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HIV positive cases are on the rise in Punjab villages. Rampant drug abuse among the youth is one of the key factors for the spread of the virus. Official records put the number of HIV positive patients in the state at 36,877, but the number is likely to be much higher, say NGOs
Won’t let militancy resurface: Dy CM
Deputy Chief Minister Sukbhir Badal after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, on Sunday. Photo: Vishal Kumar |
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Mired in controversies, PTU VC may face axe
PPCC to file PIL against Sangat Darshan
PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa (second from right) and vice-president OP Soni (centre) welcome BJP leaders Arun Pappal (second from left) and Kanwal Nain Singh Gullu (right) into party fold in Amritsar on Sunday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Science kits scam
SAD-BJP Govt deceiving
Dalits, alleges BSP
Disquiet as Bajwa appoints observers for DCC meetings
BBMB erred in Pong spillage: Engineers
BSF wages war against drug abuse in border belt
Artistes perform a play organised as part of a BSF de-addiction awareness drive in an Amritsar village. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Small farmers turning to labour
Return land to Punjabi
farmers: SAD to Hooda
No delegation to Pak, says Manak
Patients neglected as Rajindra Hospital lacks super specialists
PSEB gives 200 schools one more year to meet conditions
Sangrur admn takes steps to tackle stray cattle menace
Come rains, unsanitary conditions plague Moga
Street vendors continue to sell unhygienic food in Patiala
Farmers submit lists of demands to DCs
Man held with smack
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Women at receiving end as spouses refuse to take blame
Nabha, August 11 A 48-year-old village Kakrala resident is unwilling to undergo a test for HIV, despite the fact that his wife died of the infection 15 years ago and so did their newborn. At a blood camp recently, he was tested HIV positive. Yet he continues to see other women and plans to remarry. Another HIV positive man, who got married recently, infected his wife. The latter delivered stillborn twins. Hailing from Shambu, he refuses to register himself with a government agency. A dingy one-room clinic run by a pharmacist is the only hope for the 12 HIV positive persons in the small village of Kakrala. Once the problem aggravates, the pharmacist who also acts as a doctor, refers them to the government hospital in Patiala. Fearing the worst, many are reluctant to visit the hospital. Already, 10 Kakrala residents have died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Owing to the social stigma, HIV positive patients usually do not tell their family members about the infection. They get married and infect their spouses. Data provided by the Punjab State Aids Control Society (PSACS) shows there are over 36,877 HIV positive persons in the state and as many as 2,885 have died of the infection. “The official figures are nowhere close to the actual number of infected persons. At times patients reach us after almost a decade of suffering. By that time, he or she has already spread the infection,” said Dr Amar Singh Azad, Senior Medical Officer at the Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centre, Government Rajindra Hospital. “Counsellors have a very tough time explaining to the patients to bring their spouses for a diagnosis,” he said. Women, once detected with the infection, are condemned to a life of solitary confinement and shame. A victim from Paharhpur village said she was detected carrying the virus five years ago. Her husband has confined her to a room and refuses to come near her. “He makes me feel as if I it is all my fault. He belittles me even as he boasts of visiting other women,” she says, breaking into tears. Her nine-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter are also HIV positive. In Punjab, as many as 62 NGOs are working for HIV/AIDS victims. Rampant drug abuse among the youth is the key factor for the spread of the virus. At least 24 NGOs are distributing syringes and needles free of cost. More than 12 villages each in Ludhiana, Nabha and Rajpura have more than over 1,000 HIV positive patients, most of them unregistered with an official agency, say PSACS sources. The official data shows that HIV is spreading in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana,Patiala, Moga, Hoshiarpur and Faridkot districts. “In the border districts, the incidence of drug abuse is high because of drug peddlers. In other districts, migrant workers and truck drivers have been spreading the virus,” says Dr Usha Bansal, Additional Director, PSACS. In a few villages visited by The Tribune, patients continue to be treated by quacks at roadside shops. At a blood donation camp in Nabha recently, the organisers detected three HIV positive persons from a single village. “We contacted them later and informed them about the virus. But they are reluctant to take medicines. Two of them are in a state of shock,” said Dheer Singh, secretary, Jansewa Society for Eye Care and AIDS. (To be concluded)
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Won’t let militancy resurface: Dy CM
