 |
|
|
Health Dept beckons NRIs to sponsor health projects
Schools in dist told to abide by COTPA rules
Water disputes in dist up as sowing season sets in
Disability no deterrence for this rickshaw puller
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Carrying of fire-arms banned by DC
Excise officials not happy with allocation of poll duty
NGOs oppose hike in rate of blood units
BFGI felicitates students for meritorious performance
Family function held to cement bond
|
|
Health Dept beckons NRIs to sponsor health projects
Bathinda, May 16 Launched in January this year, the health department's NRI Philanthropy Project, has failed to attract potential investors to rejuvenate the health institutions across the state. "The scheme was launched at the NRI Sammelan in January this year wherein we also gave a presentation on the subject. On the lines of the education department, we had proposed the re-naming of the health projects in the name of the donors," said an official of the state health department. The health department has been battling against odds like lack of adequate infrastructure and funds since long. Time and again, it has been seeking funds under Central schemes like National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) but the fund allocation is not in tandem with the burgeoning needs of the department. With a number of services offered free or at a cost that is less than the prevailing rates in the market, the state health department earns little from its user charges, which is not even sufficient to meet the expenses incurred on the salaries The department had wooed the NRIs to help out different health institutions. For the emergency response service Dial-108 ambulance, Rs 12.42 lakh can be donated as the running cost of one ambulance per year. The name of the donors would be printed on the sides of the ambulances, thereby acknowledging their contribution. The NRIs can also contribute to comprehensive strengthening and refurbishing of any of the hospitals, including the district hospitals, for Rs 8 crore, sub-divisional hospitals for Rs 4 crore, community health centres (CHC) for Rs 2 crore and serais (inns) at the district and sub-division level for Rs 1 crore. The hospital will be named after the donor and special recognition would be given to it during the national day celebrations. Besides, the generous donors can also contribute Rs 25,000 for providing amenities to patients inside the hospitals. Rs 5 lakh can be given per year to the district hospitals for landscaping and beautification of exterior spaces, while the same can be done for the CHCs for Rs 3 lakh per year. The donor's contribution would be acknowledged in the form of a sign-board installed in the lawn. Rs 1 lakh can be donated for providing the purchase, installation and maintenance of bio-medical equipment. Besides, people can also donate for special category of patients such as new mothers, pregnant women, newborn babies, young children, elderly patients, cancer patients and others. Funds can also be given for maintenance of mortuaries etc. Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), Hussan Lal said the department was yet to get any positive reply from the NRI community. "We will try to popularise the effort more so that people are made aware of it," he said.
|
|
Schools in dist told to abide by COTPA rules
Bathinda, May 16 During its visit to the district to assess implementation of the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), a team from the School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh, came across anomalies and directed the Health Department to ensure that guidelines are properly followed. Following this, the Health Department has directed the District Education Department to comply with the directives under different sections of the Act. The principals of all the government middle schools, high schools and senior secondary schools have been directed to ensure that no-smoking signages are installed outside their respective schools. Every school has to appoint a nodal officer for the project whose name and phone number should be prominently displayed on the signages. Tobacco consumption or its sale in or around 100-metre radius of the school is strictly prohibited. If there is any shop selling tobacco, the nodal officer is supposed to motivate the shopkeeper to shift his establishment to some other place. It is also mandatory for the schools that during morning assembly, students should be made aware of ill-effects of tobacco and motivated to keep themselves away from all kinds of drug addiction. Under the COTPA, the school principals have been directed to submit a report of the measures taken, in the form of a certificate, within next one week. A team of the Education Department will conduct checking at the schools. If any school is found flouting the norms, a challan of Rs 200 would be issued and the amount will not be payable from the school funds. The responsibility of implementing the COTPA lies with the principals and nodal officers of schools.
