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Doc goes abroad sans sanction
Additional bigger window created at transport office
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Many names do rounds in BJP
Singing sensation Diljaan wins many hearts
basti bawa khel civil dispensary
Pak docs’ boost to
SAARC hospital project
National Highway 703 in Shahkot cries for urgent
Cong against making Nadala a Nagar Panchayat
New students get a rousing welcome
Finance bodies' plea to RBI
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Doc goes abroad sans sanction
Jalandhar, September 22 The officer, along with his staff, also took into possession two parallel attendance registers that had been maintained to forge the attendance of the doctor. Putting up his findings before the ADC (D)-cum-CEO of Zila Parishad Praneet Bhardwaj and DM Priyank Bharti for further executing any disciplinary and criminal action against Dr Guramarinder Singh Gosal, DDPO Sarabjit Singh Walia, along with his staff, even placed on record statements of the pharmacist Sukhpreet and class IV employee Gurpreet. Giving details of the sequence of events, the DDPO said the pharmacist had been marking the attendance on behalf of the doctor in the attendance register ever since the doctor had left. “The signature style of the pharmacist perfectly matched with the doctor and the attendance register started from this month onwards. As we warned the pharmacist and class IV employee of serious consequences, the story unfolded. They brought out another register that they had maintained which, too, started from this month onwards. In this, the pharmacist had marked his attendance while leaving the doctor’s column so that he could mark his presence on his own whenever he came back,” he explained. The DDPO said he had blocked the salary of the doctor from now onwards. He said he would also submit his findings before the Director Rural Development and Panchayats for taking further course of action, as the RMO was a regular employee. He said more details would be sought on taking the copy of the passport of the doctor after he returned to India. The officials are even contemplating taking legal action against him as the opinion of the District Attorney, too, has been sought on the matter. |
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Additional bigger window created at transport office
Jalandhar, September 22 Since the biggest problem was at the cash counter, an additional bigger window has been created so that the visitors do not have to wait for long. The bigger window has allowed the applicants to see through, identify the persons to whom they are giving cash and has also, somehow, put an end to the practice of agents of pushing in documents from underneath the door and getting their work done out of turn. The bigger window, created a few days ago, has allowed a larger view of the scene inside the cash-collection room. The applicants can easily identify as to who among the employees at the cash counter was conniving with the agents and taking applicantions from them. For the same reason perhaps, the agents are nowhere to be seen. The new DTO Dalwinderjit Singh has also deputed his gunmen to assure that there are no agents seen around the office area. The PCS officer said he was also planning to improve the working of the photography counter for licence applicants handled by the private contractors by adding a new counter. “There are nearly 600 applicants for photography daily,” the staff of Blue Chip Company said, claiming that they catered to the rush token-wise without any interruption. The token number is displayed at the entrance of the photo room. Two govt holidays Since there will be two government holidays in the coming week, the office is likely to witness a huge rush on the three working days from Tuesday to Thursday. Monday is holiday on account of birth anniversary of Baba Sri Chand. Friday will be off owing to the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh and Sodal Mela.
