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Bandh brings Life to a halt in city
Mayor spells out his priorities; residents hope for a better tomorrow
Cases against teachers will be withdrawn, says
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Amidst huge patient load, Civil Hospital hit by staff shortage
Amritsar, September 20 
Having to deal with 800 OPD patients daily and 450 deliveries monthly, the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital finds the going difficult owing to considerable staff shortage.
The hospital has seen a mammoth rise in daily inflow of patients since its inception, but it still has to manage with only 40 staff nurses and practically no sanctioned fourth class worker.Worn-out fire safety equipment is a cause of worry. In the absence of adequate sitting arrangements, patients and their attendants have to sit on the ground at the Civil Hospital in Amritsar. photos: sameer sehgal
Five arrested with habit-forming drugs, heroin
Beopar mandal flays VAT hike
Refresher course on social sciences inaugurated
41 more services proposed under RTS Act
Two young designers bring pop-art to city
Motivational lecture for addicts held
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Bandh brings Life to a halt in city
Amritsar, September 20
With all the petrol pumps closed, residents were restricted to cut short their travelling plans. Residents were seen pleading with attendants at petrol pumps for the fuel. With most of the private buses staying away from the roads, the general public faced inconvenience. Inflow of visitors at medical institutions and attendance in educational institutions were affected due to the bandh. The OPDs at Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital were less crowded than the usual days as patients from the rural areas preferred not to visit the city because of the lesser plying of public buses. People preferred trains as mode of transportation because of the road jams at various places. Activists of political parties mainly the BJP were seen roaming in the streets to plead with the shopkeepers to close down their establishments. Though minor skirmishes between shopkeepers and political activists were reported at few places, the bandh was overall peaceful. Shopkeepers alleged that they were forced to close down their shops by BJP activists in Lohgarh and Putligarh areas. Shopkeepers were seen waiting outside their shops in Hall Bazaar, Putlighar and Chehharta areas hoping that they would get time to open their shops. Most of the shops in the city except medical stores, tea vends and few karyana shops, in the residential areas were closed. The CPI, CPM and PPP held a rally at the railway station wherein they burnt the effigy of Prime Minister. CPI leader Amarjit Singh Asal said, "People are burdened with the taxes and inflation. Rise in diesel prices would trigger a chain of inflation." He said FDI in retail sector would wipe out millions of small karyana businessmen spread over the country. However, despite the enthusiasm of the activists of various political parties, public in general stayed away from these programmes. Roads remained free of traffic snarls throughout the day.
Police remained on toes
The police today remained on toes as various political outfits and organisations held demonstrations during the Bharat Bandh. Since morning, police parties were deputed at points, including Hall Gate, where a huge number of activists of the BJP and SAD protested against the UPA government. The policemen were deputed at Crystal Chowk, Hall gate, Bhandari Bridge, railway station, Novelty Chowk to check any untoward incident. While the BJP and SAD workers protested at the Hall Gate area, Left parties demonstrated at the railway station. Ram Singh, Police Commissioner, said the adequate police force was deployed at key road transactions and points where the political parties have planned to hold protests. The day passed peacefully. No untoward incident was reported in the city.
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Mayor spells out his priorities; residents hope for a better tomorrow
Amritsar, September 20 The Municipal Corporation at present is passing through a very bad phase - be its deteriorating fiscal health, cleanliness, traffic snarls, drinking water supply and sewage or rainwater disposal. The Mayor shares his views regarding the problems and throws light on the strategies he would adopt to redress them. How will you cope up with the depleting fiscal health of the MC? The deteriorating fiscal health is because of disorganisation and non-utilisation of resources. First of all, the revenue generating departments will be strengthened. I have observed that the corporation has turned a blind eye to the illegal commercial activities, especially by multi-storey hotels. The lackadaisical attitude of the MC could well be gauged from the fact that despite officially earmarking nine roads as ‘commercial roads’, --- Lawrence Road, Albert Road, Court Road, Mall Road--- the MC has not taken hotels to task for violating the CLU policy. Similarly, traders and residents who were evading taxes would be taken to task. Also, MC properties which were lying defunct for decades can be put under hammer and the money generated can be used for the welfare of residents. What strategies do you have to convince defaulters? I have generated a formula, which is very flexible. I will invite defaulters to deposit their dues voluntarily and
in lieu of this gesture of theirs, I will announce them ‘special discounts’. I have adopted this formula during my term as the Chairman of the Improvement Trust. The Trust, which had a loan of Rs 62 crore (52 crore of HUDCO and Rs 10 crore of Oriental Bank, Hall Bazar), turned the situation into its advantage and had a fixed deposit of Rs 25 crore within two years. I intend to adopt the same strategy in the corporation too. How would you tackle the black sheep in the MC? There will be absolutely no space for corruption. I am aware of the nefarious ways adopted by several employees. If they still do not refrain from their misdeeds, they would be shunted out of the city. Quality life is still a distant dream for city residents. What are your plans to change the scenario? Actually being an old topography, it is time to augment the existing infrastructure as far as drinking water supply or sewerage or rainwater disposal system are concerned. Though the revamp programmes have begun, I will expedite these projects. I am aware of the bad quality of water. I also know that the water supply gets mixed with sewage at several places because of breakages in pipes. I will try to plug these problems on a priority. How will you address the unhygienic conditions and garbage heaps on roads and streets? As an immediate measure, I will try to revamp the door-to-door garbage collection. A major issue which has remained unsolved till date are the city’s main garbage dump yard at Bhaktanwala, near the main grain market, and the dilapidated garbage lifting programme. I had held talks with officials concerned. We will table this problem on a priority in the first House meeting. Ultimately, the cleanliness of the city will be possible only once the Solid Waste Management Plant comes up. What about traffic chaos on roads? I understand that while the inflow of visitors has increased, the facilities available within the city are limited. For traffic management, I plan to have interaction with the police officials concerned. After identifying key areas, which witness heavy traffic flow, we will try to put the commuters on some alternate routes which could lead them to their destinations. The streetlights and traffic lights cry for immediate attention. The stray animals on the roadside or on dividers too pose threat; they will be removed from roads. Similarly, I intend to remove encroachments from the roadsides.
