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Cancer hospital to come up in Hoshiarpur
NGOs’ vaccination drive goes on without approval
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Boat tragedy: 5 bodies recovered
Tata Sons to operate BRTS in
Amritsar, Ludhiana
Finally, state can expect big-ticket investments
Cong former minister writes to Sonia against Sarkaria
Rahul’s state visit to boost party’s prospects: Cong
Dhindsa, Manpreet trash Rajan report as ‘politically motivated’
22 teachers awarded
Sarabjit murder accused assaulted in Pak jail
special to the sunday tribune
HC dismisses plea against
‘Grand Masti’
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Cancer hospital to come up in Hoshiarpur
Gardhiwala (Hoshiarpur), October 5 Announcing this after inaugurating the district-level ‘Arogya Health Fair’ here, Azad asked the local administration to scout for a suitable plot for the project. “We want the hospital to come up at a place that is easily approachable. As cancer treatment lasts long, an inn will also be built for the convenience of the patients’ relatives,” he said. Azad said one more cancer hospital would come up in the state. “The location of the second hospital will be decided after discussions with the Punjab Government and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal,” he said. The Union Minister said over the past nine years, the Centre had allocated over Rs 1 lakh crore for 55,000 health centres in rural areas across the country. “Half of these have been completed while the rest will also become functional soon”, he said. Azad said the Union Health Ministry had also initiated a pilot project for the detection of patients suffering from diabetes, cancer and heart diseases in 100 districts all over the country. “Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda districts figure in this pilot project. One more pilot project for elderly care is in the pipeline and Hoshiarpur will be covered in that too,” he said. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Santosh Chaudhary, who represents Hoshiarpur parliamentary constituency, asked Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, who was also present at the fair, to furnish details about the utilisation of health funds allocated by the Centre. She said doing so was a must for clearance to new central projects for Punjab.
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NGOs’ vaccination drive goes on without approval
Moga, October 5 The NGOs have been allegedly charging for the free vaccination. The World Health Organisation guidelines on safe injection practices are also not being adhered to. Under the UIP, only infants are covered, but here adults are being vaccinated. Investigations carried out by The Tribune have revealed that Research India, a Lucknow-based NGO, was given permission for an awareness and vaccination drive for hepatitis-B, typhoid and swine flu on October 13, 2011 for one year. But, the Director, Health Services, cancelled the permission on February 10, 2012 after some senior officials objected. A copy of this order was dispatched to Research India and all
civil surgeons. However, the NGO allegedly approached the civil surgeons at the district level and managed to get their permission to carry out the drive. The NGO also roped in Asha workers. It is learnt that civil surgeons have no authority to grant permission and that only Director, Health Services, and Immunisation Officer are authorised to do so. To avoid legal complications, Research India floated a few sister NGOs and also sought the support of some local NGOs to carryout the drive in villages. NGOs allegedly backed by some ruling party leaders also reportedly joined hands with Research India in Mohali and Fatehgarh Sahib districts. At a camp on the premises of a government primary school at Jheendra village in Dharamkot sub-division of Moga, at least 375 persons, all adults, were administered hepatitis-B vaccination. The NGO charged a registration fee of Rs 10 per person, besides Rs 40 for the first dose of vaccination. Slips issued to those vaccinated featured the name of two NGOs, Abhinav Welfare Society and Research India. No doctor was present in the camp. A nurse was administering the vaccination. Asha worker Kiranjit Kaur, who was seen helping the NGO, said she had verbal instructions from her seniors to bring people to the camp for which she was promised Rs 4 per person. A similar amount was promised to the nurse who administered the dose. Admitting that she had allowed such UIP camps, Dr Amarjit Kaur, Civil Surgeon, Moga, said she was not aware that the health directorate had cancelled the permission. "NGO officials showed me the permission granted by civil surgeons of other districts. I will seek a clarification from the directorate," she said. A senior health official said the NGOs had vaccinated more than five lakh people so far. No verifiable record is available with the health directorate. Each person is charged Rs 10 for registration, Rs 40 each for three doses of hepatitis-B, Rs 60 for typhoid and Rs 60 for the booster dose. This means the entire vaccination costs Rs 250 per person. Ajay Kumar Singh, project manager, Research India, admitted that they were charging for vaccination, but claimed they had the requisite permission. State Immunisation Officer GB Singh said the Directorate of Health had not given permission to Research India for carrying out the vaccination drive. "We have district immunisation officers and required staff at the grassroots level. We do not need any NGO to carry out vaccinations," he said. Blatant violation
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Boat tragedy: 5 bodies recovered
Kapurthala, October 5 While four bodies were found within 3 km downstream the mishap spot, the fifth was recovered from Harike where the river slows down. At least 20 divers were roped in for a search operation. Dhan Singh, Inspector, NDRF, said: "Divers equipped with diving suits, masks and oxygen cylinders went underwater for 30 minutes. The bodies were found stuck in mud." The victims whose bodies have been recovered are Hardev Singh (22), Harpreet Singh (22), Jasbir Singh (13), Happy (15) and Bachan Singh (75). DS Mangat, Deputy Commissioner, said the bodies had bloated and started decomposing. "After a postmortem, the bodies were handed over to the families," he said. Kuldeep Singh Chandi, SDM, Sultanpur Lodhi, said another body had been found at Harike. "We had thought it to be one of those who drowned in the boat tragedy. But none of the families could identify it. We have asked the Tarn Taran police to inquire about it," he said.
