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Water-borne diseases hit city areas
Disease-prone areas
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31 marriage palaces to be sealed
Looted Innova recovered from Bathinda
Move to appoint teachers on contractual basis on 4,445 posts
Private bus operators hire more than mandatory crew
Group of IITians to set up Jalandhar’s first biogas plant at Jamsher
Unscheduled Power Cuts
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Water-borne diseases hit city areas
Jalandhar, July 12 Around 70 people are reported to have been taken ill, out of which the condition of eight was said to be critical. While cholera and diarrhoea have been reported from the Gandhi camp and Bhargo camp areas, seven people from Guru Ravidass Welfare Colony in the Bhagatpura area were diagnosed with jaundice. Blaming the Municipal Corporation (MC) for the outbreak, the Health Department said while it had sent a list of 32 disease-prone areas in the city to the MC last month, it had failed to lift the debris and clean the choked sewerage in these areas. Health Dept gave warning, but MC slept over issue
“We had identified around 32 areas in the city a month ago where drainage systems were found to be completely choked and the garbage was scattered everywhere near houses. At some places, many people had even reported getting contaminated water for the past few months. In fact, the list had also declared the Gandhi camp area as the priority zone. We had sent the list to the MC a few days ago to take the necessary measures,” said RL Bassan, Civil Surgeon. Meanwhile, residents of the areas concerned refused to acknowledge any work done by the MC officials. According to them, it was only when the media reported the outbreak that the MC swung into action. They even informed that even now the MC was restricting its work to the affected lanes only and not even visiting the adjoining lanes. Gandhi Camp: Water shortage, skin infections
Although, the MC has confirmed having rectified the fault in the Gandhi Camp area, people have still reported getting contaminated water for drinking. “The water is a little better, but still has a lot of sand particles in it. Instead of legalising the illegal water connection, the MC had disconnected these, causing a huge shortage of potable water in the area. From where will the people get water for drinking? Most of them would open it once the MC would stop water supply from the tankers,” said Rani, a resident. Due to people drinking contaminated water for the past few days, many have now complained of various skin infections like itching all over the body and even swelling of faces etc. Some of them are also complaining of acute pain in their respiratory tracks, including lungs and chest areas. “I am having a terrible itching in my respiratory track and areas around my jaws have also swollen since yesterday. Sometimes, I also feel acute pain in my abdomen,” said Satya, another resident. Bhagatpura: 7 jaundice cases reported
Seven cases of jaundice were reported from Guru Ravidaas Colony at Bhagatpura on Saturday. “Around three people in my family have been detected with jaundice. Despite reporting the matter to the MC a week ago, none of the officials turned up to locate or rectify the fault in the potable water supply line,” said Amit, a resident of Bhagatpura. He also said that two days ago, a vegetable vendor died due to jaundice, as instead of going to hospital, he went to some local “tantrik” for his healing. Meanwhile, RL Bassan, with his team, visited the colony and managed to find the contamination point and immediately informed the MC officials to rectify it. Bhargo Camp: Plastic packets choke pipes
Many cases of diarrhoea have been reported from the Bhargo camp area. A health team visited the site in the morning and took water samples from various houses. According to Parvesh Tangri, area councillor, the problem was caused, as people put the left-over food in plastic bags and threw it into open drains that choked the narrow pipes of the sewerage. “The entire drainage system has now been cleaned and the fresh water supply without any contamination has been restored,” said
Tangri. |
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No chlorination, mapping for quality of water