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Cases against teachers will be withdrawn, says
Amritsar, September 20 RS Chhina, honorary secretary of KCGC, said the management firmly stands by its mutual agreement with the teachers and has no intentions to pursue any legal action against teachers and that the cases would be quashed while adopting proper legal procedure. As many as 21 teachers were booked for allegedly trespassing and creating ruckus on the college premises during their agitation against elevation of historic Khalsa College into a university last year. Later, the teachers and the management had reached a compromise by, reportedly, shelving the idea of converting the existing heritage college into a university and as a goodwill gesture had signed a pact to withdraw all the cases and punitive action against the ‘erring’ teachers. Now after a year, panic gripped the teachers after they received notice from the police to appear before the court in the same case. Chinna clarified that since it was a legal matter, every step has to be taken legally and the said notice served upon teachers must have been a ‘routine’ matter. “Law has to take its own course. In that respect, everything would have to be settled in the court itself. Even if the court summons them, it would be settled then and there. We stand by our commitment and assure that we have no intentions to take any action against teachers booked in the case,” he said. In the last Saturday’s meeting with the teachers, it was deliberated that the process for quashing the cases is being taken up vigorously. “I also advise the teachers to refrain from getting involved with some elements who are trying to disturb peace by spreading misinformation, which is baseless and misleading,” said Chinna.
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Amidst huge patient load, Civil Hospital hit by staff shortage
The hospital has seen a mammoth rise in daily inflow of patients since its inception, but it still has to manage with only 40 staff nurses and practically no sanctioned fourth class worker. The trauma centre of the hospital also does not have any sanctioned staff of its own. Further, the hospital has only two emergency medical officers (EMO) as against the requirement of six. Even a patients’ ward on the upper floor of the hospital building could not be made functional owing to staff crunch as it would need more employees to manage it. Sanitary fittings in few of the washrooms at the hospital are either broken or missing. The hospital, however, has sent a proposal to the Punjab Health Systems Corporation to entrust the work of managing washrooms to an NGO to ensure cleanliness and safety of sanitary fittings.
The rush at the hospital is such that patients and their attendants have to often sit on the ground as the seating arrangement made by the authorities for the general public is less than the demand. Senior Medical Officer Dr Balbir Singh Dhillon said, “Around 30 more posts of staff nurse have been sanctioned for the hospital. Hopefully we would get them soon.” Talking about the missing sanitary fittings, Dhillon said, “We have got all the fittings installed twice in the recent times. However, these have gone missing again. The scant hospital security cannot watch thieves mixed up in the crowd all the time.” He said once the proposal to involve an NGO is finalised, the situation would be better. He said the hospital had brought many new machines for the betterment of patients.
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Five arrested with habit-forming drugs, heroin
Amritsar, September 20 The police seized 7,000 capsules and 22,000 capsules of habit-forming drugs from the possession of Bal Kishan and his son Varinder Kumar, respectively. His other son Sandeep Sharma was arrested with 1,600 capsules of intoxicants. They have been booked under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. In the garb of running a vegetable shop, the accused used to sell drugs to vulnerable youths in the area. Varinder Kumar was released on a bail recently. He was arrested by the Jandiala police on similar charges. They have been taken on a police remand for further investigation. Sanjiv Sharma, the investigating officer and in charge of the anti-narcotic cell, said Varinder used to procure drugs from an unidentified person who used to come on a black coloured car. The police also nabbed Ranjit Singh Rana of Bhuchchar village (Tarn Taran) and Sikander Lal of Jaintipur with 150 grams and 75 grams of heroin, respectively. They had been going towards Jaintipur from Amritsar when they were caught. The police authorities said the two accused were also involved in illegal arms trade.