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Many names do rounds in BJP
Jalandhar, September 22 With party leaders calling Prabhakar immature and less active socially, the names of other candidates are also doing rounds. The other alternatives whose names are being taken include first-timer and vice-president of the party Ram Gopal Gupta or a political greenhorn Ashwini Bhandari, MLA KD Bhandari's cousin. Gupta's daughter-in-law Yogita Gupta was a councillor and a trustee of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust. The names of the more experienced lot, including third-timers Arjun Pappi and Manjinder Singh Chatha, however, have not emerged. Both represent Kalia's Jalandhar Central constituency, who instead has been supporting the candidature of Ravi of the Jalandhar North area. In fact, all top three candidates, including Ravi, Sunil and Prabhakar, are from the North legislative assembly. Insiders tell that the main fight hangs around Sunil and Ravi. Both MLAs being quite pushy, want their man as the first citizen of the city so as to ensure sanction for more development works in their respective constituencies. Either of the two leaders has taken the appointment of their candidates as a prestige issue. Oberoi - a clear-cut candidate Arvinder Kaur Oberoi, a second-time councilor, seems to be a clear-cut choice for the post of Senior Deputy Mayor. For the post of Deputy Mayor, the SAD does not have many choices. There are 11 councillors, many of whom do not suit the party. Former Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia is caught in legal tangles and the SAD whose three ministers have had to quit in six months does not want to take more risks. Second-timer Pritam Singh does not enjoy much support. Balbir Singh Bittu had allegedly shot a youth during the Vienna carnage and he, too, faces opposition on this front. Deputy Mayor Parvesh Tangri is the only choice among men folk,
but the party seems to be in a mood to change him. In such a case, the Deputy Mayor's post may also go to a woman councillor. Of the total councillors, seven are women, two of whom have declined to take any major assignment. These include Dalwinder Kaur Gandhi, sister-in-law of former JIT Chairman Baljit Singh Neelamahal, who won uncontested. The wife of Gurdeep Singh Nagra, Jaspal Kaur Nagra, too, is averse to taking any top post. The party is left to choose someone from among first timers, including Parminder Kaur Pannu, sister-in-law of Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, Simarjit Kaur Dhindsa or SC candidate Davinder Kaur Reru. Longest wait Ever since they contested and won polls on June 10, the candidates have had to wait for over three and a half months to take oath. While the wait was to end earlier on September 20, it got extended by another five days owing to the call of Bharat Bandh by the BJP on that day. Party leaders say that a sealed envelope to be opened on the day would put all speculation to rest |
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Singing sensation Diljaan wins many hearts
Making it to this bunch of talented vocalists, fighting it out on the musical battleground of reality TV, is Jalandhar's very own Diljaan. One among the 12 lucky voices (six from India, six from Pakistan) who made it to the TV show Sur Kshetra, the resonant, wise, Sufi voice of Diljaan has won applause from judges and admiration from music aficionados back home. In city during a little breather from his gruelling Dubai shoot sessions, Diljaan talked on what it meant to win praise from Ismail Darbaar, to be mentored by the Indian team captain Himesh Reshamiya and be judged by the deadly trio of stalwarts like Asha (Bhonsle) Taai, Roona Laila and Abida Parveen. Born and brought up at Kartarpur, Diljaan was pursuing his BA final year at the local DAV College when he made it to the Sur Kshetra auditions. Among the 3,000 who auditioned for the show at Ludhiana - which was the centre for Punjab, Harayana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh - Diljaan was the only one selected. In his little TV journey, he has already won a standing ovation from Asha Tai, praise from Ismail Darbaar, his mentor Himesh Reshamiya and even Pak music captain Atif Aslam. Hans Raj Hans' eyes once welled up to his tuned on MH1 and some even tout hiM as one of the strongest contenders for Shur Kshetra. Back in his childhood, Diljaan started his musical taleem from his father Madhar Kartarvi. Also a litterateur, Kartarvi passed on his fascination for music to his son. He grew in music with lessons from Punjab?s legendary Sufi vocalist Ustad Puran Shahkoti, who also happens to be his Dadaguru (father?s guru). "I have a great respect for his unparalleled voice and his strains that are remindful of God. He had a great influence on me and taught me the real meaning of what Sufi singing is all about," Diljaan says. Starting off on stage with school contests and competitions for the local Mela Gadhri Babeyan Da, Diljaan also made it as a runners? up on the reality show Awaaz Punjab Di, during which he was judged by Raj Gayak Hans Raj Hans and music directors Sachin Ahuja and Uttam Singh. When Sur Kshetra started, he first made it through with his vocal rendition of the song Jiya Dhadak- 2 