Jalandhar, June 12
Call it a case of extreme negligence on part of the political and administrative authorities, there are only 12 firemen on rolls with the Fire Department in Jalandhar district, which is spread over an area of 2,624 sq km and has a population of over 21.93 lakh.

This is the situation when the government has itself announced the construction of 21-storeyed flats through a project of PUDA and there are already 10-storeyed residential buildings, multi-storeyed shopping malls and commercial complexes spread across Jalandhar.

Not a single fireman has been hired in the city for the past nearly three decades. Of the 12 firemen, one Naresh had got both his arms burnt fighting fire in an incident in Shivaji Nagar on November 29 last. Ever since, he has not been able to go to the field and the office has deployed him only for receiving calls in the office.

Since at least one or two persons remain on weekly off or leave on any given day and the department is run in three shifts, there are only four persons working at any given point of time - two in the headquarters on Old GT Road, one in Dada Colony near Industrial Area and another on Police Lines Road. In the vast periphery, including Nakodar, Shahkot, Adampur, Bhogpur and Phillaur, there is just one fire sub-station at Kartarpur.

Posts cleared, recruitment long awaited

The posts of 50 firemen and 10 drivers for fire offices here have been cleared at the level of the Director Local Bodies for long, but there has been no effort made for any recruitment ever since. Agreeing on the issue, Mayor Sunil Jyoti said, “I understand that a complete overhaul of the Fire Department is required. There are posts to be filled and infrastructure needs to be upgraded. But we are waiting for a separate fire directorate to come up. It is in the final stage of being created. Once that is done, we will also get a grant from the Centre to the tune of Rs 100 crore to Rs 150 crore.”

Training centre plan 
not implemented

Further, there is no provision for imparting any training to the firemen to deal with any major mishap. A recent incident in Chandigarh wherein two firemen lost their life also perhaps has not awakened the authorities. The Local Bodies Department had planned to set up a training centre at Haibowal for the purpose, but this plan to has remained on paper only.

Funds available, not used

Even as an amount of Rs 90 crore was allocated by the Disaster Management Authority for the past sometime for the purchase of uniforms, fire proximity suits, hydraulic ladder and vehicles equipped with electronic cutters, the administrators are perhaps waiting for a casualty to happen before making use of the available funds for strengthening the existing infrastructure.

Further, even an amount of Rs 22 crore recovered by the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, as regularisation of colonies includes 5 per cent (Rs 1.1 crore) as fire cess. Even this amount is yet to be spent on various requirements of the department.

‘Don't want Rs 150 risk monthly allowance’

The firemen who take risk of their lives to combat incidents of fire every now and then have said that they do not want the Rs 150 monthly allowance scheme. The firemen have been getting the amount as a component of their monthly salary which instead should be converted into a life insurance policy for them. “There is no such policy for us as of now. An ex-gratia amount of few lakhs of rupees is paid to our families which is too trivial”, they have said. For the young firemen like the one who died in Chandigarh four days back, the amount payable should be more as is in developed nations.

Fire Safety Act not implemented

Even as the Punjab Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act had been notified since June 6 last year, it is yet to be implemented. The fire staff across the state has been long waiting for a separate Directorate to be set up for them for their requirements to be dealt with seriously, but nothing has been announced as yet.

The Act empowers the civic authorities to take the lead by disallowing any such buildings to be opened to the public until they possess a safety certificate. However, even as all builders submit a mandatory affidavit at the time of seeking clearance for their projects from the MC that they would follow the National Building Code on Fire Safety and would even get its compliance checked from the fire officials, none of the builders have ever paid heed to follow their own submissions.

The safety act entails that a fire safety officer will have to be appointed in each district of the state and any violation of the Fire Safety Act will invite a fine of Rs 1 lakh or six-month imprisonment or even both. The nominated officers under the Act also have the power to seal any building constructed in violation of fire norms. Further, it empowers the officers to inspect any building at a three-hour notice.

