Bathinda, January 12
Over 300 hearings in 22 years finally brought some respite for the family members of the missing man said to have been killed in a fake encounter by the Bathinda police in 1992.

The journey of justice was however, quite tough with the police and politicians’ pressure amidst offering of money upto Rs 20 lakhs.

Court of Additional Sessions Judge, MPS Pahwa, sent 8 of the 11 accused policemen to jail on Friday after holding them guilty of killing Paramjit, a city resident. The quantum of the sentence will be announced on January 14. The memories of more than two decades old Friday morning are still afresh in the hearts and minds of the victim’s wife, mother and brothers. Paramjit’s daughter was just 22 days old and son was two-year-old when he was picked up by the policemen.

“In dreams, I still try to save my child from the clutches of policemen taking him away. His only fault was having a long beard, striking looks and robust physique,” said Ranjeet Kaur, mother of Paramjit.

Paramjit got the job of a fireman when he was 19. Despite a written letter by an Army Commandant who had assured the police of verifying the credentials of Paramjit along with many other workers in routine at the Ammunition Depot, the police refused to budge.

“We have no idea where they took Paramjit over the pretext of house search. Despite making repeated rounds of all the concerned police stations we failed to find any trace of him,” said the wailing wife Beant Kaur.

“The policemen have not yet admitted that they killed my son and still claim him to be a proclaimed offender with heinous charges,” the wife said.

Paramjit did not have an arms licence and he kept showing his identity card issued by the army authorities till he was gagged.

“We came to know only after a few years that it was all planned by the police to get promotion to show an innocent person as a militant. He was taken to a police post, around 20 kilometers away in Balluana village where he was badly tortured and died following which it is assumed that his body was consigned to flames with claims of an unclaimed body. Before death, Paramjit was even taken to a doctor. But he could not survive the police brutality, said Paramjit’s brother, Baljeet Singh, who is employed with the Ammunition Depot at Bathinda Cantonment.

Paramjit’s children are now grown up. His son, who got married last year, is now in New Zealand and daughter is pursuing MSc at a college in Bathinda.

The family now demands immediate arrest of the main accused and the then SHO Sadar, Gurjeet Singh, (who became DSP later) and is a proclaimed offender.

The policemen booked on charges of murder include dismissed DSP Gurjit Singh, dismissed Inspector Baljinder Kumar, ASI Lakhvir Singh (now dead), ASI Gurbachan Singh, constable Pal Singh (now dead), retired head constable Mal Singh, head constable Harinder Singh, head constable Kanwaljit Singh now deployed at the Civil Lines Police Station, retired constable Tarlok Singh, dismissed home guard jawan, Jagsir Singh, and home guard jawan, Jarnail Singh. Dismissed Gurjit Singh is facing three similar heinous cases in other districts of Punjab and is declared proclaimed offender.

Bathinda, January 12
Almost in a year since the then Inspector General of Police, Bathinda Range, Nirmal Singh Dhillon, had held a meeting with the heads of various educational institutes, including schools, colleges and private institutions, of girl students and complaint boxes were installed inside the institutions, not even a single complaint was registered through these boxes.

Speaking to the Bathinda Tribune, ASP Alka Meena stated that the police department had not received any kind of complaint through these complaint boxes.

“It is true that the police department have not received even a single complain through these complaint boxes although these were installed inside the educational institutions to make sure that the female students and staff members had a mode of voicing their problems and report any kind of crime,” she said.

When asked if it meant that the educational institutions were so safe that the female students and staff members had nothing to complain about, Meena said, “I would say that after these boxes were installed, the police also introduced means of registering complaints. We now have the WASPS teams either stationed outside these institutions or patrolling the areas that reduce the chances of anyone indulging in eve-teasing or any other kind of crime against women.”

“The department also introduced a women helpline number which has also come to the rescue of women. These factors may have contributed to the fact that the complaint boxes inside the schools and colleges were not used by the females to register complaints,” she added.

Principal of the co-educational DAV College, Dr JS Anand, opined that the fact that the complainant had to write her own name and the name of the culprit while putting a complaint note inside these boxes may have kept the females from doing so.

“Although the educational institutions in the city have till now proved to be safe for women, there is a possibility that the women have refrained from using these complaint boxes for the fear of being identified, even if not by the police but by the culprit,” he said.

“Another major factor is the society’s outlook towards complaining against crimes against women. The society still teaches its daughters to ignore an eve-teaser and not to retaliate. In such a society, how can we expect our girls to go ahead and register a complaint?” he added.

Government Rajindra College had reopened a separate canteen for girls on the college campus. “Apart from having a separate canteen for girls, we also have a women’s cell which looks after and handles all the issues or problems that the female staff or the students may face. Probably that’s the reason the boxes were not used to register complaints in our college,” said the principal of the college, Vijay Kumar Goyal.

A teacher at the Govt Girls Senior Secondary School, Mall Road, said, “The box is installed right near the entrance to the school. While the students don’t face any kind of problem inside the school, they face harassment by the passers-by who pass comments when the school gets over for the day. It makes a little sense for them to jot down the details of the vehicle or describe a person passing by the school and come back and put the paper in the complaint box. If they have to, they approach the WASPS which can be spotted outside the school frequently.”