jaye. One among the 10 Indians shortlisted, the jury to select the final SIX who would make it to the show comprised Alka Yagnik, Ismail Darbar and Suresh Wadekar. While Dijaan is all praise for the three judges (Laila, Parveen and Bhonsle) talking about the unparalleled wit and evergreen charm of Asha Bhonsle, Diljaan says, "Anyone who sticks to the 'sur' (tune) is right for her - whether that person is Indian or Pakistani, doesn't matter. As a judge the greatest thing about Asha Tai is that she speaks her mind." Talking about the mood on the sets Sur Kshetra sets he says, "During shoots we sing and after shoots we rehearse. Since the stakes are high and it's a contest between two countries, the mood is always solemn, as everyone's worried about rehearsals and putting up their best act on stage. We can't afford to be complacent," says Diljaan. "Though the best thing is we get to learn a lot both from the three legends who judge us and from our respective mentors. My captain?s precious mentoring has made me a more accomplished vocalist. It is also a truly special experience when I get to hear praise from Atif Aslam, the captain of the Pakistan team," he adds. So has he made any friends from Pakistan along the way? "I have grown very fond of Nabeel Shauqat Ali and Iman Akhtar (both from Pakistan) during the show," Diljaan says. "I have observed that there is not much of a cultural difference between us and those in Pakistan. But I am very fond of the way they speak. They are very articulate and their language is very polite and sweet," he says. "But the moment the contest begins, swords are drawn and we tease each other - 'see you on stage then'," Diljaan laughs. While he will shortly resume shooting for the show in Dubai, while in Jalandhar, he is grappling with the huge amount of singing offers (especially 'Jagarans') he has been flooded with. Immensely thankful for the support by show director Gajendra Singh and producer Boney Kapoor, Diljaan also has his fingers crossed for Bollywood offers. Diljaan's upcoming projects include an album with music director Sachin
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basti bawa khel civil dispensary
Jalandhar, September 22
The roads are broken, dust clouds blow up and settle down as vehicles move to and fro on the roads. In the midst of this utter chaos lies Basti Bawa Khel Civil Dispensary. It is one of the tiniest rooms masquerading as a dispensary in the city. While a cursory look gives one the impression that everything is well, closer observation reveals how big a challenge the staff has on its hands. A little shop-like room given to the dispensary staff by the locality gurdwara authorities is where it runs from. There is only enough room for the five staff members to sit in and it seems amazing that they actually attend to patients in this tiny space. The staff has to hunt for space even when there is a single extra guest barring themselves. Staff One MO, one lady health visitor, one pharmacist, three ANMs and one class IV employee are posted at the dispensary. Area Catering to a population of 32,000 people, the dispensary covers areas like Basti Bawa Khel, Raj Nagar, New Raj Nagar, Madhuban Colony, Madhubamn Colony, Katehra Mohalla, Bank Colony and Mara Sant Kaur Nagar. The OPD comprises about 35 to 40 patients per day and 1,000 to 1,200 per month. BPL Most of the area population comprises BPL families. Staff says 95 per cent (or more) of the patients they get are from extremely poor families. The area has a predominantly migrant population. Staff says compared to other areas the number of migrant patients in this area are way more and this leads to some typical problems they have to deal with. The area residents are very poor on health education and are living in extremely dirty environs. Diseases There is a lot of incidence of TB in the area. The dispensary has currently 26 people undergoing TB treatment at it. Every month, they get three to four new positive patients. Infections and skin diseases are very common in the area. Staff says the reason for both kinds of diseases is that there are many factory workers who are exposed to hazardous environments. Be it TB or skin infections, the moment one labourer catches an infection others follow suit. Addiction is also one of the prime causes for TB in the area. JSSY Every month, about 10 women benefit from the JSSY money they get in the area. No ID, no treatment The most challenging problem the staff faces in the area is a huge and low-on-awareness migrant population. A good number of the patients that the dispensary gets or the ANMs dig out do not have ID proofs. For any card or scan etc at the Civil Hospital, the patient requires an ID proof, but sometimes even serious patients are not able to produce one and the staff has no way to treat them then. The staff, themselves, find this a very challenging situation. The number of new born babies in the area is extremely low because due to lack of IDs, women can't get registered at the dispensary. While staff says pregnant mothers without IDs usually head to their native states for their babies' delivery, it is anyone's guess that those left behind have to take the help of the midwives. Infrastructure Residents say due to lack of a bathroom, the dispensary