|
|
|
|
Swine flu hits city, claims first victim
Three years on, no testing lab in city
Fourth robbery in six days
Asked to wind up stall, vendors thrash NHAI official
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Youth goes missing hours before marriage
Three trustees appointed: Functioning of Improvement Trust to get back on track
No end to Sale of Chinese string
Experts raise concern over degradation of natural resources
Four months on, staff at Community Health Centre not paid salary
Fortis to start artificial heart implants
GNDU makes appointments
Parents explore the schooling future of kids
Parents take guidance at stalls of various schools during the Premiere School Exhibition in Amritsar on Thursday. photo: sameer sehgal
|
|
Swine flu hits city, claims first victim
Amritsar, January 10 Joga Singh was earlier admitted to a private hospital. But after the confirmation of swine flu, he was transferred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The Civil Surgeon in a meeting with the representative of various private hospitals today asked them to report any suspected case of swine flu to the department with an immediate effect. He also instructed them to prepare separate isolated wards for patients so that others don't get infected. Since 2009, there have been eight deaths and 26 positive cases of swine flu in the city. No swine flu case was reported last year. Dr Mitra said the isolated wards are also being set up at the Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The victim
* Joga Singh, 28, a resident of Tarn Taran, died of swine flu at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital on Wednesday * Civil Surgeon Dr Yash Mitra said the case report was confirmed by PGI Chandigarh
|
|
Three years on, no testing lab in city
Amritsar, January 10 The health institutions are said to be ill-equipped to handle the menace in absence of a testing lab. Considering the fact that the city is visited by a large number of people from other states and countries, it is always at a high risk as far as transmission of virus is concerned. Since 2009, when Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had requested the Union Health Ministry to set up a H1N1 diagnostic lab, the city has seen 26 positive cases of swine flu and eight deaths. The Union Health Ministry had approved the project which had an approximate budget of Rs 50 lakh. However, the lab is yet to become functional. The project which was of vital importance has got delayed at a number of stages since the inception of the idea. This time it is the shortage of sand and gravel which has hit the completion of the lab. Medical College Principal Dr SS Shergill said, "We are facing difficulties in getting sand and gravel for the construction. But I have ordered that this should be done at any cost." He claimed that the lab would become functional in few months. At present, report on any suspected swine flu case reported in the city would be sent to PGI for confirmation. A lab in the city could help save a lot of time in treating the deadly disease. Meanwhile, the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital are setting up isolated wards for swine flu patients. Eight deaths since 2009
Since 2009, when Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had requested the Union Health Ministry to set up a H1N1 diagnostic lab, the city has seen 26 positive cases of swine flu and eight deaths
|
|
Fourth robbery in six days
Amritsar, January 10 On Wednesday evening, two motorcycle-borne youths looted Rs 30,000 from an employee of a grocery distributor near Narula petrol pump. Deepak Bhagat of Nawa Kot was coming from Jhabal to Amritsar. He was returning after distributing grocery items on his motorcycle. He said the two accused came from the rear side, snatched his purse and pushed him following which he fell down on the road. He managed to note down the number of the motorcycle. He said he had Rs 30,000 in his purse which he had collected from shopkeepers after delivering the grocery items. The Chatiwind police has registered a case under Section 382 of the IPC against the unidentified miscreants. Two people were robbed by unidentified miscreants in separate incidents on January 5. Suresh Kumar of Jalandhar was robbed of Rs 15,000 near Butala village while a medicine supplier Harish Kumar of Kalya Singh Road was robbed of Rs 15,000 near Kohali village. In another incident, a salesman of a private company was robbed by two unidentified motorcycle-borne youths when he was coming to Amritsar from Batala. The victim was identified as Sushil Kumar of Katra Baghia Ram Bagh. He was coming on his motorcycle when the two unidentified youths intercepted him near Shamnagar village. The accused threatened to shoot him if he did not stop his vehicle. He said as soon as he stopped his motorcycle, the accused frisked him and took out Rs 30,000 from his pockets and fled. They also decamped with his motorcycle. Jasdeep Singh, Superintendent of Police (Amritsar rural), said the respective police stations have been directed to put up nakas. As the modus operandi of the suspects involved in these instances is quite similar, we are trying to identify them. He hoped the police would soon nab the miscreants. He said the police officials have also been asked to put up nakas during peak banking hours and at evenings when the traders return to home after collecting payments from their clients.