Amritsar, August 11 "The Punjab Government is keeping an eye on troublemakers and during the last five years, the police has busted three major militant modules and prevented major militant strikes. Nobody will be allowed to fiddle with the hard-earned peace of the state,” he said while responding to queries on letters, purportedly written by militants, being received by certain people. Sukhbir, who was here along with his wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, criticised the Union Government for allegedly failing to raise the modernisation grant to the Punjab Police. He said being a border state, Punjab was in dire need of the grant. On development issues, he said a comprehensive plan had been approved for Amritsar to the holy city on international tourism circuit. " We have set aside requisite funds for each project. On completion of this plan, you will not be able to recognise Amritsar, which is emerging as a hub of development in south-east Asia," he said. Reviewing the progress of the Golden Temple underground plaza, he said it would be dedicated to the world community by the end of this year. “This unique project will prove a boon for thousands of tourists from across the world as there would be an audio-video information system to make them aware about the rich Sikh heritage,” he said. Sukhbir said the state government also had in the pipeline other welfare projects, including cashless insurance policy for ‘atta-dal’ scheme beneficiaries, scholarships of Rs 30,000 each to meritorious students from poor families and bringing more families under the ration scheme. To check and monitor development in villages, he said, all panchayats would be connected through an ‘e-panchayat’ project. “In fact, Punjab will become the first state in the country to computerise and connect all its 13,000 panchayats under such a plan,” he said.
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Mired in controversies, PTU VC may face axe
Jalandhar, August 11 The board is said to be under pressure following public interest litigations filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against Arora for “illegal” appointments and financial “irregularities” worth crores of rupees. The board may remove Arora from the post, highly placed sources in the government said. It is learnt that the University Grant Commission (UGC) has asked the Punjab Governor, who is also the Chancellor of PTU, to get the charges against the VC probed. JK Anand, president, Anti-Corruption Society, who has also submitted an affidavit against the VC, claimed that he had a copy of the letter (sent by the UGC to the Punjab Governor) seeking a probe. Bajwa had met Governor Shiv Raj Patil in Chandigarh and apprised him of the “irregularities” committed by the VC. He had also accused Arora of favoring RSS and BJP leaders by adjusting their relatives in the university at various positions. Many state BJP and RSS leaders are also under the scanner for shielding
Arora.
Charges galore *
Several PILs alleging illegal appointments and financial irregularities by Rajneesh Arora have been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court *
The UGC has reportedly asked the Punjab Governor to get the charges against the VC probed *
PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa has also submitted at least five affidavits seeking Arora’s removal
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PPCC to file PIL against Sangat Darshan
Dera Baba Nanak
(Gurdaspur), August 11 Addressing a gathering at Kotli Surat Mali that is part of the Dera Baba Nanak Vidhan Sabha constituency, Bajwa said the PPCC would engage a battery of lawyers to file the PIL. He said grants were being distributed through SAD-appointed halqa (area) heads who had lost their seats in the last assembly elections. “I would like to ask the Chief Minister as to why elected representatives are not being taken into confidence while distributing grants. The very act of nominating these leaders,
who faced defeat in the assembly elections, as dera heads is unconstitutional.” Bajwa said. He said these leaders, rejected by the electorate, had been given extra-constitutional powers and had been provided security at the tax-payers’ cost. He said the PPCC had a responsibility towards the people and the PIL was a step in this direction. Bajwa flayed the chiefs
of Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot police districts for allowing “disgruntled” elements to disturb
peace in villages in their jurisdiction. “All the three SSPs must pull up socks or else the situation will turn from bad to worse,” he warned. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, sitting Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak, who organised today’s function, hit upon a novel method to accommodate the maximum number of people at the venue. “We have done away with the practice of making workers and leaders sit on chairs. The chairs take up a lot of space ” he said. There was some commotion as Bajwa arrived at the venue but things were kept under control by PPCC secretary Bhupinder Singh Randhawa. Among the senior Congress leaders seen at the function were OP Soni, Tripit Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Ashwani Sekhri, Raman Bahl, Raman Bhalla and Dinesh
Bassi.