Local Bodies Department had warned Municipal Corporation, issued protocol Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 12 The MC staff has even failed to get the chlorination of water in the tubewells done, which generally is the first step against E.coli and other bacterial agents causing water infection. In fact, the MC does not even have chlorinators or dosers attached with the nearly 400 tubewells in the city to ensure that the right amount of the disinfectant is discharged into the water at regular intervals during the supply hours. Officials have been showing laxity despite the fact that there are incidents of deaths due to water contamination year after year in this season. While top officials of the Local Bodies Department, including Secretary, Local Bodies and Technical Advisor, had already warned the MC officials to take precautionary measures by getting chlorination done and hiring a private company for getting the regular mapping of the quality of the drinking water done, officials ignored the directions and failed to act, resulting in such a deep trouble in various localities of the city. Even a demi-official letter of the Secretary, Local Bodies, Ashok Gupta to all MC commissioners and regional deputy directors in this regard on July 1 seems to have fallen on deaf ears. The letter reads, “It has come to the notice of the government that the steps taken by the ULBs regarding the sampling of the drinking water are not very encouraging. The complaints regarding water-borne diseases have started pouring in as is seen from local newspapers. It is important to record that despite ULBs spending a huge amount, even chlorination of water is not being complied with. You are reminded to get proper surveillance of water quality and mapping done throughout the year. The chlorination of water should also be commenced as a regular step for the prevention of water diseases.” With regard to getting mapping of the water quality done, the MC officials have done nothing except for calling tenders from laboratories approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). There has been no follow-up ever since. The department had even released a protocol on uniform drinking water quality monitoring through technical advisor to the CM VK Bhatt, which is, in fact, a guide to the appropriate selection of the disinfectant to be used, its quantity and the right way to use it. The protocol also provides technical documents for hiring agencies to do the mapping of water quality and specifically targeting contamination-prone areas, slum areas, areas with high density of population, areas where roads are of less than 10 feet width, areas where there are open drains, areas where water and sewer lines are on the same side. The protocol mentions that water samples for each area be taken from the tubewell, then in the middle stage of supply line and finally in some house of the area. However, the officials concerned, perhaps, have not even read the copy issued to them on June 28. Commissioner MC Manpreet Chattwal said the chlorination of tubewells, too, could not have helped check the problem as the residents of the affected areas have been getting water from illegal connections. Regarding directives on water mapping, he said he was not aware and would have to ask the staff of the department concerned. Yearly phenomenon
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31 marriage palaces to be sealed
Jalandhar, July 12 The 31 palaces include five palaces in Jalandhar, 17 in Hoshiarpur and nine in Kapurthala. Chief Administrator of the JDA HS Kandhola said the sealing would begin shortly. He said directions had already been issued to the PSPCL staff to snap power connections. He added that public notices, too, had been issued, asking people not to book these palaces for their functions. The palaces which are on the list of those likely to be sealed shortly include Bajwa Palace Shahkot, Chatha Palace Malsian, Green Garden Kartarpur, JS Farms Malsian, Sangha Palace on Jandu Singha Road. The list of such palaces in Kapurthala are Marriage Zone on Sultanpur Lodhi Road, Multan Golden Palace on Dhilwan Road, Mary Fort Marriage Palace in Phagwara, Mini Balbir Palace in Rihana Jattan, Milan Palace and Resorts on Kanjli Road, Shehnai Palace on Kanjli Road, under-construction palace at Mehtan village, Maharaja Palace Bholath and GS Palace Begowal. The list of such palaces in Hoshiarpur includes Reet Palace Dasuya, Harshpreet Palace Pandori, Khambra Farm and Marriage Palace on Garhshankar-Hoshiarpur Road, Mini Aman Palace Bhangala, Janta Palace Bhangala, Jasrotiya Palace Bhangala, Lord Aman Palace Dugri Rajputan, Chawla Palace Hoshiarpur, Victoria Resort at Mandiali village, Abhinandan Hall Mukerian, Aman Palace Mukerian, Lord Palace Mukerian, Windsor Manor Palace Dasuya Road, under-construction palace at Oharpur village, Gurjit Farm at Alma Mangat
village, Shagun Palace at Shergarh and White Palace at Pandori Khajoor. The JDA is yet to start the process of studying in detail the 168 applications it had received from the palace owners falling in
its limit in the three districts. |
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Looted Innova recovered from Bathinda
Jalandhar, July 12 The police arrested sarpanch Jaspal Singh of Pahula village and Satnam Singh from Jhanduke village in this connection. The police recovered the Innova, bearing number PB-08-AT-8328, in addition to one stolen Swift car. The kingpin of the gang is said to be one Sanjeev Singh from Gidderbaha who had been primarily looting vehicles owned by taxi stands. The others named in the gang include his wife and three others, including Simarjit Singh, Harcharan Singh and Gurvinder Singh. The taxi owner has gone to Bhucho Mandi in connection with the case. Car, jewellery looted, woman hurt