|
|
Water disputes in dist up as sowing season sets in
Bathinda, May 16 It is learnt that the police registers a large number of cases during the onset of crop sowing, every season. "There is nothing new in farmers fighting over a 'non-issue' and making a mountain out of a molehill," said Balwinder Singh, an investigating officer in one such case that fell under the Kotfatta police station. In connection with the case, he said the accused, Gurnaib Singh, allegedly inflicted injuries upon one Maggar Singh for releasing water from a tube well without receiving the consent of the owner of the tube well. A case was registered against Gurnaib Singh in this connection. "Though the actual reason behind the quarrel is yet to be ascertained both the farmers had entered into heated arguments over the issue of release of water into a common water channel," the police said. The police said though no such case has proved fatal this season, quarrels over use of irrigation water have left many farmers injured. "Laying underground water pipes is the way out to get rid of such quarrels. Farmers should avoid using the common water channel and instead use their own conduits to irrigate their respective fields," said Manvinder, having an agricultural land in nearby Lehra Saunda village. He said many farmers have now opted for using underground pipes to irrigate their respective fields. The Soil Conservation Department gives 50 per cent subsidy on water pipes. Divisional Soil Conservation Officer (DSCO) Ajmer Singh said the department got Rs 59.32 lakh to distribute as subsidy on water pipes. While Rs 9.32 lakh were released last year, Rs 50 lakh were released two months ago. "We have 25 projects of reinforcement cement concrete (RCC) pipe in 25 villages. The projects are worth Rs 48.93 lakh and government is providing a subsidy of Rs 22.87 lakh on the same. The work is in progress in these villages and would be finished this season," Ajmer said. To avail of subsidy, a farmer having his own tube well in his agricultural fields should submit the land mutation certificate, map and an application with the department. Besides, the RCC pipe projects, 18 projects of PVC pipes worth Rs 61.79 lakh on which government would give Rs 35. 41 lakh as subsidy would also complete this season, Ajmer Singh added. Both the schemes would cover an area of 276.94 hectare in Bathinda district. Ajmer said apart from avoiding quarrels, the scheme helps in saving water and time of the farmers. He said it takes about 30 to 60 minutes to convey water from tube well to fields by using a conventional water channel. However, it takes merely 30 seconds to two minutes to do it using underground pipes.
|
|
Disability no deterrence for this rickshaw puller
Bathinda, May 16
It was a fateful day, he recalls. “My world seemed to be crashing down until I decided to take the mishap in my stride. I quit the work and came to this city. Since then, I am pulling a cycle-rickshaw with one hand and eking a living out of it,” he says. Pulling rickshaw the whole day long ensures me a good sleep at night, he adds. “Initially, I remained disappointed for a couple of days. Had I stayed in the village, I would not have been able to forget the incident, let alone moving on with life,” said Munshi, who could be seen pedalling rickshaw on the busy city roads. “I ferry school children, students and other passengers within 7 to 12-km radius of the city,” he said. “Pulling a rickshaw even with two arms is difficult, but I practised over the years and now I am quite comfortable doing it left-handedly. Pedalling rickshaw keeps me mentally and physically fit. It also helped me forget the accident which shook me and my family a decade ago,” he added. Recently, Munshi got his two children, a girl and boy, married and they are now busy with their respective occupations. The 47-year-old exudes positive energy and has been a source of inspiration for others too. His actions subtly encourage people to live life to the fullest. Monica, a teenage girl whom Munshi was ferrying on his rickshaw, said she forgot her troubles every time she watched Munshi pulling a cycle-rickshaw with one arm. Rajwinder, a school teacher, said she knows Munshi for the past four years. All these years, she never came across anyone complaining about his rickshaw-pulling skill. “His courage is a source of inspiration for me and many others who watch him everyday. Fight odds, come what may. This is what he seems to be telling people. His precision and manoeuvring are a kind of head-turner,” Monica said.
|
|
Zila parishad & Panchayat Samiti elections Tribune News Service
Bathinda, May 16 In a press statement issued here today, District Election Officer Kamal Kishore Yadav stated that after the elections on May 19, counting will be held on May 21. To ensure that the counting procedure is conducted smoothly and law and order is maintained, the officer has ordered that no one would be allowed to carry firearms. The bodyguards of the candidates will also be barred from carrying firearms inside the polling stations. Yadav also directed that the civil hospital, primary health care centres and community healthcare centres will remain open on May 19, the day of polling. The District Transport Officer has been directed to make arrangements for the transportation of the polling staff. May 19 has been declared as dry day and no liquor would be sold on this day. Meanwhile, a total of 5,9,105 voters will cast their votes through ballot papers to elect their representatives to the zila parishad and panchayat samiti. These include 3,14,650 males and 2,76,455 female voters. A total of 276 candidates are in the fray for the panchayat samiti elections. These include 123 candidates from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), 106 candidates from the Congress, three candidates each of the Bharatiya Janata party and the CPI, one candidate of the BSP, two candidates of the CPM, 15 candidates of the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) and 23 independent candidates. For the zila parishad elections, 31 candidates are in the fray that includes 14 candidates of the SAD, 13 candidates of the Congress and three independents. fact file
|
|
Excise officials not happy with allocation of poll duty
Bathinda, May 16 The letter (a copy of which is in possession of TNS), dated May 5, 2013, and written by the State Election Commission, Punjab, asked the deputy commissioner not to put the excise department officials on duty keeping in view the nature of their work, relating to collection of targets fixed by the government. The letter has been signed by State Election Commissioner, Punjab. SS Brar. The excise officials said that the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer, Bathinda, has sought explanations from various department officials. The letter stated that the officials who failed to attend the rehearsal for poll duty have committed a criminal offence under section 120 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994. The letter stated that in case the officials failed to appear for the rehearsal of election duty, a criminal case will be registered against them and they will be liable for punishment under the law. Additional Deputy Comissioner(Development) Mohammed Tayyab, who is also the additional district electoral officer, when contacted, said the letter of the Chief Election Commission used the word 'desirable' — it will be desirable not to put the staff of the Department of Excise & Taxation on election duty. The deputy commissioner-cum-district electoral officer was consulted over the matter following which a decision was taken to deploy the officials of the department on election duty, he added. "Moreover it is not my own work as the elections have to be conducted in a systematic manner for which we require these officials. It is a matter of just two days and there is no collection of taxes on Sunday," Tayyab said. The ADC (D) added that there would be staff crunch for election duty if officials from various departments did not turn up for their respective duties. "Out of 17 officials of the department, only 10 have been retained for election duty while other seven have been relieved," Tayyab added.