2 BJP leaders join Cong
Amritsar: Two BJP leaders, Arun Pappal and Kanwal Nain Singh Gullu of the BJP joined the Congress at a rally here on Sunday. The rally was organised by Congress legislator OP Soni. Pappal had contested the MC elections as an Independent but was defeated. His wife Manju Mehra is a BJP councillor from Amritsar’s Ward No 47. Pappal had contested the Vidhan Sabha elections in 2007. Both the leaders are considered close to Amritsar Member of parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu. But with the latter keeping away from active politics in the past few months, the two leaders shifted their loyalty to the Congress — TNS
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Science kits scam
Chandigarh, August 11 The complainant is expected to present papers on August 14. His representation on Rs 7.54-crore “forced purchase of science kits” is also pending before the AN Jindal commission set up by the Punjab Government to probe the matter. While the government claims that there was no loss since no money had been paid by it, there is ample evidence to show that the department had sent communications to schools asking them to collect science kits from certain schools where these had been delivered. Making the case stronger against the Education Department, a communication by an Ambala-based “scientific works” company to the Director, Elementary Education; Finance and Development Officer of Punjab School Education Board; and District Education Officer,
Ajitgarh; alleges that the department has arbitrarily and illegally with-held its payment of
Rs 58 lakh. The firm claims that it was given the project to supply 364 kits at the rate of Rs 99,000 per kit. The firm also claimed to have provided kits to the DEOs of Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdaspur. The communication said: “The supply of the kits had been made to the satisfaction of the authorities concerned within the stipulated period of three months. But till date, 25 per cent payment which was to be made immediately as per the terms and conditions of the purchase order and the balance payment in two installments has not been released”. A government school principal in Ludhiana district said: “The government had claimed that science kits were being bought from companies which produced ISI products. However, only three of the 80 items in the list were ISI-marked. This condition of ISI branding made other companies ineligible which had offered to supply the kits at four times less prices”. Nailing the government lie *
There is ample evidence to show that the Education Department had asked schools to collect science kits from institutions where these had been delivered *
An Ambala-based company in its letter to the authorities alleged that the department had arbitrarily and illegally withheld its payment of Rs 58 lakh *
The firm claims it was given the project to supply 364 kits at the rate of Rs 99,000 per kit *
It also claimed to have provided kits to the DEOs of Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdaspur
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SAD-BJP Govt deceiving Dalits, alleges BSP Jalandhar, August 11 The BSP leadership has also criticised the SAD-BJP government for “tormenting” people with heavy taxes on residents and developers of “illegal” colonies, said senior BSP leader and Rajya Sabha member Narinder Kashyap in a statement issued after the conclusion of a party workers' meeting here on Sunday. “The ruling alliance has done nothing except for making false promises and befooling all sections of the society, including the Dalits. So much that even eligible persons are not getting money under various schemes, including Shagun and old age pension,” he said. — TNS
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Disquiet as Bajwa appoints observers for DCC meetings
Patiala, August 11 These observers will keep a tab on the local cadre and monitor their activities. This has not gone down well with the district Congress leaders, who argue that this will unnecessarily create mistrust among the workers. To check proxy attendance and to ensure that DCC meetings are held every month, 27 observers have been appointed. They will report to the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief every month. Sources said district Congress presidents feel that the move will demean their stature. “ We will not allow them to steal the show. Their (observers) role would be limited to attending the meetings,” said a DCC office-bearer. Pulling up socks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the PPCC chief has issued instructions that each district Congress office will maintain a record of its meetings which will be held on the second Saturday of a month. On the first Saturday of every month, there would be a meeting of Block Samiti workers. “The role of the observer will be probably limited to attending the meetings and keep a record,” said Patiala DCC (Rural) president Hardyal Kambhoj. Talking to The Tribune, Bajwa said that the observers and the district presidents will work together for the betterment of the party. “With the parliamentary elections a few months away, we are restructuring our working and some adjustments will have to be made,” he explained.
