Bathinda, September 21
Objecting to the new post-graduate policy for government doctors, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association has said it would aggravate the problem of shortage of specialists being faced in government hospitals.

A delegation led by the PCMSA state secretary Dr Ravi Kant submitted a memorandum to the Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni, today demanding cancellation of the new policy.

Dr Ravi Kant said the PG policy has been revised twice in the last two years. Earlier, every PCMS doctor posted in the rural areas was eligible to government PG quota in state medical colleges after three years of service.

The policy was revised in 2010. The working areas were classified as normal, difficult and most difficult stations and the eligibility for PG quota was revised as two years for the most difficult area and three years for the difficult areas.

"Now, the policy has again been revised on July 17 this year. Under the new policy, the eligibility for PG quota has been changed to four years for the most difficult area and six years for the difficult areas," he said.

The doctors said the department was already was facing a crunch in terms of the availability of specialists and extending the duration for the MBBS doctors would mean delaying the process of churning out specialists.

"Past experience has shown that direct specialists are never interested in joining the department. Due to this policy, the PG quota for 60 per cent seats will remain vacant as none of the doctors appointed after 2008 will be eligible. Ultimately, these seats will get transferred to the 40 per cent general quota. As these 40 per cent doctors are reluctant to join the department, so people will be deprived of specialist care," he explained.

District president of the Association, Dr Gurpreet Mahal said after 1998, PCMS doctors were selected only in 2008. So a majority of the senior doctors are going to retire in the coming years and all junior doctors will be promoted to the post of SMO immediately after their specialization. As SMO is an administrative post, so people can never use their services for medical purposes.

The Association demanded that the previous policy should continue with chnages. Those who met the Civil Surgeon included Dr Jagroop Singh, Dr Arun Bansal, Dr Mayankjot, Dr Vishav, Dr Bikramjeet Singh and Dr Harjot Kaur. 

Bathinda, September 21
In yet another instance of the teaching faculty being deployed for non-academic work, 50 teachers from various government schools in the district have been deputed for the mega medical and dental check-up camp to be held at Badal village on Sunday.

In a letter issued to the office of the District Education Officer (Secondary), the Deputy Commissioner's office has mentioned a list of 50 teachers who will be put on duty.

The teachers have already been opposing the quantum of non-academic work given to them. They are being assigned election duties as well as other non-academic work. The Director General of School Education (DGSE) had sometime back strictly directed the teachers not to perform any non-academic work during the school hours so that the study of the students is not affected.

"We have been relegated to being the support staff for every department other than education. Sunday is one day that we get for rest and rejuvenation. But even this would now be spent on working at a medical camp that is not being held in our district," said a teacher.

Besides the teachers, all the government employees have been directed not to leave station on September 22, 23 and 24.

In a letter issued to all government departments, the DC has directed the employees not to leave station as the services of any employee can be used during the camp where a large number of VVIPs and VIPs are expected to participate.

A day earlier, it was reported that staff has been squeezed out of government hospitals at Bathinda and Rampura and deployed at the sub-divisional level hospital that is to be inaugurated at Ghudda.

As many as seven doctors from the Civil Hospital at Bathinda, two from Rampura and one from Sangat have been transferred to Ghudda.

The doctors who have been transferred from the Bathinda hospital include deputy medical commissioner Dr Vinod, specialist in medicine Dr KK Goyal, paediatrician Dr Anjali, surgeon Dr Usha Goyal orthopaedist Dr Dheeraj, Dr Arun Bansal and gynaecologist Dr Monika Gupta.

Bathinda, September 21
The city-based Singh Pipe Band will appear on the reality TV show, India's Got Talent. A group of youngsters in the age-group of 18 to 32 years constitute this band that was selected during the auditions for the show held at Amritsar.

Bakhshish Singh, one of the four founder partners of the band, got a call over two months ago asking him to come to Mumbai.

The band has been performing for the last four years. An internet expert, Bakshish had loaded all the videos of the band's performance on the Youtube. "The caller, a member of the reality show team, had viewed our online videos. He asked us to appear for the auditions at Amritsar," he said.

Bakshish and eight other members of the band cleared the primary auditions and went to Mumbai where they recorded their performance a couple of days ago. "We don't know whether we will reach the next round or not. The judges were quite impressed with our

presentation but further selection depends on many other parameters. Our performance might be aired on September 22," he informed.