The June 8 fire incident in Chandigarh had fire coming out from the basement. Even in the incident of fire at Hyundai showroom on GT Road, Jalandhar, on May 8 last year in which 24 cars had got charred, the fire had started from the basement and the owner had been erroneously using the basement for storing highly combustible oils. There was no way that firemen could go down to douse flames. They just kept struggling from the windows on the ground floor from outside the building, which perhaps was the only possible access to the basement at the time when the entire building was engulfed in thick clouds of smoke. Also the store should have had a mesh of automatic sprinklers on the roof, the firemen reported.

Jalandhar, June 12
Jalandhar Executive Engineer Harmesh Lal’s daughter, Dr Ruhee Dugg, got the 176th rank in the Civil Services 2013 examination, the results of which were declared today.

While she has an MBBS degree and is currently teaching at Bhagat Phool Singh University Sonipat, she had never abandoned her dream of clearing the Civil Services examination even after she cleared her MBBS exam.

Talking to The Tribune, her father said, “Even though she had been working hard right from the beginning and IAS was her dream she never gave up. This feels unbelievable.”

Talking to The Tribune from Haryana, a beaming Ruhee said, “This is certainly unbelievable. I undoubtedly had the dream to figure in the top 200 list, but making it feels great. I have constantly been flooded with calls from Punjab.”

While she got her job just this year in January, the decision to pursue keep studying for IAS after clearing the MBBS wasn’t a very easy one, but she remained steadfast.

In the beginning, many people were apprehensive, including my parents. There was this doubt about whether I should concentrate fully on MBBS or keep pursuing the IAS dream, but finally I convinced everyone and many of my friends were every helpful. One of my friends provided guidance on the issue and I am thankful for that, it went a long way towards the realisation of my dream.

While Ruhee also appeared for the exam in 2012, she didn’t make it that year, but in her second attempt, she straightway got the 176th rank.

Speaking on her plans now, she says, “I am not apprehensive on which state I will be getting. I just feel that people lack awareness about various government schemes. My aim is to work for the implementation of policies and towards the filling of the gap which remains between government policies and people’s expectations. The issue of women security also holds a place in my mind. I shall also be working for that,” she said.

Ruhee’s brother is an assistant commandant in the Coast Guard and is currently posted in Kerela. Her mother is a teacher in a government school in Jalandhar. Ruhee’s entire education has taken place outside Jalandhar. While her schooling was in Chandigarh, she studied for MBBS in Faridkot and finally got a job in Sonipat, where her father said she recently got a regular job.

She has been regularly visiting her parents and holds the city close to her heart. “Even with the reactions that poured in today, it felt Jalandhar is happiest at my achievement,” she quipped. 

Jalandhar, June 12
As many as 14 NGOs running National Child Labour Project (NCLP) schools in Jalandhar, on National Child labour Day today, wrote to Union Minister for Labour and Employment Narendra Singh Tomar, requesting the release of salaries of the staff at the schools.

As many as 135 employees have not received their salary for the past 18 moths and are protesting for more than a month against it.

Earlier, they had met the DC and the NCLP Director on the issue.

Director Inderjit Singh said he was baffled by the unprecedented delay. “We have sent our officials to the authorities at the centre many a time but the funds were not provided. Now, we have been told to wait for some more days. Meanwhile, the NGOs decided to write to the Union Minister for Labour and Employment,” said Inderjit Singh.

Prof Lakhbir Singh, president of the NGO Pahal, which runs Nirmaan NCLP School in Maqsoodan, said, “All NGOs have written to the minister. We have requested him to pay attention to the plight of the schools.”

Prof Anup Watts of the Citizens Welfare and Protection Council said, “Every time there is a query about the funds, the Centre asks us to wait. We can wait for a few months but 18 months is a long time. We have written to the minister to apprise him of our plight.”

The NGOs that have written to the Union minister include the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Sports Goods Foundation, Pahal and the Citizens Welfare and Protection Council.