|
|
NGOs oppose hike in rate of blood units
Bathinda, May 16
Marking their protest, the BANGO members took out a rally near the Fire Brigade Chowk demanding the rollback of the rates of blood that have been recently revised by the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC). BANGO members took out a rally from the Fire Brigade Chowk. The rally covered the Mall Road and culminated at the District Administrative Complex where members of BANGO submitted a charter of demands to the deputy commissioner. Addressed to the chief minister, Punjab, the memorandum mentions that the rise in the price of per unit of blood to Rs 1,000 at private hospitals was not justified. "Bathinda has remained at the forefront of BANGO coordinator and legal advisor Rakesh Narula said that on April 10, the State Blood Transfusion Council of Punjab issued a letter barring the private blood banks from holding voluntary blood donation camps.
"This proved to be a setback for the voluntary blood donation movement. We want the government to allow private blood banks also to hold these camps," added another member of BANGO, Sonu Maheshwari. They said the notification created a dearth of blood units following which the government increased the rates of blood unit. The Bathinda Association of Non-Governmental Organizations demanded that blood be made available to the patients at private hospitals too at a cost of Rs 300 per unit as is being given to the government hospitals.
|
|
BFGI felicitates students for meritorious performance
Bathinda, May 16
Students of both the courses scored more than 80 per cent marks. In B.Sc.(Computer Science, Statistics and Mathematics) first semester, Kimmi Mittal stood first with 86.6. per cent marks while Ramandeep Kaur got the second position by securing 82.2 per cent mark. Payal Goyal, Priya and Rajat Kumar Garg stood third with 82 per cent marks. In B.Sc.(CSM) third semester, more than 9 students got 80 per cent marks. Shifali Garg, Mehak Rani and Priyanka bagged the first, second and third positions by getting 88.4 per cent, 86.89 per cent and 86.67 per cent marks, respectively. In the same way, the students of B.Sc.(Mathematics, Computer, Management) first semester also scored more than 80 per cent marks. Shifali obtained 88.1 per cent marks and stood first. Amandeep Kaur got the second position with 83.3 per cent marks. Heena Bansal got 82.6 per cent marks and stood third. Inderjeet Singh and Lovepreet Kaur, two students of the institute, bagged the first and second positions in the MA (second semester Punjabi) exam conducted by the Punjabi University, Patiala. Navdeep Kaur stood fourth and Kulwinder Kaur stood tenth in the merit list. Dr Pardeep Kaura, Deputy Director (Academics), BFGI, congratulated the position holders. Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, chairman, Baba Farid Group of Institutions, lauded the students for their efforts. He encouraged the students by saying that there are better opportunities of employment for such new courses. The managing director also praised the faculty for adopting modern and innovative teaching methodology that has added to astounding academic achievements.
|
|
Family function held to cement bond
Bathinda, May 16 Vice Chancellor of the Guru Kashi University SK Ahluwalia said strong social solidarity comes with such programmes, which will help the bonds within the families and in the society as well. The organizers of the programme and members of the women’s club of the university said that the families of all the deans, principals and heads of departments in the university were present at the programme.
|
|
| 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 | |
Carrying of fire-arms will not be allowed near the centres set up to count the votes cast for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections, on May 21.
In a press statement issued here today, District Election Officer Kamal Kishore Yadav stated that after the elections on May 19, counting will be held on May 21.
To ensure that the counting procedure is conducted smoothly and law and order is maintained, the officer has ordered that no one would be allowed to carry firearms.
