Bodies’ Minister and senior BJP leader Tikshan Sud at a function in the Zila Parishad’s meeting hall in Hoshiarpur today.

Villager seriously hurt in attack
Phagwara , August 20
Three unidentified assailants struck at nearby Niacha village and attacked and seriously wounded a villager Bagga last night. The assailant managed to escape after the attack. The injured villager was admitted to a hospital, the police said. The police has registered a case.

Woman ends life, husband among 3 booked
Hoshiarpur, August 20
A woman committed suicide by consuming poison as she was allegedly tortured and maltreated by her in-laws at Pandori Atwal village. Narinder Kaur of Noorpur Jattan PS Dhilwan (Kapurthala) was married to Amit Kumar of Pandori Atwal.

Stress on promoting literature at grassroots level
Phagwara, August 20
The Haryana Granth Academy vice-chairman Kamlesh Bhartiya has stressed the need for introducing innovative ideas and experiments to preserve and promote literature at the grassroots level.

Informers’ identity to be kept secret, says health minister Madan Mohal Mittal
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Rahon (Nawanshahr) August 20
All patients belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) category will get indoor treatment free of cost in all government-run hospitals of the state. Earlier, the facility was available only to BPL families as far as out patient departments (OPDs) of the government hospitals were concerned.

“The Punjab Government has taken a decision to extend the free indoor treatment facility to the BPL families keeping in view their inability to bear the treatment charges. Now, they would be able to get themselves treated free of cost in all government hospitals. The government has also decided to provide treatment free of cost for a period of 28 days to those pregnant women who give birth to their children in government hospitals. Such women need not pay any charges for their treatment and that of their newly born babies,” said the Punjab Health and Family Welfare minister Madan Mohan Mittal.

He was here to inaugurate a thyroid lab, a dialysis machine and a medical camp at the local Kirpal Sagar Charitable hospital today.

Talking about the state government’s tirade against drug addiction, Madan Mohal Mittal said his department had initiated a novel move wherein any person could contact him on his personal mobile phone number 9876741554 and give information about any chemists resorting to illegal sale of drugs to youths. “The move has yielded positive results. People informing us about unscrupulous activities of chemists should remain assured that their names would not be disclosed to anybody,” said the minister.

He said the state government was taking the problem of shortage of doctors in government schools. “Vacancies are being rationalised in the Health Department. It is being ensured that at least one gynaecologist, one surgeon, a general physician and one paediatrician should remain posted in each government hospital at the district headquarters. All doctors posted at government hospitals have been directed to provide dedicated service to people in office hours between 8 am and 2 pm,” said the minister. 

Punjab to re-conduct exam on August 25
Aman Sood/TNS

Patiala, August 20
Following reports of irregularities in the Basic Proficiency Test (B1 promotional tests) held for Punjab Police constables on July 15, the authorities have decided to re-conduct the written examination under a newly appointed panel of officers.

The Tribune had highlighted the matter in these columns on July 20 and July 21.

Sources said taking note of news reports in this regard, Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini had decided to quash the earlier examination where certain candidates were allegedly allowed to use unfair means. The DGP has also ordered an inquiry into the allegation of favouritism against the officials concerned.

"An inquiry to fix responsibility will be conducted by an ADGP and strict action will be taken against the guilty," a senior officer said, adding: "We have already compiled the data pertaining to the exam to facilitate the probe”.

The department has fixed August 25 as the next date of the test, which will be held at PAP, Jalandhar. The exam will be conducted in a centralised manner for over 3,500 constables.

The new six-member committee will be headed by ADGP (Armed Battalions) GS Sahota.

The test is held annually for promotions of constables and head constables. The written test is of 95 marks while five marks are for the interview. Those securing at least 50 per cent marks in the written exam qualify for an interview. There are limited slots available for promotion and only a few from those who qualify get selected.