Bathinda, January 12
Children form 3.5 per cent of the total cases of TB reported in the year 2013. The number is, however, less than the number of pediatric TB case reported in the year 2012.

Over 61 cases of the TB infection in the age of 0 to 14 years were reported in the year 2013. The number was 84 for the year 2012. Of the total 1,738 TB patients receiving DOTS treatment, children constitute 3.5 per cent population. Besides them 1,105 males and 633 females patients were also reported.

District TB Control Officer, Dr Ashok Monga, said the decline in the number of pediatric cases may be attributed to the increased awareness amongst the masses. “It is a positive indicator that the TB has declined in children,” he said.

The department conducts sputum test of the suspected patients. Sputum test is an indicator of the TB of lungs, which is most infectious of all the TB cases. “Since the patients suffering from lungs’ TB respire out the infection, they form the high risk group of spreading infection. Our emphasis is on early diagnosis, early treatment, regular and complete treatment course,” added Dr Monga.

In the new cases that tested sputum positive, 412 males and 236 females were found suffering from lungs TB. Maximum new patients were reported in the age group of 15 to 24 years. As many as 157 new patients were reported in this group. Similarly, second highest numbers of patients (116) were reported from the age group of 25 to 34 years age group. Both the age groups are most productive years of life.

Besides, in the year 2013, 648 patients were put on the multiple drug resistant (MDR) therapy. These patients are those ones who have left the TB treatment in midway and have become resistant to the drugs. They are put on exhaustive TB treatment.

Total 32 are continuing with the MDR treatment, 11 have left the medicine in between, four have died and one has been transferred. “Patients moving out of the district are categorised as the transferred patients. Wherever they go, the health department of that area is informed about the patient being transferred,” said Dr Monga.

Bathinda, January 12
Glaucoma, an eye ailment that affects 12 million people every year in India of which hardly 10,000 to 15,000 are operated upon every year, needs better medicines, cheaper and more successful surgical technology. Instead of working towards mitigating the impending disaster of a large number of people going blind due to glaucoma, the government has chosen to look the other way. Dr Daljit Singh, Padamshree awardee, said it while talking to The Tribune here today. He was in city with Dr JE McDonald from the USA as the resource persons at continuing medical education (CME) of the Bathinda Ophthalmological Society.

Dr Daljit had devised Fugo Plasma Blade technique which conducts glaucoma surgery in a span of three minutes as against the conventional one which is conducted in 45 minutes. “Having operated upon more than 10,000 patients since the year 2000, this technique has better success rate than the conventional ones,” said Dr Daljit.

Available at a cost of USD 20,000, the apparatus is also used for other eye surgeries such as that of correcting the squint, says the man who introduced inter ocular lens (IOL) in India in early 1980s, which has revolutionised the eye surgery sector of country. “Just as we introduced IOL technique, which revolutionised the eye treatment, the Fugo technique will change the way glaucoma is treated,” he said.

Dr Daljit added that most of the patients having glaucoma problem first prefer to take medicines, which cost more than Rs 1,000 per month. “Since the medicines fighting glaucoma were cheap ones and not patented, the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing it stopped its production. The cheap and best medicines such as Escrine and Pylocarpine have disappeared from the market, while Carbacol is on its way of extinction,” he explained.

Son of a theologian, Dr Sahib Singh, who prepared Gurbani Vyakaran the Grammar of Guru Granth Sahib and also translated the scripture on the basis of its grammatical structure, Singh inherited his father’s perseverance in research and a yearning for fresh ideas.

“Sadly enough, the present generation of doctors is more busy in reading, writing and regurgitating what they read. The more they regurgitate, the better marks they score. The examination system needs an overhaul so that our doctors can focus more on research, which ultimately is the best way to serve humanity,” says Dr Daljit Singh, who is Professor Emeritus at the Government Medical College Amritsar.

Bathinda, January 12
A state-level meeting of the Sikhya Providers Teachers’ Union, Punjab, was convened at Teachers’ Home here today. While addressing the gathering of district heads of the union and other teachers, the leaders criticised the state government of not keeping its promises.

They said the union had been assured that their meeting had been fixed with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on January 8, but when the deputation of the union reached the meeting venue, they were intimated that the meeting had been cancelled.

They also alleged that the Sikhya Provider teachers were assured by the government that their salaries would be hiked by Rs 4,300, but the same was not done.

The union said that it was planning a state-level protest in Bathinda on February 2 against the state government as it had failed to fulfill the union’s demands.

The sikhya preraks added the teachers, who had been working in the schools since 2004 were still being given meager salaries while those recruited after them were given higher salaries and their jobs had also been regularised. 

Bathinda, January 12
Their job was to spot school dropouts, go into the reasons for the same, provide solutions and motivate the students to continue education and make them employable. But for the past one year, the Special Teacher Resource-persons (STRs) have themselves been rendered unemployed.

The teachers who must have prevented several school dropouts from falling into bad company and venturing into the world of crime, themselves ended up being at loggerheads with the state government. As many as 93 STRs were sent to jails in Bathinda and Faridkot, after they were caught by the police while they were protesting against the state government. Their case will come up for hearing on February 17.