The purpose *
The observers, 27 in all, will check proxy attendance
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BBMB erred in Pong spillage: Engineers
In a letter to Union Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia, AIPEF chairman Padamjit Singh said, “In June and July, the BBMB operated the powerhouse at just 20 per cent and 52 per cent of its capacity. As a result, less water was released from the dam.” Padamjit said the increased level in the dam had now resulted in spillage. “There obviously has been a miscalculation on the BBMB’s part. It presumed low inflow and over-conserved water at the dam," he said, seeking directions from Scindia to the BBMB to increase storage limit at Pong to 1,395 feet against the present 1,390 feet. Meanwhile, 10 days after Ranjit Sagar Shahpur Kandi Power Plant was shut down, one of its units of 150 MW was re-commissioned by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) yesterday evening. PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra has confirmed the development. The 600-MW project, with four units of 150 MW each, had to be closed on August 1 due to floods in the Thein Nullah, flowing near to the plant. Chhabra said the second unit had been put on mechanical run and was expected to begin generation by Wednesday. “The third unit is expected to get operational by the weekend and subsequently, the fourth unit will be re-commissioned," he said. The Director said one unit of 110-MW capacity at the Bathinda Thermal Plant, currently closed for repair, will start functioning in a couple of days.
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BSF wages war against drug abuse in border belt
Hardo Rattan (Amritsar), August 11 Some of the residents who took part in the programme claimed every village located near the border had at least 12 youths addicted to drugs. They urged the BSF authorities to organise such sensitisation programmes on a regular basis. Harpreet Singh of Dhanoe Khurd village, a drug abuse victim who was successfully treated at the Tarn Taran Civil Hospital after he participated in one such programme by the BSF, claimed that unemployment was the main cause for rampant drug addiction in the area which had easy availability of drugs due to its close proximity with the Indo-Pak border. “I lost precious years of my life to drug addiction. After passing Matric in 2005, I had nothing to do to support my family. Our land is situated across the border fence and thus it does not yield much. As a result, I took to drugs. It took me seven years to understand the implications of drug abuse. Now I want to join the Army,” he said. MF Farooqi, DIG, BSF, Amritsar sector, said the aim of the campaign was not only to wean the youths away from drugs but also to make a second line of defence by motivating the villagers to eradicate the menace.
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Small farmers turning to labour
The number of cultivators, recorded at 20,65,067 in 2001, came down to 18,03, 860 in 2011. Similarly, the number of agriculture labourers fell from 14,89,861 to 11, 68,021 during this period. However, there has been an increase in the total work force from 91,27,474 to 98,97,362 during this period. These facts indicate that the state’s socio-economy is facing critical challenges. An analysis of the official data by the Director-General, CRRID, Dr Sucha Singh Gill, reveals that the last two decades has been that of “lost opportunities” for Punjab. A section of small and marginal farmers have taken to working as labourers in factories and construction companies. The employment rate in the farm sector is 61.8 per cent and the construction sector 13.4 per cent. “Shifting of cultivators and labourers from the agriculture sector, that has been a source of livelihood for a vast chunk of population for decades, to informal non-agriculture sectors, where employment remains uncertain, has taken place for the first time in Punjab post-Independence,” said Dr Gill. Pointing out structural changes in the rural employment pattern, he said the agriculture sector employed 75.7 per cent of the total work force in 1983. this declined to 67.7 per cent in 1993 and 61.8 per cent in 2009-10. The mechanisation of the farm sector has hit employability, especially of the casual labour. “Agriculture share in the state domestic produce has plunged by 11 per cent,” he said.The downward mobility of the marginal farmer has left him traumatised. He has lost his identity and social status. The mounting input costs of seed, fertilisers and diesel and small land- holdings have rendered farming unviable for small farmers. Also, there has been a significant decline in the rural population. In 1951, at least 78.30 per cent people lived in rural areas. This figure came down to 76.30 per cent in 1971 and to 62.52 per cent in 2011. In districts like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Mohali, the percentage of rural population is less than 50 per cent. Poor living conditions, few jobs and dismal education and health services are factors propelling people to move to urban areas. Interestingly, the SC population in rural areas has gone up from 33.04 per cent in 2001 to 37.41 per cent as per the latest Census. “As most of the SC families are poor, they do not have the means to shift to urban areas,”explained Dr Gill.
