Jalandhar, May 10
With the onset of summers, a spurt in water woes in schools across the district has begun bothering various school authorities yet again.

While failed water samples had hogged the limelight last year across schools, it seems the authorities are not prepared to arrange for proper water and sanitation at schools. A number of schools in the district are already seeing warning bells ringing.

At a school in Sol Jagir village, where samples had failed last year as well, the water is bad yet again. While the school gets water from a submersible pump, it is not the only village in Shahkot where the water is bad.

“Most of the schools in the area get bad water, the supply from the submersible pump is riddled with sand but even water supply outlets also give bad water,” sources said.

“Ninety per cent of Shahkot schools get bad water. Barring 2 to 3 per cent, all schools get water with impurities. There is also no alternative since very few schools get ROs or water purifiers. Only where NRIs donate are these facilities available,” staff said.

The water supply at many of the inner city or bazaar areas is also reportedly bad. Though there is the odd school where generous donors have donated coolers.

Staff at a school in Kishanpura says, “We just got a new water cooler about a couple months ago. While the old purifier was creating problems, it was replaced with a new one by a donor. A filter and motor has also been donated to us. Right now things are going smooth, but the problem starts only when it comes to maintenance. The government does not provide any coolers, leave alone funds to maintain them. When there is a technical problem, schools lack funds.”

Meanwhile, schools which do not fall under the education department (like those under the Urban Local Bodies) have an even graver issue. “We are in no man’s land. Water needs are not though worthy to be considered either by the education department or ULBs. So we have to languish if we need any concerns regarding bad sanitation and water arrangements at schools begin getting heightened,” said staff member.

Citing an example, a source said students at Urban Local Bodies School in Banda Bahadur Nagar were dependent on the religious establishment in which the school was running. But ever since the cooler stooped working owing to a technical problem, no alternative arrangement has been made.

Sarvjit Singh Riar, Superintending Engineer, Water Supply and Sanitation Circle, Jalandhar, said, “We keep getting checks conducted at all villages regularly. About 100 to 200 samples are taken village wise every month. But if there is a problem which is persisting anywhere, we will get it checked. Most schools have their own borewells or motors.”

Speaking about pre-summer plans to ensure clean water in schools and villages, he said, “Sampling is regularly being done and the about 10 per cent villages left to be reviews from last year are being checked. Disinfection and chlorination is also being done to prevent problems.”

Jalandhar, May 10
Additional Deputy Commissioner Pritam Singh today recorded the statement of the minor boy, who was allegedly tortured by the city police, and his parents.

After the inquiry by the ADCP, Headquarters, was rejected, on the demand of the parents of the victim minor boy for a magisterial inquiry, the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Varun Roojam, had recently entrusted the inquiry to the ADC.

Vijay Hans of the Bharti Democratic Samaj Party, who is assisting the family in the case, said the boy and his parents had recorded their statement before the ADC.

Hans, however, raised doubts at the inquiry conducted by the ADC. He demanded that the ADC should conduct a free and fair inquiry into the alleged police torture case.

Interestingly, Sunita, mother of the boy Gagandip, today also issued a statement in which she warned that if justice was not done in the case, she would be forced to take some extreme step. She said she had written to the Punjab Chief Minister, SC/ST Commission, Punjab, Human Rights Commission, Punjab, and DGP, Punjab Police.

Jalandhar, May 10
The Jalandhar rural police today nabbed two persons with 110 bags of poppy husk, weighing around 38 quintals and 77 kg. The two were on their way to deliver a consignment of drugs in Jalandhar district.

The arrested men were identified as Hari Shankar of Basoli village in UP and Kullu of Kaserpur village in UP.

Jasprit Singh, SSP, Jalandhar rural police, said the police had received information that Butta Singh of Sangowal village was involved in drug smuggling on a large scale and today he had sought a huge consignment of poppy husk from Rajasthan.

To lay trap on them, Angrej Singh, in charge, special staff along with the SI Jarnail Singh, launched patrolling on the Rurka road. They noticed a Canter and an Innova vehicle stationed near Akalpur village.