|
|
Asked to wind up stall, vendors thrash NHAI official
Amritsar, January 10 The Sadar police has booked Jaswinder Singh of Green Land, Rajesh Kumar, Kewal Kumar and four unidentified persons under Sections 353, 355, 186, 148 and 149 of the IPC. A manager with NHAI, Anoop Kumar Kulshreshath, who was with his colleague Arwinder Singh Bhullar, was even forced to consume liquor by the accused. Anoop alleged that the accused had put up a fruit stall near a nursery at the chowk, which is an accident prone area. Anoop asked them not to put up their kiosk at the spot as it obstructs the traffic flow and could lead to an accident. He asked them to remove it immediately. This enraged the vendors, who attacked and beat him up. He alleged that accused also forcibly poured liquor in his mouth. Jatinder Singh, investigating officer, said following the complaint lodged by Anoop Kumar, a case was registered against seven persons. He said the police has arrested Jaswinder Singh while the remaining accused were at large.
|
|
Youth goes missing hours before marriage
Amritsar, January 10 Charanjit Singh, a resident of Guru Nanak Colony on Tarn Taran Road, was to be married to a girl residing in the Sultanwind gate area on Wednesday. When the family was getting ready for the ceremony, the boy went missing from his house, said the police authorities. The family searched for him in neighbouring houses besides calling his friends. The victim's mobile phone was also found to be switched off. Near noon, they were successful to contact Charanjit on his mobile phone who informed his family that he had gone to some friend's house and would return soon. But the youth did not return till late evening following which the family approached the police. The father of the youth runs a hotel. Iqbal Singh, SHO, C-division police station, said the preliminary investigations did not suggest kidnapping. The family has also not received any ransom call, he added. He said they have been trying to track the call details to get clues about his whereabouts.
|
|
Three trustees appointed: Functioning of Improvement Trust to get back on track
Amritsar, January 10 At least two trustees and a chairman are must to fulfil the mandatory quorum to ratify any decision of the Improvement Trust. It is learnt that the first meeting of the Improvement Trust has been scheduled for January 16. The Secretary, Local Government, in a communiqué to the Municipal Corporation directed its officials to nominate three of its councillors as trustees to the AIT. Dissolution and revival of Improvement Trusts
The Punjab government dissolved all 28 Improvement Trusts in the state on July 11 and deputed Deputy Commissioners as administrators at the district headquarters and SDMs were given charge of the dissolved trusts at the sub-divisional level. The administrators were vested with all executive powers at the Trusts. On October 5, the Local Government in its order revived all Improvement Trusts in the state which turned Administrators into Chairman. However, it forgot to appoint trustees to run the affairs of the Improvement Trusts. It held back working of the Improvement Trusts as decision making, amending and ratification of projects came to a grinding halt. As per the Local Body rules, all decisions including floating of tenders, are to be ratified by the House of the Improvement Trust before forwarding it to the government for its approval. Sandeep Rishi, AIT, Chairman, who chairs meetings of the Trust, said development works would resume after appointment of three trustees. He said works, including repair of streets, laying sewerage and installation of streetlights, would be taken up on priority. A must situation
* Presence of a chariman and two trustees in the House of the Improvement Trust (in picture) is a must to take any decision Members of the House
* The municipal corporations with over two-lakh population have to have 10 members in the Trust House. These members are absorbed from various departments and fields to offer a broad representation. Three members are taken from government departments namely SDM, executive engineer of the PWD and district town planner; three municipal councillors approved by the MC House; and four nominated from the public by the government. As per norms, availability of two members and Chairman are mandatory to take any decision. Projects have been hit
Since the revival of the Improvement Trust in October, various developmental works were hit in the absence of required of trustees in the House. Files of various development works, carried out by the AIT, gathered dust during these months. In its 62-year-long existence, the AIT for the first time took up the job of funding infrastructure projects of the MC in 2011. The cash-strapped government had roped in the AIT to fund these projects. At present, the AIT has over 60 projects, including road repair works; installation of streetlights; development of residential colonies; construction of flyover, beautification of Durgiana Temple. AIT Superintendent Engineer Bharat Bhushan Sharma said the projects, including 211-acre Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Mall Mandi Scheme; 97-acre Ranjit Avenue Scheme; construction of flats for the economically weaker sections at the Mall Mandi and New Amritsar, were held up due to the non-constitution of the House.
