B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Ayurvedic centres ailing in Faridkot
Faridkot, December 2
At a time when spurious drugs, multiple tests and exorbitant bills are driving a large number of people away from the modern to ayurveda— the Indian system of medicine — almost all government ayurvedic dispensaries (GAD) in the region are without any doctor.

An ayurvedic health centre in Faridkot that has no doctor. The dilapidated condition of the building poses a threat to the lives of patients. A Tribune photograph

Urdu poetry session held in memory of former Indian spy
Ferozepur, December 2
A galaxy of Urdu poets enthralled the audience during the All India Mushaira which was held here by the Mohan Lal Bhaskar Foundation on Friday evening.

Former Indian spy Kishori Lal being honoured by the Mohan Lal Bhaskar foundation during a function in Ferozepur. A Tribune photograph

Fire tenders grounded in Abohar
Abohar, December 2
The "A" class Abohar Municipal Council has grounded its fire-fighting tankers that needed just Rs 2 lakh for repair. The state government has not responded to the requests for granting funds to replace the outlived vehicles.

Couple killed in mishap
Abohar, December 2
Raj Kumar Maheshwari (52), a leading businessman and his wife Shakuntala Devi (50) were killed while his daughter-in-law Disha (23), son Rohtas (25) and another woman Rukmani who were travelling in a Swift car were injured as Raj Kumar lost control over the vehicle.

Charity first for lady cop
Fazilka, December 2
A recently recruited Punjab Police constable has shown the way to others when it comes to chairty.

Ayurvedic centres ailing in Faridkot
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 2
At a time when spurious drugs, multiple tests and exorbitant bills are driving a large number of people away from the modern to ayurveda— the Indian system of medicine — almost all government ayurvedic dispensaries (GAD) in the region are without any doctor.

In Faridkot, all ten government ayurvedic dispensaries are without any doctor. Some of these dispensaries are in a dilapidated condition and in the absence of doctors, paramedical staff, they are inadequately equipped to treat the patients.

The condition of these health centres can be gauged from the fact that recently, the District Ayurvedic Officer, Faridkot, HS Dhaliwal wrote to the department to take care of one of these centres in the town as its crumbling building was posing a serious threat to the staff and patients.

This two-room building of the health centre, situated near the district court complex, tells the tale of the indifference of the government. Sans a doctor, the hand pump in the hospital has been non-functional for a long time.

There is only one staff nurse to take care of the centre and that too, for three days a week. The staff nurse has the additional charge of another dispensary and she has to stay for three days at the other centre.

All 10 sanctioned posts of Ayurvedic Medical Officers (AMO) and one post of senior physician in Faridkot have been lying vacant for a long time. Against the 10 posts of pharmacists, there are only five who are taking care of all the health centres in the district.

It is not that the state ayurveda department has shortage of funds. On October 31 this year, the department released ayurvedic medicines worth over Rs 2 crore to 507 ayurvedic dispensaries in the state. But alas, most of these dispensaries have no doctor to prescribe these medicines.

In Bathinda district, that has 28 ayurvedic dispensaries, there are only six AMOs to take care of these units and the patients. There is even a 10-bed ayurvedic hospital in Bathinda but in the absence of doctors and paramedical staff, the hospital is of no use.

According to sources in the Ayurvedic Department, over 300 posts out of a total of 536 sanctioned posts of doctors in the department have been lying vacant for a long time.

"The Ayurvedic Department would soon recruit 133 medical officers," said Dr Rakesh Sharma, the director of the department.

Though the exam for the recruitment of the doctors was conducted in April 2011 and the recruitment process was to be completed in August last year, some candidates approached the High Court and a stay was ordered on the recruitment, Dr Sharma said.

However, the stay has now been vacated and even the advocate general of Punjab has given his approval for the recruitment of the ayurvedic doctors in the state. "We are hopeful of the recruitment process being completed in the coming days," said Dr Sharma.

Urdu poetry session held in memory of former Indian spy
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, December 2
A galaxy of Urdu poets enthralled the audience during the All India Mushaira which was held here by the Mohan Lal Bhaskar Foundation on Friday evening. Prominent amongst those who mesmerised the audience with their emotive poetry on the occasion included Nawaz Deobandi, Shaqeel Aazmi, Kushbir Singh Shad, Ashok Sahil, Abraar Kashif, Iqbal Ashar, Naeem Akhtar Khadmi, Ana Dehlvi, Atul Ajnabi, Aijaz Farooqui, Tanveer Gazi, Ritaz Maini and Buniyaad Zaheen.