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Tata Sons to operate BRTS in
Amritsar, Ludhiana
Amritsar, October 5 The decision was taken at a meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry here today. Expressing keenness to collaborate with the Tata group in the fields of renewable energy, hotel industry, online citizen service delivery portal, model townships and e-learning for school education, the Chief Minister said he had asked the officers concerned to interact with Tata group officials to work out details. He informed the visiting business delegation that for a policy of VAT and CST reduction had been allowed in addition to electricity duty, stamp duty and property tax incentives. Mistry said the Tata group could manage the bus service operations in major cities. He said his group could initiate its corporate social responsibility exercise in Punjab with the development of skill centres across the state, including a centre for excellence in Ropar. He said the group had drawn up a plan to train 10,000 youth as part of this initiative.
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Finally, state can expect big-ticket investments
Chandigarh, October 5 The Tata group today came forward with concrete proposals to manage the civic amenities in Ludhiana, run and provide back-up operations for integrated local transport in Ludhiana and Amritsar and run solar power plants and skill development centres. Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry, who was in Amritsar today, not only appreciated the efforts made by the state to improve its infrastructure but is also learnt to have evinced interest in investing in Punjab in a big way. Sources in the state government said Tata group company JUSCO (Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company Limited) has expressed its willingness in developing and maintaining the civic amenities in Ludhiana. With pod transit system being considered unviable in Amritsar, Punjab has suggested to the Tatas that they run a monorail in the holy city. The offer came after the company expressed its interest in running back-end operations for an integrated transportation facility in Amritsar. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has also offered that Tatas set up a solar power plant in the state, with a buy-back arrangement for power with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). He has offered that a percentage of the power subsidy of Rs 6,000 crore will be transferred to the company if it were to sell power to the PSPCL. Besides the Tata group, Infosys Technologies is looking at feasibility of setting up a facility at Knowledge City in Mohali. The IT major is learnt to be piqued over not being granted a completion certificate by the Chandigarh Administration. Wooed by Sukhbir, the company is reportedly contemplating setting up a much larger facility in Punjab than the one it has in Rajiv Gandhi Technology Park, Chandigarh. An Infosys team will be visiting Punjab in mid-October to assess the site. The Deputy CM had, during his recent visit to Bangalore, made an offer to the company’s chairman, NR Narayana Murthy, of prime land (around 100 acres) in Mohali at concessional rate and a higher floor area ratio than that allowed in Chandigarh. Officials said as the company could not expand its capacity beyond 5,000 seats in Chandigarh, Punjab was offering it a huge chunk of land, which could help it expand its capacity up to 25,000 seats. “Time has changed,” said Sukhbir when asked why Punjab was going all out to woo the IT major. “Gone are the days when companies would run after us, requesting for land and other tax concessions. Now, we have to woo these with tax concessions and offer land at cheap rates,” he said.
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Cong former minister writes to Sonia against Sarkaria Amritsar, October 5 Sarkaria had earlier questioned the leadership style of PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa. Sandhu has sought disciplinary action against Sarkaria for his "anti-party activities in connivance with the SAD". Sandhu has sent the copies of this letter to AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Shakeel Ahmad, secretary Harish Chaudhary and Bajwa. Meanwhile, Sarkaria today submitted his grievances in writing to CLP leader Sunil Jakhar. The CLP leader had intervened in the matter on the instance of Shakeel Ahmad, also in charge of Punjab Congress Affairs. However, before Jakhar could submit a detailed report pertaining to Sarkaria’s outburst against Bajwa, Sandhu wrote about the alleged negative role played by Sarkaria during various elections to AICC chief. Sandhu in his three-page letter alleged that Sarkaria, being in league with the SAD, had sabotaged the party discipline on many occasions for his personal gains as he (Sarkaria) had business concerns with the Akali stalwarts. “When I was allotted the Congress ticket for Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Rajasansi in 2002 and Sarkaria was the president of Amritsar District Rural Congress, he preferred to fight elections as an Independent candidate against me. We both lost the elections. In 2012, he betrayed Congress candidate from Ajnala Harpartap Singh, who happened to be his close relative. He did it to please his masters in the SAD,” he stated in the letter. “Sarkaria is hand in glove with land and liquor mafia. These concerns cannot be run without the support of the ruling party,” he alleged.