staff have often asked patients to get their urine samples from home. Sometimes the staff is forced to send the patients all the way to their homes (even if they are far) because there is no bathroom at the dispensary. Staff, however, say they use the bathroom at the gurdwara. They say they have hired a cleaning person for Rs 250 who cleans the bathroom at the gurdwara and cleans the dispensary as well. During health drives when patients are pouring in, there are long queues through the road because there is no place for patients to wait. Supplies While repairs are provided for by the gurdwara authorities once in a while, the staff contributes to provide for supplies. Sources reveal for the past one year supplies have been very irregular and sometimes it also impacts patients. However, staff maintains the medicine supplies have been regular and even if there is a shortage, they contribute for medicines to make good the shortage.
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Pak docs’ boost to
SAARC hospital project
Jalandhar, September 22 In a first, a delegation of Pakistan doctors visiting India an the invitation of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, today confirmed that both Indian and Pakistani sides were seriously working on a SAARC hospital project in the state. In the first week of September, Parkash Singh Badal had expressed the intention of the state government to back a SAARC hospital project in Punjab. Barely 14 days after his proposal, the CM’s invitation to doctors from Pakistan (extended first during the SAARC conference) to be part of a medical camp at the Badal village, has been duly accepted. Visiting the Civil Hospital today, on a brief visit before they headed to Badal village, the doctors said they were happy to be part of the camp to which the Punjab CM had invited them. Talking to mediapersons today, Dr Abdul Majeed Chaudhary, Principal, Lahore Medical College, said, “The Punjab CM had announced a SAARC hospital for Punjab during the conference in September. We are just going to take the project forward from there. Our meeting with the Punjab CM now will take matters further on the project.” He also said they had forwarded a proposal to their CM, too, on the matter. “Dr PS Bakshi from India (also general secretary of the SAARC Surgical Care Society) has been chosen as the project director of the hospital and Dr Abrar Ashraf from Pakistan has been chosen as co-ordinator,” Dr Chaudhary said. Dr Chaudhary also said a five-member advisory committee would also be formed for the hospital in which five surgeons (one each from each of the five member nations) would be chosen. The doctors also said that Badal had also announced that he would provide them with land for the project. Dr PS Bakshi, along with three other surgeons from India, would also be honoured at a conference in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Pakistan, the doctors from Pakistan said. Dr Ramakant from Lucknow, president of the Association of Surgeons of India, Dr NK Pandey, Dr Karwaska and Dr TS Bakshi will received fellowships during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Karachi on November 9. It will be for the first time that Indian physicians will be honoured at Pakistan. Pak doctors termed the move a breakthrough in the Indo-Pak history. Dr Majeed Chaudhary was also accompanied by Dr Abdul Satar Memon, president, Association of Surgeons of Pakistan and Dr Abdul Aziz Lazari, head of department, Layakat University, Hyderabad. Pak dy PM’s gift for Badal
On the occasion, Dr Majeed said, the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Chaudhary Parvez Elahi had sent a special letter of good wishes and a gift for the CM, Punjab Parkash Singh Badal. Visibly happy over this spurt of activity between the medical fraternities of both countries, Dr Chaudhary said it would bring advancement in medical services through mutual exchanges. He said he was patiently waiting for the day when doctors from one country could just drive to the border, show their passport and enter the other country. |
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National Highway 703 in Shahkot cries for urgent
Jalandhar, September 22 The sorry state of the highway has been forcing commuters to bear the brunt of bumpy rides. The last few days' rain has made the condition of the road rather deplorable. A few months ago, part of the stretch of the highway was relaid and patchwork was also done where needed. Now the portion of the road between Truck Union and Grain Market has developed huge patches and potholes, troubling the motorists. Shopkeepers near the road allege that a portion of the highway has been in a sorry state for the past several months, but the authorities concerned have not been taking pain to improve its state. Kailash Nath, who runs a motor workshop near the highway, rued that during the rains, a portion of the road was always filled with rainwater. More than four-wheelers, two-wheeler riders face more inconvenience while riding on this dilapidated road. Residents have demanded that the patchwork should be initiated as soon as possible. The delay of the road repair may cause serious accidents and the authorities should be held responsible for any untoward incident.
