Jalandhar, July 24
Seems like its raining failed samples in the district. A report forwarded by Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan to the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities on July 18 states that 11 more water samples in the district have failed.

In fact these are H2S tests, which have all tested positive. While the previous samples were all from schools, the present samples include only one sample from a government school, while the rest are from residential areas, gurdwaras, etc.

But the greatest irony of the present report is that the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office authorities themselves are at the receiving end since one of the failed samples happens to be from the ADC office (room No 22), as the report clearly states. The Tribune has a copy of the report.

While three of the failed samples are from rural areas (Jandiala, Adampur and Shahkot), the rest are from urban areas.

The one school whose sample has failed is Government Primary School, Bundala (in Jandiala). The rest of the failed samples are from Bhargo Camp (house), Kala Sanghia Road, Mohalla Kot Nera (house), DC office (ADC office watchman room), New Dashmesh Nagar, Ladwoali Road (house), Basti Danishmandan, Mandir Wali Gali (house), Bajwa Colony (house), Basti Peer Daad (New Rajan Nagar, Dera Panj Peer), Jandu Singha (Gurdwara Shavi Patshahi) and two from Shahkot (Dera Kangna and Hawalipati).

The Tribune has details like house numbers from where the samples were taken.

The Civil Surgeon's note to the MC authorities mentions that samples taken from different areas of the district were taken and sent to the Civil Hospital laboratory. The letter states that six of the samples have been found unfit for drinking. The Civil Surgeon further requests the MC to take appropriate measures to make the water fit for consumption.

While the Civil Surgeon, Dr RL Bassan, signed the report less than a week ago, he said he didn't remember the details.

With the present report, the number of total failed samples in the district has reached 30 and the failed samples from schools has reached 20.

Jalandhar, July 24
While they have been sitting on failed water sample reports for the past more than a month, the district authorities have now decided to go for fresh sampling of water from 19 schools.

Not convinced regarding the "source" of the contaminated water being consumed by schoolchildren for the past one month (or more), the district authorities began taking water samples afresh for all the 19 schools whose water samples had failed, to ascertain whether the water supply of the Municipal Corporation (MC) or dirty overhead tanks were the real culprits.

In a meeting of district MC and health officials (Civil Surgeon and school health in charges), chaired by Mayor Sunil Jyoti here on Wednesday, on the issue, it was decided that water samples should be taken afresh from the schools.

Joint teams of the MC as well as the Health Department today took samples from seven schools, including schools at Gandhi Vanita Ashram, Adarsh Nagar and Vijay Nagar.

Talking to The Tribune, the Mayor said, “It is not clear whether the samples were taken from the tank water or water supply taps. The supply of water from the corporation happens from 5 am to 9 am and then from 12 noon to 2 pm. In majority of their school time, students possibly don’t even get MC supply. So it is doubtful whether the contamination is due to tap water or other reasons. Samples will hence be taken afresh. Two samples will be taken from each of the schools to get a clearer picture about the issue.”

Notably, visits by The Tribune correspondent to some of these schools revealed that water supply at both Gandhi Vanita government schools (secondary and primary) and some taps at the government and secondary schools at Model Town was through taps and no tanks were involved.

While undoubtedly, the overhead tanks at some schools (like the Model Town Senior Secondary School) were very dirty, the supply for majority of the school kitchens (government or aided) was also through tap water.

Also, even as water purifiers were seen installed in the kitchens or water tap places of Model Town (both schools), Lyallpur school (Nakodar Road) (at their water cooler) and one of the schools at Adarsh Nagar, every single water purifier, which The Tribune team checked, was non-functional, in some cases for the past many months.

Civil Surgeon Dr RL Bassan said, “There have been apprehensions about the sources from which the samples were taken. Just to be doubly sure, it was unanimously decided that sampling will be done again.”