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Rahul’s state visit to boost party’s prospects: Cong
Chandigarh, October 5 PPCC spokesman Rajanbir Singh said the elections would be significant as people would cast their votes not to choose a political party but to choose the path the country needed to take. —
TNS
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Dhindsa, Manpreet trash Rajan report as ‘politically motivated’
Chandigarh, October 5 The report aims at identifying the backwardness of states for devolution of funds from the Centre to the states. Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal too has reacted sharply against the report, urging the state government to challenge it on appropriate platforms. Calling the report as “trash that needed to be thrown in a bin”, Dhindsa said the document was not based on any social or economic criterion. In case the report is implemented, the allocation of funds from the Centre to Punjab will be reduced from the present 1.38 per cent to 1.07 per cent, which would mean a big blow to the state that is already facing a financial crisis. As per Punjab budget estimates, the allocation of funds from the Centre during the 2013-14 fiscal year would be in the range of Rs 11,406 crore. Of it, Rs 4,832 crore will be as share from the central tax revenue and Rs 6,574 crore as grant-in-aid for centrally sponsored schemes. But if the share is reduced to 1.07 per cent, the allocation from the central taxes would come down by 1,000 crore. “The formula delineated by the committee for allocating funds from the Centre is discriminatory against states like Punjab. We will not allow this report to be implemented in any case,” said Dhindsa. Manpreet said the report was full of “absurdities”. He said in 1993-94, Maharashtra, Haryana and Punjab were the top three states in the country in terms of per capita income. But in 2011-12, Punjab was replaced by Gujarat. But in the Rajan report, Gujarat has been ranked among poor states whereas Punjab has been put in the rich category. “There is no statistical justification for it. There appears to be a political motive to show Gujarat as a poor state… Eminent people like Rajan should avoid such political opportunism,” he said.
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22 teachers awarded
Patiala, October 5 The state award were given to Gurinderjeet Kaur (Jalandhar), Jatinderpal Sandhu (Amritsar), Varinder Kumar (Roopnagar), HS Javanda (Sangrur), Ajay Kumar (Taran Taran), Indu Bala (SAS Nagar), JP Singh (Ferozepur), OP Setia (Mansa), Rajinder Kumar (Fazilka), Jasbir Singh (Talwandi Bhai), Narinder Kaur (Ferozepur Cantt), KL Sharma (Faridkot), Major Singh (Zira, Ferozepur), Kamaljeet Singh (Patiala), Harmesh Lal (Jandiala), Jaswinder Singh (Faridkot), Gurinder Singh (Roopnagar), Paramjeet Singh (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar), Dhani Ram (Mehrauli), Rajinderpal Singh, (Abohar) and Gurdial Singh (Tanda,
Hoshiarpur).
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Sarabjit murder accused assaulted in Pak jail
Lahore, October 5 The prisoners, Amer Tamba and Mudassar, misbehaved with a warder during a search of their cell on Thursday. The warden called in more personnel and thrashed them, the sources said. On May 2, Sarabjit had succumbed to fatal head injuries allegedly inflicted by the duo and some other prisoners. He had been sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in 1990.
— PTI
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special to the sunday tribune
London, October 5 Founded in 1978 and redesigned and expanded in 1992 and 2003, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha gurdwara in Hounslow, close to the Heathrow airport, is visited by Sikh devotees from the surrounding London boroughs of Hillingdon, Richmond, Spelthorne Borough and Kingston. It also attracts Sikhs from the rest of the UK. Head Granthi of the gurdwara Bhai Karnail Singh told The Tribune it would be a full day of kirtans, kathas and lectures on the life of Guru Ram Dass on Wednesday. On Friday, the gurdwara is organising a 48-hour 'akhand path' for the same purpose. “The planning of the Harmandar Sahib and the excavation of the sarovar around it was carried out during his time,” says UK-based Giani Jaswant Singh Markhandwale. “Before that, the area was simply a collection of villages. It was the Guru who bought the land and created the sarovar.” Giani Jaswant Singh says all the 300 UK-based gurdwaras, which cater to the spiritual needs of some 4,30,000 Sikhs, would be celebrating Guru Ram Dass’ birth anniversary, but the Sri Guru Singh Sabha gurdwara in Hounslow would witness major celebratory activities. The gurdwara attracts an average of 500 visitors on a week day. The number rises to around 2,000 on Sundays. On special occasions, the gurdwara is known to attract as many as 8,000 visitors.
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HC dismisses plea against
‘Grand Masti’
Chandigarh, October 5 Disposing of the petition as infructuous as the movie has already been released, the Bench made it clear that it would now be looking into the issues by treating the matter as a public interest litigation.
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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today announced a tertiary cancer hospital for Hoshiarpur. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 45 crore.
