Jalandhar, October 29
Following a dengue outbreak with five new cases and a suspected case of dengue death last week, the Lamba Pind is now reeling under the threat of Tuberculosis outbreak.

Fogging was carried out in the area

Over 20 people in the Bawa ji Mandir area and Christian Mohalla are reported to be suffering from Tuberculosis from the last few days. A team from the Health Department today visited the two localities and took over 87 blood samples. The team also took water samples from various houses to check the suspected contamination.

According to Dalwinder Kaur, municipal councillor of the area, the MC initially installed the sewerage pipe in 1991 but later installed a new line recently without disconnecting the earlier one. “Despite putting a new line, it didn’t bother to disconnect the connections from the old pipe that often contaminates the potable water pipe. Despite sending numerous reminders, it has not taken any action and people in the area keep on suffering from water borne diseases from time to time,” said the councillor.

Meanwhile, Civil Surgeon RL Bassan and his team visited the area on Wednesday and surveyed for more dengue cases. The team identified 18 patients with high fever. It has also found dengue larvae from air coolers in four houses and a garbage dump at Mohalla Chak Hussana.

Jalandhar, October 29
Politicians in the city, who are otherwise supposed to be torch bearers for the society, are in contrast themselves committing violations and further claiming it to be their right to encroach upon the government land outside their house for security purposes.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander’s residence in the Chhoti Baradari locality in Jalandhar

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander tops them all as he has got three enclosures erected on a vacant hotel site of the PUDA in front of his posh house in Chhoti Baradari locality here.

One of the enclosures has been made of concrete and has washrooms for the security, the second is an enclosure of tent where the guards sit and rest day and night and the third is made of fibre.

The civic authorities too have not got the cudgels to get the encroachment cleared by the CPS owing to the influence of the SAD leader. The residents of the area said the area being occupied by the legislator from Phillaur in the site has been increasing every month with a new enclosure coming up every month or so.

Notably, the CPS’s bureaucratic kin are serving on top posts in the Local Bodies department and they too have failed to point out the glaring violations committed by him. His sister-in-law Babita Kler, resides in the same house, is serving as Deputy Director Local Bodies, Ludhiana. His sister Anupam Kler is posted as Joint Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Jalandhar and is now officiating as MC Commissioner here.

Avinash, when asked for his comments, was on defensive, “I don’t think that I have committed any violation. I have women folk in my house and I cannot allow my six-seven security men to be roaming inside and using our toilets. I don’t know if that site is meant for hotel but I will definitely vacate it whenever any authority asks me to do it.”

Former Congress minister Amarjit Singh Samra too has a huge tent for his security erected outside his house on the green belt of the Municipal Corporation on Link Road here. But he too has no qualms about it. “No one has ever pointed out to me to remove it. It has been there since 1994. I have had four terms since then but no official has pointed that out to me since two decades,” he said.

Former SAD minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur and district SAD president Gurcharan Singh Channi too have placed a temporary booth for security personnel outside their houses in Urban Estate and on Cool Road, respectively.

Additional Chief Administrator PUDA GS Khehra said that he would look into the matter and take appropriate legal action.

Jalandhar, October 29
It was a ‘shady’ opening for the prestigious Surjit Hockey Tournament as the much awaited inauguration ceremony of the tournament was held in dark due to tripping off the flood lights at the stadium. Although initially, two matches were held in broad day light but later after the arrival of Daljeet Singh Cheema, the Punjab Education Minister and the chief guest of the inauguration event, the flood lights went off suddenly.

While it took a while for the organisers to find the fault and rectify it, the colourful ceremony was held in dark. Students of the Lyallpur Khalsa College performed giddha, the students of the HMV College presented welcome song for the dignitaries.

On the first day of the tournament, three matches were played in which Indian army faced crushing defeat in two of its matches against Indian Navy and CRPF Delhi. In the thirds match between Northern Railways and Indian Air force, the later defeated the former by 4-2.

By the end of the day Indian Navy beat EME Jalandhar by 3-1, CRPF Delhi beat Corps of Signals, Jalandhar through penalty Shootout 5-4.

Also, Punjab and Sindh bank presented a cheque of Rs 5 lakhs and Surjeet Singh of Aloevera Company presented a cheque of Rs 1.51 lacs to Surjit Hockey Society, the organisers of the tournament.