Hopefully, the new exercise will throw a better light at the "root" of the problem, but one also hopes that the officials will also pay as much attention to ensuring clean and healthy drinking water supply for school students, as they are to ascertaining the source of the contaminated water.

Jalandhar, July 24
Mystery shrouds the death of a minor migrant girl, who died after falling from the roof of the three-storeyed house she was working in at New Vijay Nagar here this afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Prem Sheela. Her mother Sunita had been working in the house on the first floor while her father Naresh Mahato, who is a rickshaw puller, was sitting outside the house when the incident occurred.

Sunita had started working in the house about a week ago and her daughter had been accompanying her to work for the last two days. The mother-daughter duo reportedly had a spat in the house when Prem Sheela climbed to the second floor, scaled a double wall constructed by the owners to keep distance from high-tension wires passing close by and jumped down.

Onlookers, including the girl's father, got surprised by the act of the girl. They suspected that she might have gone up with some other motive, but was caught unaware, got electrocuted and fell down. The girl got serious head injuries and was taken to a private hospital for treatment by her parents and the family she was working for, but she died in the hospital. While her body was earlier shifted to the house of the Bihari family on the 120-feet road, the police later took it into its custody.

The SHO of the Division No 2 police station, Manmohan Singh, said the postmortem would be held tomorrow. The police had so far initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Jalandhar, July 24
Taking a cue from the tragedy at Bihar, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shruti Singh instructed a team of SDMs and other officials in the district to conduct inspection of mid-day meal arrangements at more than 25 schools and angnwari centres in rural and urban areas.

The DC said no carelessness regarding mid-day meals at any of the schools would be tolerated in the district.

Mid-day meal arrangements were checked at schools in Jalandhar-I, Jalandhar-II, Nakodar, Shahkot and Phillaur areas as well as anganwari centres. The SDMs concerned of the areas as well as other officials took stock of mid-day meal arrangements.

Shruti Singh said stocks at all the schools were found to be up to the mark and food well prepared during the checks.

While cleanliness at some of the schools was not up to the mark, so instructions were issued to them to ensure good sanitary conditions on the school premises.

She said Paramjit Singh, SDM-I, took stock of the mid-day meal at Government Senior Secondary School, Bhargo Camp, government primary schools (girls and boys), Bhargo Camp, and other schools of the Division I and Division II as well as anganwari centres.

Hardeep Singh Dhaliwal, SDM, Nakodar, inspected arrangements at PRI, Alowal, Government Middle School, Alowal, Nangal Jeewan and Mudh, Government Middle School and anganwari centre, Mudh.

Nirjit Singh, naib tehsildar, Mehatpur, inspected Government Primary School, Sanghowal, Government Primary School and anganwari centre, Umrowal Billa.

The DC said SDM, Shahkot, CTN Passi inspected Government Elementary School, Chandowal, anganwari centre, Chandowal, anganwari centre, Nangal Ambian, Government Elementary School, Sandan, and Government Senior Secondary School, Bahopur.

Pardeep Kumar, naib trehsildar, inspected Government Senior Secondary and primary schools as well as anganwari centre at Mulewal Khera, Government Primary School and anganwari centre, Namjipur, Government Primary School, Khanpur, Government Primary School, Eenowal, and government middle and primary schools, Mianwal Araian.

The SDM, Phillaur, Jasbir Singh, inspected meals at government schools and anganwari centres at Mansoorpur, Dhreta, Bara Pind and Bilga.

Jalandhar, July 24
Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union has decided to start a struggle for their demand of merger into government schools. To chalk out a strategy for this struggle, the union’s Jalandhar unit held a meeting at Sain Dass School, Patel Chowk, Jalandhar, under the aegis of district president Arvind Bains.

Arvind Bains and general secretary Kamal Sharma said aided schools were feeling helpless due to the wrongful and discriminatory policies of the state government. While the government had banned recruitment for the past one decade, due to this, as many as 20 government schools had no aided employee. In many schools there were only one or two employees. So, it was difficult to run schools and keep high standards of education, they added.