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Cong against making Nadala a Nagar Panchayat
Kapurthala, September 22 Congress activists flayed the government’s decision to convert Gram Panchayat Nadala into a Nagar Panchayat. Sarpanch Parveen Kumari said once the decision came into effect, people would be burdened with house tax and property tax. The registration fees would be increased and students from rural areas would cease to get a 5 per cent relaxation in fees, she added. Khaira said that if the government went ahead with its decision, he would move Punjab and Haryana High Court. Khaira criticised the SAD-BJP government for its false propaganda on FDI in retail and corrupt practices. He singled out Gulzar Singh Ranike for “looting” the Central Border Area Development funds. He demanded that the government should order a CBI inquiry into the embezzlement. On FDI in retail, Khaira said the farmers and consumers would benefit from it with the middleman being the only loser. Farmers would get a fair price for their crops, vegetables, fruits and milk products directly from the FDI investors, he added.
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New students get a rousing welcome
Jalandhar, September 22 The programme started with the lighting of lamp by chief guest of the day Gurpreet S Khera, ADC Kapurthala. He was accompanied by Charanjit Singh Channi, chairman CT Group of Institutions, Parminder Kaur Channi, co-chairperson of CT Group, Dr Manoj Kumar, group director and other higher officials. Starting with the formal recitation of hymns, the programme took a more informal course, with fun games being played that were aimed at increasing the level of familiarity and amicability between the guests and the hosts. There were many cultural items that were displayed by the seniors to entertain the new comers. There were cultural items ranging from folk dances, classical dances, giddha, bhangra, solo items, mimicry, skit and folk songs. The event which cast its spell on one and all was the modelling competition, in which boys and girls participated with a sense of ecstasy by performing a catwalk on the ramp. The students dressed up in the western attire, lehnga, Punjabi and Kashmiri costumes. Mr and Miss Fresher titles were won by Shleka Luthra of computer science engineering and Gurpreet Singh of mechanical engineering, respectively. The first runners-up title was won by Shana and Jaspreet Singh. The second runners-up were Supriya and Bhanu Partap.
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Finance bodies' plea to RBI
Jalandhar, September 22 Alok Sondhi, secretary general of the association, in a representation to the RBI, has urged that some recommendations may inadvertently sound death-knell for small-sector asset finance companies (AFCs). It would also be contrary to the government's endeavour to promote the small and medium enterprises sector. After the agriculture sector, this is the second largest employer in the country. Veena Roy Singh, Deputy General Manager, RBI, Chandigarh, who was in the city to address the 50th annual general meeting of the association today, said that she would forward their representation to the RBI headquarters for necessary action. Singh also gave a presentation regarding the RBI directions and addressed various issues concerning AFCs of the region.
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Panchayat Officer today conducted a surprise check at a rural dispensary at Pholariwal village and found that the Rural Medical Officer there had gone abroad without taking permission.
Mad rush, long queues at the cash counter and the presence of agents to get work done on a priority basis at the District Transport Office are likely to become a thing of the past.
Jalandhar, September 22
Jalandhar, September 22