Dismal scenario *
There has been a significant fall in the number of cultivators and farm labourers *
The number of cultivators in 2001 was 20,65,067 * The number came down to 18,03, 860 in 2011 *
The number of agriculture labourers fell from 14,89,861 to 11, 68,021 during this period *
Mechanisation of the farm sector has hit employability
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Registration scam
Bathinda, August 11 Police sources said the actor reportedly purchased a vehicle from Ludhiana and got a registration number through Gagan. A resident of Civil Lines, Bathinda, Gagan is said to have links with influential persons. “Since we are yet to obtain the documents pertaining to the original record of the VIP numbers, we cannot comment on the issue. We are conducting raids to nab the middleman,” said investigating officer Ranjeet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Detective).
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Return land to Punjabi
farmers: SAD to Hooda
Chandiagrh, August 11 In a statement issued here, SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema alleged with this action, the Haryana Government had betrayed the Punjabi farmers. He condemned the “double standards” of the Haryana Congress leaders on the displacement of the farmers. “They are demanding a resettlement policy for the farmers settled in the Gujarat, but are displacing them in their own state,” he said. Cheema said: “Thousands of Sikh farmers from Majha region were motivated to settle in remote and underdeveloped areas in and around Pehowa, which was part of the erstwhile Karnal district of undivided Punjab. Most of those who moved to such areas were ex-servicemen and poor farmers”. The SAD urged the Congress to clear its stand on this issue which was related to the life and property of the Punjabi farmers in
Haryana.
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No delegation to Pak, says Manak
There may be no candle light vigil at the Attari-Wagah border on the intervening night of August 14 and 15. After the cancellation of a cultural programme scheduled for August 13 here by the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, official sources said the exchange of delegations from India and Pakistan had also been called off. It is learnt that neither has visa been granted to members of the two delegations, nor permission for the candle light vigil at zero line given by the BSF authorities. However, a seminar on Indo-Pak relations, focussing on the repercussions of the killing of five Indian soldiers in the Poonch sector, would be held at Guru Nanak Dev University on August 14 as planned.
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Patients neglected as Rajindra Hospital lacks super specialists
Patiala, August 11 Any tertiary care hospital should ideally have specialists in at least ten departments, including Endocrinology, Radiotherapy, Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Neonatology, Paediatric Surgery and Neurosurgery. Rajindra Hospital has only five super specialists - paediatric surgeon, plastic surgeon, urologist, neurologist and endocrinologist. Moreover, the endocrinologist is working in the Department of Medicine since the hospital does not have a separate Endocrinology Department. Sources said due to acute shortage of staff, the super specialists working in the hospital are hard-pressed. “Since the super specialists handle everything from the OPD to admissions, interventions and operations, they are unable to attend to emergency calls. Moreover, when they take a break, their respective departments virtually shut down,” sources said. Most specialists are not keen on working for the government since they are paid handsomely in the private sector, where they get anywhere from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh per month, sources said. A senior doctor said the state of affairs in the departments not run by specialists is equally bad. “Most emergency cases are referred to the PGI since there are no specialists in the hospital. The doctors in these departments are not qualified to handle difficult cases so they do not take the risk. It is the responsibility of the government to fill the vacant posts of specialists and they are not doing the needful,” he said. Another doctor said not everyone can afford to pay for treatment at private hospitals. “Just a few days ago, Paramjeet Kaur, a mid-day meal worker, was brought to the hospital with a head injury. Since we don’t have a neurosurgeon, the patient was referred to a private hospital. Her treatment cost Rs 50,000 to the family that has an income of Rs 5,000 a month,” he said. College Principal Dr KD Singh said they would soon fill the vacant posts. He said that they would hold departmental promotion committee meetings to resolve the crisis.