Teachers said delayed salaries and discrimination with some cadres on the issuance of grade pay were other issues which tormented teachers.The union gave an ultimatum to the government up to 31st July to fulfil their demands, or face an agitation. The employees said they would start their agitation from 5th to 8th August from district headquarters.

They said union members would wear black badges to display their ire.

Kapurthala, July 24
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Kapurthala, has asked the ICICI Bank and the ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company to refund an amount of Rs 15 lakh to a Canada-based NRI for allegedly diverting the amount for an insurance policy without her consent. The forum has also entitled her to Rs 50,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 as litigation expenses.

Rajdeep Kaur Dhaliwal, a permanent resident of Surrey BC in Canada, currently putting up at Pattar Khurd village here, said she was having an NRI account since April 25, 2008 in the ICICI Bank. In March 2010, she said she visited India and approached the ICICI Bank for conveting Rs 15 lakh lying in her account into a fixed deposit. She said the bank obtained a cheque of Rs 15 lakh from her and promised that receipt of fixed deposit would be sent to her through courier and email.

Believing the bank officials, she left for Canada. However, no copy of receipt of the fixed deposit was ever sent to her either by post or through email. She visited India early this year and asked for the statement of her account, which was given to her on March 5.

After going through her statement of account, she was shocked to see the amount of Rs 15 lakh shown deducted towards ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Policy instead of the fixed deposit, which she had opted for. She alleged that she was neither supplied with any insurance policy nor was there any occasion for her to purchase the same.

The NRI alleged that she had till date not received any communication either from the bank or the insurance firm regarding the insurance policy issued in her name. Everything was done in a clandestine manner, she complained.

While the bank contested the complaint but the insurance firm despite due service failed to appear to contest the complaint and was proceeded against ex parte. The bank officials said they had nothing to do with the dispute since it was between the complainant and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company.

The forum represented by president George, members Parkash Singh Lamme and Shashi Narang have entitled the complainant for a refund of Rs 15 lakh along with 9 per cent interest from the date of transfer of the amount in the account of the ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company till the amount is refunded to the complainant. It also asked the insurance company to pay an amount of Rs 50,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 as litigation expenses within a period of two months. 

Jalandhar, July 24
Members of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha today held a rally at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall demanding making public of a report on bigwigs involved in drug trade tabled by former DGP Prisons Shashi Kant.

Alleging that politicians and police are hand in glove with the culprits and help in the supply of drugs to prisoners, president Raminder Singh Patiala of the sabha also blamed Jails Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur for not being able to check supply of ice, heroin, smack and other intoxicants inside prisons.

He said the Secretary, Home, DS Bains, and Minister for Home Affairs Sukhbir Badal, should not shrug off their responsibility. They should devise ways and means to check the drugs being smuggled in to the prisons. The members of the sabha had planned to gherao the residence of the minister at Urban Estate here, but later they gave their memorandum to tehsildar Parveen Chhiber. 

Phagwara, July 24
Soorat Singh, a Mohali resident, and his seven-year-old daughter Noor Inder, were killed on the spot, while his wife Manjit Kaur, sustained serious injuries, when a Maruti Zen car (No CH-04-8978), which Soorat was driving towards Phagwara, collided with a private company bus (No PB-23M-1855), near Behram, on the Phagwara-Banga road, on Tuesday afternoon. 

Both vehicles were badly damaged in the mishap. The injured woman, Manjit, was admitted to a private hospital.The bus driver, however, managed to escape leaving behind the damaged bus. The Behram police has registered case against the bus driver.

In another mishap, an unidentified youth was found dead in the middle of rail tracks near St Joseph Convent School, on the Phagwara-Chiherru rail section last night. Though the GRP has kept the dead body in the mortuary of the Phagwara Civil Hospital for identification, yet it could not be ascertained whether the deceased was run over by a train or it was a case of suicide. 