They (smugglers), after noticing the police vehicles, attempted to flee from the spot. Although the Innova-borne men managed to give a slip to the police, two persons standing near the canter (HR 55K 5778) were apprehended by the police party.

During the checking of the canter, the police found 110 bags of poppy husk. Interestingly, all bags of narcotics were covered with vegetables to give impression to the police that the canter was carrying the supply of vegetables.

The SSP said Butta was a notorious smuggler and his brother Gurdip Singh, alias Deepa, was already in Modern Jail Kapurthala, after he was nabbed under the NDPS Act, adding that police were conducting raids to nab Butta.

Meanwhile, the persons driving the canter were not aware of the place where the supply was to be delivered. They were just following the silver-coloured Innova (PB-08-CJ 1883), which was reportedly being driven by the alleged notorious smuggler Butta, who had managed to flee from the spot. Butta had paid nearly Rs 1 lakh to the canter owner as hiring charges. Since the canter was not owned by these two nabbed persons, now the police will take their remand to reach out to the owner of the canter.

Jalandhar, May 10
It is finally the district administration that took the responsibility of around 25 special children above 18 years of age who are presently studying at Prayas School for the mentally challenged children, being run by the District Red Cross Society (DRCS).

At a meeting held between the DRCS members and the parents on the school premises today, a mutual decision was taken to retain the students in the school and to continue their further development by providing them some vocational training in a professional way.The DRCS has also proposed to introduce the individual education programme (IEP) in the school through which the parents of these children should also be made part of their child's academic and professional training so that they should not face any difficulty in taking their children back into their family once they were out of school after completing their studies.

"These children will ultimately go back to their families only. But presently, we have decided to retain them by introducing some vocational courses suitable for their age. Also, since the parents play a very decisive role in the case of intellectually challenged children, proper training would be provided to them also through our proposed IEP programme," said Vani Venkataratnam, president, Hospital Welfare Section, DRCS.

She also said that although 3 per cent handicapped quota had been reserved by the Central Government in various government jobs, that does not include intellectually challenged children. While revealing this, she also said that these children require consistent emotional support from their families which is possible only if their parents take them occasionally to their homes and let them mingle with their other siblings.

A fight had been on between the parents of children above 18 years of age and the district administration for the retainership of these children. Many of them are even 30 years and above. On finding that no more training options were available presently with the DRCS due to severe financial constraints, it had decided to send those children back to their homes.

Following this, the parents started agitating and even accused two of the staff members of sexually abusing their children. Surprisingly, even after reporting sexual abuse, none of the parents bothered to take their child home. Also, they accused the DRCS of not involving them into the behavioural training of their children due to which they had shown their disability to control their child during his occasional violent spurts once he is at home during summer vacations.

"So far, we were never made part of any activity or event by the school authorities. But now, the DRCS has assured us better cooperation and support towards the welfare of our children and we have given one last chance to them. We are hopeful that they would do all that has been promised to us today in the meeting. We have also assured them our full cooperation in the matter," said Ashish Kumar, brother of 35-year-old Nitin. 

Jalandhar, May 10
The Warianna landfill caught a massive fire at around 6 pm today. On getting a call from Jairam, a local villager, the Fire Department immediately rushed two fire tenders to the spot.

Meanwhile, the fire spread quickly and started moving towards the plastic godown situated nearby. On reaching the spot, the firemen managed to control the fire that had spread in the outer area. However, the department again had to rush two fire tenders at around 9 pm after local people again reported the fire outbreak at the dump.

“We received a call at around 6 pm. We immediately rushed two fire tenders to the place. Although we could control fire on the outer areas of the dump, we were helpless to control any outbreak inside the dump as the fire tenders loaded with water could not move on the huge pile of garbage. Due to this, we could not control the sparks that were seen coming out from within. Later, we again had to rush two tenders as the land fill again caught fire in late night,”€� said Jassi, Assistant Fire Officer.