Two masked youth on Saturday looted a Verna car of a woman who had come from Nangal to a hospital on Cool Road here for the treatment of her relative. The youths took the car PB-12P-0455 in their control as the owner Parveen had stopped over at a drug store and sent her son Sandeep Kumar to bring the medicines. The youths snatched her jewellery and purse as they took away the car. They later threw Parveen out of the car near PIMS. Having got deep bruises, she was admitted to a hospital. |
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Move to appoint teachers on contractual basis on 4,445 posts Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 12 Stating this, district unit president Arvind Bains and PRO Manish Aggarwal said the government’s newly formulated policy on aided schools had come like a nail in the coffin for aided schools, which were already in a bad position. They said disregarding the employees’ demand for a merger, the government had decided to fill 1,100 posts per year on a contractual basis. But the union would challenge the decision and would vehemently protest against it with the first step being getting a stay on the decision by moving the HC. The government had decided to fill 1,100 posts per year (25 per cent of 4,445) on a contractual basis for four years. The policy also reduced the government share in the salary grants of aided school employees from 95:5 to 80:30. They said the decision was against aided schools. “While the government is at present unable to give salaries and other benefits to employees who are currently working, committees under which the employees are working are already able to contribute their five per cent share with great difficulty. Thirty per cent would overburden them and it would be difficult to arrange salaries for newly hired employees. We are already short of various benefits, which are being given to government schools but not to us. The new grant ratio will increase disparity,” said Aggarwal. Members of the union said the government’s decision had also been unjust to unaided employees in the state. While they had formerly been pivotal in keeping aided schools functioning smoothly, the union condemned the government for not formulating any policy for these employees who would be rendered jobless because their TET was not cleared. The union said due to the aided schools being left out of government scholarships like the Hargobind Khurana Scholarship, Mai Bhago Scheme, Meritorious School, etc.). the number of students in aided schools was constantly decreasing. They said by finalising the present decision, the government had turned back on promises made to aided schools.
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Private bus operators hire more than mandatory crew
Jalandhar, July 12 No other crew member other than the bus driver and the conductor is allowed in the bus. However, the private operators are hiring more staff either in the name of hawker or porter. Apparently, most of the private buses have been taken on contracts by the conductor of the bus. In order to get more passengers, they hire more crew members, who does nothing but pull more passengers. During this course, they often misbehave and misguide the passengers. Sometimes, they do not even mind to drag them to their buses. There have been many quarrelsome incidents between Punjab Roadways/PRTC staff and private bus operators staff, where private bus operators used to force the passengers to board their buses. In April, an incident has happened when an Orbit bus conductor has apologised for forcing passengers to board his bus from the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation. The bus conductors require to get a proper training, including first-aid training from Red Cross before they get conductor licence from the district transport office. Though, not all conductors get such training for licence. In fact many of the private buses do not have any first aid boxes, which show the pathetic working system of the private bus operator. Punjab Roadways Traffic Manager Depot 2, Balwant Singh said Punjab Roadways conductors have to go through a rigorous training, including first aid, communication skills and trainee conductor. “There was a time when the extended staff in the bus was required. But now we are not allowed for that”, he added. Sources from the district transport office said there was hardly any private bus that had been challaned for this reason in the recent past. District Transport Officer RP Singh was not available for comments over the matter. |
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Group of IITians to set up Jalandhar’s first biogas plant at Jamsher