no experts * Any tertiary care hospital should ideally have ten specialists whereas Rajindra Hospital has five * Most critical cases are referred to private hospitals due to lack of specialist doctors at the hospital
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PSEB gives 200 schools one more year to meet conditions
The schools had not fulfilled mandatory conditions under the Right to Education Act and not built the requisite infrastructure. The board had earlier directed the school managements to close down their establishments before March 31, this year. Now the board authorities have decided to give managements of these schools one more year to fulfill the conditions under the Act. Dr Tajinder Kaur Dhaliwal, chairperson of PSEB, said the decision had been taken keeping in mind the interests of the students of these schools. Sources said the board inquiry into the issue had found that these schools neither had the proper infrastructure nor the teaching staff. “Several schools that have standards up to Class X, do not even have 10 classrooms,” said sources, quoting the contents of the inquiry report. The report has been sent to the state Education Minister, said Dr Dhaliwal. The RTE Act was implemented in the state in 2009 and under the Act, it is mandatory for every school to have a proper playground, laboratories, library, sports kits, separate toilets for girls and boys and proper class rooms and qualified staff.
Upholding standards *
The schools had not fulfilled mandatory conditions under the Right to Education Act and not built the requisite infrastructure *
Under the Act, it is mandatory for every school to have a proper playground, laboratories, library, sports kits and separate toilets for girls and boys
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Sangrur admn takes steps to tackle stray cattle menace
Sangrur, August 11 In August, the administration tied reflectors around the necks of stray animals as they are difficult to spot at night. This often led to road mishaps. Earlier in July, the local municipal council caught stray cattle roaming in the city. Harbans Singh, in charge, the Cattle Catching Scheme, Animal Husbandry Department, Patiala, said an eight-member team from Patiala had caught 71 stray cows, calves and bulls in Sangrur from July 17 to July 22. These animals had been handed over to the gaushala at Sangrur. His team had also tied reflectors around the necks of 90 stray animals on August 3 and August 4 and painted the horns of 33 stray cattle. The municipal council also unanimously passed a resolution last month to set up a cattle pond on two-and-a-half acres at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Since the council does not have a pond, it has been paying a local gaushala Rs 1.60 lakh per month to look after 350 stray cattle that were caught from the city five years ago. An official of the council revealed the authorities had also proposed to procure a vehicle to carry the stray animals to the gaushala. The vehicle is likely to cost anywhere between Rs 60,000 to Rs 75,000.
making roads safer *
In August, the administration tied reflectors around the necks of stray animals as they are difficult to spot at night. *
Earlier in July, the local municipal council caught stray cattle roaming in the city. *
The municipal council is also planning to set up a cattle pond on two-and-a-half acres at a cost of Rs 25 lakh
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Come rains, unsanitary conditions plague Moga
Moga, August 11 There are reports of a rise in the cases of viral infections and skin diseases in the past few days due to increasing population of mosquito-like flies that breed on garbage dumps. Leaking drains and garbage dumps are a common sight in the city. Worst hit are the localities near the new and old grain markets. At least 85 tonnes of solid waste is generated in the city everyday. KS Brar, Executive Officer, Moga MC, claimed that a private company had been hired for door-to-door collection of garbage. However, in the absence of garbage bins in most of the localities, people are forced to dump waste on the roadsides and vacant plots where garbage keeps piling up till it is lifted by workers of the company engaged by the MC. Local Congress leader Vijay Sathi alleged there was no systematic way of garbage disposal in the city. “There is an urgent need for a solid waste management treatment plant in Moga”, he said. Barjinder Singh Brar, former president of the local body, claimed that he had started a project worth crores of rupees to upgrade the existing sewage system in the city, but despite most of the work having been completed, it had not been commissioned so far. “I had installed pumps to suck out water from the sewage pipelines during rains to avoid overflowing. The civic body has failed to put these to optimum use,” he alleged. Besides overflowing drains, industrial waste is being discharged in the low lying areas along the national highway, which has made life miserable for residents. Though District Magistrate Arshdip Singh Thind has invoked the epidemic diseases Act in the district, no specific directions have so far been issued to any department to rid the city of unsanitary conditions. Residents demand that garbage should be collected on a daily basis and insecticides should be sprayed regularly to prevent the breeding of flies and mosquitoes.
