Jalandhar, November 20
Following the education department’s uncanny silence on the grave issue of students being employed to spray weedicides on plants at a government school, Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam has asked the District Education Officer (Secondary) to submit a report on the issue afresh.

Over 20 days after Jalandhar Tribune first highlighted the issue of students being employed to spray weedicides at Government Senior Secondary School, Lasara, in the district, the office of the DEO has yet to answer in this regard.

Clearly disregarding the lives of students who are being made to take up highly hazardous jobs on the instructions of staff, the education department hasn’t initiated any action or provided explanation to the district administration so far.

Varun Roojam said, “So far the report from the education department has not arrived. So, the DEO (secondary) has been instructed to submit a report on the issue afresh within two days. The matter shall also be taken up in the DEDC (District Education Development Committee) meeting, which will take place tomorrow.”

While sources in the education department said that an inquiry had been ordered and an inquiry officer also appointed to look into the issue by the education department, the findings of the enquiry (if completed) haven’t reached the administration so far.

While the government policy recommends strict action on issues as basic as teachers turning up late or being absent, the total lack of action in an issue which concerns a direct hazard to students’ health is perplexing.

While in a conversation with Jalandhar Tribune, the school in charge had said that the students were being asked to spray the weedicide under the eco-club project, district science supervisor Baljinder Singh said the spraying of weedicides had nothing to do with the eco-club project.

“The eco-club project is meant to sensitise students towards environment but not expose them to potential hazards. The spraying of weedicides is an act which in no way falls under the eco-club project. Students are not supposed to be employed to spray weedicides or any chemicals. It is shameful and the school authorities will be questioned for it,” he said.

The DSS, however, said he had no idea about the state of the formal inquiry into the issue or why it hadn’t been submitted?

DEO (S) Neelam Kumari was not available for comments. 

Jalandhar, November 20
Even as the Punjab Police has failed to crack six similar incidents of bank loot in the region in the recent past, a gang of robbers, using gas-cutters for the purpose, has managed to dodge the police once again in a yet another episode of the kind at Phillaur.

The gang has been using the same modus operandi of deploying gas welders in the Doaba and Majha regions in a quick succession since January this year.

A team of police officials including ADCP (Crime) Harpreet Singh Mander and former ADCP (Special Branch) Diljinder Dhillon (posted as SP D at Kapurthala), had earlier been tracking the cases, sending their teams of fingerprint experts and IT experts to get clues, but there has been no success till now.

The gang has been leaving no trail at the site with no prints and no common mobile phone numbers used during the crime. In all these incidents, the masked looters have been spraying black paint on the CCTV camera before committing the crime. The officials using various softwares have tried to get the dump from mobile phone companies of the tower concerned during the period of crime and develop any links checking any common numbers, but the exercise has proved to be futile.

In the incident at Phillaur, some unidentified face-covered robbers looted Rs 8 lakh by breaking open the ATM of the State Bank of Patiala, situated just 200 yards from the DSP Phillaur office and near the court complex in the wee hours of Saturday.

DSP Sarabjit Singh Rai had gone to the spot, but no effort has been made till date to relate this seventh case of the kind with previous such episodes.

In almost all episodes, the gang has chosen semi-rural areas, where bank officials have not deployed any security staff. None of the banks had theft alarms functional. The branches of Punjab National Bank have been the target in four of the seven cases.

The occurrence of such incidents repeatedly also points to continuous serious security lapses on part of the managements of the bank. Police officials have held meetings with bank officials time and again, telling them to maintain records of registers of all visitors properly, ensuring working of various alarms and having night security personnel.

While ADCP Mander is reportedly down with dengue fever, the incumbent Diljinder Dhillon and ADCP (Special Branch) Baljit Singh Dhillon said he was not connected with the investigations. All other top officials, including Police Commissioner Ishwar Singh and Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul S., got posted here two days ago. As a result, the old team stands dissolved and the police has so far reportedly failed to relate the  Phillaur case with previous six incidents. 

Jalandhar, November 20
Already facing severe criticism for its failure to provide basic amenities to residents here, the fund-starved Municipal Corporation (MC) of Jalandhar is now planning to close down its five more ayurveda dispensaries.

An initial meeting to close down these dispensaries has already been held, it is learnt.

An MC dispensary in Jalandhar.

Chaired by Mayor Sunil Jyoti, the meeting was attended by MC Commissioner Vinay Bublani, Assistant Commissioner Gurbinder Randhawa and Assistant Health Officer (AHC) Dr Varinder Kalia.

Instead of augmenting its health services to meet the increasing population of the city, the MC has already closed down its four out of total 14 ayurveda dispensaries a few years ago. The four closed dispensaries were run at Kot Pakshia, Bazar Naurian, Kishan Pura and Madan Flour Mill chowk.

So much so, the MC also closed down about a decade and a half ago its general maternity hospital which was being run in the Model Town locality.