The staff at NCLP schools said they had planned to hold a dharna against the non-payment of their dues but the NGOs prevented them from doing this and assured them to take up the matter with the authorities. 

sorry state of affairs

There are 1,350 students in 27 NCLP schools in the district. While the staff at the schools is demoralised due to non-payment of salary, the inadequate power and water supply is another problem. While the shift of the schools ends at 5.30 pm, water supply starts only at 5.30 pm

Jalandhar, June 12
Due to the shortage of labour, paddy transplantation is suffering. Farmers are forced to pay wages to labourers. Some farmers said they were paying 33 per cent more as compared to last year to the labourers. However, some farmers are ready to pay more wages to labourers as they are left with no other option.

Sukhjinder Singh, a farmer at Allowal village, said he had nearly 20 acres under paddy cultivation. Last year, he had hired a group of 20 labourers from Bihar, who did not turn up this year. “We have around 400 acres under paddy cultivation in our village. We need 70 to 75 labourers for paddy transplantation. However, we have only 40 labourers,” he added.

He claimed to have paid Rs 2,000 per acre for paddy transplantation, whereas labourers were asking for Rs 3,000 per acre.

As migrant labourers from Bihar play a crucial role in paddy transplantation, their shortage is giving a tough to farmers.

One of the reasons behind the unavailability of labour is the success of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in Bihar, which is providing employment to people at satisfactory rates.

Mohinder Singh from Nahal Village said he had around five acres under paddy cultivation. He has failed to find any labourer for work in his fields. “I am ready to pay whatever they demand. I have not faced such a problem in my whole life,” he added.

Amolak Singh, a farmer from Kapurthala who has around 150 acres under paddy cultivation, said he was fortunate that he managed to get labour for his fields. But, the wages he is paying are on a higher side. “I paid Rs 1,800 per acre last year and this year, I am paying Rs 2,500 for the same,” he added. 

Jalandhar June 12
The claims of the Zonal Licensing Authority regarding a suspected drug haul at a godown in Gopal Nagar, which was raided a week ago, have fallen flat. Now, the authority has given a clean chit to the owner of the godown, claiming that no drugs were stored in it.

Earlier, the authority had claimed that the godown was illegal but now reverted from it stance, saying that it was legal as no banned drugs were found there.

Notably, on June 5, Gurbinder Singh from the Zonal Licensing Authority, along with drug inspectors Kamal Kamboj, Amarjit and a police party had raided Wadhawa Agencies in Gopal Nagar. Gurbinder Singh had told mediapersons that Rakesh Kumar, owner of the agencies, had stored medicines suspected to be habit-forming drugs in his godown. The officials had also blamed the police for helping the chemist in his escape during the raid. They had alleged that the police deliberately helped the chemist. The authority had refused to enter the locked godown for inspection in the absence of the owner.

Meanwhile, the police refused to deploy security guards outside the godown. Gurbinder Singh said, “Three days after the raid, the owner appeared before the police, following which we opened the godown. We only found veterinary medicines there. No banned or habit-forming drug was recovered. So, we decided to give a clean chit to him.”

“The owner of the agency can be involved in the sale of banned drugs, so we will keep an eye on him.” Notably, there are unconfirmed reports that the authority was avoiding taking action against the owner of the godown he enjoys political patronage.— TNS 

Jalandhar, June 12
Residents of Kalia Colony, Phase III, are a harassed lot as a sweets manufacturing workshop has been making their lives troublesome.

“The labourers employed at the workshop use wood, kerosene and diesel for the processing of food items, causing inconvenience to us,” said the residents.

The residents said the owner of the workshop had occupied two residential plots near Beri Wala Peer.

A visit to the site showed that one of the plots put on commercial use in the heart of the residential area, had multiple hearths. The other one, a constructed house, has a tin shed over it and tarpaulin sheets covering the front part. The labourers were busy in their work. There was a huge pile of wood lying in front of the workshop. The staff was seen taking orders for the sweets.

“As some explosive material has been stocked in a large quanty in the two plots, we feel unsafe. The presence of too many labourers makes us uncomfortable,” said the residents.

When contacted, Pawan Goel, the owner of the workshop, said he was aware of the fact that the residents had lodged a complaint against him and were a bit uncomfortable.

“It’s peak business time for me. I will be here for just this season. I am already looking for an alternate place and will shift from here shortly,” said Pawan.