Jalandhar, October 29
The ongoing vigilance probe against a clerk and the District Education Officer (secondary) regarding their alleged embezzlement case has pointed to a scam to a tune of Rs 29 lakh in the department.

Clerk Bir Meharban Singh, alias Tony, and DEO (secondary) Kuldeep Kumar had been suspended on July 14 following an inquiry against them regarding various misappropriation cases against them. Sources in the Vigilance Bureau pointed out that the initial clue came from the fact that the clerk had himself guzzled down the mediclaim of seven employees of the department to the tune of Rs 10 lakh since 2011, without passing on the amount to the concerned beneficiaries, who were simply being shirked on the grounds of a departmental delay.

The clerk was also found to be involved in an MPLADS funds misappropriation. The overenthusiastic man even got the Rs 5 lakh grant for four schools withdrawn from the discretionary funds of the MP and submitted the utilisation certificates without even getting a brick laid on site.

The accused also gobbled up Rs 14 lakh of the SC/BC scholarship meant for the students. Also last year when the relief fund for Uttaranchal victims was being collected, he sent across only a draft of Rs 3.5 lakh while the other of Rs 5.4 lakh was embezzled by him.

The Vigilance Bureau officials are in the process of completing their inquiry against him which is likely to take another month or so. The officials disclosed that the inquiry pertained to years 2009 to 2013 for which even the reports from the authorized government bank SBI was being sought. They added that the clerk tried to initially get away with everything as he got the amount transferred in the name of his mother, brother-in-laws, father-in-law and sister. The accused clerk has reportedly not even joined the inquiry and has so far not provided any documents from his side.

They hinted that since the scam happened during the tenure of three DEOs including the suspended DEO Kuldeep Kumar, the roles of Surjit Singh, now retired, and Neelam Kumari too was being probed. SSP Vigilance Gurmeet Singh confirmed that an inquiry was on.

Jalandhar, October 29
Even as it has been a trend that the entire bureaucracy of a district or even adjoining areas leaving aside all pending office works gets deployed to attend a visiting Chief Minister, Deputy CM or the ministers, officially they are not bound to do so as per the Punjab Protocol Manual-1982.

RTI activist and general secretary of NGO Human Empowerment League Punjab Parwinder Singh Kittna sought the information regarding the same under RTI Act from special secretary, protocol, finance and coordination, in reply to which a copy of chapter 7 of the manual has been sent across.

None of the six points in the instructions as per the Punjab government policy mention that everyone, including the DC, ADC, SDM, tehsildar, Civil Surgeon and a whole bunch of top officials have to be present. The policy, rather, only mentions necessary security provisions.

The first point reads that the security guards should be provided to Governor, Chief Minister, Speaker, ministers, Deputy Speakers and other VIPS that too on their arrival at state functions like Republic Day, Independence Day and functions for investiture of medals and other awards. The second and third points mentions about Guard of Honour for Governor during his visit.

The fourth point pertains to Speaker, Ministers and Deputy Speaker for whom security guard has to be prescribed by the district authorities for presentation of arms and inspection at the time of their arrival and departure. For other officers and VIPs, only security guards have to be provided. Even the last point mentions that pilot cars should be provided to the ministers when security conditions so require.

Jalandhar, October 29
Over 100 NRI families today submitted a memorandum to Jasveer Singh Gill, president of the Punjab NRI Sabha, against the Union Government’s decision of levying 12.36 per cent tax on remittances sent by the NRIs to India through money remitting agents.

The move is expected to hit NRI families as well as the money remitting agents as they are likely face a huge cut in their commission.

According to Kulbir Singh, a resident of Munar village, the decision has come as a setback for the NRIs.

“This decision will also encourage hawala transactions as no one likes to pay huge taxes on their already taxed money,” he said.

The Punjab NRI Sabha has assured them full support in raising their voice against the recent announcement.

“This is disgraceful! The NRIs are already contributing a lot to the development of the nation. Now, with this tax, the government is forcing them to shell out more money from their hard earned funds. This is quite shameful and we condemn this,” said Gill. He also said that he would soon take up the matter with the state government to pressurise Union government for reverting their decision on the implementation of the service tax for NRI remittances.

Jalandhar, October 29
After conducting raids, the Income Tax Department has brought two sanitary companies under its radar and is in the process of recovering a huge amount of unaccounted money from them.