Wariana Landfill is an open garbage collection area where the garbage from the entire city was thrown in open by the Municipal Corporation. So many times in the past, fire incidents were reported from the area but till date no action was taken by authorities to implement the proper waste collection system of the urban city. Meanwhile, three other fire cases were reported from Badshah village, Sargundi village near Adampur and Jyoti Nagar. — TNS

Jalandhar, May 10
Two shops, including a general store and a boutique, were burgled in the city last night. The first burglary was reported on the Mithapur road where thieves struck at Raju General Store. Interestingly, while thieves were attempting to break open the shutter with a gas-cutter, the shop caught fire.

Raju, the shop owner, said goods worth lakhs were gutted in the fire, adding that a complaint was lodged at the police division No. 7 in this regard.

The second incident was reported at SS Nagar, where burglars struck at a boutique and decamped with several stitched suits and Rs 12,000. Sources said the burglars broke open the shutter with a gas-cutter. The police were conducting investigation in the case.

Jalandhar, May 10
While the formulation of the school management committees (SMCs) in various schools in the state has been much delayed this year owing to the implementation of the model code of conduct, the fresh instructions from the DGSE, Punjab, on the matter yesterday have reiterated the need for the formation of the SMCs across the district.

Issued to all DEOs, the letter has asked them to ensure the formation of new school management committees after the finishing of the (two year) deadline on the existing SMCs and formulation of new ones as per the instructions of the RTE Act.

Notably, while the deadline for the constitution of the committees was on March 31 (new SMCs had to be constituted in the beginning of the new session), that wasn't done, owing to the implementation of the model code of conduct.

The DGSE, in his letter has reiterated the guidelines for the formation of SMCs which are crucial for the proper functioning of the school.

Notably, pilferage of meals funds, disregard of RTE guidelines and a weak administration in schools has been facilitated by the induction of weak SMCs, whose members have acted as mere rubber stamps for the schools in-charges or managements to have their way.

Sources said, "While the bulk of SMC members are supposed to be parents of students and 50 per cent of its members should be women, some schools have had their way by inducting poor parents (labourers or poor workers) who merely sign documents as per the whims of staff. In the new constitution of the SMCs, it has to be taken care that strong, assertive members are inducted in the SMC."

Talking to The Tribune, DEO (secondary education) Kuldeep Sharma, said: "We have received a letter from the DGSE on the issue and the SMCs shall be constituted soon. But the process will be stalled until the model code of conduct is in place. New process for the members of the SMCs to be voted in, will be held in which announcements will be made and advertisements will be given in villages beforehand, so that during the constitution of the SMC, all the people gather together to vote for the members to be voted in for the new SMC."

So far, no action has been initiated against any of the erring SMCs of the city involved in corrupt practices. Speaking on the issue, Sharma said, "Any such violation shall be rendered ineffective with the coming up of new SMCs."

Jalandhar, May 10
Sixty-two-year-old Manjit Kaur hasn't stopped crying ever since she came to the Apahaj Ashram in Jalandhar about a month ago.

Her husband is a millionaire, the owner of the famous Sangha Cold Storage (near Pholariwal village in Jalandhar) and also on the management committee of a reputed educational institute. Her brother Bhupinder Singh is a former DSP. She herself might have inherited part of the 12-acre land (and a house on a two kanal land) in her ancestral village near Shahkot, but alleges betrayal by her relatives. She now lives in an old age home, Apahaj Ashram, in Jalandhar.

Manjit alleges that when she went back to her home in Parjian Kalan village after recuperating from a pelvic bone fracture, she was not allowed to enter by her sister-in-law Sukhbir Kaur (divorced wife of her deceased younger brother Davinder Singh Banka) who continues to reside in the home.

"About 10 months ago, I was hospitalised owing to a fracture in my pelvic bone. When I went back home, I was denied access. Even though my sister-in-law got divorced from my younger brother before he went abroad, where he died, she still lays claim to the home. For eight months, I stayed at the home of a friend of my younger brother. But later, I moved out and shifted here," she alleged.

"My sister-in-law and my elder brother Bhupinder Singh fraudulently transferred the will of my father in their name and divided the ancestral property among them, even though I should have got a share in it. Sukhbir Kaur says it is now her son's property. I paid for her daughter Jasmine's school and college expenses but she too has now forgotten me," she alleged.