Grim scenario *
There is a rise in the cases of viral infections and skin diseases in the past few days *
Residents blame it on increasing population of mosquito-like flies that breed on garbage dumps *
Leaking drains and garbage heaps are a common sight in the city * Worst hit are the localities near the new and old
grain markets
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Street vendors continue to sell unhygienic food in Patiala
Patiala, August 11 The department has failed to collect samples from the stalls of street vendors even as they have raided big hotels, bakeries and other food chains several times. The street vendors are openly flouting the guidelines of the Act and selling unhygienic burgers, noodles, momos, kulchas and other junk food on city roads. Several people can be seen relishing the food served at these stalls. To top it all, all the customers and vendors dump the leftovers on the streets. Bank Manager Jasdeep Singh, who works in the Leela Bhawan area, said these stalls lead to chaos on the streets. "People eating at these stalls park their vehicles in a haphazard manner and block the roads," said Charanjeet Kaur. However, Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Virinder Singh Mohi said they have challaned these vendors several times but the vendors soon shift to other places. “It is difficult to trace them as they don’t have a permanent identification number. Therefore, we send officials regularly to these stalls, who check their food items and, if found unhygienic, destroy these,” he added.
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Farmers submit lists of demands to DCs
Moga, August 11 They also demanded that special laws be framed to check the exploitation of farmers at the hands of private money lenders. Moreover, they asked for waiver of domestic bills of electricity of the poor landless farmers, special housing scheme for the poor and an end to the acquisition of agricultural land for setting up industries. Sukhdev Singh Kokri, general secretary of the BKU, said the financial condition of the farmers, particularly the small and marginal farmers, was declining due to the high cost of inputs in the farm sector and the 'insensitive' attitude of the union and state governments. Adding that the district units of the BKU had also given lists of farmers and landless labourers who had committed suicide in the past few years along with the charter of demands, Kokri said the government should immediately release monetary help to their families. The BKU leader said the government should also immediately stop arresting the farmers who default in repaying the loans and also put a halt on auction of their land to recover the loans. — TNS
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Man held with smack
Abohar, August 11 He had been allegedly smuggling narcotics from neighbouring Sadulshehar (Sriganganagar). Earlier, the Narcotics Cell team recovered 31 kg of poppy husk from Satnam Singh of Dalmirkhera village. The Khuyiansarwer police seized 2.8 kg of opium by intercepting Kanshi Ram of Umria, Madhya Pradesh, on the Daulatpura-Dalmirkhera link near the Sriganganagar-Abohar road (NH 15). A case under Sections 18, 29, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered.
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Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said his government would not allow militancy to raise its head again in the state.
The Punjab Pradesh congress Committee president, Partap Singh Bajwa, said today that he had asked legal experts to file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the holding of Sangat Darshan by Chief Minister Parkash Singh
Badal, which he described “against the Constitution and against the very ethics of democracy.”
The Border Security Force today launched a drug de-addiction campaign by holding an awareness programme in this village located 500 m from the barbed border fence. The BSF exhorted the residents to start a new struggle to eradicate the drug menace which has taken its toll on the young generation. Its officials urged the people to socially boycott drug peddlers and others involved in the illegal trade.
Registration scam
Jalandhar, August 11
Chandigarh, August 11
Mohali, August 11