“Ever since the workshop started two-three years ago, the residents had complained about it to the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Health Department, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd, Labour Department, Municipal Corporation Jalandhar, Department of Food Processing and the Environment and Forest Department for different violations but to no avail,” said the residents. 

Jalandhar, June 12
On the directions of KK Yadav, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman National Child Labour Project, Jalandhar, a seminar was held on National Child Labour Day at DAV College today.

The seminar was held in collaboration with DAV College, Labour Department and NGOs.

Principal BB Sharma said children should not be employed in homes.Inderjit Singh, project director, Nationa Child Labour Project(NCLP), said since 2000, 4,285 students had completed their education in NCLP schools.

“Some of the pass-outs are pursuing higher education in engineering, nursing, hotel management while others are working with various business houses,”said Inderjit Singh.— TNS 

Jalandhar, June 12
More than 800 chemist shops, including 250 wholesale chemist shops, in the city remained shut on the call given by the Punjab Chemist Association against the move of the state government allowing police raids on chemist shops.

The impact of the strike remained limited as chemist shops at hopitals remaind open.

Long queues were seen at the chemist shops in the Civil Hospital, Guru Nanak Mission Hospital, Punjab Institutes of Medical Science (PIMS) and Tagore Hospital.

There are four counters at the chemist shop in the PIMS, six counters in Sacred Heart Hospital, four at Tagore Hospital and two chemist shops at the Civil Hospital, which are run by the Red Cross.

Officials of the Civil Hospital said they had all medicines in the hospital. However, people struggled in getting medicines at the hospital. Sunita, whose husband was operated upon today at the Civil Hospital, said she could not get the medicines in the hospital. She tried to get the medicines from outside, but failed because of the strike.

Rakesh Gupta, president,Wholesale Chemists Organisation, Jalandhar, said they didn’t include the hospital in-built chemist shops in the strike . “We didn’t intend to harass the public but raise a voice against the move of the state government. Gupta said the Drug and Cosmetics Act did not authorise the police to raid chemist shops as they did not have the qualification to examine medicines.

“If the government failed to revert the decision, we would intensify the protest. the chemist shops at the hospitals will also be included in the strike,”said Rakesh. 

Jalandhar, June 12
A protest rally was carried out by members of the Shaheed Kiranjit Kaur EGS/AI (ETT)/STR Teachers’ Action Committee here today following which they met the Deputy Commissioner and DEO at the DC office.

Following a meeting with DC KK Yadav, it was decided that the duty of teachers to conduct a dropout survey would be suspended until the next meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on June 16.

The teachers had alleged that they were being pestered by assigning district-level school dropout survey during holidays. They said deputing teachers for the dropout survey and then asking them to hold classes for dropouts was a ploy to ouster them. The teachers alleged that they were told by Education Department officials either to conduct the surveys or resign.

While activists of the union boycotted the survey, they complained that some of them were forcibly called to offices for work and were asked to stay in the office from 9 am to 5 pm without any work.

“The DC has instructed the DEO to suspend the teachers’ duty until the next meeting with the CM,” they added. Earlier, the meeting was fixed for June 9, which was postponed to June 16.

Meanwhile, the teachers alleged that the DEO and BRPs were harassing them. They alleged that for the past four months, the teachers in the district were not allowed to join their duty and they hadn’t received their salaries. 

Jalandhar, June 12
A middle-aged man was found dead in the fields at Nangal Salempur village today. An overdose of drugs appears to be the cause of the death.

The Maqsudan police said they were informed by some passers-by, who found the man lying unconscious in the fields at 5.30 am this morning. They immediately reached the spot and rushed the man to the Civil Hospital. He was declared dead at the hospital.

The police didn’t recover anything vital from the spot, establishing the cause of his death. “We questioned a number of villagers and the owner of the fields from where the body was recovered, but nobody could identified the deceased. We will keep the body at the Civil Hospital for identification,” the police said.

Two decomposed bodies recovered

Two decomposed bodies of women were recovered from a house in the Central Town locality this evening. The deceased were identified as Avinash Bhardwaj and her mother Lajawanti.

The investigation police indicated that the duo might have died three to four days ago. — TNS