TRIBUNE IMPACT: Report sought on Muktsar vacancies

TRIBUNE IMPACT: Report sought on Muktsar vacancies

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 23

The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of The Tribune report “46% posts of doctor lying vacant in CM’s home district” that appeared today.

The commission asked Principal Secretary, Health and Director, State Health and Family Welfare Department, to file a report in this regard by October 8.

It was mentioned in the story that of the total 124 posts of doctors sanctioned, 57 were lying vacant in Muktsar, the home district of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. It also said the situation was grim in rural areas, where of the total 56 posts of doctors sanctioned, just 22 were filled.

Courtesy: The Tribune

46% posts of doctor lying vacant in CM’s home district 

Healthcare hit

• Not even a single doctor is deputed in several primary health centres
• Pharmacists are performing the role of a doctor at these centres

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 15

Healthcare services are hit even in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar with 57 of the 124 sanctioned posts of doctors lying vacant. The situation is grim in rural areas where against the sanctioned strength of 56 doctors, 22 are posted and the remaining 34 posts vacant.

Not even a single doctor is deputed in primary health centres (PHCs) in Harike Kalan, Kanianwali, Gulabewala, Panniwala, Virk Khera, Singhewala, Roranwali, Kandukhera, Bhai Ka Kera, Kot Bhai and Badian villages. Pharmacists are performing the role of doctor at these centres.

In such a situation, the common man has no other option, but to visit private hospitals that offer costly treatment. Some people even end up going to quacks.

The lack of specialists in Civil Hospitals is also a major cause of concern. In Muktsar Civil Hospital, 16 of 29 posts of doctor are lying vacant. In Malout Civil Hospital, four of 13 posts are lying vacant. In Gidderbaha Civil Hospital, four of 13 posts are lying vacant. In Badal Civil Hospital, four of 13 posts are vacant.

Community Health Centres (CHCs) also face shortage of doctors. Six of seven sanctioned posts of doctor at Bariwala CHC are lying vacant and three of six posts at Chak Sherewala CHC are vacant.

Sources said in the last one-and-a-half months, nearly 20 doctors were transferred out of the district, but only three were replaced. “In May, 84 medical officers (doctors) were posted in the district. Now, there are only 67,” a source said.

Sources further said several medical officers refused to be posted in the district as it was less developed. For instance, a doctor was transferred to Kanianwali village PHC in the recent past, but he did not join.

Nearly half of the posts of senior medical officer (SMO) in the district are lying vacant. The vital post of district health officer (DHO), one of the two posts of Food Safety Officer and one of the two posts of drugs inspector is lying vacant.

Balraj Singh, Sarpanch, Gulabewala village, said, “I have come to Chandigarh to request top officers of the Health Department to depute a doctor at our village PHC, where not even a pharmacist is deputed.”

Dr Jagjivan Lal, Civil Surgeon, Muktsar, said, “We have taken up the matter with the higher authorities. We are trying our best to manage with the resources available.”

Moreover, though the district has the state’s highest average of 136 cancer patients per 1 lakh people, no cancer specialist is deputed in any government hospital.

Courtesy: The Tribune

SAD plans foray into UP Assembly poll; Will send leaders from Punjab, says Sukhbir

SAD plans foray into UP Assembly poll

Will send leaders from Punjab, says Sukhbir

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal being honoured by villagers in Muktsar district on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Kolianwali (Lambi), July 22

The Akali Dal has started its action plan to take part in the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. SAD president Sukhbir Badal today said the party would contest coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and the process to shortlist in charges was under way.

“The SAD will soon appoint five in charges in Uttar Pradesh. They will be belonging to Punjab and set up party unit there. Though the number of seats and from where elections will be contested is not decided as of now, the party will contest from everywhere having possibility to win on its own symbol,” said Sukhbir, while talking to The Tribune.

He took on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying, “The real anti-poor face of the AAP is exposed from the fact that Arvind Kejriwal has set aside more than Rs 500 crore for publicity on the state’s exchequer against the meagre Rs 10 crore publicity budget of the Punjab government. This fund could have been diverted to construct streets, roads and develop other infrastructure rather than spending on publicity.”

He along with party’s district president Dyal Singh Kolianwali released the list of party’s district unit at Kolianwali village.

To introduce health card for poor

Sukhbir while addressing the public at Kattianwali village said the state government would launch health card for the poor on August 15, which would enable them free treatment up to Rs 30,000 in government hospitals.

‘Solar Summit will boost economy’

Sukhbir today hoped that the Solar Summit being held on Thursday in Chandigarh would boost the economy of the state as it had emerged as the most preferred destination for investment in non- conventional energy sector.

He urged farmers to come forward and be a part under the incentive-oriented net metering policy as it was especially designed keeping in view farmers’ interests. “The PEDA has recently got expressions of interest for 1,200 MW against the initial estimates of 500 MW solar power generations,” said Sukhbir.

VAT uniformity on diesel, patrol

On the issue of uniform VAT on diesel in the northern states, he said it was aimed at eliminating smuggling of oil from one state to other and this decision was taken unanimously by the northern states. He said VAT on petrol would be brought to the same level in the coming days as dialogue in this regard was going on.

Courtesy: The Tribune

36 more municipal areas levy cow cess

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 7

At least 32 municipal committees and four municipal corporations have passed resolutions to levy cow cess in their areas.

The cess has already been levied by three municipal corporations of Bathinda, SAS Nagar and Phagwara.

Kimti Bhagat, Chairman, Punjab State Gau Sewa Commission, said: “We have written to all municipal committees and corporations in the state to levy cow cess, which is mandatory as per the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act. Of 156 municipal committees, 32 have already passed resolutions on the matter. Similarly, four of 10 municipal corporations have passed the resolution.”