What is the STR scheme?

The scheme was first launched almost 10 years back by the name Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS). After going through many changes, it became the STR scheme in 2010. While the EGS scheme had untrained (Class 12 pass) teachers, trained teachers (B Ed, M Ed) were recruited under the STR scheme.

The teachers were given the responsibility of finding out dropouts and out-of-school children, train them and prepare them for admission into mainstream school classes according to their mental ability.

What ails the scheme?

Bathinda, January 12
Members of the SSA/RMSA/CSS Teachers Union today convened a meeting here at the Teachers’ Home. The meeting was presided over by Beant Singh Phulewal.

During the meeting, the union distributed pamphlets mentioning their demands and the outlook of the government towards the scheme. “Similar meetings were held across the state today. At some places, the union members also burnt effigies of the state government as a mark of protest,” said Phulewal.

Elaborating on their demands, the teachers said they wanted the police cases registered against 59 teachers of their union to be cancelled.

“The teachers were rounded up by the police when the union was staging a protest at Maluka village in June last year. We demand that the cases be cancelled,” he added.

They also demanded that the government should regularise their jobs.

They also demand that the female teachers employed under the schemes should be given maternity leave of six months instead of the current rule of three months. 

Bathinda, January 12
Members of the Teachers Eligibility Test Pass Unemployed Teachers’ Union, Punjab, held a state-level meeting in Bathinda today. The meeting was presided over by state president of the union Amandeep Singh.

Addressing the gathering, Singh accused the state government of not offering them employment, thereby causing the school education system to deteriorate.

He also added that despite the fact that the teachers had cleared not only the TET examination, but had also attended the counseling session, the government was still not interested in giving them jobs.

He also said despite the fact that thousands of posts of teachers were lying vacant in government schools in the state, the state government was least concerned about filling the posts.

He added the government’s outlook towards the school education in the state was clear by the fact that it was yet to advertise for the vacant posts.

The union also alleged that the state government was doing its best to mislead the teachers by calling them to Chandigarh for counseling sessions but not giving them any job.

The union threatened that if the state government did not advertise for recruitment of teachers against the vacant posts any time soon, the teachers would stage a state-level protest in Bathinda in the coming days. 

Bathinda, January 12
Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary was observed here today at the Rose Garden. People paid tributes at his statue installed at the garden, early morning at 6:33 am, the time when he was born.

Swami Vivekananda Study Circle and RSS Sampark Vibhaag held these celebrations wherein the patron of the study circle CS Talwar presided over the function. Eye surgeon Dr Daljit Singh was the chief guest on this occasion. Municipal Commissioner Vipul Ujwal was honoured as youth icon.

The speakers at the event emphasised upon the need to awaken the youth of the country. They said youngsters should take inspiration from the life of Swamiji, who was much ahead of his times.

Swamiji’s birth anniversary is also observed as National Youth Day. This was the 150th birth anniversary year of Swamiji, which was celebrated in different forms throughout the year.

Functions were held at Manocha Colony, Pukhraj Colony, Aggrawal Colony, Harpal Nagar, Trivani Mandir, Shakti Nagar and other areas. Bathinda Vikas Manch distributed books on Swami Vivekananda’s life and message. 

Bathinda, January 12
The Bathinda Ophthalmological Society held a continuing medical education (CME) programme for ophthalmologists.

Dr Daljit Singh, a Padmashri recipinet and Dr JE McDonald from the United States delivered lectures.

Dr Daljit Singh talked about the anterior chamber filtration mechanics, whereas Dr McDonald spoke on refractive surgery.

He also gave useful tips on lasik and phaco surgery, sharing his experiences on the issue.

Dr McDonald is recognised worldwide as an expert in refractive and cataract surgery. He is board certified in both refractive and cataract surgery by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, and has also been recognised as a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology, a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a fellow of Society for Excellence in Eye Care.

Bathinda, January 12
The local police today booked a man and his father for murdering a woman, Sandeep Kaur. Jagroop Singh, a resident of Ramoowala village, complained to the police that his daughter, who was married to Sukhpreet Singh in 2011, was murdered by her husband by forcing her to consume celphos tablets on January 7.

The father said that his daughter was pursuing graduation when she got married to a farmer, who had around 15 acres of land at Koirwala village. The father added that Sukhpreet, who studied up to class VIII, had borrowed money from various banks and had been demanding money from him to get rid of the debt.

The father complained that his Sandeep's in-laws had continuously been demanding dowry from her. Earlier, during the marriage of Sukhpreet’s sister, a dispute had also erupted as the boy and his family members demanded money. At that time, the girl’s parents had moved an application in the Woman Police Station.

The victim’s father claimed that despite spending Rs 25 lakh on marriage, including Rs 15 lakh cash, the boy’s family members kept on demanding more money. Now again, when the second sister of Sukhpreet was to get married in the coming few months, his daugher’s in-laws again pressurised her to bring money.

The girl’s relatives said the boy too consumed some poisonous after substance and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The police have booked Sukhpreet and his father in the case.