The members of the band include Bakshish, RS Romana, Malkit Singh (the stick master), Rajkumar, Parteet Singh, Pawandeep Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Ravi Kumar and Jagtar Singh. Besides the stick master, who orchestrates the band, the group has four bagpipers and four drummers.

All the band members are into different professions. From computer networking and internet to running carpentry business, the youngsters earn their living from pursuing other vocations also.

The members of the band practice everyday to maintain their vigour and rhythm. The band is spotted every evening practicing at the Ring Road near Patel Nagar. The band has performed even in Haryana and Rajasthan.

"We do not get paid as per our capability in Punjab and hence, we move out. People are fond of disciplined and well behaved bands and this is the USP of our group," said Bakshish.

The band came up four years ago when Bakshish met his neighbour, a cop in the Punjab Police band. The cop founded his own band and Bakshish became a part of the project. Later, he branched out and formed his own band, picking up the subtle nuances of the trade from the other professional bands while surfing the Net.

Bakshish added that the band has not only provided a job opportunity to the youngsters but has also helped them become independent. Some members of the band hail from the economically backward areas.

When not performing, the band members are busy with their respective work and also take care of the instruments as well as the uniforms worn at every performance.

Bathinda, September 21
Even as promotion of liquor through advertisement is banned and declared as violation of the provisions of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, it continues in the city with impunity, courtesy officials of the Excise Department who are allegedly turning a blind eye towards the violation.

Huge hoardings promoting liquor dot almost every road in the city.

Interestingly, local MLA Sarup Chand Singla is also the Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Excise and Taxation).

An employee of a liquor vend situated on the Bathinda-Goniana road said, “Liquor manufacturers have given us these boards free of cost. So, we have installed it. We are not aware whether it is legal or not.”

When the assistant excise and taxation commissioner, Regular Wing, Pawan Garg, was contacted for his version, he said, “I am out of station.”

Local excise and taxation officer (ETO) SP Pahuja said, “I am not aware about any violation but those found flouting the rules would definitely be penalised in accordance with the law.”

An official of the department said as per the Excise Act, contractors can only put up small boards with inscriptions to indicate whether the shop deals in English or country-made liquor.

Bathinda, September 21
Plays were staged in the memory of a renowned personality in Punjabi theatre, Bhai Gursharan Singh (fondly addressed as Bhaaji), at the Balwant Gargi Open Air Theatre situated in the Rose Garden here on Thursday night.

Teams of the Bhai Manna Singh Rang Manch, Bhagta Bhaika, and the Venus Art Theatre, Bathinda, presented two plays that were well received by the audience.

The Bhagta Bhaika team presented “Hor Vi Uthsi Mard Da Chela” while the Venus group performed “Jadon Roshni Hundi Hai”.

Several teams of theatre artistes are staging plays across the state in the memory of doyen of the Punjabi theatre.

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to observe the first death anniversary of Bhai Gursharan Singh at Jagraon on September 23 and at Chandigarh on September 27.

In a press statement issued today, Pavel Kumar and Jhada Singh Jethuke said people from all parts of Punjab would be converging at Jagraon and Chandigarh to pay their tributes to ‘Bhaaji’.

Bathinda, September 21
Using combine harvesters for paddy has been banned between 7 pm and 10 am. Further, burning the paddy stubble has also been prohibited. District magistrate Kamal Kishore Yadav has ordered the ban under Section 144 of the CrPC.

Yadav said by burning stubble, farmers kill several organisms that are crop-friendly. Such an act adversely affects the fertility of soil. Further, stubble burning poses a threat to ripe crops standing in the fields nearby, which can catch fire leading to huge losses to its grower.

Stubble burning around 1,200 yards of an ammunition depot has been strictly prohibited. The orders are applicable from September 20 to November 21.

Further, additional deputy commissioner Rajiv Prashar has directed all the government offices situated on the District Administrative Complex to dispose of their garbage in a responsible manner.

Bathinda, September 21
Four inmates have been booked after two mobile phones were found in the Central Jail, Bathinda, on Thursday.

As per the complaint lodged at the Civil Lines police station, one Gurdev Singh was found carrying a mobile phone on the jail premises. Another mobile phone was recovered from the pillow of a jail inmate.