Currently, the 10 ayurveda dispensaries are being run at Bhargo Camp, Model House, Basti Sheikh, Basti Mithu, Abadpura, Centre Town, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Preet Nagar on Sodal road, Santokh Pura and Chuggitti.

Now the five dispensaries are being closed down due to the "shortage of doctors". However, it has yet to be finalised which five of the 10 dispensaries will be closed down.

Surprisingly, not even a single BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) doctor has been appointed by the MC since 2001. That is why, the MC has, at present, only five ayurveda doctors. Instead of appointing new doctors, these doctors have been given additional charge for running the 10 dispensaries.

MCJ AHC Dr Varinder Kalia confirmed the proposal of closing down five more ayurveda dispensaries. “We are conducting a survey to collect data to know which dispensaries should be closed down according to the less number of patients,” he added.

To a query about the proposal of closing down the five more dispensaries instead of appointing more BAMS doctors to run them smoothly, he said,“Actually ayurveda doctors could not be appointed since 2001 as a case was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in that year in this regard, which was disposed of in 2011.”

He preferred to remain mum on why doctors had not been appointed after 2011.

Meanwhile, sources said it would not be easy for the ruling Akali-BJP alliance to close down the dispensaries. A final proposal in this regard would have to be presented in the MC general house for passing the same. Subsequently, the approval of the Local Bodies Department would be required for the closure of the dispensaries.

Jalandhar, November 20
The Jalandhar administration has given its final touches to an integrated plan to make the district smoke-free from Christmas this year by spreading awareness about the bad effects of smoking.It has been decided to launch a multimedia programme during an awareness fortnight from December 1 this year. Giving details after presiding over a high-level meeting to finalise this plan, Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam stated that it had been decided to seek the cooperation of various NGOs, educational institutions, religious bodies and others to make the campaign a success.

Roojam has issued instructions that during the awareness fortnight from December 1 to 15, a multimedia awareness programme would be launched to educate the public regarding the ill effects of smoking. As part of this campaign, education institutions would work out different awareness programmes, including skits, talk shows and other programmes, to generate awareness among the students against smoking. Educative banners and hoardings would be displayed throughout the district and punitive action would be taken against tobacco vends selling cigarettes without displaying mandatory warnings.

Roojam said instructions had been issued for intensifying the challaning of people smoking in public places. Issuing instructions to all hotels, restaurants and clubs to create smoke-free zones, the DC instructed the health department authorities to ensure the compliance of his orders. Senior officers who attended the meeting included Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul S, SP Mukhwinder Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pritam Singh, Civil Surgen Dr RL Basan, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation Joint Commissioner Anupam Kaler, District Health Officer Dr Balwinder Singh and District Vaccination Officer Dr Harpreet Maan. 

Jalandhar, November 20
Unless the present day proponents and believers of the Ghadar Movement in India and abroad advocate it vehemently, the message runs a risk of being lost.

While the reassuring special centenary celebrations of the Ghadar bound many in India and abroad, the tale of a kindled group in the United Kingdom who have been making outstanding efforts to pursue and spread the word on the movement has been especially moving.

In the heart of Birmingham, a bunch of men and women living in Britain - but with roots in the UK, India, Pakistan and across a number of other countries - came together to mark the Ghadar Movement’s centenary in celebrations which were devoid of caste, creed, religious or colour barriers - something envisioned by the movement’s founders themselves.

As The Tribune talked with Raj Pal, a noted art and cultural historian and curator based in the UK and the driving force of the Ghadar Centenary Project, he unveiled the fascinating story behind it.

Having conceptualised the idea of a different Ghadar celebration back in December 2012, he was the one who began efforts to mark a centenary celebration in UK.

Programme Coordinator of the Ghadar Centenary Project, Raj Pal said, “Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project began under the aegis of the Asian Rationalist Society.”

Pal engaged a group of students to do the research on Ghadar and hold an exhibition. While an event took place on September 22 (2013), it included celebrating the movement though music, culture, poetry, talks and drama - a play co-written by Pal called Safar was also staged.

“There were students who read about Bhagat Singh for the first time after hearing from us and are now inspired deeply by the movement,” he says.

Interestingly, while justifying a movement started in America by Indians for a UK project was a difficult task, Pal says the basis on which they received a green signal was that Ghadar marked a legacy of tolerance, inclusivity, democracy and zero tolerance towards caste discrimination.

The fact that the spirit of Ghadar is evident in their vibrant and varied participants has also made it a special effort.

“While it is a tendency among some to call it an entirely Sikh movement, I do not agree. Nor did the Ghadarites, I believe. Many people in Pakistan strongly support its ideals. They were part of it. While we see strong reflections of that in the UK, in India this fact is relatively unknown,” he says.

If all works out well, Pal might also be part of Ghadar celebrations in Pakistan next year.

“Members of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Committee also said many in Pakistan look forward to a Ghadar event and I could be able to do it,” he says.

The Ghadar Centenary Project’s work would finally be submitted in May 2014. Based on the response, Pal may also continue future work on the project. 