Sobti is DAV varsity VC
Man Mohan
Our Roving Editor

New Delhi, August 20
Dr RC Sobti, a former Vice Chancellor of Panjab University, has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the DAV University. The DAV College Management Committee took this decision at its meeting here on Sunday. The committee also decided to start the construction of a nursing institute in Jalandhar.

The university, whose campus is being built along the Jalandhar-Pathankot road, is likely to start functioning soon. DAV Management Committee Chairman Punam Suri said the university would be different from other universities.

"The thrust will be on research and high-level education based on ethics and cultural values. Curriculum and syllabus will be drafted in consultation with industrial sector so that students get jobs immediately after passing out," he said.

Suri said another committee had also been constituted to facilitate start of construction of the Mahatma Hans Raj DAV Institute of Nursing in Jalandhar. A budget of Rs 49.06 crore has been approved for this project.

The DAV management has also decided to introduce an educational audit of DAV public schools to assess the quality of education. 

Services of 74 safai sewaks regularised
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 20
As many as 74 safai sewaks, who were working on the temporary basis with the Hoshiarpur Nagar Council, have been regularised by the Punjab Government. They were handed over appointment letters by former Punjab Local Bodies’ Minister and senior BJP leader Tikshan Sud at a function in the Zila Parishad’s meeting hall in Hoshiarpur today.

“More than 230 safai sewaks were working with various committees on the temporary basis. The services of 74 of these workers have been regularised by the Punjab Government accepting the long-pending demand of such workers that they should be regularised. The SAD-BJP combine has fulfilled its promise by regularising the services of these workers,” said Tikshan Sud, while handing over appointment letters to 74 safai sewaks.

He saud the remaining temporary workers would be given wages fixed by the Deputy Commissioner. “The SAD-BJP government will be solving problems of safai sewaks on priority basis,” he said, exhorting the safai sewaks to work for the cleanliness of the city.

Tikshan Sud said the upcoming Municipal Bhawan, being constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore, would be dedicated to people by the end of November.

Nagar Council’s Executive Engineer Parmjit Singh and councillor Surjit Kumar Bangar were present.

Villager seriously hurt in attack
Our Correspondent

Phagwara , August 20
Three unidentified assailants struck at nearby Niacha village and attacked and seriously wounded a villager Bagga last night. The assailant managed to escape after the attack. The injured villager was admitted to a hospital, the police said. The police has registered a case.

In another case, some unidentified robbers struck at Bilga village and entered the house of villager Surjit Ram and wounded his wife Maya in his absence last night. The woman fell unconscious after the attack and the robbers decamped with some valuables and cash. The injured woman was admitted to a hospital.

Woman ends life, husband among 3 booked
Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, August 20
A woman committed suicide by consuming poison as she was allegedly tortured and maltreated by her in-laws at Pandori Atwal village. Narinder Kaur of Noorpur Jattan PS Dhilwan (Kapurthala) was married to Amit Kumar of Pandori Atwal.

Narinder Kaur’s father Jaswinder Singh has lodged a complaint in which he alleged that her daughter was often tortured by Amit Kumar, his brother Munish Kumar and mother Urmila Devi for bringing no dowry from her parents.

Narinder Kaur consumed some poisonous substance on Sunday. She was admitted to a hospital where she breathed her last. The Garhdiwala police has booked her husband, brother-in-law and mother-in-law under Section 304 B of the IPC.

Stress on promoting literature at grassroots level
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, August 20
The Haryana Granth Academy vice-chairman Kamlesh Bhartiya has stressed the need for introducing innovative ideas and experiments to preserve and promote literature at the grassroots level.

He was addressing a function organised by the Doaba Sahitya Academy in Phagwara today. “We should also come forward with some innovations catering to the interests of the people of a particular area while organising literary functions," said Bhartiya while giving a brief account of the new experiments initiated by him in Haryana to promote literature among people.

Bhartiya was honoured by the academy for his contribution towards the field of literature. A book on “Darshan, Adhyatamic Chintan Aur Bhakti”, written by Ramesh Sobti, was released at the function.