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Beopar mandal flays VAT hike
Amritsar, September 20 He said the reasons for making overnight increase have nowhere been elaborated in the notification. “The step can be taken in few exceptional circumstances and thus the notification is not within the framework of law,” he said adding that it would affect thousands of products in Punjab and will severely hit the trade of dry fruits, karyana, nut bolts and screws, plywood, yarn connected industry, hosiery, plastic goods, cocks and valves industry, cycle parts, steel products, readymade garments, tea, medicines, food processing, ball pens, furnaces and steel rolling. The mandal has also opposed the Central Government opening the door to 51 per cent FDI in retail in multi-brand. “Small traders and manufacturers would be wiped out,” he said. The mandal has request the Punjab Government not implement the FDI in the state, he said.
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Refresher course on social sciences inaugurated
Amritsar, September 20 Prof Rajesh Gill, Chairperson, Department of Sociology & Centre for Women Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, inaugurated the course. As many as 19 teachers from various universities and colleges of India are taking part in the course. In her inaugural address, Prof Gill said what mattered most in life were the qualities of a good human-being. “The social sciences have to play a vital role in producing good human beings. Unfortunately, the social sciences had been pushed to the background in the present time,” she said. She said a lack of funds was one of the major reasons for the declining research in this field. Earlier, Prof MS Gill, Course Coordinator from the Department of Sociology, acquainted the participants with the aims and objectives of this course. Prof TS Banipal, Director, Academic Staff College, gave a brief introduction of the college to the participants and said such courses go a long way in enriching the knowledge of the participants in various aspects. He exhorted the participants to make optimum use of this opportunity to sharpen their skills.
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41 more services proposed under RTS Act
Amritsar, September 20 He said the state government is likely to give its nod to the proposal which would take the tally of services provided under the Act to 110. He said till now as many as 29 lakh people have took the benefits of the RTS Act under which the services are provided in a stipulated period. He said if any authority fails to provide the services, he will have to face the
music. — TNS
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Two young designers bring pop-art to city
Amritsar, September 20 'Pop-art’ or better called an amalgamation of art and fashion impressed everyone who visited the concept exhibition put together by Prerna Sehgal and Mannat Batra at hotel Blue Moon. Graduates in visual communications from Madras University College, Chennai, the girls have brought their expertise to their home city. The two-day exhibition has paintings, art work that uses contemporary techniques and design with digital prints on canvas, colourful and innovative posters and UV paintings. Their creativity is displayed in funky posters, trays and posters adding a varied dimension to home décor. Apparel and accessories like bags, belts too have found their touch in design and style. If the shear simplicity and innovation doesn't impress you, the concept of bringing two upcoming and celebrated areas of creativity will. “Amritsar is waking up to latest concepts in art as well as fashion. The aim is make the city aware about world-wide trends in design and encourage other young students to delve into new ideas," shares Prerna. Both the girls feel Amritsar needs new and better possibilities as far as fashion is concerned. "We have lot of customised things like frames, posters, gift items, accessories, which is a niche market here. It’s a small city and so people tend to follow same trends in fashion and art. But label conscious people want to look different from the others, which means personalised stuff is in demand,” says Prerna. Their collection has accessories from Zara, sarees from Baroda-based designer label 19/20 and some dresses from a New York-based designer. “We want to pick up upcoming designers who are experimenting with apparels and accessories. We want to mark our existence as a label with a vision," says Mannat. Clubbing art, fashion and design, their show opened to a good response. The girls want to continue as freelance artists. “It will give us more room to experiment," says Prerna. But their vision remains, “Youth must invest in their own abilities and search for new ways and means to be creative. Inspiration does come from work of arts worldwide but one must try to tread on ones own chosen path with determination. Although each new step brings in its set of teething problems, but the world has now opened up to fresh openings.”
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Motivational lecture for addicts held
Amritsar, September 20 He said the patients at the centre have taken a good step by deciding to go for medication to save themselves from drugs. He also informed the patients about the causes and symptoms of tuberculosis. He said when people become drug addicts they often care less about their personal hygiene and cleanliness of the surroundings. “The chances of them getting affected from TB increase and once affected they communicate the disease to others,” he said. The lecture was attended by Deepak Babar of Mission Aagaaj and various other medical experts associated with the centre apart from patients and their attendants.
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The Bharat Bandh, supported by almost every political party except the Congress against the hike in diesel prices and FDI in multi-brand retail, paralysed the normal life in the city today.
Amritsar, September 20