Manjit claims maintenance of Rs 5,000 from her husband Gurdip Singh Sangha, from whom she got separated a year after their wedding in 6 June, 1976. "He started living with his divorcee wife Jaswant Kaur, after our wedding. I heard that he was planning to get the divorce cancelled. So I moved back to my father's home. Later, he began living with Jaswant Kaur's sister Pritam Kaur even though she is not his legally wedded wife. We had a case running for 33 years in which I sought maintenance from him. Though he was seeking a divorce, I didn't want that. He has no child, I should inherit his property. His first wife Jaswant Kaur has died. For the past many years, we haven't talked," she alleged.

She said all the photographic proofs of their marriage have been submitted to court.

Gurdip Singh Sangha, owner, Punjab Cold Storage, said, "Manjit Kaur is not my wife, this has been declared by court. She is a woman who was just staying with me for some time. My legal wife is Pritam Kaur. I am paying Manjit money as a part of the court settlement she filed for. I can also enhance the monthly amount, but she has no claim on my property."

Sukhbir Kaur, Manjit's sister-in-law, said, "There is no fraud involved in the property we are living on. It is true that my husband and I got divorced but the property is my son's. She tried to get my son killed. The entire village knows her deeds. I never ousted her, we had a room for her, but she refused to stay."

Bhupinder Singh, Manjit's elder brother and a retired DSP, said: "It is a blot on me to be called that woman's brother. She has been wrecking many relationships in our family. Since childhood, she has had a habit of stealing things. She herself got the ancestral property in our name with her consent. But she wrecked peace, tried to get my sister-in-law's son killed. No relative wants to keep her. I wonder if is it a crime to be her brother?"

Manjit has two more sisters, one residing in Mehatpur, and another in Canada.

Jalandhar, May 10
Rural women in Jalandhar are the most aware of all the sections of the society especially in terms of their voting rights. As many as 71.08 per cent of the rural women have cast their vote in the April 30 Lok Sabha polls while the urban women who are considered to be more informed had a turnout of just 65.46 per cent.

Even the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme carried out by the district administration to enthuse the urban population to come out and vote perhaps did not have any effect again in the Lok Sabha polls. While the average rural turnout stood at 68.38 per cent, the urban poll per cent was 2.56 per cent lower at 65.82 per cent. Even the turnout of men from rural areas remained low at 65.84 per cent.

Jalandhar, May 10
Despite seemingly dramatic changes made in the management and stabilising of the general working of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences — after last year's stretched salary and docs' strike crisis — the institute was hit by a crippling power cut again here this morning.

While power cuts were a regular thing during the previous management's tenure, the fresh change had given hope for smoother days ahead.

However, a power cut at the institute from morning until 2 pm in the afternoon caused great inconvenience to the patients.

Many of the patients at the hospital who had just got operated yesterday or the day before, were the worst hit. While air-conditioners in their rooms were crucial for the recovery process, many complained of laxity in this area.

The 10 lifts of PIMS stayed close during this entire time causing trouble to the handicapped patients or those who had to go to the topmost floors of the five-storey institute.

Notably, while the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciencesmanagement is awaiting a visit by the Medical Council of India team before May 15, the management is presently in a clean-up mode so that the best picture of the college is presented before the MCI team which will approve the admission for the new MBBS batch of PIMS.

An MCI nod is crucial to keep PIMS going steady because the institute's dependent on the smooth-running MCI batches.

Jalandhar, May 10
The Health Department today raided TS Foods at Basti Gujjan and a house at Talhan village and found contaminated sweets from the two places. While it took samples at the former it had recovered 25 packets of skimmed milk powder, two packets of urea and 100 gm of sodium bicarbonate from the later. The team had also destroyed some sweets at both the places.

"We received information about contaminated sweets being made at the two venues. We immediately raided the two premises and found contaminated sweets and adulterated milk being manufactured there. We have taken the samples and have sent it for testing at the State Public Health laboratory at Chandiagrh," said Dr Harjot Singh, District Health Officer.