Jalandhar, July 12 The Municipal Corporation had approached the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) recently to curb water and air pollution in and around the dairy complex area that is being caused due to animal excreta going untreated into the Garha drain. “The biogas plant will run on the Public Private Sector Engagement (PPE) mode and will generate electricity that would be supplied to the city. We have already given land to PEDA to set up the biogas plant. The plant is expected to be made operational by the end of this year,” said Manpreet Singh Chatwal, Municipal Commissioner, Jalandhar. PEDA officials said though the department was through with the necessary formalities to set up the plant at Jamsher, on an experimental basis, it had first given a chance to a group of young IITians to set up and run the plant in the complex. The first generation entrepreneurs have already purchased 1.5 acres near the dairy complex to set up the plant. “It will generate 1 MW unit of energy per hour. If the plant will be made to run on full capacity, it will generate 24,000 units of energy per day that is sufficient enough to light up around 500 households. The officials also said if the group failed to set up the project within three-month time, PEDA will itself set up the project on the land allotted by the MC. The young entrepreneurs could not be contacted, despite repeated attempts. At present, there are around 15,329 big and 1,596 small animals inside the dairy complex that excrete around 1,600 quintal of animal waste everyday. This waste in the absence of a proper drainage system kept on swelling in the vacant plots and fields around the dairy complex causing air and water pollution. On June 7, a special delegation from the Punjab Chief Minister’s office visited the complex and after watching the sad plight of animals and residents around the area, it directed the MC to take necessary measures to check the issue. |
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Farmers’ body to hold protest tomorrow
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 12 State general secretary of the sabha Kulwant Singh Sandhu said on the contrary of the statements of Punjab Deputy CM and PSPCL Chairman to provide minimum eight-hour power supply, farmers were getting only five to six hours irregular supply. Moreover, there was no improvement in the domestic sector. In this sector, residents had been facing eight to 10 hours power cuts. Sandhu said the policy of providing river water for irrigation had been collapsed terribly. The state government was least bothered about the issue.
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Jalandhar Tribune invites feedback from its readers on issues of public concern relating to Jalandhar, Phagwara, Kapurthala and the nearby areas. Readers can email their views to They can also send their views to: Feedback, Jalandhar Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh - 160029. Letters sent by post must mention 'Feedback for Jalandhar Tribune' on the envelope and it should be signed and must contain the address and telephone number of the sender. It should not be more than 150 words. Authorities should check mid-day meal scheme
The mid-day meal programme for schoolchildren has put parents of these children in dilemma over the quality of the food served to the children in schools under the scheme. The scheme was launched to keep the health of the children intact and it was a big success as children who were not interested to go to school were attracted by it and started going to school. However, a few days ago, when BJP councillor from Chugguti, S Manjiender Singh Chattha, complained that stale food was being served to children under the scheme in a school, former Punjab minister and MLA of the area Manoranjan Kalia and senior officers of the administration also rushed to the spot. Though news reports of stale mid-day meals, insects or worm-infested food material being served to students is often published in newspapers, the question arises that why the health officials are not taking a serious view of the issue? Who is responsible for this mismanagement? The material for the mid-day meals should be supplied to the school heads and it should be their responsibility to get quality meals cooked and served to the schoolchildren. Hygienic conditions should be maintained. The Central and the state governments should take appropriate steps to check proper implementation of the scheme. Rajat Kumar Mohindru Clean water for residents should be a priority
It is painful to read in the newspapers about the death of residents in the city due to water contamination. I really fail to understand why the administration fails to wake up from its slumber to ensure that no one dies due to the poor quality of water. Rather than setting up infrastructure like world class sports stadium, MC officials must realise that their first and foremost priority should be providing clean drinking water to residents. Naresh Kumar |
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