Jalandhar, July 24
A programme was held by the health authorities at the CRPF campus, Sarai Khas, here today, in continuation with the fortnight against female foeticide. CRPF jawans, members and officials participated in the event.

District family welfare officer, Dr Shi Dyal Malhi, said first vice in Punjab was addiction and the second social vice the state was struggling against was female foeticide. He said: “Girls are not far behind from boys in any sphere today, so we need to change the way we think.” He also presented statistics regarding sex ratio in Punjab and apprised the audience about the PCPNDT Act. A skit was also presented on the occasion.

Jalandhar, July 24
The district administration seems to have done nothing for residents, who live in the low-lying areas of the district and face various health hazards due to rain water. Heavy rain has accumulated mud and slush in these areas. Decomposed and stinking trash is exposing the residents to unhygienic surroundings. The slums and unapproved colonies in the countryside are worst affected as these are inundated with rain water. The residents have been using carts and rickshaws to commute.

The Basti areas, where water entered many houses and damaged the goods, are still struggling to drain out the rain water. Residents are drying their household goods, including food grain in the sun.

Talking to the Tribune, Sudha Rani, a resident of Bhagat Singh Colony, said the rain water had flooded their hutment and damaged the food grains. She said many household items were submerged in muddy water.

“The entire area is stinking as slush has accumulated on the floor and the courtyard. It has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. There is also fear of an epidemic due to water-borne diseases,” she complained.

The District Health Department has written to the municipal corporation asking the authorities to launch a drive to distribute chlorine tables among the residents and spray insecticides in the rain affected areas. But this communication between the health authorities and the MC has failed to give any results and the citizens have been left on the mercy of God.aThe Health Department, however, constituted its teams, which visited various areas and destroyed mosquito larva in accumulated water. The municipal corporation, however, still has not woken up from its slumber and waiting for the outbreak of some epidemic.

Kapurthala, July 24
The district administration conducted a series of raids on chemist shops selling medicines without doctor’s prescriptions.

Teams of drug inspectors Nisha of Hoshiarpur-1, Ramandeep Gupta of Hoshiarpur-2, Amarjit Singh of Jalandhar and Karun Sachdeva of Kapurthala have been conducting raids throughout the week. The teams found that the owners of Om Medical Hall at Palahi village, Phagwara, Pardeep Medical Store at Rihana Jattan, Dasmesh Medicos at Palahi, Sood Medical Hall at Palahi, Harish Medical Hall at Rawalpindi, Dashmesh Medical Hall at Rihana Jattan, Walia Medical Hall at Nadala, Bamotra Medical Hall, New Kakkar Medical Hall and Arora Medical Store, had discrepancies in their sale-purchase record.

Deputy Commissioner DS Mangat said detailed reports on the raids would be sought from zonal licensing authority (drugs) at Jalandhar.

Rs 2.7 distributed among 37 beneficiaries under Balri Rakshak Yojna

The district administration has provided a financial assistance of Rs 2.7 lakh to 37 beneficiaries under the Balri Rakshak Yojna, reported till March 31 this year. DS Mangat, Deputy Commissioner, said 30 cases were reported in 2012-13, whereas seven cases were registered earlier under this scheme.

The DC said Punjab Government in an effort to encourage birth of girls and empower women had launched the scheme in 2005. Under the scheme, a monthly amount of Rs 500 is given per girl to those families, who adopt family-planning programme after birth of single or second girl child. This amount is given till the child reaches the age of 18 years. 

Jalandhar, July 24
The city police last night confiscated 80 cases of liquor from an abandoned truck near Patel Chowk.

The driver of the vehicle reportedly left the truck seeing a naka near the roundabout. Staff of the Division No 2 police station said they directed the driver of the truck (PB-07-E-1265) to stop, but he fled away leaving the vehicle behind. The police is on a lookout for the driver and other evidences to get clues as to whom the recovered liquor belongs.