Jalandhar, May 10
Even as the area is represented by the BJP’s legislative party leader and former Local Bodies Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, the main entrance to the Basti Peer Daad colony and other areas around it has been lying in a shoddy condition for over two years now.

While the base of the road had been readied by embedding stones in the mud about two years back, the road has not been re-carpeted with premix ever since. Hundreds of commuters have to daily pass by the road and visit the market falling along it but even the Municipal Corporation authorities have failed to get the work done here.

The road was set to get re-carpeted ahead of the June 2012 Municipal Corporation polls but now when even the Lok Sabha elections have been over, there has been no respite for the residents of the area. The condition of the road is such that the stones have penetrated deep inside it and the superficial dust keeps flying around whenever there has been a dust storm with the commuters getting even more harassed.

Naresh Kumar, who owns a tailoring business, said, “My clientele has come down just because of bad roads. There is so much dust that it enters my shop and spoils the clothes.”

Sheela Rani, a resident of the area, said, “Many people have fallen on the road and suffered injuries but the authorities have failed to wake up. The situation gets worse on rainy days. We had been hoping that the work would be done before the polls but there have only been promises so far.”

Mayor Sunil Jyoti said the tender for the road had been sanctioned and the work of laying premix would start soon.

Jalandhar, May 10
The Punjab and Haryana High Court intervened to sort out the issues of the staff members of the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET) with the institute's principal.

As per the orders, the high court on Thursday had directed the president of the DAV College Management Committee (DAVCMC) Punam Suri to settle the issues arising out of the autocratic approach of Dr AL Sangal, principal, DAVIET, within three months.

The DAVIET Staff Association, a registered body with the Registrar of Societies, had filed a writ petition after principal Sangal had reportedly refused to entertain any complaints lodged by the association in the DAVIET.

Staff association members alleged that principal was manifesting all types of ruthlessness and blatant violation of the UGC, AICTE and university norms.

The civil writ petition filed by the staff under article 226/227 of the Constitution of India for issuance of appropriate order, especially in the nature of mandamus directing the Chairman of the governing body of the institute to decide the issues of withholding of annual increments (without assigning any specific reason), non fixation of seniority of faculty and staff of institution as per the regulation of AICTE and UGC, implementation of career advancement scheme, establishment of mechanism for grievance redressal as per the AICTE regulations and issue of incessant harassment and victimisation of the faculty members etc as raise in the various representations submitted by association and its members from time to time.

The high court in its decision dated May 7 has directed Punam Suri, Chairman, governing body of the institute and president of the DAV College Managing Committee, New Delhi, to settle the representations moved by the petitioners’ association expeditiously in accordance with the law by passing speaking order within three months.

Jalandhar, May 10
A fifty-year-old woman, Kamla Devi, from Birring village, died at Pragati Hospital here following complications in her uterine fibroid removal surgery. However, her relatives who had accompanied her to the hospital have accused the doctor of medical negligence and got her postmortem done at the Civil Hospital.

Surprisingly, the relatives informed her family living in Dubai only after her postmortem was conducted as her husband was also suffering from a serious heart disease and they feared that he may not be able to survive after hearing the news of his wife's sudden death.

"She was fine when she went inside the operation theatre but within minutes, her condition deteriorated. We saw the hospital authorities bringing her out on a stretcher and immediately put her inside the ambulance of Johal Hospital. They did try to save her at least for two days but she finally died on Friday," said Jaswant Singh, her sister's husband.

However, Dr Shalini Paul of Pragati Hospital who operated upon the woman said she was suffering from dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) since long. She was taken to the operation theatre on May 5. She was perfectly fine in the morning. “In the operation theatre, we gave her anaesthesia and the moment we gave her the first incision, she suffered a cardiac arrest. We managed to revive her and immediately referred her to Johal Hospital,” Paul said, adding she may have suffered a cardiac arrest due to the reaction of a medicine given by the anesthetist. However, Dr Johal said the woman died due to anoxic damage to the brain. Meanwhile, the police have got her postmortem done. They are now waiting for the viscera report and will then file a case into the matter.