The event was organised in the memory of former Indian spy in Pakistan, Mohan Lal Bhaskar, who while working as an agent with the Indian security agencies, intruded 16 times into Pakistan but was apprehended during the 17th sortie following the betrayal by another double agent.

Bhaskar was awarded death sentence by a Pakistan court which was later commuted to 14 years of imprisonment. Bhaskar was later repatriated under the Shimla agreement on December 9, 1974.

Also present on the occasion were Kamal Sharma, adviser to the Punjab CM, Parminder Singh Pinki, MLA, Anumeet Singh Sodhi, Gursewak Singh Mann, Arpit Shukla, IG (Headquarter), Dinesh Partap Singh, Joint Director (Vigilance), Varinder Pal Singh, SSP, Ferozepur, Amar Singh Chahal, SSP, Fazilka, Parambir Singh Parmar, SSP (Vigilance) besides other dignitaries.

Congress stages protest: Following the escalating price of sand, Congress workers on Saturday held a demonstration near Udham Singh Chowk in the city. The Congress workers condemned the policies of the state government for its failure to resolve the mining issue which they said has hit the common man hard.

Leading the protest, Parminder Singh Pinki, MLA, Ferozepur, said the inflated price of sand, crusher and bricks have proved disastrous for those dreaming of a house of their own.

As per the information, notwithstanding the ban, mining was still being carried out in a clandestine manner. Most of the contractors engaged in the construction business are also feeling the heat. Due to the escalating price of the building material, the real estate business is also suffering, said Gulshan Monga.

Fire tenders grounded in Abohar
Our Correspondent

Abohar, December 2
The "A" class Abohar Municipal Council has grounded its fire-fighting tankers that needed just Rs 2 lakh for repair. The state government has not responded to the requests for granting funds to replace the outlived vehicles.

It is worth mentioning that about 113 villages besides 20 marriage places, shopping malls, three star hotels and scores of other institutions depend on the outlived fire tenders here.

The vehicles have not been provided new canvass pipes for the last five years and water leaks as and when they move out to control fire. Recently, two shops were gutted due to short circuit near the main bazaar. Five incidents were reported this season from the cotton ginning and pressing factories.

The fire tenders were dispatched to neighbouring towns also on at least four occasions to douse the flames. But there will be no equipment available as the vehicles have finally been grounded.

In Abohar, known as the Manchester of Punjab, known for its cotton production, hardly any month passes when fire incidents are not reported. With the increase in incidents of burning paddy subtle, the role of fire tenders has become more significant now.

The Punjab Mandi Board had gifted two tankers to the municipal council in 1994 as part of the policy to equip the local bodies with such vehicles that were required to control fire in grain and cotton yards besides the fields.

Since then, the expense incurred on the maintenance of the vehicles had exceeded their present market value.

Couple killed in mishap
Our Correspondent

Abohar, December 2
Raj Kumar Maheshwari (52), a leading businessman and his wife Shakuntala Devi (50) were killed while his daughter-in-law Disha (23), son Rohtas (25) and another woman Rukmani who were travelling in a Swift car were injured as Raj Kumar lost control over the vehicle.

The car overturned and hit an electricity pole near village Purabsar outside Pallu on the Abohar-Hanumangarh-Pallu mega highway.

The Maheshwari family was returning to Sardarshehar after the marriage of their daughter Megha with Sumit Periwal in Abohar. The condition of the injured is stated to be stable.

In another incident, one Raju of Indira Nagari in Abohar was killed as a truck hit his bike on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road outside a kinnow grading and waxing plant. He was coming to Abohar from village Khuyiansarwar.

Four persons sustained injuries near the CIPHET complex as a canter reportedly hit the car by which they were travelling on the Malout-Seetogunno bypass. Those injured were going to attend a marriage in Faridkot.

Charity first for lady cop

Fazilka, December 2
A recently recruited Punjab Police constable has shown the way to others when it comes to chairty. The woman constable, Suman Kumari, 20, posted at the local Police Lines, has donated her one month’s salary of Rs 22,000 to a widow, Santosh Rani, who recently lost her husband and has three minor children.

Suman said she has pledged to donate a part of her monthly salary to the PM Relief Fund. "She has painted a better picture of the force," said SSP Amar S Chahal. — OC