Jalandhar, November 20
Local SAD leaders will meet Police Commissioner Ishwar Singh in connection with a protest by the BSP yesterday which paralysed the entire city for more than five hours.

District Planning Committee chairman Gurcharan Singh Channi, SGPC member Kulwant Singh Manan and members of the Sikh Talmel Committee demanded that the BSP leaders who had held the city to ransom must be booked. The police had yesterday registered an FIR against unknown persons. They demanded that BSP leaders must be booked by name to prevent any such demonstration in future.

Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, BSP leader, on the other hand countered saying that his workers had no plan to jam the traffic. “We were just moving on to give a demonstration to the Deputy Commissioner but they stopped us on way which led to the jam”, he said.

Jalandhar, November 20
The dealers and distributors of a private gas bottling company today alleged that they had been duped of several lakhs of rupees, as they were not being given supplies for the past nearly two months.

The distributors of Prachi Gas Bottling Services said they had deposited Rs 8 lakh as security, Rs 2 lakh as licence fee and spent about Rs 10 lakh to create the required infrastructure about a year ago, but now the company had neither given them any commission nor was now refilling cylinders for supply.

The distributors said the company had given more than 1 lakh connections across the state, mostly for the lower-middle class, who were not getting supplies now despite having paid Rs 3,850 as connection charges. They said they had all applied for the business proposition seeing an advertisement in the papers indicating Government of India registration for the same.

Hardeep Singh, a dealer, said while earlier the users had been promised a supply at Rs 600 flat rate, they were now being asked to sell a cylinder for Rs 800, for which the consumers were not ready. He said a complaint on the matter had been given to the SSP, Ludhiana, who had marked an inquiry to the SP (Crime).

RK Pandey, MD of the company, denied having committed any fraud. “We have not run away. We are running a plant at Lohara village in Ludhiana and Guwahati. It would have been a fraud had we wound up business and run off. The dealers who are levelling allegations are the ones who have not paid up their dues,” he claimed.

He added that the prices of cylinder had to be raised to meet the incurring expenditures. “Even the public sector companies increased the rates. They get subsidy from the government which we do not,” he explained his side. 

Phagwara, November 20
Around 50 suspected cases of dengue have been reported in the Phagwara subdivision. Phagwara resident Gurpreet Singh of Preet Nagar died of dengue recently, while the remaining are suffering from the viral fever.

Senior Medical Officer Phagwara Dr Jaswinder Singh told this correspondent here today that 25 cases of dengue have been confirmed in Phagwara.

Three policemen, two health department employees, four government employees and a Rotarian Satish Jain are suffering from dengue. The SMO said out of total 180 suspected cases of dengue, 61 had been confirmed dengue cases in the Kapurthala district.

The SMO said after receiving the reports on dengue in different parts of the town including Khalwara Gate, Kathera Chowk, Satnampura, the two teams of health department visited 55 houses of the affected localities and 34 samples of blood were collected from the suspected patients.

He however, advised the people to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in their surroundings and clean stagnated water from various places including water coolers and filters etc. The SMO said department had no record of any dengue death, and said the death was due to viral fever or suspected dengue. The family members of the deceased had confirmed it and told that Gurpreet was referred to Ludhiana from Phagwara for treatment and could not survived in a Ludhiana hospital.

It may be mentioned here that neither the Health Department nor the Municipal Corporation Phagwara, officers initiated preventive measures to save the people from these diseases, but on the contrary, both of the government departments put responsibility on each other instead of initiating a drive to destroy dengue larvae in its initial stage.

However, few social organisations have initiated the awareness drives in various colonies. Meanwhile, residents have blamed the health department for the outbreak of dengue. They alleged that the authorities have failed to take measures to check its spread.

Jalandhar, November 20
A firing incident in the posh Urban Estate Phase-II market here today caused scare in the area.

Two masked youths reportedly came to Subway restaurant, climbed on the third floor of the building and fired two shots.

Karanvir Singh of Cool Road, who was sitting in his office, had a miraculous escape as the shots got misfired and hit the ceiling instead.

After the complainant raised an alarm, the assailants ran off. The images of the youths (with covered faces) were captured on the CCTV cameras installed on the ground floor.

The police said clippings showed them running away. “They would have surely parked their vehicle closeby, which was not got captured or noticed by anyone,” he said.

The police said Section 307 of the IPC and Sections 25-54-59 of the Arms Act had been imposed against two unknown persons. He added that investigations were on to track the two accused. 

Jalandhar, November 20
The city police today recovered 80 cases of liquor of foreign brands which were being supplied illegally by two persons from an under-construction building in Aman Nagar here.

SHO, Division Number 3, said his team followed a goods carrier, bearing number PB-08-BZ-2757, near KMV College. “At this, the accused Arvinder Singh, alias Sonu, of Aman Nagar and his driver Rounda moved his vehicle towards a building close by. The two parked the vehicle and ran away from the place. The cops recovered a total of 80 cases from the site,” he added.