He said: “We have asked the officials concerned to take the Congress into confidence where the civic bodies are under their rule. In some areas, the Congress has even supported the levy.”

Bhagat said the municipal authorities were solely responsible to deal with the menace of stray cattle. “The matter can’t be taken lightly,” he warned officials while chairing a meeting here.

He reviewed the functioning of all cow shelters in the district and said the cow shelters of 25-acre each would be made in all districts. In Muktsar district, one such cow shelter is being established at Ratta Tibba village.

Bhagat said in 472 cow shelters in the state, 2.69 lakh cows had been given shelter. “Another 1.06 lakh cows are still straying across the state,” he said.

The state government had already announced free water and electricity to all cow shelters. Similarly, the items purchased by cow shelters were not covered under VAT, he added.

The rising tax burden

Rs100 every round of oil tanker in city limits

2 paisa per unit of power consumption

Rs1,000 booking of AC marriage palace

Rs500 booking of non-AC marriage palace

Rs1,000 registration of four-wheeler

Rs200 registration of two-wheeler

Rs1 per bag of cement
Rs120 per case of Indian made foreign liquor
Rs60 per case of country made liquor

Estimated collection

We are estimating per annum collection of nearly Rs60 crore from cow cess across the state. It will be spent on cow shelters by the cow protection committees formed in all districts: Kimti Bhagat, Chairman, Punjab State Gau Sewa Commission.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Just 11 of 483 village ponds cleaned in Muktsar dist this year

A village pond that is filled to the brim at Udekaran village in Muktsar district. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 8

The authorities have neither cleaned nor dewatered the village ponds even though the district is hit by waterlogging and suffers huge losses during monsoon. This year just 11 of the total 483 village ponds have been cleaned in the district. Last year, nearly 120 village ponds were cleaned.

Recently, the residents of Udekaran village complained to the Deputy Commissioner that the authorities failed to drain the pond. They said with just one spell of showers, the pond has been filled to the brim. The village was hit by waterlogging for about a month in 2013.

Gurlabh Singh, sarpanch, Udekaran village, said, “If there is one more spell of rain in the next two-three days, the water from the pond will overflow and inundate the houses nearby.” He further alleged the project to lay drainage pipeline from village pond to Bura Gujjar drain had not taken off. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal sanctioned the project in 2013.

A senior official in the district administration admitted not just in Udekaran village, but several ponds in the district had filled to their capacity. “Usually, the village ponds are cleaned by the panchayats. But where the panchayats don’t have enough funds, the ponds are not cleaned,” he added. Repeated attempts to contact Naval Kumar, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), proved futile.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Govt scraps Mata Kaushalaya scheme

Claims doing enough for expectant mothers; no money for pending cases

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 8

The cash-strapped state government has scrapped its Mata Kaushalaya Kalyan Yojana, which was started in 2011 to promote institutional deliveries in government hospitals.

Under the scheme, the government provided Rs1,000 to women after delivery for nutritious and balanced diet. The scheme was lying suspended as no beneficiary was given the promised amount for almost a year.

In Muktsar district, funds were released up to June last year and thereafter not even a single woman was given the monetary benefit.

Dr Bhag Mal, Director, Health and Family Welfare Department, said: “This scheme was lying suspended for a year since we did not get any funds for this period."

Surjit Jyani, Health Minister, said: “The Mata Kaushalaya Kalyan Yojana has been scrapped. No woman will now be given the monetary benefit even in pending cases.”

Jyani said: “The government is providing adequate facilities to expectant mothers, including free transportation to hospitals and return to their houses. Further, medicines and institutional deliveries are free of cost. ASHA workers have too been deployed to facilitate pregnant women.”

Satpal Gosain, then health minister in the SAD-BJP government, had started this scheme in 2011. It was launched to promote institutional deliveries in public hospitals to curb maternal and infant mortality rate.

As per the state government’s mother and child health action plan, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 172 per one lakh births. The aim is to bring MMR down to 78 by 2017. Similarly, the infant mortality rate (IMR) is 28 per 1,000 live births, which is aimed to reduce to 16 by 2017.

Data collected from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) showed that there were 1,25,510 non-institutional deliveries in the state in 2010-11; 92,993 in 2011-12; 71,047 in 2012-13 and 17,055 in 2013-14 (up to July).

Courtesy: The Tribune

Against rules, YAD holds drive in school; Campaign held in two classrooms, students forced to sit outside

Against rules, YAD holds drive in school

Campaign held in two classrooms, students forced to sit outside

YAD workers at a government school in Fatanwala village on Thursday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 2

Violating the rules, the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) is holding its membership drive in government schools. One such membership camp was held in two classrooms of the Government Primary School at Fattanwala village, near here, today. The students were forced to sit outside. The membership camp that started around 10 am lasted till late in the evening.

Binder Goneana, political secretary to Kanwarjeet Singh ‘Rozy Barkandi’, YAD president, Malwa Zone 1, said, “We held the camp in a room of the Government Primary School. The students had no problem as they were adjusted in other classrooms.”

Davinder Rajoria, District Education Officer, Muktsar, said, “I am not aware about the YAD membership drive being held in any government school. If YAD activists have done so, they have violated the norms. No political programme can be held in any government school.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Jagdeep Sandhu, who is also a native of Fattanwala village, said, “The district administration is choosing to be a mute spectator in the matter. It should take action against YAD for holding the camp on school premises.”

The membership drive of YAD was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in Bathinda on May 13.

Courtesy: The Tribune