Income Tax Commissioner Rakesh Suri said two companies VSD Ceramics Pvt Ltd and Krish Ceramics Pvt Ltd dealing in sanitary items, wall and floor tiles had been raided and their documents were seized. The premises of both the companies fall near DAV Canal here.

The officer said the transactions worth crores were being made towards various agencies in Avtar Nagar, Nakodar Road and other towns, but most items were being dispatched without proper billings which were thus not reflecting in the income of the two companies.

He said a thorough investigation would take some time as the stocks, records and bill books needs to be checked.

He said two income tax surveys were earlier held in Hoshiarpur in which the owners had surrendered lakhs of rupees. He said the documents have been recovered from some companies and relevant details would be released in due course of time.

Jalandhar, October 29
Private College Non-Teaching Employees Union today observed a sit-in protest in front of the District Administration Complex against the state government for not issuing any notification to release the arrears.

The union members have threatened to intensify their protest if their demands are not fulfilled.

The dharna was presided over by state president Madan Lal Khullar and Jasbir Singh.

While addressing the gathering, Madan Lal said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered the principal secretaries of finance and higher education to release the arrears of January 1, 2006 and notification December 12, 2011 and enhance house rent and medical allowance within a week in an official meeting on September 29, 2014 at his residence.

He said one month has passed yet no notification in this regard has been issued by the official secretaries.

He said the working of Higher Education and Finance Department of the state government was shameful as they seem least bothered.

Speaking on the occasion, Jasbir Singh said the government has provided pay parity to the non-teaching employees of aided colleges of the state with effect from September 1, 1978 at par with the government colleges. Yet the partiality has been made by the government as and when the emoluments have been released to the non teaching employees working in the aided colleges.

Jalandhar, October 29
Delegates of the Gazetted and Non-Gazetted SCBC Employees Welfare Federation handed over a memorandum of demands to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal against the personnel department’s direction that does not consider reservation under roster point as a seniority point.

Apart from this they also met the Jail Minister Sohal Lal Thandal and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Prakash on the same issue.

Federation has already condemned the Personnel Department Punjab’s direction that does not consider reservation under roster point as a seniority point. Following the same direction the reserved categories will not able to avail seniority and promotion benefits.

State chairman Jasbir Singh Pal said that a letter has been issued on October 10 by the personnel department Punjab, which was absolutely unconstitutional.

He said that it does not under the jurisdiction of personnel department Punjab to serve such direction. However Welfare Department Punjab holds such responsibility.

He said that he has participated in the struggle to gain this benefit for the community under 85th amendment in the constitution.

The federation has threatened to go to any extant to make the same direction annulled. They said they will not shy away from launch an agitation. The federation will decide the future course of action soon.

Jalandhar, October 29
In a rare case of non-surgical treatment for children suffering from congenital heart defects, a one-year-old baby girl, Manvi, and a six-year-old boy, Jashanpreet Singh, were given fresh lease of life after they were cured of complex heart defects with non-surgical treatments at a private hospital at Mohali.

While Manvi was diagnosed with a hole in the heart and repeated pneumonia, Jashanpreet was suffering from blue baby syndrome with lesser development of one side of the heart. According to Dr Rajat Gupta, Paediatric Cardiologist at Fortis, the blood vessels of the boy were altered to prevent adulteration.

“He underwent an operation in infancy and then an angiography with second surgery at six years of age. Though his basic cardiac lesion still exists but he will lead a near normal life as a result of those surgeries,” said Dr Rajat.

He said timely recognition and intervention in these cases is essential as delayed treatment can make even these simple lesions inoperable.

However for Manvi, she was treated for pneumonia first and one month later her hole was closed without surgery with a metal device. The procedure lasted only 30 minutes and she was shifted to the ward immediately after the procedure and discharged the next day.

Jalandhar, October 29
An eminent pathologist-cum-blood transfusion specialist and principal of the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Kulbir Kaur, was given life time achievement award for her contribution in the field of transfusion medicine and voluntary blood donation by the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaemotology (ISBTI) in a function held at Government Medical College, Patiala, during 39th National Conference.

Dr Kulbir Kaur is among those personalities who have made a significant impact to improve the blood transfusion services and voluntary blood donation movement in the state. She has also carried out various research work, delivered many guest lectures.