|
|
No end to Sale of Chinese string
Amritsar, January 10
The sale of Chinese strings has been banned by the district administration as it has led to serious injuries to people especially commuters on roads and birds. A woman lost her finger in a recent incident. She was returning home from her office. Harinder Singh, PRO of a private hospital, said though the number is less than the previous year, people have fallen prey to Chinese strings and have come to the hospital for treatment. Even though the police has been seized rolls of Chinese strings on a regular basis, it has failed to stop shopkeepers from selling these dangerous strings secretively. It is learnt that shopkeepers store the string in separate premises and sell it on the demand of the customers. A senior police official said following the ban imposed by the district administration, the police had kept a close watch on the sale of Chinese kite string. “We take prompt action as soon as we get any information on illegal sale of Chinese kite string. We have arrested shopkeepers and lodged criminal cases against them,” he said. The authorities of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals (SPCA) have saved a number of birds, including two owls who got injured due to Chinese string. Unending string
|
|
Experts raise concern over degradation of natural resources
Amritsar, January 10
The programme was organised by the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences in the memory of Sardar Bishan Singh Samundri, founder Vice-Chancellor of GNDU and was sponsored by Sardar Jaswant Singh Memorial Education Trust, Jalandhar. Dr Rajinderjit Kaur Pawar, Dean, Academic Affairs, presided over and Dr KS Rai, Chairman of Sardar Jaswant Singh Memorial Education Trust was the chief guest for the occasion. In his lecture titled “Food Security and Post-Harvest Processing-A Challenge”, Dr Singh said the degradation of natural resources should be checked by the Government and NGOs. Mass campaigns related to conservation of natural resources by educational institutions should be encouraged to create awareness at grass root level, he added. In her presidential address, Dr Pawar drew attention to the negative influence of excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers in the current agricultural practices. She urged the farmers to encourage organic farming for the sake of humanity and for the generations to come. Dr AK Thukral, Director Research, Prof Sukhdev Singh, Dean, Life Sciences, Prof Saroj Arora, Dr Amarjeet Singh Soodan, Dr Satwinderjeet Kaur, Rajinder Kaur, Dr Jatinder Kaur, Dr Harpreet Walia and other faculty members of other departments, research scholars and students were present on the occasion.
|
|
Four months on, staff at Community Health Centre not paid salary
Amritsar, January 10 The Community Health Centre was upgraded from a Primary Health Centre in September last year. After its upgrade, five doctors, two pharmacists, one radiographer, two staff nurses, two Class-IV employees and one lab technician were appointed. But all of them, except two, have not got their first salary since joining the centre. Even the two, who had got the salary for the first month, have been left in the lurch since October. Dr Ashok Sidhu, one of the employees at the centre, said, "All the employees are forced to borrow money for their acquaintances to meet expenses. It is turning out to be very embarrassing." The employees complained that they had hoped that the salary would be released by Diwali, but it was not the case. "Now we fear that we won't be able to celebrate even Lohri for lack of money," said another staffer. Only those employees, who were already working at the centre before its upgrade, are getting regular salary. Civil Surgeon Dr Yash Mitra said the employees have not been paid their salaries as the department did not have the budget for them. He said they had written to the higher authorities for sanctioning the budget so that the salaries could be released.
|
|
Fortis to start artificial heart implants
Dr Goel has recently done a one-year fellowship in Australia to be able to implant artificial hearts. In this operation, a small pump is attached to the heart. This pump partly takes over the pumping function of the heart and assists in the circulation. The procedure is complex and requires surgical training and a team to manage and counsel the patient. Dr Goel said though transplantation of a heart from a patient who is brain dead, but whose other organs are fully functional, was considered of highest standard in medical sciences, the state government did not have a policy in that regard. He said such heart transplantations were being done actively at various places in the country. “In circumstances when such transplants are not allowed, the artificial heart implant can help save precious lives,” Dr Goel added.
|
|
GNDU makes appointments
Amritsar, January 10 Dr Sukhdeep Kaur joined as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics. Dr Bhavnita Dhillon, who joined as Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Technology, did her PhD in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, with GPA 3.9/4.0. Dr Bindiya joined as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics. — TNS
|
|
Parents explore the schooling future of kids
Amritsar, January 10 Bringing the top school and educational institutions from the country, the exhibition gave Amritsar parents a chance to interact and explore the future educational options for their kids. With one-on-one interactions with participating educational institutes like Pathway, Vidyasanskar from Faridabad, Unison World School from Dehradun and many more such renowned names, it was a day to explore the potential future of the country’s best resource, students. “The exhibition has got a tremendous response from parents, teachers and academicians from the city, with 300 enrollments on day two. Though the footfall remained limited but it worked, since it was a need-based exhibition and not a lifestyle one,” said Vivek Shukla, organiser of the event and an expert in the field, for the past 14 years. Apart from the basic educational and extra-curricular features that these institutes promise, the exhibition’s focus remained on making the parents aware. “There have been such amazing developments in the field of education in the past decade or so, whether it is multimedia learning or practical knowledge. The parents have to be made aware about the latest developments, patterns in learning system, comparisons of international and national curriculum, in order to choose the best for their kid,” Shukla added. The exhibition also had counseling sessions by Prantika Chatterjee, psychology expert in child behaviour and parenting expert. For the next installment of the exhibition, he has plans to rope in the neighbourhood schools as well from the city.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
The word ‘premier’ comes with a tag of exclusivity, hinting at indulgence, for the few who believe in getting the best. But in education, the term becomes universal, a necessity, something that every parent wants for his kid. The ‘Premier Schools’ Exhibition’ at Golden Tulip was just an example of how education was a luxury that everybody could afford.
Amritsar, January 10